Flores Island – Less Car, More Life

Sabolon Besar – Pirate Island Resort.

On our second night in Maumere a Portuguese/German couple who had just finished a weeks long motorbike trip on the islands of Indonesia told us that they were headed to Pirate Island for 7 nights, as a final destination and ultimate relaxation to finish their trip. Pirate what what, now? We decided we’d go too, and we would get to meet up with them, Merrick and Isabelle, again. It’s nice to be able to share tips and gather advice from other travelers.

Fabian, from Germany, also headed out to the Island. He was at our hotel in Labuan Bajo, Cool Breezes, so we all walked over to the Pirate office together to board the boat.

Leaving Labuan Bajo harbor, and ready to settle into the island vibe. Aaarrggh!

Pirate Island is like summer camp for adults. You buy a package for all meals, there is no air conditioning or hot water, and you have snorkel gear waiting at your glamping tent for you. They also arrange scuba dives. Your tent has a fan, and when we stayed you could turn it on all day and night, but since the island is only powered by solar, in the busy season we read that the fans and the electricity may not be available all day. We brought headlamps which meant we didn’t need to turn on the overhead lights in our tent if we didn’t want to.

Leaving LB and admiring the mountains of Flores Island.

After a boat ride of a little less than an hour we arrive. Welcome to Pirate Island.

Rich and I are just the age to keep making allusions to and jokes about Fantasy Island, Survivor, and White Lotus.

The boat which arrives once a day bringing new guests.

It’s a shallow water disembark. The lovely staff bring your luggage and shoes off the boat for you.

You start your stay with a welcome drink and an orientation by staff. There is a map to show the snorkeling area, and a red or white flag for when you can snorkel from the beach (white flag high tide), or when you should walk out the jetty (red flag low tide.) Then the lunch buffet (you preorder your choice of main), and check in to your tent.

Our tent. Rich chose sunrise beach, so we got morning sun and then nice deep shade in the afternoon. Our own private bathroom.

Our first night of two had the most dramatic sunset.

Even the staff were out taking golden sunset light photos.

A few people watched the sun set from the jetty.

The open air dining and hang out spaces were comfortable and had fans blowing a breeze. We had dinner at tables with other folks, but there were plenty of tables at which couples could be by themselves. Did I mention that Pirate Island is adults only? No guests under the age of 16.

Sunrise from our bed. There is a mosquito net. If you prefer not to be woken by the sunrise you would lower the tent flaps, but then you wouldn’t get the nice ocean breezes at night.

We let the sun wake us for a six am swim.

Coffee and tea are available from about 6:30 am to 9 pm.

Super clear water, this is taken from the jetty.

The resort is working to protect and restore the coral reefs. Indonesia suffers from dynamite fishing. Apparently still a challenge to stop. When you snorkel you can see the newly started coral on wire frames. We always like to support tourism that celebrates natural beauty and wildlife as a way of preserving it.

Baby black tipped reef sharks cruising the shallows.

At low tide you start your snorkel by jumping from the jetty. I would have preferred a ladder but it got the job done.

Rich went first, I tossed his gear, waited, and then tossed my gear and jumped. Ok, it wasn’t that fast. I had to psyche myself up a bit to jump.

The snorkeling was fantastic, especially at higher tides when you could pass over the entire protected coral area. Massive schools of fish all around and a huge variety of colorful species. Not to mention turtles and sharks.

One of the smaller tents, more budget friendly and using shared bathrooms.

All the staff wore cute blue striped shirts and were super helpful and friendly.

From 7-9pm each evening was either a movie or a bonfire sing-along with a talented staff guitar player. Seriously like summer camp for adults. It’s always interesting what songs a diverse age and nationality crowd all know. Bob Marley. Yes. Fiona Hill. Yes. Local Indonesia songs, no but so fun to hear.

The resident cat, named Grande. Waking from his afternoon nap.

Not to be confused with his morning nap.

Our final morning Rich climbed the hill.

The climb up a rocky trail got him a good view.

The sun came out. Ready for another swim. It was hot and humid.

Goodbye Pirate Island, two nights was perfect for us.

Crossing Flores Island at 30 mph.

Coffee break at a Café overlooking rice fields.

