Why Go to Flores?
Flores is an amazing island with stunning wildlife, diverse nature, and friendly people. The island can be easily reached via Denpasar, which makes it a great destination after Bali. The island is known for its proximity to the famous Komodo Islands and is the only place you can see a real living dragon. There is so much more to Flores than just the Komodo Islands.
For one, the island is almost entirely populated by Roman Catholic Christians. In contrast, most of Indonesia is Muslim, bringing different traditions, ways of life, and many other things to see. Additionally, there are the tri-colored volcanic lakes of Kelimutu, the traditional villages of Bajawa, and the spider web rice fields in Ruteng, which will keep you occupied for weeks.
When to Go to Flores?
The best time to go to Flores is from May to September, when the weather is dry and more predictable. This is essential if you want to have a great trip in Flores, especially on the Komodo Islands cruise and in the mountain region of Flores.
The temperature in cities at sea level (Labuan Bajo, Ende, and Maumere) is pretty warm, but when you head up to the mountains, the temperature will go down to a comfortable 20°C during the day and 16°C at night, so prepare accordingly.
How to Get to Flores?
Traveling in Indonesia requires planning, and if you are planning to visit Flores, the easiest and cheapest way is to fly to Denpasar, Bali. From there, you can get a domestic flight to Labuan Bajo, the westernmost city of Flores, and nearest to the Komodo National Park. From there, you can begin your journey by landing in Maumere and flying back to Bali.
You can also follow my itinerary in the opposite direction by flying from Bali to Maumere and traveling by land through Flores, then flying back to Bali from Labuan Bajo.
If you are looking for a flight to Bali and domestic flights to Flores, I would recommend you to compare prices either via Skyscanner or Expedia as these are the services that I found to be the easiest to use, and I always find the cheapest price from there.
How to Get Around Flores?
For traveling around cities and towns, you can easily flag down any motorcycle (o-jek), and they will take you to places like the bus station for a cheap price. Cities in Flores are pretty small, so you can also walk.
For traveling to attractions nearby, I would recommend either renting a motorbike for a day (70,000-120,000 IDR per day) and driving around yourself using Google Maps or hiring a motorcycle + driver for a day who will take you to places at an agreed price. It should not cost you more than 150,000 IDR. The key is to ask how much they want and negotiate down to a price that is reasonable for you.
For traveling from city to city, you can either take a local bus, a bemo (small van), an exclusive bus (Gunung Mas), or a shared taxi. The prices increase respectively from 60,000 IDR for buses to 100,000 IDR for shared taxis. The Gunung Bus is the most comfortable option, and you can book it through the hotel you are staying at.
For local buses, you can ask your guesthouse where the bus station is and go there with an o-jek early in the morning (8 AM - 9 AM) to catch the early bus. The bus leaves when it is full, so it is difficult to predict when you will arrive, but the earlier you get on the bus, the better chance you will have of arriving before dark.
Daily Budget
This place is quite affordable compared to all the other countries in the world. If you are planning a trip here, you can expect to spend around $25 - $45 USD per day per person, which should include accommodation and three meals.
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Indonesia?
WIFI is widely available in hotels and restaurants in the cities and is pretty fast except in two places: Moni and around the Komodo Islands. If you want to stay connected in those two places, I would recommend getting a local SIM card from Telkomsel, as I had that, and there are services in both places. You can read more about data and SIM cards in Indonesia here.
Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.
What to Pack for Flores, Indonesia?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Flores:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Swim Suits: A swim trunk is a must-pack item if you are planning to visit Flores in the summer, just in case there is a body of water you can jump in.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.