Q: 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.

Question 1

Why Go to Flores?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 2

When to Go to Flores?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 3

How to Get to Flores?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 4

How to Get Around Flores?

Accepted Answer

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.

Start Here

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Planning

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