Sumbawa

Elaborately contorted and sprawling into the sea, Sumbawa is all volcanic ridges, terraced rice fields, dry expanses and sheltered bays. Two main areas draw visitors: the southwest coast from Maluk is essentially a layered series of headlands and wide, white beaches with renowned surf, while in the southeast, Lakey Peak has become Sumbawa’s premier year-round surf magnet. Elsewhere, massive, climbable Gunung Tambora (2850m), which once had an explosion so large it changed the climate of the planet, looms in the north.

Though well connected to Bali and Lombok, Sumbawa is a very different sort of place. It’s far less developed, mostly very dry, much poorer, extremely conservative, and split between two distinct peoples. Those who speak Sumbawanese probably reached the west of the island from Lombok. Bimanese speakers dominate the Tambora Peninsula and the east. Although Sumbawa is an overwhelmingly Islamic island, in remote parts underground adat (traditional laws and regulations) still thrive. During festivals you may come across traditional Sumbawan fighting, a sort of bare-fisted boxing called berempah. Dynamic horse and water-buffalo races, best glimpsed in Bima each August, are held before the rice is planted.

Transport connections off the trans-Sumbawa road are infrequent and uncomfortable, and most overland travellers don’t even get off the bus in Sumbawa as they float and roll from Lombok to Flores. For now, it’s the domain of surfers, miners and mullahs.

DON'T MISS

BEST OF SUMBAWA

Pantai Lakey A genuine beach town, with cool guesthouses and cafes linked by a sandy path overlooking awesome surf.

Rantung A low-key collection of classic surfer dives, great breaks and a fine beach.

Trans-Sumbawa Highway Mostly traffic-free and in great shape; good for speeding between Lombok and Flores.

8Dangers & Annoyances

Most Sumbawans are hospitable, albeit taciturn, but you may encounter some tension. In the past, protests against foreign-owned mining operations have turned violent. The island is also much more conservative in terms of religion than neighbouring Lombok or Flores; behave modestly at all times. Indonesia's anti-terrorism police make raids and arrests around Bima.

8Getting Around

Sumbawa’s main highway is in good condition and runs from Taliwang (near the west coast) through Sumbawa Besar, Dompu and Bima to Sape (the ferry port on the east coast). It's relatively traffic-free – a relief if you've made the trek through Java, Bali and Lombok. Fleets of long-distance buses, most of them air-conditioned, run between the west coast ferry port of Porto Tano and Sape, serving all the major towns between.

Car hire is possible through hotels: prices are about 600,000Rp to 800,000Rp per day, including a driver. Motorbikes cost 50,000Rp to 80,000Rp a day.

West Sumbawa

%0372

West Sumbawa is dry and rolling. Beaches are wide, sugar-white, and framed with domed headlands. Bays are enormous and dynamic: they can be tranquil one hour and fold into overhead barrels the next. Sumbawa Besar is a humble Muslim town with a good morning market. Pulau Moyo, a lush jewel off the northern shore, has revered diving and snorkelling, but it’s difficult to access on a budget. Watch for small Balinese villages near the coasts.

Poto Tano

Poto Tano, the main port for ferries to/from Lombok, is a ramshackle harbour, fringed by stilt-fishing villages with tremendous views of Gunung Rinjani. Pretty place, but there’s no need to sleep here.

8Getting There & Away

Ferries run hourly, 24 hours a day, between Labuhan Lombok and Poto Tano (passengers 19,000Rp, 1½ hours). Cars cost 466,000Rp, motorbikes 54,000Rp. Through buses to Lombok, Bali and Java include the ferry fare.

Buses meet the ferry and go to Taliwang (20,000Rp, one hour) and Sumbawa Besar (30,000Rp, two hours).

Taliwang & Around

It may be the regional capital and transport hub, but Taliwang is just a small, conservative village, 30km south of Poto Tano. There are ATMs along the main road, plenty of Padang warungs (food stalls), and no reasons to hang around.

From Taliwang, bemos (minibuses) and trucks also run 11km south to Jereweh, your gateway to the remarkable beach and enormous horseshoe bay at Jelenga, a humble country village with rice fields, goat farms and a world class left break known as Scar Reef.

4Sleeping & Eating

oScar Reef HotelSURF CAMP$$

(%0813 3774 2679; www.scarreefhotel.com; r 500,000-900,000Rp; a)

A modern lodge for surfers. The four rooms, which each sleep up to four, have soaring ceilings, wood furnishings, air-con, and a common beachside porch and lounge area with satellite TV. Two have ocean views. There's also a cafe.

8Getting There & Away

Buses go from Taliwang to Poto Tano (20,000Rp) almost hourly, where you can hop on a bus to Mataram or Sumbawa Besar. Hourly bemos head to Maluk (20,000Rp, two hours).

Maluk, Sekongkang & Rantung

South of Taliwang, the beaches and bays try to outdo one another. Your first stop is the working-class commercial district of Maluk, 30km south of Taliwang. Yes, the town is ugly, but the beach is superb. The sand is a blend of white and gold, and the bay is buffered by two headlands. There’s good swimming in the shallows, and when the swell hits, the reef further out sculpts perfect barrels.

One of the world's largest copper mines, about 30km inland of Maluk, has driven a wave of development and attracted scores of employees from the US, Australia and Java. The Newmont Mining Corporation employs about 8000 workers, and has had a huge impact on the area (you'll see its vast port facilities along the coastal road). Most of the expat restaurant and bar traffic is in Townside, a private company enclave complete with golf courses and other amenities. Casual visits are discouraged.

Directly south of Maluk, within walking distance of the beach (though it is a long walk) is Supersuck, consistently rated as the best left the world. Surfers descend regularly from Hawaii's North Shore to surf here – which should tell you something – and many lifelong surfers have proclaimed it the finest barrel of their lives. It really pumps in the dry season (May to October).

About a 10km serpentine drive further south, the spread-out settlement of Sekongkang includes three superb beaches with another handful of surf breaks. It also has the best range of accommodation and a gorgeous all-natural vibe. Pantai Rantung (commonly called Rantung Beach), 2km downhill from Sekongkang Atas, spills onto a secluded and majestic bay framed by 100m-high headlands. The water is crystal-clear and waves roll in year-round at Yo Yo’s, a right break at the north end of the bay. Hook, which breaks at the edge of the northern bluff, is also a terrific right. Supersuck breaks straight in front of the Rantung Beach Hotel, and is a consistent year-round beginner’s break, though it gets heavy and delivers a long left when the swell comes in. The next bay down is where you’ll find Tropical, another phenomenal beach (named for the nearby resort) and home to great left and right breaks that beginners will enjoy.

North of Rantung is Pantai Lawar, a tree-shaded stretch of white sand on a turquoise lagoon sheltered by volcanic bluffs draped in jungle. When the surf is flat, come here to swim and snorkel.

4Sleeping & Eating

Maluk's fun beachside marketplace is packed with warungs selling everything from soto ayam (chicken soup) to coffees, juices and ikan bakar (grilled fish).

Bars and restaurants on Rantung Beach get crowded with expat mine workers on weekends. Most everything here is in easy walking distance, and it has a classic surfer feel.

oSantai Beach BungalowsGUESTHOUSE$

(%0878 6393 5758; Rantung Beach; r 100,000-200,000Rp; i)

The choice budget spot in the area offers a collection of 12 spacious, well-tended tiled rooms. Those with private bath have sensational sea views from the front porch, and all have access to amazing views from the thatched restaurant (dishes 30,000Rp to 60,000Rp), where there's a pool table. Book ahead: when that swell hits it's full for weeks. It is close to several other places.

Maluk ResortHOTEL$

(%0372-635424; Jl Pasir Putih, Maluk; r 225,000-425,000Rp; aW)

One block west of the main road, and steps from the sand, is this decent collection of 10 rooms. Garden rooms surround a small pool and most have a private terrace. Upstairs deluxe rooms are slightly larger, with bathtubs and a better view.

Rantung Beach HotelGUESTHOUSE$

(%0878 3905 4999; www.surfindo.com.au; Rantung Beach; r from 150,000Rp)

Located on a small point overlooking the best part of the breaks, this 12-room surfer crash pad makes up for its dishevelled appearance with a great, welcoming spirit. The view from the cafe (dishes 30,000Rp to 60,000Rp) and bar are stunning. Rooms have fans and simple bamboo furniture. The hotel organises various surfing packages, including transport from Bali.

Rantung Beach Bar & CottagesBUNGALOW$$

(%0819 1700 7481; Rantung Beach; cottages from 550,000Rp; aW)

The mining crowd has enjoyed more than a few sundowners at the vast and open beachside cafe here (dishes 40,000Rp to 80,000Rp); the food always delivers (we love the crunchy cassava chips and huge burgers). Five refined, spacious cottages have queen beds and leafy private decks with sea views. Cheaper surfer crash pads are planned.

Yo Yo's HotelRESORT$$

(%0819 9895 5377; yoyoshotel@yahoo.co.id; Rantung Beach; dm 100,000, s/d from 250,000/450,000Rp, dishes 30,000-80,000Rp; aiW)

A vast beachfront complex with a range of 20 rooms. Deluxe rooms are quite large and well appointed with wood furnishings. Standard rooms are smaller, and a bit worn, but still good value. The 'surf camp' is a clean, hostel-like, fan-only bunkhouse with five bright, air-conditioned rooms (five beds each).

A large two-storey bar and cafe (dishes 30,000Rp to 80,000Rp) overlooks the surf. Monkeys wander the grounds, possibly lured by the Australian Rules Football (AFL) signs.

8Information

Maluk has services. There’s a BNI bank with ATM on Jl Raya Maluk, adjacent to the Trophy Hotel. Internet access is hobbled in Rantung Beach by the lack of a proper phone line: once this is installed, expect fast wi-fi everywhere.

8Getting There & Around

Bemos travel between Taliwang and Maluk (20,000Rp, two hours) almost hourly from 7am to 6pm. Three daily buses leave Terminal Maluk, north of town across from the entrance to the Newmont mine (look for the big gates and massive parking area), for Sumbawa Besar (40,000Rp, four hours).

From Benete Harbour, just north of Maluk, a fast ferry run by the Newmont mine (125,000Rp, 90 minutes) goes to/from Labuhan Lombok one or two times daily. Check times with the Rantung Beach guesthouses.

Sumbawa Besar

%0371 / Pop 54,000

Sumbawa Besar, often shortened to ‘Sumbawa’, is the principal market town of the island’s west. It’s leafy, devoutly Muslim (that legion of nearby karaoke bars notwithstanding), and runs on the bushels of beans, rice and corn cultivated on the outskirts. There’s not much to see here aside from the old palace and a lively morning market. Trips to Pulau Moyo and to nearby villages are worthwhile but take time and money, which is why most travellers simply consider this town a respite on the trans-Sumbawa highway.

Traffic runs in a high-speed Jl Hasanuddin–Jl Diponegoro loop. The best sleeping and eating options are clustered along Jl Hasanuddin.

1Sights

Dalam LokaPALACE

(Sultan’s Palace; Jl Dalam Loka 1; h8am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Fri, 8-11am & 1.30-5pm Sat & Sun)F

Originally built over 200 years ago for Sultan Mohammad Jalaluddin III, the remains of the Dalam Loka, a once-imposing structure that covers an entire city block, are in fair condition and are still used for political events. You can wander the grounds (unadorned except for some fenced-in deer). Inside the palace are old photos of the royal family, antique parasols and carriages.

Pasar SyketengMARKET

(off Jl Diponegoro; h7am-4pm)

Rise early and hit the steamy, exotic Pasar Syketeng. Its dank alleyways come alive as young and old descend to barter and haggle for every conceivable item, from fish to household goods to live chickens.

4Sleeping & Eating

Basic hotels congregate on Jl Hasanuddin, although there is little reason to overnight in Sumbawa Besar.

Sumbawa Transit HotelHOTEL$$

(%0371-21754; Jl Garuda 41; r 250,000-600,000Rp; aW)

Conveniently located across the main road and to the left as you emerge from the airport, rooms in this low-rise compound are spacious with high ceilings, cheery bathroom tiles and a nice private terrace out front. VIP rooms are larger, quieter and have hot water.

oCipta Sari BakeryBAKERY$

(%0371-21496; Jl Hasanuddin 47; snacks from 20,000Rp; h8am-5pm)

Don't pass through town without a stop at this excellent bakery on a shady stretch of the main drag. Pause for coffee or a cold drink, and be sure to stock up for your journey: the various baked goods, pastries and savoury treats are the best you'll find between here and Bima.

Aneka Rasa JayaCHINESE$

(%0371-21291; Jl Hasanuddin 14; mains from 25,000Rp; h8am-3pm & 6-10pm)

Clean and popular, this Chinese seafood house plates tender fish fillets, shrimp, squid, crab and scallops in oyster, Szechuan, and sweet-and-sour sauce. The soto kepiting (crab soup) is good, as is anything with noodles.

8Information

There are numerous banks and ATMs all along Jl Hasanuddin.