Being driven around is not our ideal way to travel. But Flores Island, with its one National Road and many smaller off shoot roads to attractions and villages, has only a few motor driven options. Scooters are obviously the first choice among locals, but we’re not scooter or motorcycle competent and these roads would be a bad place to learn or practice many folks told us. So, drivers and cars it was. Yes, there are buses, but with the bus trips you can’t stop and enjoy the view or take photos, and apparently they go as fast as they can which makes for a bumpy ride. Not good for anyone prone to motion sickness. We did spot a solo bike tourist but didn’t get to chat.

Indonesia is the world’s third largest rice producer.

Rainy season means plenty of water and so much green!

From Moni to our next overnight stay, Ende, the journey shows up on Google maps as 1 hour and 22 minutes driving time. With a few stops along the way to snap photos and have a coffee it was about 2 hours and 30 minutes. Our second driver, hired just for the day, was named Nopi, and he was a lovely calm driver. He got us to Ende in time for a late lunch.

A few of the twists and turns of the National Road. This keeps speed down for sure.

On the outskirts of Ende. The steep volcanic mountains are so dramatic.

Would we be able to handle days of being driven? We are so used to traveling on our own and at our own pace. Add in the heat at the stays near the coast and you have a recipe for cranky travelers who aren’t getting enough exercise.

Ende is a long volcanic slope of a town. 86f/30c isn’t too hot, but the 80% humidity gets you.

A cold drink in the shaded PariKoro Resto. This great lunch stop was only a 12 minute walk from our hotel.

Ende is not a good walking town. The sun and heat, the long slopes, and the noise from traffic and scooters combine for an unpleasant experience. Until Rich got us off the main roads with a little help from MapsMe.

These young women were practicing a dance and chased us down for photos.

And then I got a photo of the photographers.

The shady small streets were scooters and pedestrian only. The kids came out to wave hello.

After just one night in Ende we were picked up by our third and final driver, Nyoman, who would take us all the way back to Labuan Bajo over four more days of driving and stops for lunch and to see sights, and one two night stay in Bajawa.

A view from town of your friendly neighborhood volcano. Flores has numerous volcanoes, 14 of which are considered active.

First stop, the optical shop so Rich could get his reading glasses fixed.

A few things made the driving not just tolerable but fun. First was of course nice, safe, calm drivers. Second was saying no to air conditioning and just leaving the windows down. Our first driver started this practice, he asked if we would be ok with no AC. Well, we’ll try we said. What a difference it made to be able to see and be seen by the locals. With the tinted windows up they couldn’t see us, and we couldn’t make eye contact, wave and say hello. And we said hello or selamat pagi (good morning) a lot! The kids call out Bulay! when they see a foreigner, or yell Hello Mister! Traveling at 30mph or less because of the twisting roads we got to see a lot. And the experience of driving along seeing the locals and the amazing jungle was unlike any other trip we’ve made.

Lunch stop at Blue Stone Beach. I love my puddle of shade.

When dry the stones are not so blue, more gray.

Shade break and time for viewing dramatic clouds.

A view back towards Ende and some volcanoes.

The blue is most likely due to volcanic minerals such as sulphides and rock-forming feldspar. So thank you for that, volcanoes.

Still not blasé about volcanic mountains.

Nyoman asked if we wanted to stop by the Mangeruda Hot Springs, and although hot water didn’t sound too appealing we said yes. But first a stop at a huge regional market.

The weekly market was in full swing so Nyoman dropped us off and we walked through.

We only stayed on the primary street, but the market stretched back quite a way.

So many greens for sale. Without our driver as a guide we didn’t feel as welcomed at this market. We made one pass through and headed on.

Mangeruda Hot Springs and Rich heating up. Thank you again volcanoes.

Rich says the water was about 95-100f/35-37c.

There was also a big, deeper and cooler pool, with rather sharp stones in the bottom.

After Rich had a good soak and I took photos we headed to Bajawa, where we had a two night stay booked at the Bajawa Roo Hotel. Bajawa was our favorite stop on the drive across Flores. Part of that was the town, it was cool at 3,900 feet/1,200 m above sea level – we got to wear our down jackets and long trousers – which made them not ridiculous to bring along. The Bajawa Roo Hotel was a fantastic travelers hotel run by a super friendly and helpful couple, Sri and Moses.

