While most visitors to Flores, upon arrival in Labuan Bajo, quickly dash off on diving expeditions, we opted to take our time first, by grounding ourselves in an immersion of Labuan Bajo.
Having done that, we now have the itch to go and explore yonder.
Two very different approaches.. one inland adventure into rural Flores, by motorcycle, and the second adventure, by boat to numerous and varied islands in the archipelago of Flores.
Exploration by land
We rent a motorcycle, fill it with gas and head off…. Where shall we go? The motorcyle rental guy recommends we head to the waterfall. His directions are: keep going straight for about an hour on the main road, and then turn left when you see a dirt road. No sign, but it will be obvious. This will get you to a beautiful waterfall nestled in the tropical rain forest.
Sounds good to us…..
Motorcycle is our favourite mode of exploration as it allows for frequent stops and is way more fun than driving a car.
Not long after we leave the village of Labuan Bajo, we come across a field with water buffaloes lolling in muddy waters. From fishermen to farmers within minutes…
The proud buffalo owner in front of his house, is very amused that we are stopping to watch and take photos of his herd of buffaloes.
Farmers are both men and women. This woman, striking in both her posture and demeanour, blends well with the background with her earth toned clothing and green bag.
In Flores, nearly one tenth of farmland is used for cultivating cacao bushes. The big chocolate companies in the world (Nestle, Mars…) have been warning of a future shortage of cacao production, caused by the rising demand for chocolate in new markets such as India and China. Small scale farmers of cacao are responsible for 90% of global production of cacao and Indonesia is the worlds third largest cacao producer.
Coffee is another big production crop here, as are cassava (a type of white potato), rice, spices and natural rubber.
The small dirt road which took us out of Labuan Bajo, quickly gives way to a smooth wide tarred road, with very little traffic thankfully. We ride through lush countryside, slowly and steadily going up the hilly terrain.
The view as we go up, looks out over lush emerald green forest, towards the ocean and distant islands.
Every now and again we pass small houses framed by thick forest, in idyllic settings.
We keep riding and riding, higher and higher.
My butt is getting sore and I am getting dubious about this supposed waterfall we are supposed to find. “We are looking for a dirt road to the left”, Ben reminds me after we have been going for well more than an hour… and the only specific information we have once we find said road, is “when it gets really bumpy and rocky that’s when you are close to the waterfall.” Oh joy!
We stop to check, when we see anyone.. and ask them “waterfall?” and they smile and gesture forward with their hands. Okay, seems we are still on track.
Finally, we find an unsigned dirt road where a few locals are gathered and they confirm that yes, this is the way to the infamous waterfall. And yes, it is definitely more bumpy and rocky ~ it feels like we are riding on a river bed!
Having fallen off our scooter once, yet a memorable once (on the Ho Chi Minh trail in Vietnam.) I am the wiser and more cautious for it, especially when it comes to gravel or bumpy roads. I remind Ben “I did NOT sign up for this! This is taking way TOO long and is way TOO far, so if we don’t get there soon, I will not be a happy camper!”
And just as I am about to give up, we arrive at a little booth in the middle of nowhere! An actual ticket booth. Here we are to be assigned a guide, which is a requirement for proceeding through the rain forest and down into the canyon.
First we need to continue by motorcycle and then by foot. I immediately opt to ride with Mr. Experienced guide along the bumpy trail. No offense, to Ben, but going with someone who knows the road and where the big bumps are and how to avoid them, is a no brainer.
And once the big bumps are behind us, finally, it is smooth riding through the rain forest.
We park our bikes and start the hike through the rain forest and down, down we go into the canyon. A suspended bridge comes into sight…. Oh no! The guide sees the fear in my eyes and takes pity on me. (I am not a fan of heights, but even more so, I don’t do well with sheer drops) This bridge has no railing, it moves and it’s high.
“No worry. Bridge fine. You fine.” My new best friend, the guide, tells me and takes my hand, and so we cross the first and second suspension bridges. Step by slow step together. Whew, I made it!