Kantor ImigrasiIMMIGRATION

(Immigration Office; Jl Garuda 131; h8am-3pm Mon-Thu, to noon Fri)

Extend your tourist visa; it'll take at least two days.

Klinik Lawang GaliHOSPITAL

(%0371-626567; Jl Sudirman 18-20; h24hr)

Hospital with ambulance services.

8Getting There & Away

Air

The airport is very close to the centre. Transnusa (%0371-7162 6161; Jl Garuda 41 ) has flights to Bali, and Garuda has flights to Lombok.

Bus

Sumbawa Besar’s main long-distance bus station is Terminal Sumur Payung, 5.5km northwest of town on the highway. You can book tickets at the station and at Tiara Mas (%0371-21241; Jl Yos Sudarso; h9am-6pm). Destinations served include the following:

ABima 80,000Rp, seven hours, several daily

AMataram (Lombok) 80,000Rp (including ferry ticket), six hours, several daily

APoto Tano 30,000Rp, three hours, hourly from 8am to midnight

8Getting Around

It’s easy to walk into town from the airport, just turn to your right as you exit the terminal. The walk is less than 1km. Alternatively, you can arrange transport with local guesthouses.

Bemos cost 3000Rp for trips anywhere around town.

Around Sumbawa Besar

You'll need private transport to navigate Sumbawa's outskirts effectively. Some of the best ikat and songket (silver or gold-threaded cloth) sarongs are made by members of a women’s weaving klompok (collective) in the conservative mountain village of Poto, 12km east of Sumbawa Besar and 2km from the small town of Moyo. Traditional designs include the prahu (outrigger boat). You’ll hear the clack of the weaver's looms from the street and are welcome to duck into their humble huts. The most intricate pieces take up to 45 days to produce.

If you're doing the trans-Sumbawa slog with your own wheels, stop for lunch at Warung Santong (Pantai Santong; meals 30,000-60,000Rp; h24hr), a tasty fish shack teetering on the rocky shore at the island’s midway point. Dine on fresh catch, grilled or fried, in the ‘dining room’, or in one of the stilted pagodas at the water’s edge.

Pulau Moyo

A gently arcing crescent of jungled volcanic rock, Moyo – all 36,000 hectares of it – floats atop the gorgeous azure seas north of Sumbawa Besar. The same size as Singapore, it has almost no commercial development and is peopled by just six small villages. The majority of the island, and its rich reefs, form a nature reserve laced with trails, dripping with waterfalls and offering some of the best diving west of Komodo. Loggerhead and green turtles hatch on the beaches, long-tail macaques patrol the canopy, and wild pigs, barking deer and a diverse bird population all call Moyo home.

Accommodation is limited to just one luxury resort, although there are plans to develop more modest options. It is possible to visit Moyo on a day trip from Sumbawa Besar.

2Activities

Boats from the mainland will take you to the snorkelling spot Air Manis, and the even better Tanjung Pasir (it has a great beach). Good reefs with a plunging wall can be found all around the island if you are prepared to charter your boat for a bit longer. Just northeast of Pulau Moyo is small Pulau Satonda, which also has good beaches and tremendous snorkelling. There are no places in the area to rent snorkelling gear, so bring your own.

There are only two ways to dive at Pulau Moyo. You can join a Bali- or Lombok-based, Komodo-bound liveaboard, or check in to the luscious Amanwana, the swankiest dive camp on the planet.

The seas around Moyo get turbulent from December to March and boat captains understandably may refuse to risk a journey.

4Sleeping

oAmanwana ResortRESORT$$$

(%0361-772333, 0371-22233; www.amanresorts.com; all-inclusive jungle/ocean-view tents from US$1100/1300; aiW)

On Moyo’s western side, Amanwana is the ultimate island hideaway. Guests stay in lavish permanent tents with antique wood furnishings, king-sized beds and, of course, air-con. But nature still rules here. The resort is built around diving, hiking and mountain biking. Guests arrive by private seaplane or helicopter from Bali, or from mainland Sumbawa on an Amanwana boat.

The resort sponsors turtle hatcheries, deer breeding and reef-protection projects. There’s a full-service spa and a dive school with private courses and dive trips. You can charter a luxury liveaboard for private seven-day cruises to Komodo National Park and further on to the Bandas in Maluku and Papua's Raja Ampat archipelago.

8Information

The website www.moyoisland.com has info about the island, which is the centre of much speculation regarding future tourism development.

8Getting There & Away

Take a public bemo (10,000Rp, one hour) or your own wheels to Air Bari, a small harbour 22km northeast of Sumbawa Besar. You can charter a boat here for a day trip to Pulau Moyo. Bargain hard for a journey to Tanjung Pasir (from 1,500,000Rp), which is the closest place to Air Bari, about 3km across the water. You may also be able to hitch a ride on one of the regular service boats (from 200,000Rp).

East Sumbawa

%0373

Twisted into a shape all its own, and linguistically and culturally distinct from the west, the eastern half of Sumbawa sees the most visitors thanks to accessible year-round surf near Hu’u village. Adventurous souls may also want to tackle majestic Gunung Tambora, a mountain that changed the world.

Gunung Tambora

%0373

Looming over central Sumbawa is the 2850m volcano Gunung Tambora. Its peak was obliterated during the epic eruption of April 1815.

But you’re here to surmount the peak. From the summit you’ll have spectacular views of the 6km-wide caldera, which contains a two-coloured lake, and endless ocean vistas that stretch as far as Gunung Rinjani (Lombok). A basic climb to the crater rim takes at least two days; if you want to venture down into the spectacular crater – one of the world's deepest – add another five days. Much of the mountain was declared a national park in 2015.

The base for ascents is the remote village of Pancasila near the town of Calabai on the western slope. Here you can organise climbs. Contacts include Pak Saiful (%0859 3703 0848, 0823 4069 9138; Pancasila) and the Rik Stoetman (%0813 5337 0951; visittambora.wordpress.com; near Pancasila). Both can rent rooms (from 100,000Rp to 200,000Rp), and handle transport and logistical issues. Guides and porters cost about 200,000Rp to 300,000Rp per day.

8Getting There & Away

The road along the peninsula from the trans-Sumbawa highway to Calabai is much improved. You can cover the 57km in under two hours with your own wheels, or hop on a very crowded bus from Dompu (40,000Rp, four to five hours) to Calabai. From Calabai take an ojek (motorcycle that takes passengers; 30,000Rp) to Pancasila.

THE YEAR WITHOUT SUMMER

After a few days of tremors the top blew off Gunung Tambora on 10 April 1815 in what is the most powerful eruption in modern history. Tens of thousands of Sumbawans were killed, molten rock was sent more than 40km into the sky, and the explosion was heard 2000km away (by comparison, the 1873 eruption of Krakatoa was one-tenth the size).

In the months and years that followed, weather was affected worldwide as the cloud of ash blotted out the sun. In Europe 1816 came to be known as 'the year without summer'. Crops failed, temperatures plummeted, disease spread and tens of thousands died across the globe. Historical evidence is everywhere, including in the works of JMW Turner, whose paintings from the period feature shocking orange colours in the dim, ash-filled skies.

Two books vividly illustrate how Tambora's eruption changed the planet: Tambora by Gillen D'Arcy Wood and Tambora: Travels to Sumbawa and the Mountain that Changed the Earth by Derek Pugh. The latter author has a lot of useful information for climbing Tambora today on his website (www.derekpugh.com.au).

Pantai Lakey & Hu'u

%0373

Pantai Lakey, a gentle crescent of golden sand, is where Sumbawa’s tourist pulse beats, thanks to seven world-class surf breaks that curl and crash in one massive bay, and a string of modest beach guesthouses, all linked by a beachside path which contributes to the fun atmosphere.

Hu’u is a small, poor and very friendly fishing village, 3km north of Lakey. It’s suffused with the scent of drying fish and blessed with breathtaking pink sunsets.

The area is the centre of a recent push to increase tourism on Sumbawa. New roads hint at future large projects; you can now easily drive east from Hu'u, and north to Bima via Parado, enjoying some superb sea views along the way.

2Activities

This is one of Indonesia's best surfing destinations. Lakey Peak and Lakey Pipe are the best-known waves and are within paddling distance of the various hotels and guesthouses. You’ll need to rent a motorbike or hire an ojek to get to Nungas, Cobblestone and Nangadoro. Periscope is 150m from the sand at the far north end of the bay near Maci Point, which is another good spot. When the swell gets really big, there’s a beach break at Hu'u, as well.

Most surfers share the cost of a boat (from 800,000Rp, maximum five people) to get to the breaks and back. Waves can be very good (and very big) year-round, but the most consistent swell arrives between June and August. From August to October the wind gusts, which turns Pantai Lakey into Indonesia’s best kitesurfing destination – it's regarded as one of the 10 best in the world. Kites descend on Lakey Pipe and Nungas when it's pumping.

Inexperienced surfers should be cautious. Waves break over a shallow reef, and serious accidents do happen.

Joey Barrel's Board ShopSURFING

(Jl Raya Hu'u; hhours vary)

Out on the main drag, this small shop offers ding repairs, board rental (per day from 50,000Rp), surfing supplies and board sales. It's open when the owner isn't at the breaks.

4Sleeping & Eating

There are plenty of decent-value digs strung along Pantai Lakey; most have their own cafes and bars. A paved beach walk follows the shore, linking guesthouses. It has stands selling refreshments and a few simple warungs.

Puma Bungalows & RestaurantBUNGALOW$

(%0373-623061; Jl Raya Hu'u; r 90,000-350,000Rp; a)

Expect 23 colourful concrete bungalows with tiled roofs and shady front porches, plus sprawling, palm-shaded grounds with fabulous views. Cheaper rooms are fan-only. The two-storey cafe (mains 30,000Rp to 50,000Rp) has sweeping views and a rickety, bamboo vibe; the ginger prawns are popular. On some days yoga classes are held.

Lakey Beach InnGUESTHOUSE$

(%0373-623576; www.lakey-beach-inn.com; Jl Raya Hu'u; r 90,000-250,000Rp; aW)

Enjoy tasty homestyle fish dinners, pizza and Indo classics at the large and driftwoody waterfront cafe (mains 25,000Rp to 60,000Rp). Rooms are basic – the cheapest have fans and cold water. French owner Rachel is a legendary local character.

oVivian's Lakey Peak HomestayHOMESTAY$$

(%0878 6698 1277; www.lakeypeakhomestay.com; off Jl Raya Hu'u; r 250,000-300,000Rp; aW)

Set along a little lane between the beach and the main road, this five-room family compound offers the area's warmest welcome. Rooms are newish and large with nice furnishings. The yard is shaded by banana trees and there's a genial cafe-cum-day room.

Aman Gati HotelRESORT$$

(%0373-623031, 0821 4473 4511; www.amangati-hotel.com; Jl Raya Hu’u; r 600,000-750,000Rp, oceanfront villas from 1,000,000Rp; aiWs)

The most upscale place on the beach, this Balinese-run, three-star resort has 57 attractive modern rooms. Some are perfectly oriented to the break; others, in the cheaper older building. have higher ceilings and bigger beds. All come with wood furnishings, hot water and satellite TV.

Surf Houses Lakey PeakHOUSE$$

(www.lakeypeaksurf.com; small/big houses from 290,000/320,000Rp; W)

Bertrand Fleury, a world-class kitesurfer, hosts kite pros from July to November for the wind season. When he's gone he rents out his two excellent wooden houses, set right on the Nungas break. Each sleeps up to five with full kitchen, private decks and outdoor baths. Rates vary greatly by the number of people and length of stay.

Blue LagoonBUNGALOW$$

(%0813 3982 3018; Jl Rya Hu'u; r 200,000-350,000Rp; aW)

A vast one-storey complex that stretches back from the beach, Blue Lagoon has well-looked-after, tiled rooms with private patios. All are spacious, but some are in better shape than others. The most expensive rooms have air-con, hot water and satellite TV. The waterfront restaurant (mains 30,000Rp to 50,000Rp) and bar draws a crowd.

Mama'sINDONESIAN$

(Beach Path; mains 20,000-30,000Rp; h8am-7pm)

The namesake owner sits out front of this simple little stall all day peeling veggies for her excellent local fare. Choose a few mains, serve yourself and lap up classic homestyle cooking. It's right on the beach path near the vast Blue Lagoon complex.

oFat Mah'sINTERNATIONAL$$

(off Jl Raya Hu'u; mains 40,000-80,000Rp; h6am-11pm)

Lakey's best kitchen turns out creative fare throughout the day and night. Tables sit in a raised bleached-wood house overlooking the beach. There's a bit of style to everything, from the granola and muffins at breakfast, to the juices and cocktails, and on to the sandwiches and nightly seafood and pasta specials.

8Information

There is community wi-fi, although some places offer their own (faster) service.

The nearest ATMs are 37km north in Dompu.

8Getting There & Away

From Dompu there are two daily (slow) buses as far as Hu’u (25,000Rp, 1½ hours), where you can hire an ojek (15,000Rp) to Pantai Lakey. Ojeks to/from Dompu on the trans-Sumba highway cost 150,000Rp.

