Getting there & around
Overland travel is very arduous in many parts of mountainous Nusa Tenggara, particularly in Flores. Lombok, Sumbawa and Timor have fairly decent surfaced main roads and some comfortable bus services. Get off the highways and things slow down considerably, however. Ferry services have actually worsened in recent years, partly due to the downturn in tourism (and several sinkings). Fortunately, several airlines now cover the main inter-island routes, as few travellers who have endured the punishing long haul across Nusa Tenggara by surface transport are willing to repeat the experience.
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Bus & tram
Bus
Travelling by bus is generally uncomfortable, hot and slow in Nusa Tenggara despite most main roads being sealed. However, some of the main cross-island truck routes are covered by air-con express coaches: Mataram–Labuhan Lombok; the trans-Sumbawa journey as far as Bima; and Kupang–Dili in Timor.
Elsewhere expect an oven-hot bus with near-zero legroom, betel-nut gobbing passengers, and an excess of clucking chickens and dried fish. Buses constantly stop to drop off and pick up passengers. In remote parts be prepared for endless loops around town at the beginning and end of each journey as the driver searches for, and later drops off, passengers – a maddening local practice called keliling that provokes curses and vitriol from many a traveller. Even if the road is sealed, it is usually narrow and winding, and there are usually sections under repair that will rattle the fillings. Don’t underestimate journey times – a trip of only 100km may take up to four hours.
Flores’ interminable switchbacks and mountain ranges mean that there is no comfortable way to cross the island by land unless you have all the time in the world and the patience of a saint.
Most buses leave in the morning between 6am and 8am, so be prepared for early starts. Where buses leave later in the day, they are less patronised, so they often spend longer looking for passengers. There are also night buses between Mataram and Bima. Long-distance buses usually meet the main ferries for those planning to travel straight through to other destinations.
Buying bus tickets for the right price can be a real hassle in Nusa Tenggara as foreigners routinely get overcharged. Touts are always around hotels and bus terminals, willing to ‘assist’, but this gets even more expensive. The same goes for many travel agents. The right price is only really available if buying from the actual bus company office or by finding out the correct tariff from fellow passengers. Good luck!
Air
There are twice-weekly flights between Darwin in Australia and Kupang, jointly operated by Air North and Merpati (Merpati Nusantara Airlines). Mataram has the only other international airport in Nusa Tenggara, with twice-weekly connections to Singapore on Silk Air and daily connections to Kuala Lumpur (KL) on Merpati. Most visitors use Bali as the international gateway to Nusa Tenggara, as there are so many more connections available.
Several airlines operate within Nusa Tenggara, but the main two are Merpati and Transnusa (which mainly operates between the eastern islands). Other airlines, including Adam Air, GT Air, Lion Air, Batavia Air and Wings Air, concentrate on the main routes to/from Mataram and Kupang.
With Merpati, the delays or cancellations remain an inconvenience; however, it remains the best-connected airline in Nusa Tenggara. Transnusa is generally more reliable and punctual, but flight cancellations are common on all routes in Nusa Tenggara, particularly on the less popular (and less profitable) ones.
Nusa Tenggara is not well connected to other parts of Indonesia, and you’ll have to travel via Bali to get to Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua.
It’s wise to book early, and reservations are essential in the peak August tourist season. The most popular routes are to/from Bali and Flores (particularly Maumere–Denpasar). Overbooking often occurs, so make sure your booking is confirmed when buying the ticket, and always reconfirm. If a flight is ‘full’, it is worth going to the airport before departure, as there are often ‘no-shows’, which means last-minute seats are available.
Car & motorcycle
Self-drive cars can be found at very reasonable rates in Senggigi, Lombok (from 150, 000Rp a day for a 4WD), though remember to inspect the car thoroughly first, as insurance is often extremely basic, and you’ll usually have to pay for any damage. Consider hiring a car with a driver from 300, 000Rp, including petrol. Elsewhere it’s much more difficult and expensive to rent a car. Hotels are good contact points, but expect to pay 350, 000Rp to 500, 000Rp a day, including driver and petrol. Bemos can be chartered for shorter trips.
If you are an experienced rider, motorcycling is great way to see Nusa Tenggara, and you can transport your bike on ferries between most of the islands. It’s best to bring your own machine. Short-term hires are possible virtually anywhere (around 35, 000-60, 000Rp a day), though this usually amounts to a casual agreement between you and the bike owner and there is no paperwork involved. It’s difficult to convince anyone to let you take their bike to another island.
Traffic is relatively light, even on the main highways, but the usual hazards of villages crowded with pedestrians, chickens and goats apply. Driving at night is not recommended, as many vehicles do not have lights.
Boat
Pelni’s Awu, Dobonsolo, Dorolonda, Kelimutu, Sirimau, Tatamailau, Pangrango and Tilongkabila ferries all service Nusa Tenggara. Pelni’s more basic Perintis cargo ships cover many routes and are an option if you get stuck. Ask at the office of the syahbandar (harbour master) or at the shipping offices. Conditions are primitive, but you can often negotiate to rent a cabin.
Somewhat dilapidated, slow ferries also connect many of the islands. There are very regular sailings between Bali and Lombok, and Lombok and Sumbawa. Between Sumbawa and Flores there’s a daily ferry, but it does not stop at Komodo.
Other ferry connections include twice-weekly services between both Kupang and Larantuka (Flores) and Kupang and Kalabahi (Alor). Boats also connect Ende (Flores) with Waingapu (Sumba); Larantuka (Flores) with Lembata and Kalabahi; and Kupang with Rote. There are plenty of other possibilities; see the relevant sections of individual town entries for more details.
A popular way of travelling between Lombok and Flores or vice versa is on a boat tour, stopping at Komodo and other islands along the way.
Bicycle
Many people hire bicycles to get around the Gili Islands, but they are not a popular form of transport anywhere else in Nusa Tenggara. Long-distance cycling is an option on Lombok (though the roads are narrow and traffic can be quite heavy) and across the undulating terrain of Sumba and western Sumbawa. Cycling on volcanic Flores or mountainous Timor requires Tour de France levels of endurance, though some riders do travel across both islands using buses to get their bikes up the steepest inclines and freewheeling downhill.
Nusa Tenggara
- Nusa Tenggara Overview
- Places in Nusa Tenggara
- When to go & weather
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Getting there & around
- History
