merantau
Senior Member
Flores is possibly the most beautiful large island in Indonesia. It's long and narrow; the north and south coasts are stitched together by a mountainous spine of volcanic peaks. And then there are the isolated ones, like Inerie, that dominate a little peninsula and seem, to rise straight out of the sea. The western half is heavily forested and the groves of kemiri.trees ubiquitous. The upper side of the leaves are a creamy colour; you would swear they had been dusted with icing sugar - magical.
The first Europeans to reach Flores were the Portuguese. They took Malacca in 1511 after a two year siege, and by 1565 they'd reached Timor. The Dutch then displaced them over the next couple of centuries but they hung on in eastern Flores and the Solor islands until 1908 and, of course, in East Timor until 1975. Consequently Flores is heavily Catholic, infused with local adat customs. They are places where prayer still takes place in Portuguese.
The church of Jesus Kristus Raja at Poma on the road to the north coast port of Riung.
The port of Sape,(which means 'cow') in eastern Sumbawa is the jump-off point for Flores. Its inhabitants are mainly Bugis from Sulawesi. They still hand build the big wooden peninsi schooners here. Cattle are still exported too.
The ferry to Labuanbajo, in Flores goes twice a day, weather permitting which basically means dry season April to November. In between times you might experience cancellations. Cost for me and bike was AUS$18 approx. Trip takes 6 hours.
My bike surrounded by next day's market produce.
View attachment 31728 The road to Riung is mostly good.
View attachment 31729 Riung road.
Farmers planted rice once a year. Little rice grown in west Flores due to the terrain.
Kids always wanted to pose. They told me it was a 90 minute walk to school and if they were late the teacher would beat them.
Approaching Riung the road followed this river valley for a while. Traffic is sparse in Flores on the main west-east road - less so elsewhere. It's an island made for riding. And the people are really friendly. You will not regret a trip through eastern Indonesia.
Bima Bay is a long narrow finger of sea about 400 mts wide at its narrowest point. Bima is the largest town in Sumbawa.
Beach, north coast Flores between Kedindi and Reo. These a small manganese mine along this road. From this point on I was out in the sticks, totally dependent on the locals for directions. I didn't recognise any of the places they were sending me. This was strictly 4WD and truck only country.
Up and down, up and down. Dry, parched country at times. Had to concentrate hard on the road - wrong line, especially downhill, and trouble was waiting to embrace you with its unwelcome arms.
Somewhere in NW Flores near Rego, maybe.
The only toll bridge I came across - cost 50 cents. I could have gone through the water but in the pursuit of good international relations ...
The operators had a side line selling moke, a firewater made from a palm they called anou.
This was the end of the hard stuff. Turn right for 'Bajo about an hour away.
I had a coffee here, bought a couple of packets of biscuits
and shared them with these kids.
House made from all natural materials - split bamboo roof over kitchen at back.
I made it to 'Bajo just on dusk. Left Ruteng at 7.00 am, traveled via Reo on the north coast. About 11 hours on the bike = tired. I think we've all been there. Distance traveled that day was 205 km.
The first Europeans to reach Flores were the Portuguese. They took Malacca in 1511 after a two year siege, and by 1565 they'd reached Timor. The Dutch then displaced them over the next couple of centuries but they hung on in eastern Flores and the Solor islands until 1908 and, of course, in East Timor until 1975. Consequently Flores is heavily Catholic, infused with local adat customs. They are places where prayer still takes place in Portuguese.
The church of Jesus Kristus Raja at Poma on the road to the north coast port of Riung. The port of Sape,(which means 'cow') in eastern Sumbawa is the jump-off point for Flores. Its inhabitants are mainly Bugis from Sulawesi. They still hand build the big wooden peninsi schooners here. Cattle are still exported too. The ferry to Labuanbajo, in Flores goes twice a day, weather permitting which basically means dry season April to November. In between times you might experience cancellations. Cost for me and bike was AUS$18 approx. Trip takes 6 hours.
My bike surrounded by next day's market produce.View attachment 31728 The road to Riung is mostly good.
View attachment 31729 Riung road.
Farmers planted rice once a year. Little rice grown in west Flores due to the terrain. Kids always wanted to pose. They told me it was a 90 minute walk to school and if they were late the teacher would beat them. Approaching Riung the road followed this river valley for a while. Traffic is sparse in Flores on the main west-east road - less so elsewhere. It's an island made for riding. And the people are really friendly. You will not regret a trip through eastern Indonesia. Bima Bay is a long narrow finger of sea about 400 mts wide at its narrowest point. Bima is the largest town in Sumbawa. Beach, north coast Flores between Kedindi and Reo. These a small manganese mine along this road. From this point on I was out in the sticks, totally dependent on the locals for directions. I didn't recognise any of the places they were sending me. This was strictly 4WD and truck only country.Up and down, up and down. Dry, parched country at times. Had to concentrate hard on the road - wrong line, especially downhill, and trouble was waiting to embrace you with its unwelcome arms.
Somewhere in NW Flores near Rego, maybe. The only toll bridge I came across - cost 50 cents. I could have gone through the water but in the pursuit of good international relations ...The operators had a side line selling moke, a firewater made from a palm they called anou.
This was the end of the hard stuff. Turn right for 'Bajo about an hour away. I had a coffee here, bought a couple of packets of biscuits and shared them with these kids.
House made from all natural materials - split bamboo roof over kitchen at back.I made it to 'Bajo just on dusk. Left Ruteng at 7.00 am, traveled via Reo on the north coast. About 11 hours on the bike = tired. I think we've all been there. Distance traveled that day was 205 km.
