Flores

I drove the Trans-Flores Highway in three days, from Labuan Bajo in the west to Maumere in the east, and it remains one of the most extraordinary journeys I’ve made anywhere in Southeast Asia. The road climbs from the coast into the Manggarai highlands, drops to rice paddy valleys, climbs again through coffee and cacao plantations, passes traditional villages where ikat cloth hangs drying on bamboo fences, reaches the volcanic plateau around Bajawa where the traditional Ngada villages are almost unchanged from a century ago, and then climbs again to the summit of Mount Kelimutu, where three crater lakes of different colors sit side by side in a landscape that feels genuinely geological rather than scenic.

Kelimutu changed everything I thought I knew about natural color. The lakes are called Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Lake of Old People), Tiwu Ko’o Fai Nuwa Muri (Lake of Young Men and Maidens), and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake). They are different colors — typically one turquoise, one dark green, one black — because of differences in mineral composition and oxidation, and they change color unpredictably over months and years. The local Lio people believe the lakes are where the spirits of the dead go, with the color of the lake reflecting the moral character of those interred within. I arrived at 5am, in the dark, and watched the three lakes materialize in the growing light — first as dark shapes, then in color. By the time full sunrise came, all three were different shades and all three were extraordinary.

The Ngada villages around Bajawa are something else entirely. These are living communities, not museums — the traditional stone-walled village of Bena, with its conical thatched rumah adat (ancestral houses) and megalithic stone tombs, is still the center of clan and ritual life for the families who live there. The ngadhu (male ancestor symbols) and bhaga (female ancestor symbols) that stand in the central plaza were placed there by ancestors and are maintained with ceremony. The women of Bena weave ikat cloth on backstrap looms in their doorways while children play around the megalithic stones. It is simultaneously one of the most visually extraordinary places in Indonesia and one of the most culturally intact.

The west of Flores — Labuan Bajo and the Komodo access — is covered in its own guide. The journey between them, through the interior of an island that most tourists fly over, is the thing that makes Flores different from every other Indonesian destination.

Why Flores belongs on your itinerary

Flores is where travelers who have “done” Bali and Lombok and the Gilis come when they want something genuinely different. The island is less developed, more demanding, and more rewarding than the tourist trail islands to its west. The road conditions are improving but still challenging in places. The distances are real — Labuan Bajo to Ende is 5-6 hours. None of that matters once you’re standing on the rim of Kelimutu, or sitting in the ceremonial plaza at Bena, or watching a whale shark cruise past your boat in Labuan Bajo Bay.

The cultural depth of Flores is extraordinary and largely unexplored by international visitors. The Catholic traditions brought by 16th-century Portuguese missionaries have merged with pre-existing animist beliefs to create a syncretic culture found nowhere else in predominantly Muslim Indonesia. The ikat weaving traditions of the Ngada, Manggarai, and Sikka peoples are among the finest in the archipelago — and unlike in Bali, where batik is often mass-produced, the Flores ikat women weave on backstrap looms in their own villages for their own ceremonial use, selling what they can spare rather than what they produce for sale.

The diving off Flores — particularly around the Riung 17 Islands, the coast south of Maumere, and the waters between Flores and Komodo — is world-class and almost entirely undiscovered compared to the Bali and Komodo sites.

What should you do in Flores?

Kelimutu Crater Lakes at Sunrise — The three colored crater lakes at 1,639 meters on Mount Kelimutu near Ende are the single most extraordinary natural sight on the island. Drive up in the dark (depart Ende at 4am), arrive before sunrise, and watch the colors emerge. The Lio people’s belief that these lakes house ancestral spirits amplifies the experience considerably. Free to enter; a guide from Ende costs Rp300,000-500,000 for the round trip.

Bena Traditional Village — 19km south of Bajawa, Bena is the most intact of Flores’ Ngada traditional villages — nine clans, 45 traditional houses arranged in two rows facing each other, with megalithic stone tombs and ancestral symbols in the central plaza. Entry donation Rp20,000-30,000. Morning visits when women are weaving are the most photographically rewarding. Ask permission before pointing a camera at people.

