The island of Flores is a long and narrow island in East Nusa Tenggara in Indonesia, at the Eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago. Basically every destination we visited in Indonesia was incredible: from the more popular Bali and Nusa Penida, to the more wild North Sumatra, going through the cultural Yogyakarta… But Flores holds a special place in my heart. It was definitely one of the top highlights of my 6 months trip through Southeast Asia. That is why I prepared this perfect 10-days Flores itinerary! You can use it as a template for your trip to this incredible island.
Flores has an incredible range of things to offer, from the beautiful islands and incredible wildlife of Komodo National Park or Riung, to the misty mountains and dramatic volcanoes around Bajawa, Ruteng and Moni and the unique cultural heritage of this island, it will absolutely captivate you!
Exploring the Island of Flores in 10 Days
Day 1-3. Moni
We’ll start this Flores itinerary in Moni, a village near the Ende airport in central Flores. This tiny mountain village at the foothills of Kelimutu volcano is truly a gem that people tend to rush through. Its main attraction is of course the tri-colored crater lakes of the Mt. Kelimutu. But its beauty doesn’t stop there! The nature surrounding this village is absolutely stunning and it is home to some unique traditional villages that will immerse you into the incredible cultural heritage of the island. Visit Moni’s authentic traditional villages and meet the tribe elders! To be able to taste all the different wonders of Moni, I suggest that you stay at least 2 nights.
Route Day 3. Blue Stone Beach
On our way from Moni to Riung we stopped at the Blue Stone Beach. This volcanic sand beach is covered in pebbles from all shades of blue, which geologists still don’t agree how they were formed. Most likely volcanic. Anyway it is a beautiful place with basically no tourists and we had a delicious shrimp curry facing the beach Blue Stone Beach Restaurant and Guesthouse.
Days 3-5. Riung
Riung is the odd one out in this itinerary. Many people leave it out of their Flores itinerary because of 2 reasons: 1) it is quite a bit out of the way, especially a few years back when the road was in a very bad state and 2) they were snorkeling in Komodo so it seemed redundant. I say it’s a mistake. The 17 Islands National Park may be not as spectacular as Komodo but it is still an incredible set of islands and reefs and, best of all, you’ll have it for yourself! Also, Riung is home to some of the best seafood we had in Indonesia, so there’s that. There is not much more to do in Riung other thant the 17 Islands, but you should reserve 2 nights
Days 5-7. Bajawa
The next stop in this Flores itinerary is Bajawa, the cultural center of Flores. This small mountain city is surrounded by beautiful nature, including its imposing volcano Mt. Inerie. There are waterfalls, lush forests and hills and valleys to hike. After that, you can relax in one of its natural hot springs. And of course, there are many traditional villages scattered around the region. Visit them to learn about the Ngada tribes, their traditions, crafts and way of life. In this itinerary we include 2 nights in Bajawa, but if you want to squeeze everything there is to do you’ll have to stay longer.
Route Day 7. Aimere and Keli
On our route from Bajawa to Ruteng, we stopped in Keli (Aimere) to visit a friend of our driver. He owned a beautiful guesthouse by the Suva sea. We had a nice cup of coffee with a view, and he taught us how they make Arrack, a local coconut flower sap liquor. Of couse we had to try a bit! (we ended up buying a bottle to bring to our Komodo boat expedition). If you’d like to visit, the guesthouse is called Gemo Beach Cottages.
Days 7-8. Ruteng
Ruteng is the last inland stop in this Flores itinerary. This small village is located in a valley surrounded by mountains, making it a very scenic location. While the city itself lacks the charm of smaller towns like Moni, there are a lot of amazing things to do around, such as visiting the traditional villages of Wae Rebo and Ruteng Pu’u, view the spiderweb rice terraces in Cancar or learn about the Homo floresiensis at the Liang Bua cave. Add to that amazing hikes and one of the best coffee in the island and we have a hit! We only stayed 1 night in Ruteng, but would have happily stayed longer.
Days 8-10. Komodo National Park
The last stop in this Flores itinerary is Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo National Park. This incredible natural reserve is home to some gorgeous islands, unique wildlife and paradise white- and pink-sand beaches. Oh, and it is heaven for anyone interested in marine life, snorkeling and scuba diving! In this itinerary we included 2 nights in Komodo National Park to allow for a day trip or an overnight boat tour and still round the tour to 10 days. However, you can easily stay as long as you want here and not run out of things to do!