Flores

Introducing Flores

A fascinating, mountainous and remarkably beautiful island, Flores has a volcanic topography that has longed shaped its destiny. A chain of cones stretches the length of this verdant island, provoking a complicated relief of V-shaped valleys and knife-edged ridges – terrain that was near-impenetrable until recent years and that has separated the island into many distinct ethnic groups. Today, though Flores is overwhelmingly Catholic, rich indigenous cultures continue to thrive alongside mainstream religious beliefs.

Flores has the most remarkable sight in Nusa Tenggara – the sublime multihued crater lakes of Kelimutu – terrific beaches around Labuanbajo and east of Maumere, and idyllic offshore islands with fine snorkelling. The island attracts a steady flow of travellers but has nothing like the tourist scene in Bali or parts of Lombok.

The rugged nature of the island makes road construction difficult, and Flores’ serpentine east–west road is impossible to traverse quickly, so you’ll need to draw on extra reserves of patience when the going slows – though fortunately you’ll always have remarkable natural beauty to wonder at along the way.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009