Flores and Lombok

15 Days

Flores is one of the most unspoiled islands of Indonesia. Flores has beautiful beaches and the mountainous inner land is perfectly suitable for stunning walks. Besides that Flores is home of several tribes which still hold on to their own traditions. Animistic practices still exist in the mountains around the Kelimutu. The Ngada villages are among the most traditional on Flores. 

Manggarai is the most fertile area of the island. In the olden days the local people

Lived in large, round houses. Most houses had to be demolished when the Dutch entered. Except in Todo. Here you can witness “the stopping time”.  After all these impressions you can relax on an exciting boat trip to Sumbawa.

During the tour on Lombok you get to know the islands in and outs. You visit markets where Indonesians buy their groceries and a special cemetery, which provides people with special powers. You meet the traditional Sasak people of North and East Lombok and get to know their traditional dance and food. You walk through the beautiful nature and watch the making process of local crafts like weavings and pottery.

Day 1 : Maumere

Arrival in Maumere where you stay at a hotel on the beach just outside the town.

It is possible to snorkel direct from the beach.

Day 2 : Moni

After breakfast you leave for Moni. We will stop at a beautiful beach at Paga. After a local lunch in Wolowaru you can visit Jopu where you can see women make the famous Ikat sarongs and visit one of the traditional houses.

Late afternoon you arrive at Moni, a starting point for a visit to the Kelimutu.

Day 3 : Riung

An early start to the Keli Mutu volcano; you might have a chance to see a spectacular sunrise. It is a mysterious place where you can see three lakes all differently coloured and still changing colours from time to time.

You drive through a beautiful gorge on to Riung on the north coast of Flores. You see the variety of landscapes of Flores. During the trip you make a walk on the beach and have lunch. At the end of the afternoon you arrive in Riung, a small fisherman’s village where not too many tourist are coming

Day 4 : Riung

Today you can go by boat to the islands of the national park. 17 island in total, well-known for its corals, fishes and thousands of flying dogs (you can see them from quite close by) Then you go to one of the islands for snorkelling; the underwater world is really beautiful here. You are taken care of by someone who is coming along for the fish barbecue and you can drink fresh coconut milk. It is also possible to make a walk around the whole island. 

Day 5 : Bajawa

You leave for Bajawa; on the way you stop to have a final sight at the exotic islands you visited yesterday. Around lunchtime you arrive at Soa. In this village there are natural thermal springs, heated by a volcano in the neighbourhood and it is nice to have a hot bath for a change. At the end of the afternoon you arrive at Bajawa, volcanos surround a small town at the height of 1200 meters where the nights can be rather cool, Bajawa itself. 

Day 6 : Ruteng

Around Bajawa life is very traditional and ancestor worship plays an important role. In Bena you see a lot of traditional houses and people working traditional ways. Of course you get the chance to have a look inside one of these houses.

On the way to Ruteng you see people working on the land, or stop at a place where they make Arak, a local spirit; or coconut oil. A stop in a wood where a lot of exotic birds live is a must.

Day 7 : Labuan Bajo

Ruteng is the capital of Manggarai-area, surrounded by rice fields. You drive south and go on to Todo. This village plays an important role in the history of the Manggarai and is seen as the centre of these people. In former times there used to live as much as 200 people in one big round house; the Dutch thought this as in hygienic and tore these house down. In Todo the house is still standing. The traditional house here, Niang Wowang, collapsed in the 60’s but was rebuilt in 1993. After Todo you continue your trip to Labuan Bajo.

Day 8 + 9 : Boat Trip to Rinca and Komodo

Early morning you leave for Rinca. In the early hours of the morning we make a walk over the isle and enjoy the magnificent views. We will also meet with the dragons, which are living here in a more natural way than on the isle Komodo, because not too many tourists come to Rinca.

Than you sail on to Pantai Merah, near Komodo, one of the best places for snorkelling. You will stay overnight on the boat.

The next morning you can make a walk on Komodo. Here you can see many kinds of birds which you can’t see on Rinca. Around 10 o’clock you leave for Sumbawa, about 6 hours sailing. You arrive in Sape and continue by car to Bima where you will stay in a hotel in town.

Day 10 : Flight to Lombok, Senggigi

Day 11 : Senggigi

Citytour: visit a Chinese cemetery, a Balinese temple in Mataram, the local market in Sweta, the Islamic cemetery Loang Baluk: believed to be a holy place; there is a large tree under which a number of respected people are buried. People come here to pray when they are ill. They hope their prayers will bring back their health. You then visit a Balinese family where the women will show their weaving skills. You end your tour with visiting the Balinese temple called Batu Bolong, located in the sea. In the afternoon you can relax.

Day 12 : Labuan Pandan

To the north coast of Lombok. In this area, which is rarely visited by tourists, many people still adhere to the old Wetu Telu religion. You drive to Senaru, a green and fertile area. From here you go for a walk accompanied by a female guide. On the way you visit villages where people still live according to Wetu Telu adat. You can look around and will find that the villagers will be happy to invite you into their homes. You will walk through the rice fields and end your walk at a beautiful waterfall. After that you will continue your tour to Labuan Pandan on the East Coast, where you will spend the night.

Day 13 : Tetebatu

Near the coast of Labuan Pandan are a number of islands with beautiful coral. You travel to one of these islands by small boat for snorkelling. The local people call this place the ‘Heavenly Sea’. After lunch you drive to Loang Gali, a village where the population makes their living by making tiles and bricks. You can watch a traditional dance performance. The entire village will come to greet you! You can also take a walk through the village to a water spring. You stay in Tetebatu, a village on the other side of the Rinjani at a height of 800 metres.

Day 14 : Tetebatu

In the morning you take a walk of about three hours through the rice and tobacco fields around Tetebatu. You end in Pringgasela, a village where almost all women know the art of weaving. You will be served a real ‘Sasak’-meal (incl.) and watch the process of songket weaving. Then you will drive to Masbagik, a village where people make pottery by traditional methods. In Loyok you can watch the process of basket weaving.

Day 15 : Senggigi

Early in the morning you will visit the fish market in Tanjung Luar. This is one of the most important fish ports of Lombok. Many Buginese houses: a very photogenic place. Then on towards Keruak; here people make fishing boats. On the way back to Senggigi we pay a visit to the water palace of Narmada.