Rich and Martin, who was from Poland and a surfer.

We were happy to walk to dinner at a Chinese restaurant nearby. Nyoman offered to drive us to and from dinner but we always prefer a walk.

Bena Traditional Village was our first stop of our non travel day.

Kitty greeter. They look less than delighted to see us.

It can feel awkward to wander around the village, but the scarfs we are wearing show that we have registered and made a donation.

And I always buy something- this time it was traditional textile.

Nyoman showed us the trail to the next traditional village, Tololela. It was an hour walk through stunning jungle. We would meet up with Nyoman again after walking down the very steep road from Tololela.

The roads are in a constant state of repair, especially in rainy season. Hati hati translates as be careful!

A woman and a child carrying firewood back to the village.

It’s not easy to navigate the jungle with an umbrella. But I did.

So much intact jungle. Such steep slopes.

Rich added for scale. The bamboo plants were massive.

Tololela Village. Again, you stop by the first building on the right and make a donation. It helps the villages stay viable in these modern times.

Deep overhangs for shade and rain protection.

Wood carvings. I’m not sure why a horse, we didn’t see any.

I was glad that we visited both villages, they had different feelings to them, and I noticed more details at the second village.

A chicken strutting past drying candlenuts. The sun was so hot we could hear the nuts sizzling. The nut is used in cooking, and the oil for hair products or illumination.

We headed down the very very steep road, marveling at the scooters taking the sharp turns loaded with several people, met up with Nyoman, and headed back up the mountains for a view restaurant for lunch.

Volcano view at Heaven’s Door Bar & Restaurant.

Rich finally got to try the smoked barbecued pork.

Dinner with a fellow traveler, Ramon from Catalonia.

But first a walk into town. Must navigate puppy lane without scooping one up.

Bajawa was setting up for a festival and folks were using the walking track in the park.

A Catholic Church and a Muslim Mosque across the street from each other. Ramadan was starting in a few days.

Nyoman and I stayed in the car while Rich snapped photos.

When you look at the route, the twists and turns, it’s really amazing this road exists. And it does suffer from land slides and fallen trees, but it’s the one cross island connection, so when it’s blocked there is a fast effort to reopen it.

Our first stop on this almost four hour drive was a Moke home distillery. An alcoholic beverage made from palm tree fruits.

A rather simple distillery after the harvesting of the sap from the fruits.

The tasting room. Left is the clear very high proof Moke, middle is the same but flavored with spices and sugar, and right is the thick sap condensed down to sugars.

The owner and distiller. We are on the coast again and it was hot.

Her retail stand on the side of the road.

The drivers always know the good lunch stops. Tuna steak, veggies, fries and plenty of sambal.

Passed by a local bus. There were usually a few guys riding on the top, and some poultry hanging from the back rack.

One night Ruteng at the Ara Garden Inn, 1,100 m, 3,800 ft elevation meant the jackets came out again.

An early breakfast so we could get on the road – one final day of driving!

A stop at the lingko (circle) rice fields and Rich with our two little guides, 12 and 14 years old. Similar to the traditional villages you make a donation and then are guided up to the viewpoint.

Sheno and Clifford explained that the villages which share the field originally each had a pie shaped plot, divided further by families – which makes a spiderweb formation.

The National Road has good asphalt, and is shared with a lot of scooters, some cars, and big trucks hauling manufactured goods from other islands and mostly agricultural goods from Flores.

From Ruteng to Labuan Bajo the road climbs over passes and down to the coast twice. The difference in heat is very noticeable. When we finally reached Labuan Bajo Nyoman even shook his head and said “So hot.” He is from Moni which is at 700m/2,200 feet so a bit cooler than the coast. I was pleased to hear that even a local found the weather hot.

The happy travelers in Labuan Bajo again, after 8 days exploring the island.

Crossing the island at 30 mph (or so) was amazing. That is a slow enough speed to leave the windows down and not be wind blown. It’s the right speed to spot things and ask to stop. The jungle goes by slowly enough that you can marvel at the mix of trees and plants. See the cows grazing at the sides of the roads. Laugh at the dogs asleep in the middle of the road (drivers always carefully avoid the dogs). It may not be our favorite mode of travel, but for this trip our more car decision was the right one. Next up: Pirate Island!