Try doing this with a surfboard and you’ll see why so many people take a taxi from Bima airport (around 800,000Rp, four people). Buses to/from Bima cost from 50,000Rp (one to two daily).

The ojek cartel is omnipresent in Lakey; rates to the breaks range from 30,000Rp to 80,000Rp.

Bima

%0374 / Pop 149,000

East Sumbawa’s largest metropolitan centre is a conservative Islamic place with few sights, and it's nobody's favourite getaway. The streets can be traffic-choked, the architecture is charmless and crumbling, and the vibe is unappealing after dark. If you're heading to Pantai Lakey there's no need to stop here, but if you want a morning ferry to Flores, you're better off staying here than in Sape, for the greater range of sleeping options alone.

1Sights

Museum Asi MbojoMUSEUM

(Jl Sultan Ibrahim; admission 2000Rp; h8am-5pm Mon-Sat)

The old Sultan’s Palace, former home of Bima’s rulers, still reflects the colonial style of a 1927 renovation. Past the large verandahs, the interior is home to a grab bag of dusty curios, including a royal crown, battle flags and weapons. A modest wooden building next to the palace has an evocative and traditional look. The weedy grounds are large; the area outside the northern fence is a favourite night-time spot for prostitutes.

zFestivals & Events

Horse racing is held four times a year, in May, July, August and December, at the Desa Panda horse stadium, 14km west of town on the trans-Sumbawa highway. There’s a large grandstand, a gaggle of warungs, and plenty of cheering as horses thunder around a dusty track. Action peaks on 17 August as independence fever kicks in.

4Sleeping

Hotel Lila GrahaHOTEL$

(%0374-42740; Jl Lombok 20; r 200,000-350,000Rp; aW)

One of two four-storey, block-long hotels, each with a wide range of rooms; ground-floor suite rooms are newest and nicest. There's wi-fi in the lobby only. It's right in the centre.

oMarina HotelHOTEL$$

(%0374-42072; www.marinabima.com; Jl Sultan Kaharuddin 41; r 390,000-450,000Rp; aW)

Bima's best sleep is very central. The 52 rooms in this three-storey building (there's an elevator) are bright and airy, with large flat-screen TVs, glassed-in showers and plush bed linens. All rooms get plenty of light, though some have more windows than others. There are sweeping views from the common lounge.

5Eating

Pasar MalamMARKET$

(Night Market; Jl Sultan Ibrahaim; h6pm-11pm)

Dine cheaply at the night market: there’s fish and chicken sate (satay), mie goreng (fried noodles) and nasi goreng (fried rice), bakso (meatball soup) and various deep-fried treats, including bananas aplenty.

oRumah Makan Sabar SaburSEAFOOD$

(%0374-646236; Jl Salahudin, Bandara; mains from 20,000Rp; h7am-7pm)

Out by the airport, off the trans-Sumbawa highway, the long wooden tables here are always crowded with locals who come to munch bandeng goreng (a flash-fried freshwater fish). Like herring, you can eat it whole, bones and all. It’s best combined with the fiery crushed-tomato sambal, torn leaves of lemon basil and a bit of rice.

Rumah Makan Arema RayaPADANG$

(%0374-44960; Jl Sultan Hasanuddin; mains 20,000-30,000Rp; h7am-10pm)

The cleanest and most central Padang food depot in town. Pick and mix from an array of curried, baked and fried fish and chicken dishes. Note: it gets quite spicy here. When the day's fresh fare runs out (about 6pm), head upstairs for some just-fair pizza.

Warung TaliwangINDONESIAN$

(Jl Sulawesi; mains 20,000-40,000Rp; h11am-11pm)

On the ground-floor of a building that still has some colonial style, this open-air warung serves up seafood and chicken dishes fresh from the woks. Settle in at the street-side rows of long tables.

8Information

There are plenty of banks and ATMs in Bima, especially along the town's main drag, Jl Sultan Hasanuddin.

PT Man Jaya Executive ToursTRAVEL AGENCY

(%0819 0901 2555; Jl Sultan Kaharuddin 36; h8am-6pm Mon-Sat)

West of the centre and on the main road, this full-service agency is the best place for Pelni and ferry tickets.

Travel Lancar JayaTRAVEL AGENCY

(%0374-43737; Jl Sultan Hasanuddin 11)

Bima's Lion Air agent offers a range of services. It's across from the largest supermarket in the town centre.

8Getting There & Away

Air

Bima is the main airport for travellers to Pantai Lakey. During peak season (June to August), when flights from Labuanbajo (Flores) are often fully booked, you can make the 10-hour ferry and bus trip from Labuanbajo to Bima to find a seat on a less-packed Bima-Bali flight. Services include the following:

ABali Garuda, Lion Air, 1¼ hours, daily

AMakassar (Sulawesi) Garuda, 1½ hours, daily

Boat

Pelni boats travel twice monthly from Bima to Waingapu, Ende and Kupang, Benoa (Bali) and Sulawesi.

Travel agencies in town can organise tickets, since the Pelni office (%0374-42625; Jl Kesatria 2) is at Bima port.

Bus

Buses heading west leave from the Bima bus terminal, a 10-minute walk south along Jl Sultan Kaharuddin from the centre of town. You can buy a ticket in advance from bus company offices on Jl Sultan Kaharuddin. Buses for Sape depart from the Kumbe terminal in Raba (a 3000Rp bemo ride away). Routes include the following:

ADompu 25,000Rp, two hours, almost hourly from 6am to 5pm

AMataram 250,000Rp, 11 to 14 hours, two daily

ASape 35,000, two hours, almost hourly from 6am to 5pm

ASumbawa Besar 80,000, seven hours, several daily

8Getting Around

The airport sits amid salt flats 17km west from the centre on the way to Dompu and the road to Pantai Lakey. You can walk out to the main road and catch a passing bus. Alternatively, taxis meet arrivals, charging 100,000Rp to Bima or 800,000Rp to Pantai Lakey.

A bemo around town costs 3000Rp per person.

Sape

%0374

Sape’s got a tumbledown port-town vibe, perfumed with the conspicuous scent of drying cuttlefish. The outskirts are quilted in rice fields backed by jungled hills, and the streets are busy with benhur (horse-drawn carts) and early morning commerce. There’s decent food and doable lodging here too, so if you are catching a morning ferry, consider this an alternative to Bima.

4Sleeping & Eating

The ferry port is 3km east of Sape's diminutive centre.

Losmen MutiaraGUESTHOUSE$

(%0374-71337; Jl Pelabuhan Sape; r 60,000-160,000Rp; aW)

Despite little competition, Losmen Mutiara, right next to the port gates and last bus stop, is a decent place to stay. Twenty rooms are spread across two floors, with the most expensive having air-con.

Rumah Makan Citra MinangINDONESIAN$

(Jl Pelabuhan Sape; mains 20,000-30,000Rp; h8am-9pm)

The smiling ladies here bring the finest and spiciest Padang dishes to life. The shabby interior belies the quality and flavour of the food. It's mere steps from the boats and last bus stop.

8Getting There & Around

Boat

Regular breakdowns and big water disrupt ferry services – always double-check the latest schedules in Bima and Sape. Ferries from Sape include the following:

ALabuanbajo 60,000Rp, six to seven hours, one to two daily

AWaikelo (Sumba) 65,000Rp, eight hours, two weekly

Bus

Express buses with service to Lombok and Bali meet arriving ferries.

Buses leave every hour for Bima (35,000Rp, two hours), where you can catch local buses to other Sumbawa destinations.

Taxi drivers may claim that buses have stopped running and you must charter their vehicle to Bima (350,000Rp, 1½ hours); this is usually not true.

Komodo & Rinca Islands

Nestled between Sumbawa and Flores, the islands of Komodo and Rinca are the main components of Unesco-recognised Komodo National Park, whose rapidly increasing popularity is helping drive the booming tourism economy of Flores.

The island's jagged hills, carpeted with savannah and fringed with mangroves, are home to the legendary Komodo dragon. The world’s largest lizard, known locally as ora, it can reach over 3m in length. It hunts alone and feeds on animals as large as deer and buffalo, both of which are found here.

These isolated islands are surrounded by some of the most tempestuous waters in Indonesia. The convergence of warm and cold currents breeds nutritious thermal climes, rip tides and whirlpools that attract large schools of pelagics, from dolphins and sharks to manta rays and blue whales. The coral here is mostly pristine. Add it all up and you have some of the best diving in the world, which is why dozens of liveaboards ply these waters between April and September when the water is smooth and the diving at its finest.

Komodo

Spectacular Komodo, its steep hillsides jade in the short wet season, frazzled by the sun and winds to a deep rusty red for most of the year, is the largest island in the national park. A succession of eastern peninsulas spread out like so many fingers, fringed in pink sand, thanks to the abundance of red coral offshore. The main camp of Loh Liang and the PHKA office, where boats dock and guided walks and treks start, is on the east coast.

The fishing village of Kampung Komodo is an hour-long walk south of Loh Liang. It’s a friendly stilted Bugis village that’s full of goats, chickens and children. The inhabitants are said to be descendants of convicts exiled to the island in the 19th century by one of the sultans in Sumbawa. The residents here are used to seeing tourists and you can spend a fair bit of time absorbing village life and gazing out over the water.

VISITING KOMODO NATIONAL PARK

Komodo National Park (www.komodo-park.com), established in 1980, encompasses Komodo, Rinca, several neighbouring islands, and the rich marine ecosystem within its 1817 sq km.

Fees for visitors add up quickly:

ALanding fee per person for Komodo and Rinca islands: 50,000Rp

ABasic guided walk fee per person: 80,000Rp

ADiving fee per person per day: Monday to Saturday/Sunday 175,000/250,000Rp

ASnorkelling fee per person per day: Monday to Saturday/Sunday 165,000/240,000Rp

Tour operators (including dive shops) usually collect the fees in advance. If not, you pay them in the park offices on Komodo or Rinca, or in Labuanbajo.

At both Komodo and Rinca you have a choice of walks, from short to long, which you arrange with a ranger when you arrive at the relevant island's park office.

2Activities

Walking & Trekking

The 80,000Rp entrance fee at Komodo includes a choice of three walks: the short walk (1.5km, 45 minutes), which includes a stop at an artificial waterhole that attracts the diminutive local deer – and of course ora; the medium walk (2.5km, 90 minutes), which includes a hill with sweeping views and a chance to see colourful cockatoos; and the long trek (4km, two hours), which includes the features of the shorter hikes and gets you much further from the peak-season crowds.

You can also negotiate for adventure treks (from 500,000Rp for up to five people). These walks are up to 9km long and can last four or more hours. Bring plenty of water. Highlights can include a climb to the 538m-high Gunung Ara with expansive views from the top. Poreng Valley is another potential dragon haunt, and has an out-in-the-wild feeling. Watch for wildlife such as buffalo, deer, wild boar and Komodo’s rich bird life, including the fabled megapodes.

A great hike goes over Bukit Randolph, passing a memorial to 79-year-old Randolph Von Reding, who disappeared on Komodo in 1974, and on to Loh Sebita. It’s challenging, the sea views are spectacular, you’ll likely see a dragon or two, and you can organise your boat to pick you up in Loh Sebita, so you don’t have to retrace your steps.

Water Sports

Almost everybody who visits Komodo hires a boat in Labuanbajo or visits as part of a liveaboard itinerary. Day trips always offer snorkelling (gear included) as part of the itinerary as well as a stop at an island beach. Many snorkel around the small island of Pulau Lasa near Kampung Komodo, and just off the pink sands of Pantai Merah (Red Beach), which is just an hour’s walk from Loh Liang.

People who stay on Komodo can arrange for kayaking and sunrise dolphin tours.

KOMODO DRAGONS

The Komodo dragon (ora) is a monitor lizard, albeit one on steroids. Growing up to 3m in length and weighing up to 100kg, they are an awesome sight and make a visit to Komodo National Park well worth the effort. Lounging about lethargically in the sun, these are actually as fearsome as their looks imply. Park rangers keep them from attacking tourists; random encounters are a bad idea. Some dragon details:

• They are omnivorous, and enjoy eating their young. Juvenile dragons live in trees to avoid becoming a meal for adults.
• Ora often rise up on their hind legs just before attacking, and the tail can deliver well-aimed blows that knock down their prey.
• Long thought to be a type of bacteria, venom (located in glands between the dragons’ teeth) are their secret weapon. One bite from a dragon leads to septic infections that inevitably kill the victim. The huge lizard lopes along after its victim waiting for it to die, which can take up to two weeks.
• Komodos will feed on mammals weighing up to 100kg. They do this at one sitting and then retire for up to a month to digest the massive meal.
• On Komodo, ora have been seen chasing deer into the ocean and then waiting on shore while the hapless deer tries to come back ashore. Eventually the exhausted animal staggers onto the beach, where the dragon inflicts its ultimately deadly bite.
• There is no accepted reason why the dragons are only found in this small area of Indonesia, although it’s thought that their ancestors came from Australia four million years ago. There are about 4000 in the wild today.
• A recent discovery has biologists baffled: female dragons kept isolated from other dragons their entire lives have recently been observed in zoos giving birth to fertilised eggs.

