Puu village is located only 4 kilometers from Ruteng, so the best way is to rent a motorbike. Walking also doesn’t seem to be a bad idea if you’re fit. Another way is to arrange a short detour with a driver who is going to drive you to Bajawa or Labuan Bajo (if you travel by car).
The best spot, from where all the photos you can see on our website had been taken, is called Cancar Hill. It is located in Cara village and requires a bit climbing (but nothing too wearing), and – no surprise here – leaving a donation.
The beach owes its name to the coral sand that, if you place your head at the right angle, looks pink(ish). From wrong angles, it looks regular yellow. Pink or not-so-much, the beach is nice. And even nicer is the coral reef you have to swim over to get to the island from a boat.
The first few lizards we spotted near the rangers’ headquarters. They come here lured by the smell from the kitchen. The rangers used to feed them. They stopped a couple of years ago but the old habits die hard and the lizards keep coming back despite the rangers' efforts to stop them from showing up.
There are three different walking routes for the tourists in Komodo Island. The ranger will show you the map and ask you to choose one. They vary in length and difficulty level, so choose one accordingly to your time schedule. We were told that none is better than the other in terms of chances to spot the dragons.
You came here to see the dragons, that’s obvious. But Komodo National Park has so much more to offer, starting with the rich marine world (including dolphins, whales, manta rays) and finishing with mammals and birds.
After all the enthusiastic reading about the unique features of the Blue Beach, we expected to see some nature’s wonder. In reality, the Blue Beach is quite plain. It is full of gray / bluish stones you can see anywhere else in the world. The real blue stones are a rarity, collected by the local people and sold away a long time ago.
Less famous than Bena village, Luba seemed to be completely neglected by the tourists. And, well, we preferred it that way. Although we have to admit, it was a bit puzzling: first of all, Luba is located next door to Bena. Second: although lacking the fairy-tale charm distinctive to Bena and Gurusina, it makes up with its location, at the very foot of Mt. Inerie.
The moment you enter Gurusina, you stretch your hands out to make sure the image you see is not a photograph wallpaper. It seems too perfect to be true. This impression stays with you for the whole time – what you see is so absurdly beautiful, that it cannot be real.
Bena is a hallmark of the Ngada Regency, no wonder it’s on everybody’s “must see in Flores” list. Picturesque from every angle, but especially from a hilly road to Bajawa.
Moni is a small village popular among the travelers for one reason – it is a perfect accommodation base for the nearby Kelimutu volcano. But, by no means, don’t treat it as a mere place to stay on a way to the tri-colored crater lakes!
Wologai is inhabited by the Lio people and built in the traditional Lionese architectural style. Small but pretty, the village looks more like an open-air museum than an actual hamlet.
See our encounters with the dragons in the picturesque Komodo National Park.
How to plan a perfect trip to Kelimutu volcano, Flores, Indonesia? It will be easy with our tips and suggestions.
More useful tips on how to plan your trip to Flores (Indonesia).
The best places in Flores, Komodo and Rinca that shouldn't be left out of your travel itinerary.
What to see and do in Flores when you have only 6 days? Here's our itinerary, check out how we did it and get inspired.
Most people choose Flores because it makes a great starting point to see dragons of Komodo. For us, the main reason was Kelimutu volcano. Some time ago, during his flight over Flores to Timor-Leste, Chris spotted the three colored crater lakes from above and decided he wanted to see them again and from a different perspective. He didn’t need to persuade me for too long – the pictures he showed me spoke for themselves. When we both came to Indonesia next time, Flores was already placed on our itinerary.
In the beginning, we just wanted to fly to Ende, see Kelimutu and from there take a flight directly to Labuan Bajo (the very starting point for boat trips to Komodo). But the more we read about Flores, the more we liked it. Finally, we decided to spend a couple of days there, preferably driving through Flores to get a glimpse at its wonders. We knew what to expect, but still, we got absolutely stunned by the beauty of the island. Even the usual (for Asia) things, like rice fields, in Flores have these special vibes that resonate with all your senses, and no matter how many rice fields you had seen in your life, you will still marvel at them like you see them for the first time.
Flores is the new Bali, no doubt about it, so chances are that as each year goes by, it will be more popular (read: crowded). So hurry up and live your Flores adventure before the ambiance fades away.
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