And a map! Hearts are where we spent the night.

And a larger map. The hearts across Java are from a trip in 2017/2018. The blue dot is us in Dalat, Vietnam right now.

The Other Side of Flores Island, Indonesia

After being surprised by Labuan Bajo’s sidewalks and rapidly developing tourist infrastructure, we flew from Labuan Bajo to Maumere, a small city on the Northeast coast of Flores to start our cross island exploration.

Wuring, a traditional fishing village near Maumere

Cheryl arriving at Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere; happy that our Wings Air turboprop made the journey today

We didn’t know exactly what to expect. Maumere is remote and there are only 3 flights a week between Labuan Bajo and Maumere on a Wings Air Turboprop. It was a bit risky itinerary as the flights are often delayed or cancelled in the rainy season, but we lucked out and had a scenic flight along Flores’ north coast. It was a fairly empty flight of locals and maybe 6 tourists. Flores in the rainy season is still a delightfully beautiful exotic experience, but maybe not the best for anyone on a tight schedule. These nomads are not on a tight schedule -:)

Wuring, or Fisherman’s Village is a predominantly Muslim community settled by notoriously tough sailors from the Bajo, Bugis and Buton tribes, and mostly from neighboring South Sulawesi.

Dried fish are a staple of a Flores diet.

The structures are almost all on stilts over the water off of two main spurs. We felt a bit awkward walking around as there were no other tourists anywhere. Of course people were friendly and gracious as they went about their daily business and we were definitely a curiosity.

Goats and scooters are other village essentials

We had an extremely friendly driver pick us up from the airport to one of a handful of tourist accommodations along the coast. Maumere proper is a still a work in progress and still recovering from the devastating 1992 earthquake and Tsunami that killed 2,500 people. The 7.8 earthquake damaged or destroyed many structures and was followed just six minutes later by a large tsunami that reflected off part of the coast and adjacent Babi island. Indonesia’s volcanic and seismic activity makes a lot of it a risky place to live, so the people have to be resilient and resourceful. In the Fisherman’s Village alone, a 10 foot (3m) high wave swept through the village in 1992 killing 100.

Our nice cabana at the Amrita Resort east of Maumere in the village of Waiara. It was small and we were the only people there the first night.

The beach in front of the Amrita is as also popular with the locals and was noticeably cleaner than adjacent areas. They are restoring the reef here and the snorkeling was enjoyable in the morning before the breezes came up.

A classic Indonesian lunch, Mie Goreng, Nasi Goreng, Cap Chay, and local Sambal
(Fried noodles and rice with chicken, mixed local vegetables, and spicy pepper/salsa)

I have to say, the Fisherman’s village and the Maumere central market were pretty astonishing. We have travelled a lot but were still surprised at the low level of development on Flores and the consistent base of rural subsistence living across the massive island. There is virtually no industry or manufacturing on the island and power outages are frequent. Untreated water is trucked to tanks. Processed food is rare, which is a good thing, as it’s the source of lots of waste and most of it we saw in small minimarts was junk food.

Entering the fish market in Maumere with our brilliant guide and driver for the day, Donatus

It was a bit later in the morning and not peak market day, but still a healthy supply of fresh catch and the ubiquitous dried fish

So much fish is dried to preserve and provide a reliable source of food when the fresh catch is lighter. This is likely tuna.

A wide choice of local vegetables. Nothing we ate in Flores was processed (except our well traveled Cliff Builders Bar!).

Donatus buying a few local specialties for us to try

Everything grows somewhere in Flores due to the elevation variations. These are banana flowers, used in a local dish.

And so many peppers for sambal variations.

The makings for Betel chewing; Areca nuts, slaked lime, and betel leaves.

Taro. The large roots are sold as pig food.

Flores had been off the radar to the government until the late 1990’s and the end of the Suharto era. There are complex political and religious dynamics in Indonesia that I won’t even pretend to understand but it is clear that the control and power for the country comes from its heart of Jakarta and Java. It is also key to understand that Flores is predominantly Catholic from the legacy of the Portuguese time of control, although they eventually ceded control of Flores to the Dutch, who officially held control until Indonesia’s independence in 1945. The island is now a mix of Catholics and Muslims, overlaid with traditional Melanesian cultures and beliefs.

