In the eastern part of Indonesia is the dreamy island of Flores, part of the Lesser Sunda Islands — an off-path part of Indonesia that beckons to be explored.
Although Flores is less visited than certain other Indonesian islands, it has still received considerable attention over the past decade for being the main gateway to the illustrious Komodo Island, home to the world’s largest lizards.
Besides its population of over 2,500 Komodo dragons, Flores is home to some of the most spectacular landscapes in Indonesia. However, what I love most about Flores is not just the epic sights but its authenticity. The island was my first exposure to the non-hyper-touristy side of Indonesia, often travelling around it with a big smile on my face!
If you travel for the experience and want to go beyond the obvious vacation spot, then Flores is the perfect choice.
While some will visit only for a quick tour of Komodo, here I’ll tell you how you can actually travel through Flores.
Ready to plan your trip? Then let’s get started!
Plan your trip to Flores, Indonesia
What to Expect
Simply put, Flores is a world away from the tourism hotspot of Bali. Despite having several epic attractions, it’s much more low-key overall and its tourist infrastructure is far less developed.
You’ll immediately notice how sparsely populated Flores is compared to Java or Bali, having only one main road running through it.
As you pass through small villages in the countryside, you’re often greeted with friendly curiosity and choruses of ‘Hello mister!’. (To the amusement of two girls I was traveling with, the children will call you mister regardless of gender due to learning just a few phrases in school.)
Much of the accommodation in Flores is guesthouse or homestay-style, and the dining scene is all about the warungs (traditional small family-owned restaurants). If you’re a backpacker then you’ll surely feel right at home.
One place that is a bit different is the main tourist town of Labuan Bajo. It has developed hugely since the opening of a domestic airport, which was upgraded to an international airport in 2022.
You’ll find plenty of hotels in Labuan Bajo, several hostels, and even a couple of upmarket resorts (though absolutely nowhere near the level of what you’d see in places like Canggu or Seminyak). Various restaurants also serve international cuisines like sushi or Italian, should you tire of all the nasi goreng or mie ayam.
Consider Labuan your easy tourist-friendly jumping-off point. Other stops in Flores may be less centered around tourism and invite more independent exploration.
The island is unique in that the majority of the population is Roman Catholic Christians, whereas most Indonesian islands have a Muslim majority. This is evident wherever you travel, as you’ll see cute churches popping up above the verdant jungle. In Ruteng, I even slept in a guesthouse inside a convent, where I woke up to the morning singing of the nuns.
Finally, one of the main draws about Flores for me is the beautiful landscapes, from gentle rice fields to lush green rolling hills and epic multi-colored crater lakes that surely deserve a place at the front of a National Geographic Magazine. Traveling through Flores will feel like a proper adventure!
Getting In
By Sailing Adventure
If you have a couple of extra days, the best way to arrive in Flores is truly via a 4D3N sailing tour starting in Lombok near Bali.
This is what I did myself and it’s still one of my favorite ever travel memories! It’s not just a way to transit to Flores, but a unique experience in itself.
You’ll get stunning views of the island of Nusa Tenggara, get to stop at remote and untouched beaches for swimming and snorkeling, and you’ll get to do all the Komodo Island sightseeing on your final day (also including Rinca Island and Padar Island, which I’ll talk about later).
I’ll never forget seeing an orange-glowing moonrise on the horizon, singing songs on deck under the starry night sky, or jumping in the waters in the morning to look at all the incredible sea life below — including enormous manta rays and several sea turtles. While I was not so lucky, some times of the year you can even see friendly whale sharks.
I should mention here that it is definitely a backpacker-style trip. Don’t expect this to be a ‘cruise’ in terms of comfort level — it’s a boat trip with few luxuries, especially if you go with a deck-class ticket. Seasickness can be an issue if you’re unlucky to face rough seas. However, it’s all worth it as it’s an incredible experience that I can highly recommend.
If you want a bit more comfort or privacy, you could opt for the private cabin, though book early in this case as the boats have relatively few of them.
Companies that offer this trip include Wanua Adventures and Sailing Komodo. However, if your plans are flexible or you’re still in the early stages of planning your trip, you can book this trip easily on GetYourGuide. You’ll get free cancellation up to 24 hours before the trip and you can reserve now and pay later, so I recommend this platform for increased flexibility.
Lombok to Komodo sailing trip
My recommended way to get to Flores is with a 4-day boat trip. It already includes Komodo, Padar Island, and more.