SPOTTING DRAGONS

At both Komodo and Rinca your odds of seeing dragons are very good. Although claims are made that there is no feeding of the ora, invariably you'll see a few specimens hanging around the ranger stations, especially at the kitchens. There are further opportunities on the actual walks, where you are likely to see the animals in purely natural surroundings.

Rangers carry a forked staff as their only protection; you may get quite close to ora. A telephoto lens is handy but not essential. Still, treat the seemingly slow-moving ora with great respect: two villagers have been killed in the last two decades.

Peak months for komodo-spotting are September to December, when both sexes are out and about. The worst months are June to August, which is mating season for the males, which causes the females to go into hiding.

4Sleeping

Although it is easy to visit Komodo on a day trip from Labuanbajo, there are definite advantages to spending the night on the island. In the park you can spot ora during their active postdawn rambles and before the first tour boats arrive at 9am. Late in the afternoon, you can enjoy near-solitude after the day's visitors have left, leaving you to absorb nature's rhythm and delight in Komodo's pastoral charms. Any place you stay will provide simple meals.

In the village of Kampung Komodo, you'll find a few very casual homestays that give you a basic bed and some meals. Either just turn up and let locals guide you to one (rooms from about 200,000Rp per night) or arrange your stay in advance with Usman Ranger (%0812 3956 6140; Komodo).

Komodo GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$$

(%0812 3956 6140; Loh Liang; r from 400,000Rp)

Located inside the park and just five-minutes' walk from the dock, this six-room guesthouse has a long, covered porch that's elevated and offers great views across open space to the ocean. Rooms are basic but have fans (there's electricity 6pm to midnight) and you can arrange with park rangers for meals. Reserve when you arrive on the island or by phone.

It's not uncommon to see Komodo dragons amble past, especially at dawn and dusk. The stars at night and the raw sounds of nature are intoxicating.

8Getting There & Away

Competition for Komodo day trips from Labuanbajo is fierce. Join one of the many tours hawked by operators in town, which cost from 300,000Rp per person and may include a light lunch and stops for beach fun and snorkelling.

You can also charter your own speedboat which will cover the distance to Komodo in under an hour. Prepare to bargain but expect to pay around 7,000,000Rp for up to four people for a full day out (which can include stops at both Komodo and Rinca).

The many liveaboard schemes almost always include a stop at Komodo at some point, as do the private boats making the run between Flores and Lombok and Bali.

Rinca

Rinca is slightly smaller than Komodo, close to Labuanbajo, and easily done in a day trip. It packs a lot into a small space and for many it is more convenient but just as worthy a destination as Komodo. The island combines mangroves, light forest and sun-drenched hills, as well as – of course – Komodo dragons.

2Activities

From the boat dock, it's a 10-minute walk across tidal flats, home to long-tail macaques and wild water buffalo, to the PHKA station camp at Loh Buaya. Three basic types of guided walks are included in the 80,000Rp admission fee: the short walk (500m, one hour) takes in mangroves and some ora nesting sites; the medium walk (1.5km, 90 minutes) is literally just right as it includes the shady lowlands plus a trip up a hillside where the views across the arid landscape to palm-dotted ridges, achingly turquoise waters and pearly white specks of beach are spectacular; and the long walk (4km, three hours) which takes in all the island's attractions.

Besides dragons, you may see tiny Timor deer, snakes, monkeys, wild boar and myriad birds. There are supposedly no set dragon-feeding places on Rinca, but there are often a half-dozen massive beasts near the camp kitchen at Loh Buaya, so you do the math.

4Sleeping & Eating

You can stay in a spare room in the ranger's dorm (from 300,000Rp), but there's little reason to as the site lacks charm.

There is a simple daytime cafe at the ranger station where you can stock up on water, enjoy a cold beer while watching grazing deer nervously eyeing ora, and have a snack.

8Getting There & Away

Day trips to Rinca cost from about 300,000Rp and choices are many. Chartering a speedboat to Rinca costs at least 3,000,000Rp from Labuanbajo and takes less than an hour each way. Boats usually return via small island beaches and snorkelling spots.

At Rinca, boats dock at the sheltered lagoon at Loh Kima, which at busy times may have over two dozen wooden vessels tied together.

BOAT TOURS BETWEEN LOMBOK & FLORES

Travelling by sea between Lombok and Labuanbajo is a popular way to get to Flores, as you’ll glimpse more of the region’s spectacular coastline and dodge the slog by bus across Sumbawa. Typical three- and four-day itineraries take in snorkelling at Pulau Satonda or Pulau Moyo off the coast of Sumbawa, and a dragon-spotting hike on Komodo or Rinca.

But note, this is usually no luxury cruise – a lot depends on the boat, the crew and your fellow travellers. Some operators have reneged on ‘all-inclusive’ deals en route, and others operate decrepit old tugs without life jackets or radio. And this crossing can be hazardous during the rainy season (October to January), when the seas are rough.

Most travellers enjoy the journey though, whether it involves bedding down on a mattress on deck or in a tiny cabin. The cost for a three- to four-day itinerary ranges from about US$170 to US$400 per person and includes all meals, basic beverages and use of snorkelling gear.

Other considerations:

Carefully vet your boat for safety.

Understand what's included and not included in the price. For instance, if drinking water is included, how much is provided? If you need more, can you buy it on the boat or do you need to bring your own?

If you are flexible, you can often save money by travelling west from Flores, as travelling eastwards to Flores is more popular. Look for deals at agents once you're in Labuanbajo.

Kencana AdventureBOAT

(%0370-693432; www.kencanaadventure.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta, front of Gardena Hotel, Labuanbajo; one-way deck/cabin from 1,750,000/4,500,000Rp)

Offers basic boat trips between Lombok and Labuanbajo with deck accommodation as well as cabins that sleep two. Also has a branch in Sengiggi, Lombok. (%0370-693432; www.kencanaadventure.com; Jl Raya Senggigi, Senggigi, Lombok; one-way deck/cabin from 1,750,000/4,500,000Rp)

Perama TourBOAT

(%0361-750808; www.peramatour.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta, Labuanbajo; one-way deck/cabin from 1,300,000/2,000,000Rp)

Runs basic boat trips between Lombok and Labuanbajo with deck accommodation as well as small two-person cabins. Also has a branch in Kuta, Bali ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0361-750808; www.peramatour.com; Jl Raya Legian 39; one-way deck/cabin from 1,300,000/2,000,000Rp).

Flores

Flores, the island named ‘flowers’ by 16th-century Portuguese colonists, has become Indonesia’s ‘Next Big Thing’. In the far west, Labuanbajo is a booming tourist town that combines tropical beauty with nearby attractions such as Komodo National Park, myriad superb dive spots and beach-dappled little islands.

The often lush interior is attracting an ever-greater river of travellers who, in just a few days’ journey overland, encounter smoking volcanoes, spectacular rice fields and lakes, exotic cultures and hidden beaches. You’ll even see plenty of steeples, as away from the port towns most people are nominally Catholic. And many more people are part of cultures and groups that date back centuries, and live in traditional villages seemingly unchanged in millennia.

The 670km serpentine, yet rapidly improving, Trans-Flores Hwy skirts knife-edge ridges that sheer into spectacular river canyons, brushes by dozens of traditional villages, and always seems to have a perfectly conical volcano in view. Roads of varying quality branch off into areas few tourists have explored.

Culture

The island’s 1.9 million people are divided into five main linguistic and cultural groups. From west to east, these are the Manggarai (main town Ruteng), the Ngada (Bajawa), the closely related Ende and Lio peoples (Ende), the Sikkanese (Maumere) and the Lamaholot (Larantuka). In remote areas, especially those accessible only by trail, some older people don’t speak a word of Bahasa Indonesia, and their parents grew up in purely animist societies.

Around 85% of the people are Catholic, but in rural areas Christianity is welded onto adat. Animist rituals are still used for births, marriages and deaths, and to mark important points in the agricultural calendar. Even educated, English-speaking Florinese participate in the odd chicken, pig or buffalo sacrifice to the ancestors when rice is planted.

Muslims congregate in fishing villages and coastal towns such as Ende (where they make up half the population) and Labuanbajo.

8Information

Foreign aid money has funded an excellent string of tourist offices in key towns across Flores. Their enthusiastic information is backed by an excellent website (www.florestourism.com), free town maps and several publications well worth their modest price, including a huge, detailed island map, and books covering activities and culture.

8Getting There & Away

AAir You can easily get flights connecting Flores and Bali, Lombok and Kupang (West Timor), among other destinations. Labuanbajo is the main gateway, while Maumere and Ende are also serviced by daily flights. It's easy to fly into, say, Labuanbajo, tour the island, and fly out of Maumere. However, note that the booming popularity of Flores means that flights are booked solid at peak times.

ABoat Daily ferries connect Labuanbajo with Sape (Sumbawa). From Larantuka, infrequent ferries go to Kupang (West Timor). From Ende and Aimere, boats will take you to Waingapu (Sumba).

8Getting Around

The Trans-Flores Hwy is the spine of the island. It is rapidly being improved, so much so that you can expect delays for major roadworks. It twists and turns through the beautiful countryside, loops around volcanoes and passes untouched beaches.

The improving roads mean that more and more visitors are simply hiring motorbikes in Labuanbajo and heading east. This can cost from 50,000Rp per day plus petrol. But note that this is not for the faint of heart: driving conditions can be hazardous and exhausting.

Regular buses run between Labuanbajo and Maumere. They’re cheap and cramped. Much more comfortable and only somewhat more expensive are public minibuses (often a Toyota Kijang), which link major towns in air-con comfort. Many travellers hire a car and driver, which costs from 600,000Rp to 800,000Rp per day. If you have a group of six, this is a fair deal; some drivers also work as guides, and can arrange fascinating and detailed island-wide itineraries. Your accommodation will usually have details on all the above options.

Andy RonaDRIVER

(%0813 3798 0855; andyrona7@gmail.com)

An excellent driver and guide, who has a network of reliable colleagues.

Philip NetoDRIVER

(%0813 3903 1877, WhatsApp 184-791; philip.neto@yahoo.com)

Based in Bajawa and has island-wide experience. Excellent for treks to remote villages.

Labuanbajo

%0385

Ever more travellers are descending on this gorgeous, slightly ramshackle harbour town, freckled with offshore islands and blessed with idyllic views that offer surrealist sunsets.

Labuanbajo's main drag, Jl Soekarno Hatta, is lined with cool cafes, guesthouses, travel agents and a few hopping bars. The waterfront is spiffed-up and the connections to other parts of Indonesia are excellent. With the many beguiling islands just offshore, you may find Labuanbajo (or Bajo as it's commonly called) hard to leave, even as the draw of Flores proper lures you east.

Note, however, that Bajo is at a crossroads: with its new popularity, growth has spiralled upwards. How the new development along the coast is handled will say much about whether the town remains a traveller's idyll or becomes just another trashed hotspot.

Labuanbajo

2Activities, Courses & Tours

1Bajo Dive ClubB3

2Blue MarlinB4

3CNDiveA2

4Flores Komodo ExpeditionB3

5Flores SpaB3

6Komodo Dive CenterB3

7Uber ScubaA2

8Wicked AdventuresD1

9Wicked DivingB4

10Yayasan Ayo MandiriB1

4Sleeping

11Bajo Beach HotelB3

12Bajo Sunset HostelB1

13Bayview Gardens HotelB2

14Green Hill HotelB3

15Palulu Garden HomestayB2

16Villa Seirama AlamB2

5Eating

17Bajo BakeryB3

Cafe in HitB3

18Daily MarketA2

LoungeB3

Made In ItalyB3

MediterranoB3

19Pasar MalamA1

Tree TopB4

20Warung MamaB2

2Activities

Excursions to nearby islands make great day trips, offering the chance to snorkel or lounge on a deserted beach.

Pulau Bidadari, for instance, offers lovely coral and crystalline water. You can snooze on Pantai Waecicu and snorkel around the tiny offshore islet of Kukusan Kecil. Pulau Seraya and Pulau Kanawa are both gorgeous and have excellent beaches.

Some of the islands have hotels offering free transport, and day trips abound. You'll find no shortage of offers in Labuanbajo – many focused on Rinca and Komodo Islands. Decent trips with snorkelling, beach time and maybe a Komodo dragon or two start at 250,000Rp.

Diving & Snorkelling

With dive sites around the islands near Labuanbajo and the proximity of Komodo National Park, there are some excellent scuba opportunities here. We're talking about some of the best sites on earth, which explains the ever-increasing number of dive shops and liveaboards. Also note that freediving is becoming as popular locally as it is in the Gilis.

Labuanbajo dive shops have similar prices. For instance, it costs around 1,100,000Rp for two dives on a day trip. Some shops offer Open Water Diver certification and Divemaster programs (from about US$500). You'll need to have Advanced Open Water to hit the best sites. Custom dive safaris to the brilliant northern Komodo sites are also available.