Most transport on Flores is by scooter or shared rides. There are some small and medium size scheduled buses.

From the market, a delicious srikava fruit, also known as sugar apples; it kinda melts in your mouth.

The Flores Islanders are very proud (rightly so) of their peaceful coexistence. Our driver and guide from Maumere was Christian but very proud of the coexistence and acceptance, even pointing out small graveyards with alternating Christian and Islamic graves. We sensed no tension anywhere and apparently they celebrate and revel a bit in each others holidays. Flores really is a special place.

Donatus cracking some Candle nuts for us to try.

One of the two idyllic beach coves at Koka Beach.

Our stop here was midday and the UV was extreme, but that didn’t stop Cheryl.

Cacao trees and pods that give the beach its name.

À local girl is baffled by the pale woman under an umbrella.

Oh, but the water feels so nice in the oppressive heat of the Flores coast.

Grilled fish lunch near Koka Beach, a very pleasant and rustic affair.

The Trans-Flores Highway is never straight and winds its way up and down the islands rugged topography. Villages cling to hillsides.

Approaching the volcanic lakes of Mt. Kelimutu with anticipation.

First views of two of the lakes. No filters.

At the summit, I am calm and reflective.

Cheryl, on the other hand, is having her moment. We are the only ones here, which feels amazing.

By the time we get back down to the upper trailhead, more people show up, including these friendly nuns.

And another group posing in the parking area before their trip up to the lakes.

We decided to hike down the mountain 5 miles or so to Moni, and the first part was a steep but easy walk on the small road.

The lower part of the Mt Kelimutu Road is wide, graded shoulders were a popular and level spot for cattle grazing in the green rainy season.

Our next shortcut to Moni started off ok, but then turned steep, muddy, slippery, and overgrown in places.

This dog was wondering where we were headed?

Thanks to a mostly accurate gps track we eventually found our way and stayed on our feet (yes, umbrellas for their third and fourth purposes; walking sticks and snake clearing!).

Cheryl was not pleased with this « shortcut ».

Lots of random farming and gathering, including Taro.

We finally made it down to Murundao Waterfall,

Near the falls were two streams that were just raging a bit too much in the rainy season to cross by foot. Cheryl’s good balance made it standing across the loose and wonky bamboo. Full disclosure, I crawled across as my high center of gravity and fear of falling onto the rocks below got the best of me. You make different decisions when medical care is potentially very far away.

A pig living under tree roots. Safe for now.

Our rustic homestay in Moni, Jaya Hill Garden.

The lone ATM of Moni
(accidentally Wes Anderson).

We said goodbye to our great driver from Maumere and spent two nights in the small mountain town of Moni to explore and see Mount Kelimutu. It was great and thankfully a bit cooler at 1000m. Moni has a relaxed vibe and one of the great global travelers bar and restaurant called Mopi’s, run by some local Rastafarians. It was quiet this time of year, but we could imagine a different scene in the peak and dry June/ September season.

The endless jungles and mountains of Flores, so happy we decided to come here.

But we had a lot more of Flores to explore, so let’s get going!

Labuan Bajo. Come for the dragons, stay for the sidewalks.

In the taxi from the airport to our hotel in Labuan Bajo Rich looked out the window and said “Sidewalks. There are sidewalks.” If you’ve traveled in a developing country you will understand his surprise. Walking in a lot of places – India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Mexico – can be challenging for a multitude of reasons, lack of sidewalks being a big one. Or, big holes or incomplete sidewalks. And, places that do have sidewalks, like a lot of Thailand, will come with a lot of scooters and street stalls to block your way.

Sidewalk! Complete with tactile guidelines for visually impaired folks.

Labuan Bajo on Flores Island is one of the “Five New Balis” the Indonesian government has identified and put money into. Technically it’s called the Five Super Priority Destinations Program. The goal is to get travelers to visit other parts of Indonesia, not just Bali. And some of the money has gone into infrastructure. I can’t find when the sidewalks were built, but they have definitely been a good investment for locals and tourists. We picked our hotel because it’s close to the commercial area. We always prefer to walk to dinner and around town instead of taking taxis.

