Most people unambiguously associate Indonesia with Bali, although in fact, Indonesia is 17,804 islands, and more than half of them do not even have an official name. Each island is beautiful and unique in its own way, but, of course, for an interesting and eventful vacation, you should choose larger islands with developed infrastructure. Today we will tell you about Flores Island located in the Eastern part of Indonesia. Here are 9 Reasons to go to Flores.
9 Reasons to go to Flores
Beaches
Above all, a wonderful beach holiday awaits you in Flores. The state, along with private investors, is investing in the development of this island, so there are hotels and beach clubs, well-groomed private beaches, restaurants, and souvenir shops. And at the same time, if you go a little further from the tourist area, you can find authentic villages and deserted wild beaches, where you feel like on the edge of the earth.
Reasons to go to Flores
Yes, we almost forgot – there is a unique beach with pink sand on Flores. There are only seven such pink beaches in the world. The fact is that in this bay there is especially a lot of plankton of a certain type. At high tide, it mixes with the white sand, naturally giving the beach a strawberry hue.
Diving
Reasons to go to Flores
Divers from all over the world have known about Flores Island for a long time. Even Jacques Yves Cousteau considered diving in these places to be one of the best in the world. The richest flora and fauna of the underwater world amazes with its diversity – there are sea turtles, majestic manta rays, hammerheads, and gray reef sharks, and in addition, one of the most mysterious fish Mola-Mola, or moonfish, lives in the local waters.
Boat trips
Reasons to go to Flores
This is what a tropical vacation would be incomplete without. Depending on your preferences, you can go to sea on a wooden sailboat or rent a modern catamaran. The standard program includes a boat trip along with tiny uninhabited islands, swimming in the coves, and a scenic sunset in the open ocean.
Living volcanoes
Reasons to go to Flores
Like all other islands in Indonesia, Flores is of volcanic origin. In its center, there are several volcanoes, some of which are still weak. Trekking to the Egon volcano is especially popular among tourists, the ascent takes only three hours, and a stunning panoramic view of the island opens up from the top. At the summit, you will hear the hiss and gurgle of the volcano, and looking inside the caldera, you will see smoking craters.
Hot springs
Reasons to go to Flores
Another attraction for those who love wildlife is the hot springs. On the slope of one of the volcanoes, among the wild jungle, there are natural pools with cold, warm, and hot water. Spa treatments among tall trees, accompanied by the singing of birds and the shouting of monkeys, will appeal to lovers of exoticism.
Colored lakes
Reasons to go to Flores
Perhaps this is the main attraction of the island of Flores. Three craters of Kelimutu volcano are filled with water that changes color from time to time. This is probably caused by the activity of the volcano, which causes a change in the chemical composition of the lakes, but scientists still find it difficult to answer the question about the nature of this phenomenon. Swimming in the lakes, of course, is impossible, but one of them is worth climbing to the top of the volcano.
Rice fields
Reasons to go to Flores
The rice fields, traditional for Asia, are spread out here so that from a distance they look very much like a spider’s web: the terraces in the form of concentric circles, separated by radial paths, look exactly like spider webs. Walking in the fields can be combined with visiting a small local village and getting to know the traditional way of life.
Komodo lizards
Reasons to go to Flores
If you like the thrill, be sure to visit Komodo Island, located near Flores. This unique nature reserve is home to the rare Komodo monitor lizard. Direct descendants of dinosaurs live here in relative isolation and have not changed much since prehistoric times. From the island of Flores, excursion tours to Komodo are regularly sent, during which you can look at the monsters from a boat, and if not scary, then go down to the shore. Visiting tourists feed the beach lizards with raw chicken, so they behave non-aggressively, just walking slowly, waiting for the next treat.
Dinner on the Spine
Reasons to go to Flores
As the sun begins to tilt towards the horizon, aromatic grill smoke infiltrates the air, adding a special atmosphere to the classic sunset on the beach. A romantic dinner on the beach is the perfect end to every day in Flores. Seafood is the signature dish of local restaurants. You can rest assured that the fish you are served for dinner swam in the ocean in the morning.
