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Flores & Komodo
Between dragons and multicolored volcanoes
Flores Island and the Komodo region offer you the opportunity to discover unique landscapes and enjoy one-of-a-kind encounters. Between the endemic dragons of the Komodo region, the Kelimutu volcanoes—said to be magical—the spider-web rice fields of Ruteng, remote villages, green pebble beaches, and the discovery of an authentic people, there is much to explore.
Your Holidays in Flores & Komodo
LOCATION
8° 27′ 00’’ S, 121° 07′ 59’’ E
Lesser Sunda Island
Flores Sea, Savu Sea in the Pacific Ocean
SURFACE AREA
13,500 km2
POPULATION
Bajau, Butonese, Bugis, Manggarai, Ngada, Sikka, Lamaholot 1,831,472 inhabitants (2011).
TIME ZONE
UTC +8:00. 7-hour time difference between Flores and France Daylight Savings Time in France: 6-hour difference
RELIGIONS
Predominantly Christian, Muslim, Animist, Buddhist, Hindu.
official language
Bahasa Indonesia
More than 10 different dialects spoken
Currency
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Highest point
Poco Mandasawu (2,370 m)
Located approximately 2 hours from Bali by plane, Flores is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. These islands, known as Kepulauan Sunda Kecil in Indonesian, form an archipelago stretching between Indonesia and East Timor.
This includes Bali, Lombok, Sumba, Sumbawa, Timor, as well as the Solor and Alor archipelagos. Together with the Greater Sunda Islands (Kepulauan Sunda Besar)—which include Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and Borneo—they form the Sunda Islands, part of the Sunda volcanic arc.
The island was discovered by the Portuguese during the great spice trade adventure of the early 16th century. They sought to stay ahead of Spain and Holland, who were competing with Arab spice merchants as Islam gradually spread throughout the archipelago.
Unlike Sulawesi, for example, Flores was not a spice island and possessed no exploitable wealth, but it was a strategic location, a port that provided shelter for ships and facilitated trade. Although the Portuguese named it ‘Ilha das Flores’ or ‘Copa de Flores’, meaning ‘Island of Flowers’, the original name of the island of Flores was Nusa Nipa, the ‘Island of Snakes’.
Around 1565, Portuguese missionaries opened a school in Larantuka with the aim of educating the local population and converting them to Christianity. In 1859, the Portuguese ceded the entirety of Flores to the Dutch, with one requirement: the Catholic religion must be maintained and preserved. This was achieved through the involvement of Dutch Jesuits in 1865, who preached a variation of Catholicism that still exists today.
As in Bali, a unique version of Christianity developed, sometimes blending animism, ancestor worship, and spirit worship. While Indonesia is 90% Muslim, Flores Island is an exception—much like Bali with Hinduism—and the Christian religion represents 85% of practitioners.
Traveling from West to East along often long and winding roads, one quickly realizes that every region has distinct peoples and cultures: the Manggarai in the Ruteng region, the Ngada in Bajawa and Lio, the Lio people around Ende and Kelimutu, the Sikka near Maumere, and the Lamaholot in Larantuka.
Flores Island still holds ancient secrets, and many discoveries are still being made today. In 2003, when Amanaska began scouting the interior, paleontologists discovered the Liang Bua cave and the skeleton of a woman initially named “Flores Man.” She is believed to have lived on the island 60,000 to 100,000 years ago, a descendant of a lineage dating back 1 to 3 million years.
In 2008, Indonesian architect Yori Antar traveled to the Pocoroko mountains. After more than 8 hours of hiking on steep trails, he discovered a “forgotten” village, Wae Rebo, at an altitude of 1,200 meters. This discovery earned him the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Excellence.
Flores is therefore an island to be discovered, slowly revealing itself through peoples, stories, and traditions, many of whose origins remain a mystery.
VISIT
Flores & Komodo
Organized tours of Flores & Komodo
Various forms of transport are available on Flores, though not all are suited to every region. We have tested scooters from Labuan Bajo to Maumere, as well as cars and minibuses; the most practical choice depends on the number of participants.
The scooter remains the most uncomfortable and dangerous option given the road conditions and traffic. However, it is also the one that allows access to improbable trails, provided one has a perfect command of Indonesian driving customs.
Accommodation options are as varied as they are rare in certain regions. Gradually, the island is opening up to travelers from Indonesia and the rest of the world, but infrastructure remains simple and practical, and may not always meet the standards we are accustomed to or prefer.
In practical terms, it will be necessary to adapt, sometimes improvise, appreciate comfort when it is available, and above all—as in the rest of Indonesia—keep smiling no matter what happens.
