Islands offer spectacular views and charming culture
FLORES, Indonesia — With more than 13,000 islands, Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago. Only about 6,000 of the islands are inhabited, but that still leaves a lot of options for island-hopping. Most travellers know about Bali and Java, home to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and 60 per cent of the country’s population. But I travelled to two lesser-known islands, and a few smaller ones, that gave glimpses of local culture while offering views of aqua water, waterfalls and volcano peaks.
Lombok
Next door to world-famous Bali, Lombok offers many of the same attractions: waterfalls, whitesand beaches, snorkelling and scuba diving, but with a fraction of the tourists. Here are some of its top destinations:
• Senggigi. Located on the northwest part of Lombok, Senggigi is the main tourist area, lined with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, massage parlours and more. Senggigi is where visitors can set up tours or find guides to take them to different parts of the island.
• Sendang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls: Icy cold and slippery, these waterfalls are probably some of the most awe-inspiring sights on the island. We hired a guide to lead us to them.
• Authentic handicrafts: Banyumulek is a village known for its world-class pottery. We visited a family of three generations creating pieces of various sizes. Farther inland, in Sukarara, visitors can learn about traditional hand-weaving and try it themselves.
• Gili islands: A string of three tiny islands off the northern coast of Lombok, the Gili islands are popular for their laidback feel and lack of traffic. We headed to Gili Air because it was the closest, hiring a speedboat and driver and spending a few hours walking around the island and jumping in and out of the water. Don’t forget to get your picture taken at one of the well-known water swings.
Flores
Known mainly as the jumping-off point to Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Flores is much larger than you might think. I thought we could fly into the city of Maumere — the largest town on the island — and take local transport to the western side of the island and head on to the Komodo area. It turned out to be at least a 12-hour drive, so we decided to stick around Maumere. But we were not disappointed.
Indonesia is the world’s largest majorityMuslim country, but here Christian churches and a large cross can be seen along the coast. Flores, which means flowers in Portuguese, was a colonial outpost for Portugal in the 16th century.
Other attractions here:
• Local market: An authentic slice of life here, with vendors selling fruit and livestock, and chatting with each other and customers.
• Pangabatang Island: We decided to try to visit Pangabatang Island, an uninhabited island about an hour off the coast of Flores. With the help of some friendly locals, we flagged down a bemo, a public transport van, then found out one of the women on board was married to a boat captain, and headed to meet him at the fishing village of Nangahale. He did not speak English, but I was able to communicate with my rudimentary Indonesian language skills, and we hopped on his rickety boat. We sat in stunned silence snapping photos of some of the most scenic water views we’d ever seen. One note of warning: Ferry sinkings and boat accidents are not uncommon — including a glassbottomed boat that capsized off Bali this month, killing three people, including a Japanese tourist. So use your judgment on boat rides, especially if travelling with kids.
• Mount Egon: Hiking Mount Egon takes several hours and lots of stamina. It’s very steep with lots of loose gravel. We hired a guide to take us up to the summit, where a volcanic crater and outstanding views made the trek worth it.
IF YOU GO:
Several direct flights go from the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta and from Bali to Lombok each day. Getting to Flores is more complicated and takes longer. From Jakarta, flights can connect through Bali or even Kupang. Be ready for small planes, small airports and adventure. Slow ferries between the islands are also an option.