Wogo and Gurusina Villages — Alternative Ngada villages near Bajawa with their own character and fewer visitors than Bena. Wogo is particularly fine for the view it commands over the surrounding valley. Any guesthouse in Bajawa can arrange a village circuit — a half-day with a local guide costs Rp200,000-300,000 and includes villages that are genuinely harder to find independently.

Riung 17 Islands Marine Park — 100km east of Labuan Bajo, the Riung 17 Islands are a marine national park almost entirely off the tourist radar. Boat day trips from the small town of Riung reach excellent snorkeling reefs, giant bats roosting in coastal trees, and beaches with no other visitors. Rp200,000-400,000 for a boat day. The diving here is virtually unexplored.

Trans-Flores Highway Overland — The 700km road from Labuan Bajo to Maumere passes through some of Indonesia’s most dramatic and culturally rich terrain. Rent a car and driver (Rp800,000-1,200,000/day), take 3-4 days, and stop wherever looks interesting. The morning markets in Bajawa and Ruteng reward an early start. The highlands around Cancar have traditional Manggarai spider-web rice fields (lingko) visible from the road.

Whale Shark Snorkeling, Labuan Bajo — Several tour operators in Labuan Bajo offer the chance to snorkel with whale sharks that regularly appear in the bay. These are not baited encounters — the sharks follow the fish cleaning boats. The experience is extraordinary and animal welfare-appropriate. Rp350,000-500,000 per person.

Where should you eat in Flores?

• Grilled fish in Labuan Bajo harbor — The harbor restaurants serve the morning’s catch grilled whole with sambal and rice. A full snapper, grilled to order at the waterside, costs Rp80,000-120,000 (USD 5-8).

• Market breakfast in Bajawa — The morning market from 6-9am serves nasi campur with highland vegetables, fresh tofu, and whatever came in from the farms that morning. Rp20,000-35,000 for a full plate. The Bajawa coffee — grown in the highlands above the town — is outstanding.

• Rumah Makan Simpang Lima, Ende — The most reliable warung for Florenese food in Ende: nasi goreng, fish soup, and fresh tropical fruit. Rp30,000-50,000 per person. The starting point for the 4am Kelimutu departure the following morning.

• Warung Kelimutu, near the crater parking area — Simple warung selling noodle soup, sweet tea, and boiled eggs to visitors descending from the dawn crater rim. After a 4am start and a cold windswept summit, the hot soup at Rp15,000 is the best meal of the day.

• Seafood at Riung — The small coastal town of Riung has simple warung serving excellent grilled fish and squid caught from the bay the same morning. Rp50,000-80,000 for a full fish with rice and sambal. A genuinely off-the-beaten-track seafood lunch in a beautiful setting.

Where should you stay in Flores?

Labuan Bajo (Budget-Luxury): The best range of accommodation on the island — from harbor-view guesthouses at Rp200,000-400,000 to the Ayana Komodo Resort at USD 300+ per night. Mid-range options in the Rp700,000-1,500,000 range include Golo Hilltop and several boutique properties with pool and sea views.

Bajawa (Budget): Simple guesthouses accommodate the Ngada village circuit visitors. Hotel Edelweis and Hotel Manulalu offer clean rooms with private bathroom for Rp200,000-400,000. Bajawa is a transit town — a comfortable bed and a reliable alarm clock is all you need.

Ende (Budget-Mid): Ende is the Kelimutu staging post. Hotel Flores in the center has adequate rooms for Rp300,000-500,000. More importantly, arrange your Kelimutu driver the evening before.

When is the best time to visit Flores?

May through October is the optimal window — dry season, clear skies for the Kelimutu sunrise, accessible village roads, and comfortable driving conditions on the Trans-Flores Highway. July and August are peak (for Komodo); May, June, September, and October offer better conditions with fewer visitors. The manta rays at Komodo and whale sharks in Labuan Bajo Bay are present year-round.

November through April brings rain that can obscure the crater lakes and make mountain roads slippery. Kelimutu is sometimes cloud-bound for days at a stretch during the wet season, turning the pre-dawn pilgrimage into a gray disappointment. If your dates are fixed in the wet season, Ende is worth staying two nights to improve your chances of a clear morning.

See our Komodo destination guide for the national park section, and browse all Indonesia destinations for the full archipelago picture.