Finally we reach the water, after a LONG and bumpy ride, a hike through the forest and down a steep trail, over two suspension bridges, we are rewarded by a luminous and inviting shade of turquoise water. The waterfall, is only accessible by swimming, but our guide wants to climb over the rocks with us first, to show us where the waterfall is….
Did I mention that this man is my new best friend? He holds my hand and is taking his guiding job very seriously, much appreciated. Not sure I would naturally choose to scale the tops of these limestone rocks given the steep drop on the side, but here we go…
The guide tells me that I can jump in from here if I want… Um, okay I am pretty brave, but I would only do a high jump into unknown waters after watching another jump first, to make sure that the water is deep enough. “Ben, you go first!” Ben shakes his head and makes his way in to the river gorge the smart sensible way.. by walking in. I follow…
Once we cool off in the refreshing pure mountain water, we swim towards the thunderous waterfall, through the gorge. One of the most epic swims!
.
It doesn’t get much better than this….! A much deserved Shivasana.
Invigorated after our swim in the canyon, we get ready to do the uphill hike to the motorcycles so that we can make our way back to Labuan Bajo before it gets dark.
Along the way we see a few churches, a reminder of the presence of Catholicism in Flores (brought originally by the Portuguese to the islands).
What a fantastic day of adventure!
Exploration by sea
There are just six of us on the little speed boat which pulls out from the port of Labuan Bajo at 6 a.m. and we are off island hopping for the day!
The sun rises with a soft glow over the Flores Sea as we head out for a day of adventure.
We whizz by small islands, some deserted, some with a row of little houses.
It’s a gorgeous day and we are enjoying the breeze on the boat and the spray of the water as we cut through the tide.
First stop, is Padar Island. A hike uphill (luckily it’s morning and not too hot yet) to see the dramatic view of 3 coved beaches. Hard to distinguish from the photo, but the one on the right has white sand, the left has black sand and the one in the distance has pink sand.
What feels like hundreds of steps up. I stopped a few minutes short of the very top as I could see there were sheer drops on both sides (not my thing, clearly) and was perfectly happy with the dramatic view from “almost at the top”!
Arrival at a pink beach. This is our first snorkelling stop and the water is gorgeous shades of blues and clear and translucent.
These colors!! The soft rose color of the sand needs to be seen to be believed. It really IS pink, from centuries of red coral being ground down into sand.
A wooden jetty goes all the way from the beach out into the sea, so that visiting boats can park at a distance. We were the only ones here which was great ~ this really is one of many “deserted” beaches.
So color-coordinated with the pink sand, Ben! These islands are all part of what is known as “Komodo National Park”.
Next stop is Komodo island to see the Komodo dragons. I have enough excitement with monitor lizards and water monitors in Sri Lanka, which are a cousin of the Komodo dragon, that I don’t feel a particular need to Komodo island. Ben on the other hand is eager to see these creatures.
The Komodo dragon is a species of lizard (the largest and heaviest lizard in the world) and 1,500 of them live primarily on Komodo island. They are carnivorous and hunt for wild boar, timor deer, birds and any other animals that they can find (and about once a year a human gets killed). They have a venomous lethal bite due to their glands which secrete toxic bacteria. Thrilling!
It is compulsory to have a park guide accompany you in the hike across the island. Good thing. The guide has a long pronged stick which supposedly is used to ward off the Komodo dragon, if needed. Can that thin stick can actually do the job as promised?
First sighting. These guys are HUGE! They look more like relatives of the dinosaur than the lizard. A female can measure up to 2.3 m (7 feet) in length and weight up to 74kg (170lbs), while a male can grow up to 2,59m and 90kg.
Our guide was absolutely insistent that I sit on the steps behind this beast. As you can see by the expression on my face, I was not keen to have anything to do with being anywhere near a Komodo dragon, but the guide was relentless.
Back on the boat, we arrive at a sand bar in the middle of the ocean, with a tiny sliver of a pure creamy white sand beach. It is here that we experience the most mind blowing underwater life. The water is absolutely clear, and the coral reefs are in pristine condition. The reefs alone are spectacular in their differing organic and unique shape and vibrant colors. An underwater forest out of Alice in Wonderland. And then the fish…. Tropical, exotic, jewel colored and plentiful. Hands down our best snorkelling experience EVER. No need for deep sea diving, one is able to see and experience it all with goggles and flippers.
