The best of the best Flores

On arrival in Maumere you will meet my your driver who will transfer you to your hotel. In Maumere you spend the night in a nice hotel on the beach, just outside Maumere. There will be some time left to snorkel the clear blue waters or just relax.

Free to enjoy the beach. Optional: The coast of Maumere offers some nice dive or snorkelspots. In the morning we board a small boat and head to open waters. We spend the day exploring underwaterworld of these spots together with a local guide. It's an enjoyable relaxing day at sea.

9am your driver is at your hotel. Today is reserved for a beautiful tour through the mountains. The village of Sikka, situated on the south coast, is one of the first places of Portuguese influence and Catholic missionary activity in Flores. Besides the beautiful, with local ikat motifs decorated, Portuguese church from 1899, Sikka is still one of Flores’ most important and famous weaving center. You will stop by a beautiful white sandy beach, named Paga. Here is a local restaurant where you can have lunch but lunch is also possible further down Wolowaru (lunch is excluded). We continue our route to Moni. You can stop to take some pictures of the incredible landscape. The final stretch of the tour to Moni treats you to some truly remarkable rice terrace views. Arrival in Moni is in the afternoon. If still light you can check out the old town and/or go to the local market.

An early start (4AM) to the Kelimutu volcano; where you experience a crater sunrise. From the parking area it is a 45-minute walk (path and stairs) to the viewpoint. We recommend comfortable hiking shoes or sneakers its not a difficult trail more a long path. Bare in mind to bring warm clothes at this altitude it is cold this early morning. At the top there are several vendors selling coffee or tea (approx. IDR 10.000/each). It is a mysterious place with it’s three lakes that over the years miraculously change color. Currently it is green, blue and black. It used to be red, white and blue. Adding to the mystery as the locals believe the souls of passed away villagers end in the colour of the lake suitable to life's lived. In your own pace you return to the car and then hotel for breakfast and freshen up. When ready to depart you get in the car and drive you to Riung. Riung situated on the north coast of Flores. You’ll be amazed by the variety of landscapes Flores has to offer. We stop at a stretch of beach with green stones. You can relax and have lunch (own expense), at low tide the swing gives you a nice photo opportunity. In the late afternoon we arrive in Riung, a small fishermen-village net yet discovered by mass tourism.

Today you go by boat to the 17 (Toejoehbelas) national park. Actually the park has 33 islands but it is called 17 to honor Indonesia's Independence day, 17 August. The place is well-known for its reefs, tropical fish and thousands of flying dogs (you can see them quite close)! You'll be enjoying a day at sea; the underwater world is really beautiful. For lunch you will enjoy a fresh fish coconut bbq prepared by the boatman. It is a relaxed and delightful day! If you are looking for a nice diner walk up the street and find 'Pato' next to hotel Pondok SVB.

After breakfast you leave for Bajawa (best to have your bathing suite on). On the way you stop by a viewpoint, which offers an astonishing view over the coral islands we visited yesterday. Around lunchtime we arrive in a small town called 'Soa'. This village is famous for its natural thermal springs, heated by a volcano in the neighborhood. Here you will have some time to take a nice warm bath in a beautiful natural environment. In the late afternoon we arrive in Bajawa, a little town surrounded by volcanoes, situated about 1200 meters above sea-level. Again warm clothes are needed when evening hits, it can be quite chilly.

The center of Ngada culture is Bajawa. Ngada is a people who live according to age-old rules in which ancestor worship plays an important role. In this culture, the caste system is still a followed way of life. Together with a local guide, you will explore the systems of the traditional villages and walk through the vast green surroundings in which the villages are sometimes hidden. The car takes you to the starting point of the walk; a traditional village called Bena. This village is open to tourism and accessible by car. From Bena, we walk to another village, arriving at a small traditional village hidden in its green surroundings. You will spend the night in this village. In the afternoon, you can help the local people with their tasks, but it is not required. The overnight stay is simple as these villages do not have hot or running water. The toilet is a squat toilet, and you flush with a scoop of water, often showering in the same space with a water scoop (gajung) from a water container. It is a special experience defined by simplicity. Once again, your sarong will come in handy; the evenings and nights are cool at this altitude, so wrap yourself in your sarong to stay warm. Are you a hiker or nature lover? Then extend your stay in Bajawa by at least one day. You can enjoy wonderful walks, and the temperature is very pleasant.

In the morning we continue our journey to West-Flores. It's a long but beautifull drive enroute we make some short stops. We will visit a small factory distilling alcolhol from palmfruit, known as 'Arak' with high alcohol levels. And we maken a stop at Lake Ramanese if desired. You arrive in Ruteng (late) afternoon and will go straight to the hotel.

This area is also characterized by a special tradition that is deeply rooted in everyday life. From a height point this is best seen. You look at Lingko rice fields, the round shape looks like a spider web, hence the name 'spiderweb ricefields' they have nothing to do with a spider web. The fields are a dimensional representation of the roof of the traditional village house. Every point in such a roof represents a part of the village and each part in a point represents a family. For a resident of Manggarai, the hierarchy in the village can be read from these rice fields. We drive on passing again Ruteng at our next stop we meet the local guide who will take you on a walk of about an hour through this beautiful nature. On the way he explains the principles of the traditions of the Manggarai. The walk ends in a small farming village where you can admire the traditional gable roofs. After this we continue to Labuan Bajo. If you want to experience the Manggarai culture even more, we can plan a performance at the village of Tado where you will present a traditional welcome dance for you. We end the day in Labuan Bajo, try to experience the sunset. It is known as one of the most beautiful in the world.

If you're going to see Komodo Dragons start your early today. Before you reach the islands of Komodo / Rinca you are definitely on the road for 2 hours. A late departure means arrival in a too hot hour and then wild life is not active. Our advice for this 3d2n mini cruise is the following: On this first day you leave around 9am from the hotel in Labuan Bajo. On the way to the harbor, hire snorkel gear along with the guide and store provisions. The mini cruise is FB (fullboard) so water, coffee, tea for breakfast, lunch and dinner is sufficient present also watermelon is sufficient, however alcoholic drinks, biscuits, chips you might want to purchase extra. You arrive at the boat and leave in a relaxed tempo to snorkel today in a few places, in the afternoon the skipper seeks a good place to spend the night. You can still swim around the boat, when undergoing the sun you will experience the spectacle of flying dogs flying out. A beautiful sight from the deck of your boat with a delicious cool drink.

The next morning you start early, as soon as you can, with a walk on the island of Rinca in the early morning you see the most wildlife and ok the Komodo Varans are the most active. A ranger and your guide will join you. Be aware that Komodo Varans are very dangerous and fast, follow instructions from rangers and guide. On the island you see some of Varans in the vicinity of the kitchen. An impressive sight then you take a walk. You can choose for yourself how long (during the long hike the ranger gets an extra allowance) and here you can encounter more wild Komodo Varans walking around in the wild.

Your last day is the early morning for relaxation and one more short snorkeling stop. Enjoy the beautiful underwater world. Your crew will help pick out the best spots, as tides and seasons affect these. Afterwards, we sail back to Labuan Bajo (arriving around 12pm), where transportation will be ready to take you directly to your hotel or the airport for your flight to your next destination.