SUITABLE ROUTES ON FLORES
Many of the emails I receive are about routes, what to see and tips. But honestly I can't give more tips than those already on my website. People have various interests, time and budget. So you
need to do some homework yourself as well.
Tip 1
First of all: read my website and find out what attracts you. In the sections East,
Central and West Flores you will find most interesting places on the island. Also read further for more information in the relevant parts (kabupaten) of Flores.
Tip 2
Do not underestimate traveling times on Flores. Googlemaps might help a bit but is often not the reality, in particular off the Trans Flores
Road. It is certainly not the trafficjams (these are in Labuan Bajo only) but the winding road from
east to west with few straight stretches and thousands of (hairpin)bends. Therefore the average speed on the mainroad
is 35 kms/hour and lower on all other roads. See also the transport page.
Travel times between the main towns are more or less equal; around 4 hours
Labuan Bajo to Ruteng
Ruteng to Bajawa
Bajawa to Ende
Ende to Maumere
Maumere to Larantuka
These 4 hours are non stop and with private car or travel (=shared mini bus or car). A trip from Bajawa to Labuan Bajo for example will easily take 9 hours with your own
wheels but 10 to 12 hours when using public transport.
Tip 3
Car with driver, public transport or motorbike?
With a private car and driver you can see a lot, stop where ever you want
and offers flexibility, but this is also the most expensive option. Read this for more info.
For those with a lower budget you can use public transport but you will
need more time and you will still need additional transport to take you to the tourist spots. The plus is you get more in contact with the local people. When traveling with a family or a
small group the advantage regarding to price may not that high at the end, so when traveling with 4 people or more then also consider a car with driver.
To drive a motorbike in Indonesia you need an international driving license for a motorbike. On Flores there are rentals in the bigger towns but not all of
them are legal and those who offer assurance are even less. In places like Bajawa or Moni you can hire a motorbike but no rentals as you can actually only borrow a motorcycle. Bear in mind
that most locals don't have an insurance, so in case of an accident you will responsible. To my opinion to go overland by motorbike is for the experienced only but you can consider to hire/loan
one for the short distances.
Tip 4
Make a rough planning first before booking flights so that you choose the right flights and airports. When doing an overlandtrip it is not convenient to book returnflights to/from Labuan Bajo.
Tip 5
Be aware of national holidays and seasons.
The 3 peaks are the months July and August, the last week of Ramadan and the week after when local people are traveling a lot and the period Christmas/New
Year. Plus typical for Flores is the Semana Santa, the week before Easter in Larantuka.
But, I will help you.
So here you go, 26 A
to Z schedules for your visit to Flores.
From a very quick 2 day visit up to and including a trip that fits within the maximum number of days of the VOA (visa on arrival). Most schedules exclude Komodo National Park as people spend various time in the park.
For an overlandtrip
from Maumere to Labuan Bajo or visa versa I would at least suggest 8 days, more if you want to go off the beaten track or if you want to travel slow.
When you want to travel to the far east, eg Larantuka and surroundings a minimum of 10 days is required/recommended but 12 to 14 days will be more
comfortable.
With 18 days and up (not included Komodo NP) you can explore every corner. Note that all itineraries
are with car and driver, also suitable if you travel overland by
motorbike. However for public transport travelers this
can be an indication.
Roundtrips
Since roads via the north coast are far much better than years ago you
also can do a roundtrip on Flores, well, a sort of since the stretch Labuan Bajo-Ruteng still need to be traveled double since the stretch Reo to Labuan Bajo isn't good enough yet.
Because of the huge difference in price for flights between those from Denpasar to/from Labuan Bajo and those to/from
Ende or Maumere demands for roundtrips are more and more. That's ok but bear in mind that it will take a minimum of 6 days when you want to do the classic
Labuan Bajo-Ende route and you will be in the car a big part of every day. More convenient is a roundtrip of 10 to 12 days.
Sometimes there are demands for 3 or 4 days but this doesn't make sense since rates of drivers are based on normal routes like Labuan Bajo to Ruteng, Ruteng to Bajawa and so on. If you want to
travel quick like Labuan Bajo to Bajawa you have hardly time to visit tourist spots since this will be easily 9 to 10 hours. Driving after sunset is not recommended since the condition of the
road isn't always good enough and requires too much concentration of the driver (who is responsible for you as a guest).
So drivers might accept such intensive trips but the price will be higher.
Please note that all schedules are examples only!
Ofcourse you also can compose your own trip.
Check all see's & do's in this section Map & travelsuggestions or in the specific regions of
West Flores
Routes overland with car and driver (and guide if desired)
See also Map & Travel suggestions
On the sub page you will find some itineraries depending on time you want to spend and your interests including the most important highlights like Komodo National Park, Kelimutu and the traditional villages around Bajawa.
Note: the trips here below are not yet detailed but they cover the highlights.
When you need help with finding a car with driver please leave a message with:
-dates of travel
-flights (in case already booked)
-rough planning (if there already is one)
-how many people, also adults/children (important when needing a car)
-the amount of luggage
The more information you give me, the better I can help you. Your email will be answered within 48 hours.
Denpasar (Bali), Jakarta and Kupang (Timor) are the most convenient airports to start your trip to Flores. If you want to combine your holiday with Sumba or Timor there are also connections with airports on Flores (check the transport section).
Anne Mieke - AM PHOTONESIA©