Our boat guide, joined the two of us on our adventure ~ he is passionate about underwater life and its preservation. As we left the shallow sand bar, he took my hand in the water and led us to deeper parts, with the three of us holding hands and delighting in the visuals of the underwater world together, pointing things out and sharing discoveries.
The snorkelling in Flores was magical We don’t have an under water camera, so we selected photos (credit unknown, off google) which capture a small sampling of the vividly colourful, tropical fish we encountered…
One interesting tidbit: I (Ben) am colourblind, and yet, under water, I can see the fish’s vibrant colours clearly. A whole range of colours that are not part of my “on land” visual vocabulary. This is wildly exciting for me!
(Here is what we have discovered as a result of trying to understand why I can suddenly see colours, under water: “Water attenuates light due to absorption, which varies as a function of frequency. In other words, as light passes through a greater distance of water, colour is selectively absorbed by the water. Water preferentially absorbs red light, and to a lesser extent, yellow, green and violet light, so the colour that is least absorbed by water is blue light.”
Here is the technical bottom line:)
| Color | Average wavelength | Approximate depth of total absorption |
|---|---|---|
| Ultraviolet | 300 nm | 25 m |
| Violet | 400 nm | 100 m |
| Blue | 475 nm | 275 m |
| Green | 525 nm | 110 m |
| Yellow | 575 nm | 50 m |
| Orange | 600 nm | 20 m |
| Red | 685 nm | 5 m |
| Infra-red | 800 nm | 3 m |
The most unusual underwater creature we see and swim near is the manta ray.
These graceful creatures are surprisingly large ~ the smaller ones are 18 feet in wing span and the larger ones can be as large as 28 feet! One interesting feature is that they can only move forward, which sadly makes them vulnerable to fishing nets. The Chinese demand for medicine from the manta ray’s cartilage and gills is driving illegal fishing, as the manta rays were declared by the UN to be a species at risk of extinction.
We see a group of manta rays a few feet below us, in a part of the ocean that locals call “Manta Point” as this is where they are most often spotted.
The smile and satisfaction of an emotionally exhausted colourblind person after being bombarded with the intensity of vibrant new colours.
We woke up at 5 a.m. to be at the dock ready for departure. Long day on the seas, but oh so very worth the early wake up…
What a spectacular adventure. Fascinating, Ben, that you can see the colours underwater. Must be such a treat.
Both adventures exceeded any expectations Peggy. The colours for Ben was not a treat ~ but a smorgasbord! A cornucopuia!
Peta
Both wonderful trips. I think I would have been wary of all the things Peta was wary of! Great expression behind the Komodo dragon. I particularly loved the three crescent beaches and the pink sand.
Peta is definitely a good sport and game for doing things that might be “out of her comfort zone”.. but when it comes to sheer drops, thats pushing it too far.
Apparently in the middle of the day, in the heat, Komodo dragons are more passive, like dogs. This is what she was counting on at any rate. I did remind her that a few months ago there was an incident of a visitor from Sweden who strayed away without a guide and was never seen again. All that was left was his glasses and phone. Yikes.
Ben
Wow, what an amazing couple of days. Both adventures sound fabulous, and Ben I can’t imagine how exciting it must have been for you to see colours!
Alison, best way that I could describe to a non colourblind person what this experience was like, is to imagine going to a movie theater and all of a sudden the movie has a scents dimension where you can suddenly smell the scents that go along with the visuals. In short, an entire spectrum of experience that was until then lacking. I had the same experience when we snorkelled in Cuba. Now I understand the science behind…
Ben
Thanks! It felt like I went on the journey with you. So much fun thanks. Where to next? Have you seen Brooke?