Dive shops line Jl Soekarno Hatta. It’s best to shop around first, and survey equipment and boats before you make a decision. Bring your own computer or anything else you deem essential.

Dive operators – and many others, including some hotels – rent snorkelling gear. July and August is peak season, with ever-larger crowds. In March, April and September crowds thin and the diving is magical.

oWicked DivingDIVING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3964 1143; www.wickeddiving.com/komodo; Jl Soekarno Hatta; floating dm per night from US$100; h8am-8pm)S

Offers popular multiday liveaboards on a classic Bugis schooner and has a 'floating hostel' set among the northern islands of Komodo National Park. Its day trips are justifiably popular and the company wins plaudits for nurturing local divers, promoting strong green practices and giving back to the community. Accommodation rates include dives and transport.

Blue MarlinDIVING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41789; www.bluemarlindivekomodo.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; day trips from 1,100,000Rp; h8am-8pm)

Long before the boom this dive shop was running liveaboards between the Gilis and Labuanbajo, and it has great experience in the Komodos. Staff are also expert tech divers. Its custom, fibreglass 15m boat allows for three dives per day instead of the two on a standard day trip. The bay-front compound includes a swimming pool used for instruction.

Uber ScubaDIVING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3653 6749; uberscubakomodo.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; three-dive fun dive 1,400,000Rp; h8am-8pm)

This new dive shop is riding the wave of ever-increasing visitor numbers to the Komodo area. Besides extensive courses, it offers a full range of free-diving excursions and instruction.

Bajo Dive ClubDIVING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41503; www.komododiver.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; day trips from 950,000Rp; h8am-8pm)

A popular, long-running choice with a large day-trip boat, which means comfortable voyages to the national park sites. It also offers dive safaris and courses.

CNDiveDIVING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0823 3908 0808; www.cndivekomodo.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; per person per day from US$150; h8am-8pm)S

Condo Subagyo, the proprietor of CNDive, is the area’s original Indonesian dive operator and a former Komodo National Park ranger. The staff are all locals who have been thoroughly trained and have intimate knowledge of over 100 dive sites.

Komodo Dive CenterDIVING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3630 3644; www.komododivecenter.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; day trips from 1,200,000Rp; h8am-8pm)

Offers a full range of day trips, multiday tours and courses. Promotes its use of nitrox and its extensive range of gear rentals.

Current JunkiesDIVING

(www.currentjunkies.com; 6-day, 5-nights liveaboards from US$1000)

One of the most interesting liveaboards in the area, Current Junkies does not shy away from a ripping current. It dives into them, because the current brings pelagics. Trips are six days and five nights, and include 14 dives. It only accepts five divers per trip, and no beginners. Online bookings only; the boat departs from Labuanbajo.

DIVING INTO THE FUTURE

The fact that the waters in and around Komodo National Park have both Unesco World Heritage status and official protection from the Indonesian government doesn't mean that they are not constantly under threat.

Reports of dynamite fishing – although decreasing – continue, even as the PHKA park administration has become more aggressive in protecting the region. Fortunately, the huge popularity of the waters means that there is no shortage of diving operators and divers watching out for transgressions. These efforts have been aided by the increasing economic incentives for people in the fishing industry to switch to the tourism industry. It also helps that some dive shops have proactive programs to hire and train locals from across the region, who then become conservation ambassadors in their home villages.

Climbing & Canyoning

Opportunities for exploration on land abound east of Labuanbajo. Tour operators can organise these and countless more trips.

Climbing up the rainforested slopes of Gunung Mbeliling (1239m) is popular. The trip usually takes two days, and includes about eight hours of hiking, sunrise at the summit and a stop-off at Cunca Rami Air Terjun, a cooling cascade with freshwater swimming holes.

If you like canyoning, you’ll enjoy the Cunca Wulang Cascades, where local guides lead you down natural rock water slides, off 7m rock jumps and into swimming holes beneath a series of waterfalls. Trips generally last half a day.

Massage & Spa

Flores SpaSPA

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-42089; www.floresspa.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; massages from 120,000Rp; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat, 1-8pm Sun)

A shopfront spa with recommended treatments such as the jasmine body scrub, reflexology, full body massage and sunburn relief.

Yayasan Ayo MandiriSPA

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-041318; www.yam-flores.com; Jl Puncak Waringin; 70min massages 120,000Rp; h9am-12.30pm & 3-8pm Mon-Sat)

Enjoy a massage at the hands of a gifted, sightless therapist. A home for the blind, this spa offers top-quality treatments including acupressure, hot stone and reflexology. Look for the big red 'massage' sign.

DIVING & SNORKELLING AROUND KOMODO & LABUANBAJO

Komodo National Park has some of the most exhilarating scuba diving in Indonesia, especially around the many islands in the north. It’s a region swept by strong currents and cold upswells, created by the convergence of the warmer Flores Sea and the cooler Selat Sumba (Sumba Strait) – conditions that create rich plankton soup and an astonishing diversity of marine life. Mantas and whales are drawn here to feed on the plankton during their migration from the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. Dolphins are also common in the waters between Komodo and Flores.

The following are among the several dozen dive sites mapped in the park and in the waters and islands around Labuanbajo:

Batu Balong A split pinnacle with pristine coral and a relatively light current. The small rock jutting above the water only hints at the wealth of life below.

Crystal Bommie (aka Crystal Rock) Has electric soft corals, turtles, schooling pelagics and strong currents.

Castle Rock (aka Tako Toko Toko) A tremendous sunrise dive site where, with a little luck, you’ll dive with dolphins or see magnificent pinwheels of tropical fish amid strong currents.

Makassar Reef A shallow drift dive over moonscape rubble where massive manta rays school and clean themselves on the rocks. If you’ve never seen mantas before, dive here. It’s (almost) guaranteed.

Multiple shark sightings on a single dive are common (there are a lot of grey reef sharks as well as the humongous plankton-eating whale sharks).

You'll have your pick of excellent dive shops in Labuanbajo and at some of the island resorts. Myriad day trips and live-aboard schemes are on offer.

TTours

In addition to the dedicated tour companies, drivers can also plan and lead trips.

Wicked AdventuresADVENTURE TOUR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3607 9641; www.wickedadventures.com; Arah BTN depan Bandara; 1-day kayak trips from US$100; h10am-6pm)

An offshoot of the recommended Wicked Diving, this group runs very enjoyable kayak trips with local guides in Komodo National Park. Other adventures include Wae Rebo trekking and trips to Wicked's turtle conservation camp on a south Flores beach. The office is across from the airport.

Flores Komodo ExpeditionADVENTURE TOUR

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-42127; www.floreskomodoexpedition.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; 2-day Wae Rebo tours for 2 people 1,800,000Rp; h10am-7pm)

Organises all manner of trips around Flores. Themes include bird-watching, ancient villages, jungle-trekking, Komodo National Park and much more, and can be customised to suit. Also rents motorbikes for 90,000Rp per day.

SEVEN DAYS ON FLORES

You can take as long as you like exploring Flores, but a common trip for the visa-expiry-date-conscious using a hired car and driver goes like this:

• Three days in Labuanbajo and the surrounding Komodo National Park and waters
• One day driving to the hill town of Bajawa with time to explore the surrounding Ngada villages
• One day driving to the sweet mountain village of Moni via the Ngada village of Bena and the steamy port town of Ende
• One day exploring the area around Moni, including Kelimutu National Park
• One day driving to Maumere, with a stop at the beach in Paga

You can fly out of Maumere and you can do this trip in either direction, although it’s easiest to find a driver you’ll like in Labuanbajo. Add a couple of extra days to the schedule above if you’re sticking to buses.

4Sleeping

It seems every week there is a new place to stay in Labuanbajo. Still, during peak season in July and August book ahead lest you be one of the sad groups trooping along the streets looking for a room while the already accommodated look down on you from cafes with ill-disguised pity.

If you can swing it, consider one of the superb resorts on the nearby islands.

Central Area

oBajo Sunset HostelHOSTEL$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 3799 3814; bajosunset.wordpress.com; Jl Reklamasi Pantai; dm/r from 150,000/250,000Rp; aW)

A great new addition to the Bajo scene, this newly built guesthouse sits on reclaimed land on the waterfront. There is a modest cafe and a large open-air common area with great views out to sea. Accommodation is in a 14-bed dorm and four-bed rooms. Smaller private rooms are planned.

Palulu Garden HomestayHOMESTAY$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0822 3658 4279; palulugarden.wordpress.com; off Jl Ande Bole; r economy/budget/air-con from 140,000/200,000/350,000Rp; a)

Long-time local guide Kornelis Gega and his family run this four-room homestay just a short walk above the centre. The cheapest room shares a bathroom, while the top room has air-con. It's pure Flores throughout, and utterly spic and span. Kornelis can help with your trip planning and arrange transport etc.

Bajo Beach HotelGUESTHOUSE$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41008; Jl Soekarno Hatta; r 150,000-250,000Rp; aW)

A fine cheapie in the city centre with 16 basic but spacious tiled older rooms that are clean and well tended. Each has a private seating area out front. You'll get the same room either way, but pay a bit more for air-con.

Golo HilltopBUNGALOW$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41337; www.golohilltop.com; Jl Binongko; r 450,000-525,000Rp; aWs)

The pool just makes this 10-room nest even sweeter. Expect modern, super-clean concrete bungalows in a hilltop garden setting with magnificent views of Teluk Labuanbajo (but not of the harbour). Deluxe rooms are on the top ridge; standard rooms are fan-cooled. You must reserve ahead.

Bagus BagusGUESTHOUSE$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 386 0084; stefankomodo@gmail.com; off Jl Binongko; r from 250,000Rp)S

Accessed from the walkway that leads to Paradise Bar, these fine, spacious, tiled rooms have wooden beds, mosquito nets, high woven-bamboo and beamed ceilings, open-air baths, and exquisite sunset views from the common porch. The owner is a major promoter of recycling.

Bayview Gardens HotelINN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41549; www.bayview-gardens.com; Jl Ande Bole; r from 500,000Rp; aW)

A lovely nine-room inn notched onto the hillside above town with epic sunset and harbour views, and a lovely grey-water-fed garden with over 450 plant species. Breakfast is served in your room, which isn't fancy but is sweet with an outdoor living room, separate indoor bedroom and huge bathroom. Wi-fi is only in the lobby; reserve in advance.

Green Hill HotelGUESTHOUSE$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41289; www.greenhillboutiquehotel.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; r from 500,000Rp; aW)

The communal terrace bar with its view of the town, bay and sunsets makes this an excellent choice. The 11 rooms are a brief climb from the very centre of town and range from scruffy and older to sprightly and newer. Breakfasts are excellent.

Villa Seirama AlamHOTEL$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 5377 9942; www.villaseiramaalam.com; off Jl Ande Bole; villas from US$165; aW)

Enjoy the home you'd live in if you called Bajo home. This two-storey, three-bedroom house is set on lush grounds and has brilliant views across the harbour and islands. Everything is rather stylish and made of wood. Ask about cheaper rates if you only rent part of the villa.

By the Beach

This crescent of sand south of the centre may be the future of Labuanbajo tourism. The massive Jayakarta Hotel opened its 200-room resort in 2011, followed by the slightly shambolic Laprima, signalling the coming dawn of mass tourism in Labuanbajo.

Puri Sari HotelBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$

(%0385-244 3710; www.purisarihotel.com; Jl Pantai Pede; r from 850,000Rp; aWs)

A two-storey ranch-style hotel with a boutique feel. There's a shady garden, a beachside pool, and warm and friendly management. The 21 rooms are lovely with queen-sized wooden beds, bowl sinks and a wide private terrace. It offers free shuttles to and from the airport, and a daily shuttle to town.

Island Hotels

Although close to Labuanbajo, the surrounding island hotels and resorts feel like a world apart. All offer some form of boat transfer to/from town – in an hour or less you can escape to your own tropical paradise. And most have their own excellent dive operations (Kanawa is a notable exception).

oScuba Junkie Komodo Beach ResortDIVE RESORT$$

(%0812 3601 8523; www.scubajunkiekomodo.com; Warloka Flores; 3-night all-inclusive packages dm/s/d from US$390/550/900)

This fantastically run new dive resort is on an isolated bay about 45 minutes south of Bajo by boat. Rinca Island is nearby as are oodles of fine dive sites, which is good as staying here is all about underwater adventures. On land, accommodation is in fine four-bed dorms or breezy beach bungalows. Food and drink are excellent. Diving is included in package prices.

Kanawa Beach BungalowsBUNGALOW$$

(%0385-41252, 0813 3823 3312; kanawaislandresort.com; Pulau Kanawa; bungalows s/d from 550,000/700,000Rp)

There's no denying this beach hideaway its loveliness. There's an elegant strip of white sand, a turquoise lagoon with magnificent snorkelling, endless island views and a long crooked jetty that is the tropical romantic ideal. However, conditions can be shambolic and getting close to nature can mean bedding down with bugs.

