Lonely Planet Indonesia
Page 68
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 A
ir 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.