By Air
If you’d prefer to fly to Flores, there are a number of airlines operating domestic routes from Denpasar in Bali and Jakarta daily.
You can fly directly to Labuan Bajo with airlines like Air Asia, Batik Air, and Thai Lion Air. The journey only takes an hour, and return tickets usually cost around 100 USD without baggage add-ons.
By Public Boat & Bus
If you’re an adventurous soul, you could travel via Nusa Tenggara. I haven’t done this, but I met two travelers who did — and they told me they spent about 30 hours in transit! I later heard of others who took two whole days.
Since there aren’t direct connections you will have to take multiple buses to cross Nusa Tenggara and then take a public boat to Flores. If you’re up for braving the treacherous voyage, then you can find more details here.
Labuan Bajo Travel Tips
Labuan Bajo (or Badjo for short) lies at the westernmost point of Flores. It’s still a fishing town at heart — and you can get some great grilled fish at the market — though tourism has become the main economic driver.
It’s a somewhat busy town, though wonderfully situated with beautiful views of a bay backed by green mountains.
Daily tours to the Komodo Islands leave from Bajo’s harbor. It’s also the perfect launching pad for snorkelling and scuba diving trips with numerous dive shops in town.
Most of the dive sites aren’t for complete beginners, but even having just two dozen dives under my belt at the time, I had plenty to choose from.
I had some of my most spectacular dives and snorkelling sessions around the islands of the Komodo National Park. I saw countless species of fish, sea turtles, sharks (don’t worry, not the dangerous kind), schools of squids, mantis shrimps, moray eels, manta rays, and cuttlefish. It’s truly an underwater wonderland!
If you can’t dive it’s still highly worth booking a snorkeling trip — I did both diving and snorkeling and saw all sorts of incredible marine life both near the surface and deeper down.
Another must-see attraction is the Rangko Cave. It’s an underground ice-blue lake deep behind the cave walls along the island’s western shores.
You can see it on this half-day tour, which includes a snorkeling experience at Boleng Beach.
Another sight to add to your itinerary is the Staircase to Heaven, a fabulous viewpoint where you’ll experience one of the most mesmerizing sunsets.
If you’re a foodie, be sure to stop by the local fish market where you can pick your favorite fish on the spot, and the vendor will cook it for you right in front of your eyes.
You’ll find some fantastic accommodation options in Labuan Bajo for great value. If your budget is tight and you’re looking for a cheap stay, check out the Tarsan Homestay; it’s affordable, clean, well located, and the rooms have AC.
For those looking to spend a little more, check out the Puu Pau Hotel & Coffee Shop with its bright, airy interiors to comfy beds. Plus, the amazing cafe downstairs earns extra points for me.
The Komodo Islands
No trip to Flores is complete without visiting the Komodo Islands. This fascinating group of 29 islands sits between Sumbawa and Flores and features the famous three of Komodo, Rinca, and Padar. The main draw here is the population of 2,500 Komodo dragons — the largest lizard in the world.
Rinca Island is usually one of the stops you’ll make on a tour of the Komodo Islands. It actually has the largest population of Komodo dragons, so your chances of seeing them are higher here. The Komodos can be deceptively docile, but luckily you will be accompanied by a park ranger armed with a lock stick to ensure your safety. When you’re on Rinca Island, you can also go snorkeling to see the coral reefs and go on a small hike.
Komodo Island is another stop you will take on your adventure. While seeing the Komodos here will be your highlight, another world-class natural feature of the island is the Pink Beach. It’s one of seven of its kind around the world; the distinct color comes from the white sand blending with the red coral.
Padar Island is reassuringly free of any large reptiles, so you can explore it without a guide. It’s notable for its epic landscapes of green-covered mountain tops that scrape the skies above the azure blue seas. There are various trails around the island that you can take on to soak up some serene views.
If you go on a tour of the National Park, you can hit up these spots.
How to Enter the National Park
Regarding the fees for Komodo Islands National Park, it can be tricky to get your head around. There’s an entrance fee of 150,000 IDR/per person (9.22 USD) for each day you spend in the park. However, there are extra fees for pretty much any activities you want to do in the park. For example, it costs 5,000 IDR/per person (0.31 USD) if you want to go hiking and 10.000 IDR/ per person (0.62 USD) for wildlife watching.
It can be tricky to visit the sights independently given most are reachable only by boat. The most popular way to visit the Komodo Islands is on a multi-day tour, such as this tour offered on GetYourGuide.