The Amanaska team began exploring the Island of Flowers years ago, at a time when Komodo National Park was just beginning to develop and Labuan Bajo offered only a few modest accommodations. Traditional boats took the more “adventurous” to discover Rinca Island, which was and still is home to Komodo dragons, one of Indonesia’s endemic species.
Initially, we stayed mainly on the coast, but gradually moved inland to discover hidden treasures, starting with the island’s population—welcoming, kind, and as curious to exchange and share as we were to understand and learn.
After some scouting, we quickly realized that our team should follow the advice of the locals and continue further, higher, and deeper into the heart of the Island of Flowers.
While Flores is not particularly large (13,500 km2), it stretches over 350 kilometers in length with a width of only 10 to 60 kilometers. Given the winding roads, numerous stops for exploration, and rather approximate or incomplete maps, travel required time and a great deal of patience.
Our first true encounter came through an impromptu invitation to a local Manggarai wedding in Ruteng. We remember the great simplicity with which strangers were accepted into an intimate event, and participating in a demonstration of Caci martial arts, where warriors equipped with buffalo-hide shields and whips engage in unusual combat. Discovering Flores means accepting to go “off-program” and following invitations, outstretched hands, and smiles…
Between Labuan Bajo and Maumere, you must follow a sometimes long road to see incredible landscapes, such as in the village of Cancar near Ruteng, famous for its spider-web rice fields. The maxim “It is not the destination that matters, but the journey” takes on its full meaning on this Island of Flowers.
Prepare your holidays in
Flores & Komodo
HOW TO GET TO FLORES?
Many of you wish to travel as close as possible to local life, discover unknown lands, and enjoy authentic encounters. Flores Island is an essential stop for those willing to trade a little comfort for off-the-beaten-path experiences.
To reach Flores Island, we recommend the simplest and fastest way: take a domestic flight during your family trip to Bali. Depending on the airline, you can reach Flores in a few hours. It is also possible to reach the island by boat, but this will take much more time that could otherwise be spent on encounters and discovery.
WHEN TO GO TO FLORES?
Flores, which belongs to the Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusa Tenggara), is located at 8 degrees South latitude in the Alor archipelago. The climate is therefore tropical. As with many Indonesian islands, there is a rainy season from early December to early April, and a dry season that begins in late May and generally ends in mid-October.
The dry period has lower temperatures, and when the Southeast monsoon wind blows, the temperature can drop to around 19/20 °C.
Note that as you move higher in altitude, you will regularly encounter fog and cooler temperatures.
To avoid the busiest tourist period, we recommend avoiding the last week of July and the first week of August. Generally, the further inland you go and the further you move from Labuan Bajo, the fewer “tourists” there are, except at sites like Kelimutu which is popular with local tourists.
WHAT TO DO IN FLORES?
Your first steps on the Island of Flowers often provide an opportunity to explore Komodo National Park, where a two- or three-day mini-cruise will allow you to encounter the last remaining Komodo dragons, as well as spot wild boars and deer native to the region. During this adventure, you’ll also have the chance to go scuba diving and swim with manta rays
Labuan Bajo has become a small seaside resort and a strategic point for discovering Flores. However, it is also possible to fly into Ende or Maumere. In this case, the program could begin, for example, with the beaches of Ende, covered in green pebbles that are highly prized by the Japanese for decorating their spas.
In Flores, you will appreciate the many traditional markets and the improvised encounters that can happen at any time. The island itself offers many sites to visit or explore during a trip with friends, such as the Moni, Ende, and Riung regions. This includes the possibility of a walk—rather than a true climb—up Mount Kelimutu and its three volcanoes with different colored crater lakes, and enjoying the panorama of the Detosoko rice fields.
In Bajawa, you can enjoy the Soa hot springs and visit the traditional village of Bena.
Further towards Ende, a hike of several hours will take you in the footsteps of Indonesian explorer Yori Antar to the UNESCO World Heritage village of Wae Rebo. Alternatively, you may prefer more secluded trekking in the hinterland.
Flores is a wild, multicolored, and multicultural island to be discovered through hidden trails, guided tours, and a desire for authentic encounters.
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AMANASKA BALI
148 REVIEWS
An unforgettable stay thanks to Amanaska.
Melisande is very attentive and always available to chat and answer our questions, whether before or during our stay.
Stéphane, another member of the agency, was also very friendly.
Thank you once again for the high standard of your services.
Amanaska organised a three-week family holiday in Bali for us, which will remain etched in our memories forever.
What did we love? EVERYTHING! From the quality of our discussions with David, the agency’s founder, as we planned our bespoke tour of the island – avoiding the overly touristy traps – to the selection of charming hotels blending tradition and modernity, right through to our guide and driver, who were always so attentive and knew the route inside out.
