Flores – Labuan Bajo

The area of Flores attracts many tourists with its smoking volcanoes, rich culture, pristine beaches and extraordinary diving spots.

The well-known Komodo National Park can be accessed from the town of Labuan Bajo, but divers here should have some prior experience as the area is known for its rapid and powerful currents. Here you’ll have the chance of walking on deserted white-sandy beaches, see surreal volcanic lakes and encounter an abundance of species, both inside and out of water.

An abundance of great diving spots

Eastern Flores is home to some very popular dive sites such as Magic Log, where you can find ribbon eels and frogfish. Here also lives the very rare weedy scorpionfish (Rhinopias), along with the wonderpus octopus. Headlands and channels can be found across the coastline of the island and these have become very frequented by divers on liveaboards. In this region there are a lot of unchartered territories that have yet to be discovered, piquing the interest of many explorers and divers.

Home to a variety of sea life

The dive sites of the island are located quite far apart from each other on the long northern coastline, so the only way to visit them all is by an Indonesian liveaboard. In Maumere, you should not hesitate to hop on a liveaboard diving ship, as you’ll be able to cover more ground. Diving near Maumere involves trips to islands such as Babi Island, Adonara Island or Lambata Island, which have sloping reefs and walls, that are inhabited by snappers, parrotfish, angelfish and damselfish. Along the way there will be a lot of current filled drop-offs and also good muck diving around the bay.

Flores is a great island that has a lot of excellent diving spots in its clear, surrounding waters, which are teeming with unique, local sea life and walls of coral reef.

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Mount Kelimutu is a volcano located near the city of Moni, Flores Island, in Indonesia. The mountain boasts with three spectacular crater lakes on the top of the volcano that show different consistencies.

Lakes pass through periodic transformations. They change their colors according to the level of oxidation of the fluid specific to each lacquer, but also the level of iron and manganese that exist in the impregnations. In return, the level of oxidation is largely influenced by volcanic gases and precipitation speeds.

Lakes are not interconnected, that’s why colors change independently from each other. Only in 2016, lakes changed their colors six times. Unfortunately, the volcanic mechanism is not monitored, thus, scientists can’t rely on predictive models.

Tri-colored lakes of Kelimutu – a natural heritage

As we mentioned above, the lakes are unique and impressive. Two of them are nearby, while the third one is located 1.5 km away from the first two. The space that divides these lakes represent a narrow stone formation of steep craters, with heights between 50-150 m.

Other versions related to the color transformation of the lakes refer to the influence of sunlight and water microorganisms.

Mount Kelimutu is a great place for hiking

Mount Kelimutu has an altitude of 1.639 meters above the sea level and is one of the perfect hiking spots in Nusa Tenggara. The difference is the spectacular landscape you will find at the top of the mountain, namely those three lakes combined with a sun show and tropical forests.

Hiking is an activity adored by tourists but also locals. To avoid paying the entrance fee, you must pass the National Park gate shortly before 4 AM – that is if you prefer to travel without a guide.

However, we recommend contacting a local guide. They will create an itinerary according to your free time and preferences. Hiking on Mount Kelimutu is often compared to an easy trip. After a hill route, you will get to a ladder that goes up to the highest point of the mountain. This makes hiking activity be easier, but equally culminating.

The Komodo island is without a doubt the biggest attraction that brings travellers to Flores, the Komodo National Park being known to house the famous Komodo dragon.

Komodo island: Home of the Komodo Dragon

The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard on Earth, and park visitors can see this giant and ferocious animal in its natural habitat. Many other species inhabit the island such as the Javan deer, though they are not indigenous to Komodo. Other fauna that you’ll be able to spot here includes the water buffalo, banded pigs, civets, cockatoo and macaques. But while the dragons are what made the park originally famous, the waters surrounding the park have become just as famous.

©Rebecca Schmitt

A diving paradise

The waters around the Komodo Islands are home to some of the largest marine diversity anywhere in the world. Snorkelling and scuba diving is excellent here, as the waters are clear and calm letting you see all the colourful marine life and coral reefs. The Manta Point is one of Indonesia’s best diving areas, offering a truly amazing experience. The majestic manta rays are a common sight here.

The rare sands of Pink Beach

Another world famous must-see attraction is Komodo Island’s Pink beach. This unique beach is one of the 7 pink beaches that exist in the world. The water is clear and relatively shallow, making it a good place for snorkelling beginners, having plentiful and bright coral that house many colourful species such as false pipefish, pygmy seahorses, ocean sunfish, blue-ringed octopus, clown frogfish and sea sponges.

The island is full of small coves surrounded by dizzying verdant mountains, rusty red volcanic hills, savannah, and mangrove forests. The diverse flora of this island makes a truly unique landscape. The park itself is full of diverse trees and plants. The path is flat and smooth, making it perfectly suitable for families that also have children.

The Komodo Island is the perfect place for nature and animal lovers, as this is an undisturbed paradise for the local species that dwell here.

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