Sidewalks are so important for children. Walking and playing.

Children playing on the waterfront promenade. Recreational paving stones.

Some lovely views from the road leading up from town and to the airport.

So many boats and construction projects.

This is what we expected of the streets. All this walking is before 8 am.

We spent a day just exploring town and debating a trip out to Komodo Island to see the dragons. Our intent in coming to Flores Island was to explore the island, not specifically to see the dragons. Komodo Island is firmly on the tourist track and offers of trips to see the dragons, visit the pink sand beach and walk to the view spot on Padar Island are ubiquitous. Also, so many dive shops and folks offering live aboard boat trips.

The Indonesian government has a plan for periodic shutdowns of Komodo Island beginning in mid 2025 to not only to help the island regenerate, and hopefully to rewild the dragons, but also to encourage tourists to visit other sites and spread the tourist visits to more attractions. We read enough about dragons being fed (and possibly drugged?!?!) to keep them on the beach and easily visible to tourists to give us pause about visiting. At busy times of the year the scrums of folks getting dragon photos looks pretty awful. This isn’t the busy time of year since it’s the rainy season, but we still just couldn’t find the motivation to visit Komodo Island. Maybe on our way back through Labuan Bajo. Maybe.

An alley suitable only for scooters and pedestrians.

Kitty tenderizing a scooter seat. Handy scratching post!

Lots of cats out in the coolish morning air.

Street side stall. Colorful snacks whose wrappers sadly end up everywhere!

Farmers come down from the hills to sell good in town. There is a market street further up town but this farmer has a mobile market.

No egg shortage here. (The USA has an egg shortage due to avian flu.)

I arrived in Indonesia without an umbrella! Mistake corrected.

Lunch at a locals spot, Kantin Primkopal. Rich happy with the Ayam Goreng Sambal specialty.

And dinner out on the end of that pier, the fanciest spot in town.

Heading to the restaurant we saw turtles and had a good chat with some young Indonesian tourists.

Quite a lovely spot, Le Bajo Restaurant. One of three new higher end restaurants on the pier.

Best Waterside table, low season perk. What a place to watch the sun set.

And some local food – octopus! This restaurant is ready for the folks who will be coming to the new resorts being built.

So what did we do instead of a Komodo Island visit? Well, a big downside to Labuan Bajo is that there are almost zero beaches at which to swim. One public beach close to town is a bit of a mess with trash, and the only other close by beach has been privatized by a fancy new luxury collection Marriott resort. We want to spend our tourist dollars visiting attractions so we hired a driver for the day and headed out to visit two caves.

First up: Mirror Stone Cave, Gua Batu Cermin.

Our guide from the park. You need a guide to go in the caves. They are unlit and have no walkway once you are inside.

Not many photos from inside the caves. It was a muddy scramble complete with hardhats and headlamps (provided by the guide.).

Cave portrait thanks to our guide. Not pictured- many many bats!

Another locals spot thanks to our driver, we could watch the school kids pour out for lunch.

The food was good and I was surprised and delighted to find a bat in the toilet cubicle! They flew about a bit before settling down to keep me company.

After lunch we went to Rangko, the small village is the launching place to visit Rangko Cave. A cave with swimming.

The path to the beach complete with cute goats.

It’s pretty hot and the water looks so tempting.

Group photo! I like how effortlessly our boatman sat cross legged to drive.

A five minute walk to the entrance of Rangko Cave.

And into the seawater! Amazingly clear. You could hear the gurgle as fresh seawater entered the cave.

And a swim at the beach before we left. The water at the beach was warmer, not as refreshing.

The highs of Labuan Bajo were the sidewalks, the views, the two good restaurants we ate dinner at, Happy Banana and Le Bajo, in addition to the local lunch place. The lows were the lack of a swimming beach and the missing mid range small locally owned resorts which you find on Bali. Labuan Bajo had a few fancy expensive resorts (one of which had privatized a local beach), but Rich couldn’t find a good small resort. A swimming pool would have been nice since there was no beach access, but there is a water issue in town. All water is delivered by truck filling large tanks, and drinking water in 5 gal/18 liter bottles.