We particularly enjoyed the opportunities to meet Balinese families and discover their way of life, arts and traditions in an intimate and personalised way (cooking classes, dance lessons in a magical school, making our own kites, visiting a village with its nursery school, and so on).
And what can we say about the kindness and hospitality of the Balinese people? That first glimpse made us want to come back.
We had an amazing three-week road trip in Bali, organised by Amanaska.
Dès le départ, l’équipe a été aux petits soins : Melisandre, notre organisatrice, a su créer un itinéraire sur mesure pour notre famille (avec deux enfants de 6 et 9 ans), nous permettant de découvrir un Bali authentique, loin des sentiers battus tout en étant à l’écoute de nos envies et besoins.[...]
A huge thank you to the whole Amanaska team for this unique experience and the thoughtful touches they provided. We highly recommend their services to anyone looking to discover Bali in a different way, with authenticity and warmth.
A wonderful trip. Discovering Bali was an unforgettable family experience... Melisande and her team at Amanaska made it easy for us to learn about the local customs and traditions. They listened to our wishes and stuck to our budget.
We can’t recommend them highly enough.
Thank you again!!!
I wanted to visit the real Bali, not the one overrun by mass tourism, and the agency understood this straight away. We discovered a wonderful culture and met some very kind and welcoming people. The trip alternated between sightseeing and sporting challenges for my older teenagers (aged 16 to 20). We watched the sunrise over the volcano and went on a bike ride through the rice fields. We even helped the locals replant rice. Our French-speaking guide was absolutely brilliant. The driver was very kind and incredibly skilful in this world of lawless roads…
It’s the best trip we’ve ever been on.
Thank you to the whole Amanaska team
We spent 15 days in Bali in June, exploring and unwinding. Mélisande put together an unforgettable trip for our wedding anniversary. Every time we arrived at a new hotel, we were delighted to find a bed decorated with flowers. Gustut and Nura were our guide and driver, and they looked after us so well.
This is the second time I’ve been to Bali and had my trip organised by you.
I’ll be back a third time with great pleasure.
Thank you
Léa and Pierre
We worked with Melisande from the AMANASKA agency to put together an 18-day holiday in Bali. Melisande was very professional, responsive and proactive in helping us plan our itinerary exactly as we wanted it.
We had requested a French-speaking guide and were able to explore Bali at our own pace, with a top-notch driver to boot. Furthermore, from speaking with them, it’s clear that AMANASKA offers working conditions that aren’t available everywhere.
Don’t hesitate to book with this agency; you’re sure to make some wonderful discoveries in Bali.
The tour was well organised, and the sequence of visits followed a clear plan, which saved time and helped to ease traffic congestion.
Well done to the whole team for their professionalism.
A courteous guide and an impeccable driver.
Best regards to all.
NAIT
A big thank you to Melisande for organising this exceptional trip. Thank you for choosing the activities and hotels... Everything is taken care of; once you’re there, all you have to do is enjoy yourself. Melisande is always available, whether before, during or after the trip, so thank you. And thank you also to our driver and guide, who were incredibly kind.
Our heads are full of memories and we have just one desire... to go back!
Estelle and Nadège
A big thank you to the Amanaska team for organising our three-week trip to Bali. Right from our first discussions, David put together an itinerary that perfectly matched our expectations: exploring the local culture and traditional sites whilst avoiding the crowds, a variety of activities to discover the island’s beauty, a pace suited to our family (children aged 11 and 15) and always an excellent choice of hotels. Thanks also to our guide and driver, who played a part in making this trip such a success. We simply went with the flow for three weeks and were able to enjoy our stay to the full.
David organised an absolutely perfect, tailor-made trip for us. We managed to avoid the crowds, which is a real feat in August. We discovered authentic places and people without missing out on the must-see attractions. David put together a trip that struck the perfect balance between relaxation and exploration.
A word of advice: let him take the lead, let him surprise you – he knows Bali like no one else. A special mention for the hotels: all different, magnificent, unexpected… we really switched off like never before!
See you soon for another trip to Bali, which I’m sure will be completely different!
We had a wonderful time in Bali with your agency.
A big thank you to Melisande, who took over our booking after Cyrielle had set it up; she was always cheerful, responsive and efficient, even when she was ill... Well done.
A big thank you also to our driver Ajik and guide Tut Nick.
It was almost a month of enjoyable moments, visits, breaks, etc., at a pace that suited us perfectly, and it was a trip that lived up to our expectations and desires.
I would just like to mention one small drawback: it would have been handy to have a personalised travel guide providing a comprehensive overview of the itinerary, activities, hotels (including the number of rooms) – in short, covering the whole month. Given our programme, I found this to be missing. I’m used to having this on similar road trips in other countries.
Thank you to the whole team!!!
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