In my opinion, there’s no better way to do it as everything is organized in advance and you’ll get to see all the main highlights. They will also take care of the complicated entry fees for you, which are included in the price. Even though I typically like to DIY it most of the time, I visited the Komodo Islands with a tour since it was just the easiest way.
There are plenty of multi-day tours available on GetYourGuide, which include all your entrance fees, transport, accommodation, and attractions. So, if you’re after convenience, this is the best option.
The Flores Interior
How to Travel Through Flores
You can get around Flores in two ways: public buses or motorbikes/scooters.
Minibuses: The public buses (BEMOs) operate around the island, connecting locals to other towns and villages — and they’re very affordable. However, they don’t have any specific schedules, so you just have to show up at the pickup point and hope for the best that it will come.
Motorbike/moped: Another option is to hire a moped, which is what a lot of people do. Some of the main rental companies in Labuan Bajo I’d recommend you check out include Rental Bajo and Noabike. One of the main perks of hiring a scooter is that you can go anywhere you want on the island; there are no limits. You’ll stumble along sights other tourists won’t and can really soak up the atmosphere.
For my trip, I used a combination of bemos and mopeds/scooters. For example, I took a bemo to Ruteng, then rented a scooter for a few days there for local trips, then took the bemo to Moni / Ende and got a scooter there to explore. There isn’t a motorbike rental in Moni that I know of (though you could always try bartering with a local), so you may want to get one at Octopus Rental in Ende.
It is also possible to do the whole thing as one road trip, but unless you have your own vehicle, you will likely have to backtrack to Labuan Bajo at the end to deliver your bike back to the rental company.
Best Places to Visit in Flores
There are four main locations you’ll surely come across after you leave Labuan Bajo: Ruteng, Bajawa, Moni/Kelimutu, and Maumere. All of them have lots to do and deserve a visit if you have the time.
Ruteng is located deep in the highlands of western Flores; it draws a lot of visitors in for its wonderful vistas, traditional settlements, and seriously good coffee. There are several activities to consider:
- You can trek to the traditional village of Wae Rebo to learn about the everyday life of the Manggarai people. Alternatively, you can also visit the traditional village of Todo.
- Another cool attraction is the Liang Bua Cave which has the remains of Homo floresiensis, a species that once called Flores home for 50,000 years.
- The Spider Web Rice Fields, which are rice fields arranged in an unusual spider-web structure, can be seen from this viewing point.
If you need a pick-me-up halfway through the day, a stop at Kopi Mane is a must for their delicious brews made with juria beans from the region.
East of Ruteng is the gorgeous town of Bajawa, where you can experience the lifestyle of the Bena Tribe. Spend your days immersing yourself in Bena Tribe culture at traditional villages like Tololela or take on the four-to-five-hour climb to the mammoth Mt. Inerie, the highest volcano on the island. After a long day of exploring Bajawa, you can bathe in the Malanage Hot Springs, have a dip, relax, and enjoy the water.
In Ruting I stayed at a convent, which was a nice experience. Since it’s not on any booking sites, you will simply have to look for the Hotel Susteran (The Nun’s Hotel) or the Santa Maria Berdukacita convent.
Moni is set in the Ende district of Flores, where the famous Kelimutu National Park is located. There, you can find the active volcano of Mt. Kelimutu; it is well-known for its ice-blue crater lake, which sometimes changes color into light greens and even reds.
Even if you’re not a hiker, the walk is only half an hour to the top, so it’s easily doable. Near Moni Village, there’s also a really cool waterfall called Muru Keba Waterfall that’s well worth checking out. One other attraction you can add to your list is the Detusoko Rice Terraces; they’re lush green in color and extravagant enough to rival those in Bali.
Maumere is Flores’s second-largest town and can be the perfect end point of your Flores trip, having several stunning beaches in the area. If you still have some more energy left in you, then the active volcano of Gunung Egon is a challenging but rewarding trek that takes around three hours to complete. Additionally, there are plenty of scuba diving locations off the coast of Maumere, so if you have your license, you can book a dive with one of the local providers.
Besides the key sights, what I most enjoyed about Flores was just driving around on a motorbike and waving or high-fiving all the kids who greet you everywhere. The locals seem excited to see foreigners and will greet you friendlily everywhere you go. The vibe is fantastic!
While Labuan Bajo can easily be planned as a side excursion from Bali, I recommend exploring the rest of Flores for an immersive experience away from the usual tourist trail.
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Posted JUN 27, 2024
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