Heidi, that is a lovely compliment thanks. Glad you enjoyed it. Three more countries coming up in the next few blog posts so stay tuned. Hoping to reunite with Brook tomorrow! Fingers crossed…
Peta
You are so good to share all these magic wanderings of yours, thank you! Great photos, as ever. I like the one on the pink beach — the fond embrace, each of you sporting a snorkel tube. And that dragon does look a lot more chill than you did. No worries.
Hahaha Johnny, too funny! It is nice to know that the time and effort we take to put a post together is appreciated, so thank you for the lovely feedback.
Oh yes, the dragon is chill. Me… not so much!!
Peta
Wow! What a beautiful adventure! That is incredible, about Ben being able to see more colours underwater. And that picture of Peta sitting above a komodo dragon – priceless!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Deb
Thanks Deb, so glad you enjoyed this post! It was amazing to have two such dramatic adventures. So different and yet both so memorable…! Highlights were the waterfall for sure and the underwater coral reef with the plentiful variety of exotic fish.
Peta
Wow, wow, wow! I definitely have to go back to Flores. I forgot it was so close to Komodo Island as well. So, I was going to write here that Padar Island would be my favorite (that view is unbelievable!) of your post. Then, I kept reading in awe and gazing at those photos… The snorkeling trip sounds incredible and to be able to swim with manta rays as well, all in the same trip. Iโm seriously envious!
Thanks for sharing your adventures and that interesting tidbit about color blindness. Iโm sure Ben first thought a miracle happened or something like that. What a wonderful surprise. Hopefully, it didnโt cause a headache. I predict you two will be in the coral-rich waters more often now!
Thanks Liesbet for all your enthusiasm! Oh yes, more underwater activities for sure in our future. Good thing that 90% of the planet’s surface is water, so there is a lot more to explore. When we were in Cuba we snorkelled the coral reefs there as well, and in Amed, Bali as well. Both times, Ben had the same experience of seeing vivid colours and then for somer reason, without those colours in front of him, it is “out of sight, out of mind”… Which is not a bad thing, as he relives the excitement anew each time we have the experience.
Peta
Such magical adventures the two of you have. Thanks for sharing your amazing photos. I think I prefer my iguanas here to that humongous komodo dragon. ๐ Love the photo of you with your guide. Your culottes are an exact match with the water. ๐
We sure hit gold here with both of these adventures, that is for sure. I would also prefer iguanas to Komodo dragons.. which are not at the top of my list of favourite animals. As Ben says, they are not exactly “cuddly” haha.
I also really love that photo of the guide holding my hand to go around the canyon ridge. I didn’t notice the matching colours. That water had the most incredible colour and feeling of freshness. Nothing quite like mountain water!
Peta
What an adventure to get to that waterfall. I wouldn’t have been jumping in either, even though a swim would have been very welcome.
After our adventure to the waterfall we found out that 99% of foreigners hire a car with a driver in order to go to said waterfall. Haha, but what would be the fun of that? Even though it took way longer than we thought it would, it definitely made the swim sweeter for it! And oh the swim… so worth all of it!
Peta
The trip to get to the waterfall was long, but so worth it! I loved the photo of you swimming there! And you were lucky to have such a good guide. As for that dragon, I think I would have been heading in the opposite direction, pronto!
Ann, the trip was definitely longer than we expected but that is par for the course… I had told Ben, I give him a maximum time frame of an hour each way with regards to time on the motorcycle. He definitely went over budget, but then again, the reward was incredible and yes, oh so worth it!
The bridge was definitely an unexpected challenge for me, but as you say, luckily I had a kind and good guide who was very empathetic at my clear discomfort.
The dragons were not my favourite stop on this adventure, although it certainly was interesting to even contemplate that creatures like this exist.
Thanks Ann for stopping by and for your lovely feedback. That photo of the canyon swim is one of my very favourites from Flores.
Peta
Follow the yellow bridge road… So, um, where is the waterfall? Photos next post?
Absolutely fascinating about being able to see color underwater. As an art teacher for many decades, I came across a number of children who were color blind. We worked out a series of strategies for them to be able to create art. I didn’t want them limited to just black and white, and their ideas were wonderful. of course, most color blind people, my husband included, can see some colors.