If you're an intrepid backpacker you might love the adventure; if you can't be separated from your roll-aboard luggage, you may flee screaming.

oAngel Island ResortRESORT$$$

(%0385-41443; www.angelisleflores.com; Pulau Bidadari; d per person from €145; aW)

Set on its own 15-hectare island and linked to Labuanbajo by private boat, this resort has 10 sweet villas scattered about the trees behind one of three white-sand beaches. All meals are included; the food and service are casual and superb. You can easily while away your days here on the deserted beaches, or out snorkelling, diving and visiting the park. Minimum two-night stay.

Komodo Resort Diving ClubRESORT$$$

(%0385-42095; www.komodoresort.com; Pulau Sebayur; d per person all-inclusive €140; aW)

With 14 lumbung-style bungalows spread along the white-sand beach on Pulau Sebayur, this is one of our favourite island resorts. Bungalows have wood floors, queen beds, plush linens, 24-hour electricity, tented marble bathrooms with hot water and more. Rates include three excellent meals. There's a spa and a fun beach bar. Minimum three-night stay.

Seraya Hotel & ResortRESORT$$$

(%0821 4647 1362; www.serayahotel.com; Pulau Seraya; d per person from €105)

Get-away-from-it-all bliss exists on Pulau Seray. Stay in utterly casual, whitewashed, weathered wood-and-thatch-bungalows set on a white-sand beach, with offshore snorkelling and a rugged hilltop where you can wonder at spectacular sunsets for days on end. It's only 20 minutes by boat from Bajo. Minimum three-night stay.

5Eating & Drinking

Labuanbajo punches way above its weight in the food department. Browse the local bounty of fruits, vegetables, fish and other market fare at the daily market ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Soekarno Hatta; h7am-4pm) at the north end of the waterfront.

oPasar MalamINDONESIAN$

(Night Market; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Soekarno Hatta; mains from 20,000Rp; h6pm-midnight)

At sunset, grab a tarp-shaded table at Bajo's waterfront night market, as a dozen stalls come alive with all manner of Indo classics, fried delights and grilled seafood. Get cold beer from the market across the road.

Cafe in HitCAFE$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 5367 3884; Jl Soekarno Hatta; mains from 40,000Rp; h7am-10pm; aW)

You may forget you're in Bajo, let alone Flores, at this semislick coffee house. Let the air-con cool you while you choose a drink from the blackboards, which could be in any upscale hipster cafe worldwide. Food is well-executed and includes sandwiches, baked goods, brownies and more. Breakfasts are heavy on whole grains and fruit.

Bajo BakeryBAKERY$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Soekarno Hatta; mains 20,000-40,000Rp; h7am-7pm Mon-Sat; a)

Expect good fresh breads, seductive banana muffins, tasty breakfasts, a few sandwiches and a quiche of the day. Good coffee.

Warung MamaINDONESIAN$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0822 3926 4747; Jl Soekarno Hatta; mains from 30,000Rp; h8am-10pm)

Set slightly above Bajo's main drag, this bamboo haven offers cheap and cheerful local fare to discerning budget eaters. There's no MSG, the veggies aren't cooked to death, the juices are fresh, and standards such as the rendang (beef coconut curry) are very well done.

oMade In ItalyITALIAN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41366; www.miirestaurants.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; mains 50,000-90,000Rp; h11am-11pm; W)

A fun and stylish indoor–outdoor dining room known the island over for its fantastic pizza and pasta. In fact we’ll just say it: it’s some of the best pizza we’ve ever had anywhere – wafer thin and crunchy with perfectly delectable toppings. You’ll dig the rattan lighting, custom wood furnishings, ceiling fans and long drinks menu.

MediterranoITALIAN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-42218; www.mediterraneoinn.com; Jl Soekarno Hatta; mains 40,000-120,000Rp; h7am-midnight; W)

Enjoy pastas, pizzas and excellent seafood amid a beach-chic interior, which rambles beneath whitewashed rafters dangling with woven rattan lanterns. Grab an upcycled wooden table or sink into a beanbag, read or play board games for as long as you wish, or simply gaze out over the harbour.

Tree TopINDONESIAN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Soekarno Hatta; mains 30,000-100,000Rp; h9am-11pm; W)

This fun, triple-decker cafe offers a pub vibe and billiards table downstairs, and fine harbour and island views from the split-level upstairs dining rooms where it serves tasty, spicy Indonesian seafood. Many bar seats face the sunset.

LoungeINTERNATIONAL$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41962; Jl Soekarno Hatta; mains 35,000-80,000Rp; h8am-11pm; W)

This hill-climbing cafe is where you come for holy comfort food. Think: burgers that demand two hands, knife and fork calzoni, fish and chips, panini and salads. Staff mix cocktails from a bar stocked with premium liquids, and there are cushy built-in loungers. Live music features cover bands of varying talents. You can't beat the views from the top-level Sky Bar.

oParadise BarBAR

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0823 3935 4854; off Jl Binongko; h11am-2am)

Set on a hilltop, Paradise satisfies all the requirements of a definitive tropical watering hole. There's ample deck space, a mesmerising sea view, a natural wood bar serving ice-cold beer, and live music. There's food too – mains run between 22,000Rp and 60,000Rp. This is as wild as it gets for Bajo nightlife – divers get up early. It's a 10-minute walk up hill from the centre.

8Information

Banks, ATMs and shops line Jl Soekarno Hatta.

PHKA Information BoothTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41005; Jl Soekarno Hatta; h8am-2.30pm Mon-Thu, to 11am Fri)

PHKA administers the Komodo National Park, and provides information and permits for Komodo and Rinca islands.

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

(www.florestourism.com; Jl Soekarno Pelabuhan; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat)

This excellent office has details on local activities, updated maps and books plus all the transport info – and tickets – you'll need. The porch has comfy chairs you can use while you plot out your visit.

Varanus TravelTRAVEL AGENCY

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41709; Jl Soekarno Hatta; h8am-6pm)

Full service travel agent; can book airline and bus tickets.

8Getting There & Away

Air

Labuanbajo's Komodo Airport (LBJ; GOOGLE MAP ) has a huge new airport terminal as well as a newly lengthened runway, which gives some idea of the expected tourism growth.

Garuda, Transnusa and Wings Air serve the airport and have counters in the terminal. There are several daily flights to/from Bali but these are booked solid at busy times. Don't just expect to turn up and go. Garuda also flies to Kupang five times weekly.

Boat

The ASDP ferry from Labuanbajo to Sape (60,000Rp, six to seven hours) has a morning run and often another in the afternoon. Confirm all times carefully. Buy your tickets the day of departure at the ferry port office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Soekarno Hatta; h7am-5pm).

Agents for the boats running between Labuanbajo and Lombok line Jl Soekarno Hatta.

Pelni AgentBOAT

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-41106; off Jl Mutiara; hhours vary)

Easily missed on a side street, this agency run by Varanus Travel is the place to get tickets for long-distance boat travel. Schedules posted in the windows outline twice-monthly services, which include Makassar and the east coast of Sulawesi as well as Bima, Lembar and Benoa (Bali).

Bus

With no bus terminal in Labuanbajo, most people book their tickets through a hotel or agency. If you get an advance ticket, the bus will pick you up from your hotel. All buses run via Ruteng, so no matter where you're headed just take the first available east-bound bus.

Ticket sellers for long-distance buses to Lombok and Bali work the ferry port office. The fares include all ferries (three to Bali!) and air-con buses in between.

BUSES FROM LABUANBAJO

Destination	Type	Price (Rp)	Duration (hr)	Frequency
Denpasar (Bali)	bus & ferry	500,000	38	1 daily
Bajawa	bus	120,000	10	several daily
Mataram (Lombok)	bus & ferry	350,000	24	1 daily
Ruteng	bus	60,000	4	every 2hr, 6am-6pm

8Getting Around

The airport is 1.5km from the town. Many hotels and dive shops offer free rides into town. A private taxi to town costs a fixed flat rate of 70,000Rp.

In town itself you can walk to most places. An ojek costs 5000Rp to 10,000Rp. Bemos (3000Rp) do continual loops around the centre, following the one-way traffic.

Manggarai Country

%0385

To compare gradations of beauty on Flores is as futile as it is fun. And if you do get into such a debate, know that if you've explored Manggarai's dense and lush rainforests, studded with towering stands of bamboo and elegant tree ferns, and climbed its steep mountains to isolated traditional villages accessible only by trail, you may have the trump card.

Rapidly improving roads are opening up new areas for easy exploration, such as the beach-lined south coast.

Ruteng

The staid and sprawling market city of Ruteng is the area's base of operations. It's barely four hours by car from Labuanbajo. Should you take in a few sights, you'll be overnighting here.

1Sights

oSpiderweb Rice FieldsVIEWPOINT

(Linko; off Trans-Flores Hwy)

The greatest local site is actually 20km west of Ruteng near the village of Cancar. The legendary Spiderweb Rice Fields are vast creations that are shaped exactly as their name implies. The surrounding region is beautifully lush with paddies.

For the best view, stop at a small house (drivers all know this place), tip the genial owners about 10,000Rp, borrow a walking stick and ascend a dirt path to a ridge where the surreal shapes of the rice fields can be fully appreciated.

PasarMARKET

(Market; GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Bhayangkara; h7am-5pm)

Don’t miss the lively, sprawling market, a vital lifeline for villagers in the surrounding hills. Much of it is underground – look for the entrance next to the supermarket.

4Sleeping & Eating

Ruteng is somewhat elevated compared to Bajo, so it can get almost chilly at night.

oKongregasi Santa Maria BerdukacitaGUESTHOUSE$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-22834; Jl A Yani 45; r 160,000-350,000Rp)

The best local sleep is in one of the 15 rooms at this convent, where the rooms are huge and spotless, service is excellent, smoking is prohibited, and there is a 9pm curfew. Among the other constraints: breakfast ends at 7.30am and check out is at 9am. It's on a hillside a little south of the centre.

Homestay MbelilingGUESTHOUSE$$

(%0385-22323; homestaymbeliling@yahoo.com; Jl Mbeliling 14; s/d from 225,000/300,000Rp; W)

Set up a modest hill in a quiet neighbourhood south of the centre, this six-room retreat is perfectly calm and tidy. Rooms are large and you can snooze away amid the serenity (and leafy garden).

Rumah Makan Cha ChaINDONESIAN$

(%0385-21489; Jl Diponegoro 12; mains 15,000-30,000Rp; h8am-10pm)

Perched on a hillside overlooking the broad valley, this wooden restaurant is a 15-minute walk from the convent Kongregasi Santa Maria Berdukacita. The Indo standards are well-prepared and it's a relaxing place.

Agape CaféINDONESIAN$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0385-22561; Jl Bhayangkara; dishes 8000-30,000Rp; h8am-10pm; W)

Ruteng makes a fine lunch stop thanks to this cafe that’s popular with both locals and seemingly every traveller who drives past. The dining area is bright and airy, with a high ceiling. The standard Indonesian fare is well-prepared.

8Information

ATMs dot the centre.

8Getting There & Away

The bus terminal for eastern destinations is located 3.5km and a 3000Rp bemo ride out of Ruteng. Local buses heading west still run from the central bus/bemo terminal near the police station. Regular buses head to Bajawa (60,000Rp, five hours) and Labuanbajo (60,000Rp, four hours).

THE FLORES ‘HOBBIT’

The Manggarai have long told folk tales of ebo gogo – hairy little people with flat foreheads who once roamed the jungle. Nobody paid them much attention until September 2003, when archaeologists made a stunning find.

Excavating the limestone cave at Liang Bua, they unearthed a skeleton the size of a three-year-old child but with the worn-down teeth and bone structure of an adult. Six more remains appeared to confirm that the team had unearthed a new species of human, Homo floresiensis, which reached around 1m in height and was nicknamed the ‘hobbit’.

Lab tests brought another surprise. The hominid with the nutcracker jaw and gangly, chimplike arms lived until 12,000 years ago, practically yesterday in evolutionary terms, when a cataclysmic volcanic eruption is thought to have wiped out the little people and devastated the island of Flores.

But not all scientists are convinced on the origins of the Flores species. The prevailing school of thought argues that the Flores hominids are descendants of Homo erectus, a species that fled Africa around two million years ago and spread throughout Asia. Until recently it was thought that the arrival of Homo sapiens in Asia led to the demise of Homo erectus around 50,000 years ago. Flores humans could indicate that the species survived in isolated places.

Rival anthropologists suggest that the Flores find could represent Homo sapiens (who were known to be travelling between Australia and New Guinea 35,000 years ago) that suffered from microcephaly – a neurological disorder causing stunted head growth, and often dwarfism, that runs in families.

But the momentum still seems to be with the original theory, given that the bones of at least eight more individuals have been found at the site with similar characteristics to the first discovery. And with tools very similar to those found in Liang Bua reportedly unearthed in Timor, and possibly in Sulawesi, more little people could yet emerge from the evolutionary backwoods.

Liang Bua

The limestone cave of Liang Bua, where the remains of the Flores ‘hobbit’ were famously found in 2003, is about 14km north of Ruteng, down a rough dirt track that is often impassable. Archaeologists believe that the lip along the entrance permitted sediments to build up steadily as water flowed through the cave over the millennia, sealing in the remains of the humans and animals that lived and died here. It's a rather evocative spot, with the arching entrance to the cave having an otherworldly feel. Local guides, whose service is included in your 30,000Rp entry fee, will meet you at the cave’s entrance and explain why Liang Bua is considered sacred. To get here take an ojek (80,000Rp) from Ruteng.

