FLORES ( THE ISLAND OF FLOWER )
ABOUT FLORES ISLAND
Flores is part of Indonesia’s Eastern Islands (Nusa Tenggara Timur). It stretches snakelike between the longitudes of 118°–125° E, and between the latitudes of 8°–11° S.The fascinating, strikingly beautiful island is blessed with plenty of natural attractions. There are white sandy beaches and deserted islands, soft-shaped hilly landscapes with beautiful rice field vistas, interspersed with mountainous areas. The islands distinct rugged landscape with its complex v-shaped valleys and knife-edged ridges was formed by an impressive, young volcanic mountain range which spans over its approximately 400km length. Fourteen of the volcanoes are still active; others, like famous Mount Kelimutu in the Ende district, are extinct but nonetheless impressive with their crater lakes and calderas. Until not so long ago, this challenging terrain was hardly penetrable – a fact that contributed to the preservation of Flores’ extraordinary cultural diversity. Flores can be visited all year around. Be aware, though, that the access to some of the mainland attractions during the rainy season (December – February) may be quite challenging or even impossible. Due to elevated sea levels, diving may also be restricted to certain sites. Today, western flores is in the midst of a tourishm boom. more visitors than ever are venturing to Labuan Bajo to explore Komodo and Rinca islands and labuan bajo, now have many luxuary acomodation and standar hotel for traveler who came in labuan bajo specialy on flores island .
THE CULTURE
Flores island’s have own specific culture and language every territory are divided in to five main languistic and culture groups.from west to east, these are the Manggarain( main town Ruteng)the ngada (bajawa )the closly related Ende and lio peoples (Ende ) the sikkanese (Maumere)and the Lemaholot(Larantuka).in remote areas, some older people dont’t speak a word of Bahasa Indonesia and their parents grew up in purely animist societies. The basicly flores people mostly Catholic religion, but in rural areas christianity is welded in to adat. Animist rituals are still used for births, marriage and deaths and to mark important point in the agreculture calender. when rice is planted or harvest seasons, they overing to the ancestors, chiken, buffaloe, or pig for sacrifice. Muslim congregate in fishing villages and coastal town such us labuan bajo, ende, (where they make up half the population ).
LABUHAN BAJO
A small town in west Manggarai regency and it is one of seven regencies in flores east nusa tenggara province, where you can easy to get the local charter a boat to some small islands such as komodo, Rinca, Sabolo, Seraya and other interesting place surrounding. Labuhan bajo development day by day getting better. the airport, and some new hotels international standardt are now operated.
HOW TO GET THERE :
It is easy that you can get there by flight from Denpasar Bali or from Mataram Lombok, or by local public ferry from Sape east Sumbawa island, and by bus from Ruteng. There are many possibility to have any kind of local food, sea food, Chinese food, and western food, souvenier shop and other personal need you can find it in labuhan Bajo .
RUTENG
Ruteng town is the capital of middle Manggarai Regency. The town located on a high land with the spectacular scenery, and a very cold during the day and night time. Behind of Ruteng town is Ranaka vulcanoe 2400m with beautiful rain forest and the lake Ranamese on the way to Bajawa. There are many beautiful rice terrace panoramas, coffe plantations, cacao, vanilla and other plant that you can find it here. And don’t forget, in Ruteng you can see the Edelweis flowers by the road side.
BAJAWA
A small town, fresh air, cold, green every where, From Bajawa (Ngada regencys) you can see many traditional village, megalith village of Bena, Raja, Wogo, Bella, Nage, Boawae and other interesting place such as hot spring Mengeruda, Enagera Maukeo beach Bajawa is located in the middle part of Flores island, that can reach there by bus from Ruteng west flores, Ende east part and from Riung the 17 island. Or by flight from Kupang or other part of flores island.
RIUNG
A sub dictric of Nagekeo regency on the north part of Ngada (Bajawa) where you will cross to some small island for snorkeling on the north flores island, here also famouse with 17 islands that you can find the flying foxes or komodo dragon. Most of the northern part of flores island are white sandy beach and Olabula. Prehistoriccal site, annual cultural event of Reba, Traditional boxing, Caci Dance, The Wawo muda colour lakes 7 km westof Bajawa.
The 17 islands of Riung :It is located on the north of Bajawa town the territorial water of Thado, Bhenteng Tengah, Nanga Mese, Sambinasi,Lengko Sambi and Riung. 17 small island that you can having fun here by boat trip round the island aprox 2,5 hours. Snorkeling on those island is a very pleasant trip that you are free from local peoples. Those island are Pata ,Bangko, Rutong. Bampa, Sua, Telu, Mborong, Kolong, Ontoloe, Sui,Wire, Meja, Wawi, Batu, Taor, Lain Jawa, Wingkureo. The water is so calm and a very nice under water world with so many kind of hard and soft coral reef. On the main land of Riung there you can see the Komodo dragon. The local peoples named Mbou. It is part of Komodo National Park. The flying Foxes are found it here also.
ENDE
Ende Regency located in the middle part of flores island between Ngada regency in west and Sikka regency in east part. Ende regency and Ende town surrounded by the beautiful mountain view, high clief and the deep rivers. The famose three colors lake Kelimutu is also located in Ende regency who has give a lot of support and the provite to the local peoples until today. Ende regency keep many potential of tourist object to visit beside the Kelimutu, such as : The traditional village, Dancing, hand weaving, The nice beach on the north of flores island (Maurole to Kota lande ), Nua Bosi high land village, Blue stone in Penggajawa beach, Museum of Bung Karno in the town, and other interesting place. The famose agriculture here as known as Lio Agriculutre from the Lio’s ethnic group. The most important that the local peoples are still and always doing this tradition that to respect to the ancestor who live nearby the local peoples , on mt kelimutu as the strong magie believe. They plant the rice crops, maize, and the manioc for their main food. Every kind of life even, they must do the ceremony in the rumah adat as known “Sao Ria “. The rites of rice planting and harvest, make them must to do the ceremony every year. To respect to the rice goddess in west Indonesia is also doing until today. In west Indonesia the character of rice god is the Goddess but in Flores we know that as the Mother of rice. Every countries, island know the rice and have their own rites. They have the legend that where does the rice come from, when, and by who. The traditional hand weavings are doing by girls and the woman as killing time after plant the rice or harvest time. The man not aloud to make the hand weaving and cooking , the man do their job on the rice field and other activity depend on their social status in Adat, and it is not only in Ende but for all part of flores island .
MAUMERE
One of the big town in Flores island and it is more easy to go to every part in this country. To go to maumere only take the local bus from ende or larantuka, and there are the posibilty to get the pelni ship service from Kupang, Larantuka, Makasar and Surabay. The flight schedule from airline is available and just contact to your agent or direct contact to the airline company at your town. There are many interesting place that you can visited her in maumere or Sikka regency such as The Ledalero Missionary Uniferity and the Blikon Blewut Museum, Sikka village, Wuring fisherman village, Wodong beach, Hot spring in slope of mount Egon, trekking to mt Egon, Watu cruss beach in Bola district, Nanga hale fisherman village where you can see how the local peoples produce the salt for local peoples .