| 1. | Komodo tour to Rinca island and Komodo island |
| 2. | Hiking, swimming, snorkeling and diving on Rinca and Komodo Islands, Bidadari island, Seraya island, etc |
| 3. | Cultural Village Visits, Birding, Caving and Hinterland Tour |
| 4. | Visiting the island’s most famous national parks – Komodo National Park, Kelimutu National Park and Riung 17 Islands National Park – are just three examples of Flores’ natural beauty. |
| 5. | Visiting the most famous volcano is the extinct Kelimutu with its tri-colored crater lakes, shimmering in green, turquoise, and black-red. |
| 6. | Kayaking at Komodo National Park |
| 7. | Cycling and mountain biking |
| 8. | Visiting and shopping arts and crafts at Flores Village |
| 9. | Sailing or island hopping and then relaxing such as in around Labuan Bajo (West Flores): secluded islands of Kanawa, Seraya Kecil and Bidadari. In Flores you will find plenty of beaches: white and even pink sandy beaches, beaches with mountains in the background, or just the jungle behind. Those untouched, beautiful coastal strips with crystal-clear water are spread all around the island. |
More information about Flores
Swimming, snorkeling and diving
In Flores you will find plenty of beaches. Black, white and even pink sandy beaches, blue pebble beaches, beaches with mountains in the background, or just the jungle behind. Those untouched, beautiful coastal strips with crystal-clear water are spread all around the island.
Besides the beaches, there are several small islands which are great places to relax in idyllic surroundings. Around Labuan Bajo (West Flores) are the secluded islands of Kanawa, Seraya Kecil and Bidadari. They can be easily reached by one of the local excursion boats or by a chartered fishing boat. All of these islands are blessed with white sandy beaches and turquoise water. Take a swim, snorkel or lay back and just enjoy your pristine hideaway.
Around Maumere (East Flores), there a plenty of easily accessible islands. The chain of islands includes, among others, Besar (‘Big’ in Indonesian), Babi (‘Pig’ in Indonesian), Pangabatang, Sukun, Palu’e, Pemana Besar and Pemana Kecil. Due to the small distances, chartering a boat and hopping around the islands is the best option for exploring all the idyllic beaches.
Before you dip into any of these tropical waters, reassure yourself that they are free of strong currents, and pay attention to tidal changes. Please be aware that – except for the islands that are frequently visited by tourists – it is considered inappropriate for women to wear just a bikini. If you do not want to attract too much attention, it is highly recommended to wear a t-shirt and shorts for swimming.
Going beneath the surface, the Florinese waters reveal a rich and colorful parallel universe of marine life. The marine area around Komodo National Park, which is home to over 1,000 species of fish and more than 350 reef-building corals, is a world-famous dive site. On many of the small islands around Labuan Bajo you do not even have to go scuba diving – just snorkeling brings you close to sea turtles, rays, reef sharks, lobsters, and all species of fish, large and small.
There are three major locations on Flores – Labuan Bajo, Riung, and Maumere – that offer facilities for snorkeling and certified diving. Labuan Bajo is the prefect location to explore untouched coral in Komodo National Park. Maumere also is a good option to explore outstanding marine life: around 40 different dive sites are known in the marine garden of Maumere Bay.
Trekking and Cultural activities
Flores is abound with great forests. They range from lush, green mangrove forests in a healthy coastal ecosystem and bamboo forests (around Bena Village) to vast areas of tropical rainforests.
Mbeliling Forest in the West Manggarai district consists of two types of tropical rainforest ecosystems and is rich in limited-range bird life and endemic bird species. Furthermore, it serves as a critical watershed area for nearly 33,000 people who live in the area.
Besides Mbeliling, which offers great hiking opportunities, there are several other tropical forests that may be explored on foot, e.g. the mountainous forest of Mount Ndeki, the isolated mountainous scenery of Wae Rebo Village (both in the Manggarai district), or the forests of Kelimutu National Park (Ende District).
The Mount Ndeki is one of the best places to observe tropical species of birds while wandering in the pristine wilderness of the mountainous forest. The forest is also home to green vipers camouflaging themselves as dry branches.
Most of the forests can be perfectly combined with a cultural visit to the nearby villages; for example, to visit the village of Wae Rebo, there is a pleasant hike through a dense rain forest along a narrow path to reach the village. This forest is one of the biologically richest areas in Indonesia.
The surroundings of the Kelimutu crater lake, belonging to the famous Kelimutu National Park offer lush forests full of birdsong. These forests are blessed with rare flora, such as pine, mountain fig, and red wood.
Flores is home to a variety of birds, and some of them – like Loriculus flosculus, the hanging-parrot, or Otus alfredi, the Flores Scops owl – are endemic to the island. Amazing choruses of birdsong await bird-loving hikers in the numerous lush, unspoiled forests.
Flores’ most popular ambassador is the Komodo dragon. This huge, Flores-endemic lizard attracts thousands of visitors every year to its habitat on Komodo and Rinca Island.