Wae Rebo

Wae Rebo is the best of Manggarai's traditional villages. Recent road improvements have opened up the area, although it is still very remote.

A village visit involves a splendid but challenging 10km hike that takes four hours and winds past waterfalls and swimming holes, as well as spectacular views of the Savu Sea. Once you arrive in the village you will be treated to indigenous music and dance, and a demonstration of local weaving practices, then bed down in a mbaru tembong (traditional home). All this hospitality deserves a gift of at least 200,000Rp per person.

The next morning you can retrace your steps or choose to hike another six hours over a pass to another trailhead; arrange for pickup here in advance.

You can arrange for guides (400,000Rp) and porters (250,000Rp) at the local guesthouses. Be sure to start very early, to avoid the sweltering heat of midday. Bring water.

4Sleeping

Given that early morning is the optimal time to start the trek to Wae Rebo, you'll want to stay near the trailhead as opposed to in Ruteng.

Wae Rebo LodgeGUESTHOUSE$

(%0852 3934 4046; martin_anggo@yahoo.com; Dintor; r per person per night 220,000Rp)

A purpose-built lodge run by a local from Wae Rebo. It sits serenely amid rice fields and is some 9km from the trailhead. Meals are included in the rates and you can make all trekking arrangements here.

Wae Rebo HomestayHOMESTAY$

(%0813 3935 0775; Denge; r per person per night 200,000Rp)

Right at the trailhead, this is the original place to sleep for people making the Wae Rebo trek. The owners are helpful in arranging village visits and transport. Rates include meals and very basic accommodation.

8Getting There & Away

It's about a three-hour drive from Ruteng to the village trailhead in Denge. You'll need your own wheels for this.

Repi

The southwest coast of Flores is like a Morse code of beaches: a dot of sand here, a dash there. Improving roads mean it's easier than ever to visit these pristine white beaches, where the only footprints you find might belong to a turtle.

The tiny village of Repi is typical. Impoverished locals have for aeons harvested turtle eggs and engaged in destructive practices such as dynamite fishing in order to survive. Now an innovative program run by Wicked Diving in Labuanbajo is helping to change that. At a beachside bamboo-and-brick outpost called Pante Hera, locals are getting paid for the eggs they find as well as learning how revenue from visitors – who want healthy reefs – can be used to build a reliable water supply and make other improvements. It's an innovative and privately funded effort that's making the beautiful 3km-long beach a haven for leatherback, hawksbill and green turtles.

You can enjoy basic accommodation and meals at Pante Hera (Turtle Beach; %0822 2572 0562; Repi; tent pads for 4 people 300,000Rp, dm per person from 225,000Rp) – meals are included in room rates. There is snorkelling, hiking and cycling plus interactions with locals that often include welcoming ceremonies. Plans are afoot to build private rooms and generally develop the place with the community.

Arrange your stay with Wicked Adventures in Labuanbajo, or visit via your own wheels – but book first so they know you're coming.

Bajawa

%0384

Framed by forested volcanoes and blessed with a pleasant climate, Bajawa, a laid-back hill town at 1100m, is a great base from which to explore dozens of traditional villages that are home to the local Ngada people. Bajawa is the Ngada’s de facto trading post, and you’ll mingle with the locals as you stroll these quiet streets edged by blooming gardens. Gunung Inerie (2245m), a perfectly conical volcano, looms to the south, where you’ll also find some hot springs. The recently emerged volcano, Wawo Muda, with its Kelimutu-esque lakes, is another favourite. Bajawa is a key base for exploring the region's traditional villages.

4Sleeping

Thanks to a growth spurt in Bajawa tourism, local accommodation has been happily spruced up. All prices include breakfast.

oHotel Happy HappyGUESTHOUSE$$

(%0384-421763, 0853 3370 4455; www.hotelhappyhappy.com; Jl Sudirman; r 300,000-350,000Rp; W)

A simple yet classy guesthouse with seven immaculate tiled rooms, brushed with lavender walls, dressed with high-quality linen – a scarcity in Bajawa. There's an amiable sitting area on the patio, free water-bottle refills and an excellent included breakfast. It’s a short walk from the main cluster of tourist businesses.

Sanian Hotel BajawaHOTEL$$

(%0384-21777; www.sanianhotelbajawa.com; Jl DI Panjaitan; r 350,000-550,000Rp; W)

Bajawa's newest place to stay has 11 rooms in a two-storey building near the town centre and market. Rooms are refreshingly spare of extraneous decor. Those upstairs have nice views from the shared balcony.

Villa SilverinLODGE$$

(%0852 5345 3298, 0384-222 3865; www.villasilverinhotel.com; Jl Bajawa; r 350,000-450,000Rp; W)

A fine hillside lodge 3km outside town on the road to Ende, with beckoning verandahs and jaw-dropping valley views. VIP rooms are bright with queen beds and hot water.

Hotel Bintang WisataHOTEL$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0384-21744; Jl Palapa 4; r 200,000-350,000Rp; W)

In a central two-storey block, 24 basic tiled rooms are set in an arc around a parking lot where drivers lounge about awaiting their charges. Upstairs VIP rooms have terraces, hot water and great views of the surrounding hills. The cheapest rooms are cold-water only – a bracing prospect as nights can get chilly.

5Eating

Bajawa's best places to eat are clustered around other visitor services just south of the centre.

Dito’sINDONESIAN$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0384-21162; Jl Ahmad Yani; mains 25,000-50,000Rp; h8am-10pm)

Dito's does a brisk business serving pork and chicken sate and fresh tuna bakar, which is sourced from nearby Aimere and grilled to perfection. The tamarillo juice is delish.

CamelliaINDONESIAN$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0384-21458; Jl Ahmad Yani 74; mains 20,000-35,000Rp; h8am-10pm)

The dining room is brightly lit, the better for reading your guidebook. There are Western dishes, but try the chicken sate – it comes with a unique sweet, smoky pepper sauce.

LucasINDONESIAN$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0384-21340; Jl Ahmad Yani; mains 20,000-35,000Rp; h8am-10pm)

This long-running favourite has a new 2nd-floor location, which puts you above traffic and in the midst of pleasant breezes. It serves fine pork sate and other local faves in an appealing wooden dining room.

8Information

BNI BankBANK

( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pierre Tendean; h8am-3pm Mon-Fri, to 12.30pm Sat)

In the centre; has an ATM and exchanges dollars. There are several more ATMs around town.

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

(www.florestourism.com; Jl Ahmad Yani; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat)

Small but highly useful; good for Ngada info. Various trekking and travel agencies have shops nearby.

8Getting There & Away

There are buses and bemos to various destinations. Buses don't necessarily leave on time, only when the bus is almost full. Kijangs, or travel cars, also leave throughout the day from the bemo terminal (Jl Basoeki Rahmat). Rates are about 20% more than bus fares. Bus services include the following:

AEnde 60,000Rp, several times daily

ALabuanbajo 120,000Rp, several times daily

ARuteng 60,000Rp, frequent services from 8am to 11am

8Getting Around

Bemos (3000Rp) cruise town, but it is easy to walk almost everywhere except to the bus terminals.

Treks (trucks) serve remote routes, most leaving traditional villages in the morning and returning in the afternoon.

Motorbikes cost 60,000Rp to 80,000Rp a day. A private vehicle (with driver) is 700,000Rp. Most hotels can arrange rental.

The airport is 25km from Bajawa and about 6km outside Soa.

Around Bajawa

Bajawa’s big draw is the chance to explore traditional villages in the gorgeous countryside. Their fascinating architecture features carved poles supporting a conical thatched roof. It is certainly possible to visit the area alone, but you’ll learn a lot more about the culture and customs (such as the caste system) with a guide. Some organise meals in their home villages, others will suggest treks to seldom-visited villages accessible only by trail.

Guides linger around hotels and can arrange day trips from 600,000Rp per person with transport, village entry fees and lunch. A classic one-day itinerary would start in Bajawa and include Bena, Luba, Tolo Lela and Air Panas Malange hot springs.

WORTH A TRIP

HOT SPRINGS

In this cool, lush and palpably volcanic region, it's no surprise that the Bajawa area has a few hot springs on offer. The most accessible is Air Panas Soa (per person 5000Rp; h6.30am-6pm), situated just east of town on the rough road to Riung. There are two clean and fresh pools here; one is a scintillating 45°C, and the other a more pedestrian 35–40°C. It has modern buildings and gets busy with locals on weekends.

The most natural springs are found 6km from Bena at Air Panas Malange. At the base of one of the many volcanoes, two streams – one hot, one cold – mix together in one temperate pool. Soak amid the scents of coconut, hazelnut, vanilla and clove.

Bena

Resting on Inerie's flank, Bena is one of the most traditional Ngada villages. It's home to nine clans, and its fabulous stone monuments are the region’s best. Houses with high thatched roofs line up in two rows on a ridge, the space between them filled with fine ngadhu, bhaga (smeared with sacrificial blood) and megalithic tomblike structures. Most houses have male or female figurines on their roofs, while doorways are decorated with buffalo horns and jawbones – a sign of the family’s prosperity.

Bena is the most visited Ngada village, and weavings and souvenir stalls line the front of houses. Although the village is crowded when tour groups arrive during high season, and all villagers are now officially Catholic and attend a local missionary school, traditional beliefs and customs endure. Sacrifices are held three times each year, and village elders still talk about a rigidly enforced caste system that prevented ‘mixed’ relationships, with those defying the adat facing possible death.

Visitors are asked to make a donation of 10,000Rp to 20,000Rp. You can spend the night for 125,000Rp per person, which includes meals of boiled cassava and banana.

8Getting There & Away

Bena is reached by a good 12km road from Langa, a traditional town 7km from Bajawa. An ojek ride here costs about 70,000Rp.

Luba

Tucked into the jungle like a beautiful secret, the traditional village of Luba is about 2km from Bena and much more intimate. Just four very welcoming clans live here in a baker's dozen homes. You'll see four ngadhu and bhaga in the common courtyard, and within the local population are a few artists whose houses are decorated with depictions of horses, buffalo and snakes, which translate as symbols of power, status and protection. Photography is welcomed by most; leave a donation of 10,000Rp to 20,000Rp.

8Getting There & Away

You can hire an ojek from Bajawa for around 70,000Rp. With guides and hired cars, it's common to visit both Bena and Luba in one trip.

Tolo Lela

A mere 4km walk from Bena (about 90 minutes) brings you to this seldom-visited Ngada settlement which consists of three linked traditional villages. Residents love receiving visitors (donate at least 20,000Rp per person) and you can sip simple refreshments while everyone satisfies their mutual curiosity. A highlight is watching an elderly villager making traditional gongs.

DONATE DIRECTLY

It's customary to make a donation to the head of traditional villages you visit. It's better to do this directly rather than through a guide, so as to ensure the money is received in full.

Belaragi

Most visitors to the Bajawa area rely on hired vehicles to whisk them between traditional villages. But it's much more fulfilling to trek through the rainforest to villages such as Belaragi, accessible only by trail. Your trek will begin in Pauleni Village, approximately 45km (90 minutes) from Bajawa by car. From there it's a steep 90-minute hike to the village itself. Here are more than a dozen traditional homes and welcoming villagers. It can be done in a day trip, but you'll be tired by now, so you may as well stay the night. The Kepala Kampung (village head) offers a bed and meals for 250,000Rp per person. You can't find the village on your own, but most Bajawa area guides can arrange the trip.

THE NGADA

Over 60,000 Ngada people inhabit the upland Bajawa plateau and the slopes around Gunung Inerie. Most practise a fusion of animism and Christianity, worshipping Gae Dewa, a god who unites Dewa Zeta (the heavens) and Nitu Sale (the earth).

The most evident symbols of continuing Ngada tradition are pairs of ngadhu and bhaga. The ngadhu is a parasol-like structure about 3m high, consisting of a carved wooden pole and thatched ‘roof’, and the bhaga is a miniature thatched-roof house.

The ngadhu is ‘male’ and the bhaga is ‘female’. Each pair is associated with a particular family group within a village. Some were built over 100 years ago to commemorate ancestors killed in long-past battles.

Agricultural fertility rites continue (sometimes involving gory buffalo sacrifices), as well as ceremonies marking birth, marriage, death and house building – always a communal event. The major annual festival is the six-day Reba ceremony at Bena, held in late December or early January. Villagers wear specially made all-black ikat, sacrifice buffalo, and sing and dance through the night.

Although the Ngada are not matriarchal (the village elders are men), they are matrilineal, which means that property passes down through women.

Wawo Muda

Wawo Muda (1753m) is the latest volcano to emerge in Flores, exploding in 2001 and leaving behind a mini-Kelimutu, complete with several small crater lakes coloured variously burnt-orange, yellow and green. Pine trees charred by the eruption stand in isolated patches, and there are spectacular views of Gunung Inerie.

The area is best visited in the wet season from November to March, if the trails are not too muddy. The lakes usually evaporate in the dry season.

8Getting There & Away

To reach Wawo Muda, take one of the regular bemos from Bajawa (10,000Rp, 50 minutes) or an ojek to the village of Ngoranale, near Menge, then walk an hour up an easy-to-follow trail. Some ojek drivers may offer to take you the whole way up, as the path is doable on a motorbike. A car and driver will cost 600,000Rp round trip.

Gunung Inerie

One of the gorgeous volcanoes looming above Bajawa, Gunung Inerie (2245m), 19km from town, beckons all would-be climbers. Or does she taunt them? The journey is difficult, but then this spectacularly jagged cone is worth sweating and suffering for. You can do it as a 10-hour round trip but it's also possible to camp by the lake. You'll need a guide, and remember to bring extra water even if your guide says he has that covered; you'll require more hydration than any local guide can possibly imagine.

8Getting There & Away

With an English-speaking guide and transport from Bajawa, expect to pay about 800,000Rp for one and 1,000,000Rp for two people.

Riung

Riung is a wonderful little town, lush and isolated, stitched with rice fields, stilted with fishers' shacks and framed with coconut palms. Coming from Ende you'll drive along a parched and arid coastline that skirts a spectacularly blasted volcano before a sudden burst of foliage swallows the road as it winds into town. The effect makes Riung – a classic 'end-of-the-road' destination, feel like an island unto itself, part of some whole other time and place.

Guesthouses are homey, the quiet streets are made for walking, and the waterfront is a gateway to a marine park. Only its relative inaccessibility (read: challenging roads) keep it from profound development.

The closest beach to Riung is a 1km walk. There is no local dive shop.

1Sights & Activities

The main Riung attraction is the Seventeen Islands Marine Park. There are actually 23 islands, all uninhabited, but government authorities decided on the number as a convenient tie-in with Indonesia’s Independence Day (17 August).

Three or four islands are usually included in a boat trip, and the first is almost always Pulau Ontoloe, a mangrove isle where a massive colony of flying foxes roost and mewl (these huge fruit bats blacken the sky around Riung at sunset). There are also a few resident Komodo dragons. Pulau Rutong is popular for its lovely wide white-sand beach. Pulau Temba is another slender slice of white sand, tucked against a rugged hillside – picturesque and wild, it tends to escape the crowds. Pulau Tiga is likewise not to be missed. The sea is a glassy turquoise, the hard corals off the east coast nourish schools of tropical fish, and the long sweep of white sand is perfect for barefoot strolls. An offshore site called Laingjawa has excellent snorkelling. Mingling among the hard corals are schools of bumpheads, some colourful cuttlefish, an occasional blacktip shark and at least two resident turtles. Pulau Bakau has above-average coral.

Be aware that the park's coral was impacted by the El Nino bleaching in 2002. While visibility is quite good – frequently at least 10m to 15m – don't expect colourful corals. Still, the number and variety of fish here is special.

VISITING SEVENTEEN ISLANDS MARINE PARK

Guides will appear at your hotel offering to organise boat trips to the islands. We recommend Al Itchan, owner of Del Mar Cafe; Al is one of Riung’s most experienced guides and has a team of colleagues. They have excellent knowledge of the snorkelling spots.

Before going to the islands you must sign in and pay 100,000Rp per person at a separate booth by the dock. Your captain or guide should pay the anchorage fees for your boat.

Tour options include the following:

• A boat-only day trip without a guide for four to six people costs 500,000Rp to 600,000Rp. However captains often don't know the best spots to take the plunge.
• A boat day trip with at least four snorkelling stops, a guide and a beach barbecue for four people is organised by Itchan for 1,500,000Rp.
• Overnight camping on Palau Rutong, organised by Itchan, costs 3,000,000Rp for two people and includes boat rides, snorkelling and meals.

4Sleeping & Eating

oEco EdenGUESTHOUSE$

(%0852 3751 4582; Watulagar; r 250,000Rp )

Some 16km east of Riung and 2.5km off the main road, this new thatched Robinson Crusoe fantasy has a 3km-long beach to itself (although perhaps not for long). The nine bungalows are simply built of bamboo (any sound you make will be enjoyed by all, unless the surf drowns it out) with a bathroom behind.

Seafood barbecues are the night-time fare; mains cost from 20,000Rp to 40,000Rp. Snorkelling trips can be arranged.

Pondok SVDGUESTHOUSE$

(%0813 3934 1572; www.pondoksvdriung.com; r 200,000-400,000Rp; a)

Here are 21 clean rooms with desks, reading lights and Western toilets, set down a gravel road from the port. However, it is right next door to the town generator. The cheapest rooms are fan-only.

Del Mar CafeGUESTHOUSE$$

(%0812 4659 8232, 0813 8759 0964; r 300,000-400,000Rp)

The hippest warung (mains 30,000Rp to 50,000Rp; open 7am to 10 pm) in Riung, this tiki bar, strung with shell strands and Christmas lights, rumbles with rock and roll, and grills a fresh catch over smouldering coconut husks. Owned by the area's top guide, Al Itchan, it has four large and clean fan-only rooms, plus a few watchful monkeys wandering about.

NirwanaBUNGALOW$$

(%0813 3852 8529; bungalows 375,000-450,000Rp; a)

Eight fun, detached hippy shacks with thatched roofs, private patios and outdoor baths set in a quiet garden surrounded by coco palms near the port. There's no cafe. The engaging owner offers guided trips to the islands.

Rumah Makan Murah MuriahINDONESIAN$$

(%0813 3717 2918; mains 25,000-50,000Rp; h7am-10pm)

The house speciality here is the sop ikan asam pedas, Nusa Tenggara Timor's endemic spicy-and-sour tamarind fish soup. This one is as good as it gets. It also does grilled fish, fried squid and veggies, chicken sate, fried noodles and much more.

8Information

There’s a BRI ATM but it doesn't accept foreign cards, and there's no official currency exchange facilities in Riung; come with ample rupiah.

There's no useful internet access but there is 3G data.

8Getting There & Away

Riung is 75km (about two hours) over rough roads from the turn-off the Trans-Flores Hwy at Boawae. There is a much worse 79km road to Riung from Bajawa that takes about four hours by bus (40,000Rp, one daily), slightly quicker by car (600,000Rp). Ende is also four hours by bus (60,000Rp, one daily).

If you can't bear the Trans-Flores Hwy for another second, consider chartering a boat from Riung all the way to Labuanbajo (2,800,000Rp, seven to 10 hours). It's a bit pricey, but you'll enjoy a coastline most visitors never see, stopping in virgin coves and snorkelling along the way. Just bring headphones or earplugs. Those outboard motors are loud!

Ende

%0381 / Pop 65,000

The most obvious merit of this muggy port town is its spectacular setting. The eye-catching cones of Gunung Meja (661m) and Gunung Iya (637m) loom over the city and the nearby black-sand and cobblestone coastline. The views get even better just northeast of Ende as the road to Kelimutu rises along a ridge opposite misty peaks, overlooking a roaring river and gushing with ribbons of waterfalls in the wet season. Throw in the jade rice terraces and you have some of Flores’ most jaw-dropping scenery.

Ende itself is worth more than a pause at its traffic circles. It has a compact and atmospheric centre, and an intriguing grittiness.

Ende

1Sights

1Ikat MarketA3

2Musium Bung KarnoA2

3PasarA3

4Sleeping

4Grand WisataD2

5Guesthouse AlhidayahB2

6Hotel MentariB1

5Eating

7Pasar MalamA2

8Rumah Makan Istana BambuB3

9Sari RasaD3

1Sights

The black-sand beach at the waterfront won't win any tidy town awards, but the views are dramatic and there's always something of interest tied up at the pier.

PasarMARKET

(Market; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Pasar; h7am-6pm)

Meander through the aromatic waterfront market with the requisite fruit pyramids and an astonishing fish section. The adjacent ikat market ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Jls Pabean & Pasar; h9am-5pm) sells hand-woven tapestries from across Flores and Sumba.

Musium Bung KarnoMUSEUM

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Perwira; admission by donation; h7am-noon Mon-Sat)

History buffs can visit Sukarno’s wood-shuttered house of exile (1934–38). Most of the original period furnishings remain. This is where the beloved revolutionary penned the Frankenstein knock-off, Doctor Satan.

4Sleeping

Accommodation is spread around town. Although many people blow through Ende on their way east to Moni, you can spend a night here enjoying the good sleeping and eating options, and then hit the sights of Moni in the morning.

Guesthouse AlhidayahGUESTHOUSE$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0381-23707; Jl Yos Sudarso; r 150,000-250,000Rp; a)

This spot offers seven sparkling, but otherwise basic, tiled rooms with high ceilings and a private porch area. Priciest rooms have air-con and hot water, and are decent value. It's a solid budget choice.

oDasi Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0381-262 7049; yosdam@yahoo.co.id; Jl Durian Atas 2; s/d from 200,000/225,000Rp; aW)

This excellent family-run guesthouse has 15 rooms in a new building. Some are dark, some are bright, but all have air-con and TV. There's a pleasant common room with views south. It's located about 3km east of the centre in a residential neighbourhood.

Hotel MentariHOTEL$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0381-21802; Jl Pahlawan 19; r 250,000-400,000Rp; aW)

Well-run Mentari has 11 clean rooms with high ceilings; some have garden views and catch a bit of breeze. The priciest have air-con.

Grand WisataHOTEL$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0381-22974; www.grandwisatahotel-ende.com; Jl Kelimutu 32; r 500,000-700,000Rp; aWs)

Be warned, some rooms here can be dark and cramped, and the price category doesn't necessarily correlate with room size, so have a look around. Rooms on the 2nd floor have views of the 15m lap pool with the epic Gunung Meja looming beyond. It's walking distance to the airport.

5Eating

oSari RasaINDONESIAN$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Ahmad Yani; mains 13,000-26,000Rp; h6pm-midnight)

One of the best restaurants not just in Ende, but in all of Nusa Tenggara. Looks are deceiving: just a few plastic stools at fluorescent-lit metal tables. But once the food arrives, you'll understand. The menu is short but shows the incredible care of the family in the kitchen.

The ayam goreng (fried chicken) uses special 'village' chickens known for their rich flavour, the mie ayam special is a savoury bowl of homemade noodles in broth that is cooked each day for hours, and the bakso cinta (love meatballs) has heart-shaped meatballs in an amazing sauce. The genial owner delights in explaining his food to patrons.

Roda BaruPADANG$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0381-24135; Jl Kelimutu; mains 20,000-30,000Rp; h9am-midnight)

You can trust the cleanliness and care of this spotless pick-and-mix Padang diner. The fish, chicken and shrimp are all fried or grilled and sauced five ways, the beef rendang is locally beloved, and the tasty sambal brings everything to life.

Pasar MalamSEAFOOD$

(Night Market; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Bakti; mains from 15,000Rp; h5pm-midnight)

At sunset the smell of grilled fish fills the air at this beachside market. Browse the many stalls and feast on what looks best.

Rumah Makan Istana BambuSEAFOOD$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0381-21921; Jl Kemakmuran 30A; mains 25,000-50,000Rp; h8am-10pm)

Here’s a classic, funkified Chinese fish house. It’s old-fashioned and dark but the fresh fish, squid, prawns and lobster, and the spicy sambal (which they bottle and sell), are all tops.

8Information

ATMs and banks dot the centre.

Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

( GOOGLE MAP ; www.florestourism.com; Jl Bakti; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat)

The enthusiastic staff here dispense up-to-date transport information.

8Getting There & Away

Air and ferry schedules in East Nusa Tenggara are historically fluid, and it's best to confirm all times and carriers prior to planning your trip. Wings Air and Transnusa serve Ende Airport ( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Ahmad Yani), which is right in the centre.

Pelni has boats every two weeks to Waingapu, Benoa and Surabaya, then east to Kupang and Sabu. Visit the helpful Pelni office ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0381-21043; Jl Kathedral 2; h8am-noon & 2-4pm Mon-Sat).

There's a ferry to Kupang (149,000Rp, 19 hours, twice weekly) and Waingapu (115,000Rp, 13 hours, weekly).

East-bound buses leave from the Wolowana terminal, 5km from town. Buses heading west leave from the Ndao terminal, 2km north of town on the beach road.

TRANSPORT FROM ENDE

AIR

Destination	Company	Frequency
Bali	Wings Air	daily
Kupang	Transnusa	daily
Tambolaka	Transnusa	daily

BUS & CAR

Destination	Type	Price (Rp)	Duration (hr)	Frequency
Bajawa	bus	60,000	5	several daily
Labuanbajo	bus	180,000	15	1-2 daily
Maumere	bus	80,000	5	regularly, 7am-4pm
Maumere	car	100,000	4½	regularly, 7am-4pm
Moni	car	30,000	2	hourly, 6am-4pm

8Getting Around

Airport taxis to most hotels cost around 60,000Rp.

Bemos run frequently to just about everywhere for a flat rate of 3000Rp.