I like my lizards small and darting around my garden. Can’t believe Peta got that close to that monster.
Very fun adventures today – thanks for the ride – and the hike and the swim.
Sharon thanks for your interesting comments…
There is no photo of the actual waterfall, which was extremely forceful and dramatic, because we had to swim there and we do not have a waterproof camera. One cannot see the actual waterfall unless one swims there or is at the top where it cascades down.
Re the colourblindness issue, yes, Ben can see some colour but a whole range of them are somewhat sepia toned and he also sees colours such as red, green, beige, pink, brown as all being in the same sepia tone range. He loves the colour purple or is it turquoise? Because he definitely reacts to those two, but never knows whether its purple or blue, so therefore I assume they must look very similar to him.
Peta
Pink sand! It looks absolutely gorgeous ๐ ๐ Worn out following you, though!
Ha ha Johanna that’s funny. We actually are moving quite slowly ~ 3 weeks in Bali and a week in Flores, but this has been a jam packed time in terms of being “on the road”… we still have more discovers coming, so stay tuned.
LOVED the pink sand! I was dubious when they told us that the beach had pink sand… BUT it REALLY does, and there about 6 of them apparently in the archipelago.
Peta
To explore these fascinating places by motorcycle and by boat has got to be the best way. Bravo Peta for crossing the bridges! And what a treat for Ben to be able to see colours under the water! Sounds and looks like an amazing adventure.
LOve all the photos. xo
Crossing the suspension bridges – check. I don’t have to do that in 2019 again. Very proud of myself. Not quite ready for skydiving or bungee jumping, but nonetheless.
Glad you enjoyed all the photos.
Peta
I just love your story about the journey to the waterfall. You guys are brave. I think we would have given up. It’s funny to see an entrance ticket booth at such an out of the way place but it sure sounds like that guide came through for you. What a beautiful swim (great video)!
I was terrified the whole time I was on Komodo (hiding behind my sister and friend). I see the guides are still using those pronged sticks (didn’t help with my anxiety in any way). Your expression sitting on the steps is priceless. Awesome photo and I’m relieved you came out unscathed. I share your enthusiasm for the beauty of the islands and the amazing underwater scenery.
The entranceway in our house displays an ikat weaving that I bought in Flores 28 years ago and is a constant reminder of how much I enjoyed Flores (well. except for the dragons). Your post really makes me want to do a return trip.
Caroline, I have to admit I was ready to give up and quite happy with just the drive. Ben on the other hand persisted along and I am SO glad that he/we did! Yay, finally someone commented on the video, which we love. We have tons of video from all our travels but it seems that the blog is not such a great format for sharing them, we still figuring out what might be a better way to tell the story of our travels using video clips.
28 years ago you were in Flores. Wow! It must have been completely off the map at that time. I mean even today, there are visitors, but it is not a place you often hear about. Where else did you travel on that Indonesian trip? It would be interesting to see photos from that time period.
Peta
I think certain travel moments lend themselves to being showcased with a short video on a blog post (like your swim, which really gives a feel for what it’s like being there). I unfortunately always forget to take video.
I can’t recall what prompted us to travel to Flores after spending time on Java and Bali (probably our Lonely Planet book). Unlike many backpackers, we bypassed Lombok and instead visited Flores and Sulawesi. Even after all these years, both these islands remain among my favourite travel destinations. I have huge photo albums from our time there, which I’ll gladly share with you if you come to Vancouver. I’m actually surprised that Flores has remained relatively unknown. I look forward to hearing more about your time there.
Sulawesi! Yes! We have thought about going there a few times, especially given their history of building tall houses with bamboo. (A fascination for us since our time building bamboo low cost housing in Nicaragua). It still is a very unvisited island as far as we know.
We will take you up on your offer and hope we do get to Vancouver. Ben has a key project going on with a partner in Vancouver and my nephew and his family live there… so hopefully.
Peta
That was a veritable feast of adventures! I can hear myself using the same words as you did with Ben as your trip to the waterfall went on and on without end! Glad there was a treasure at the end.
You know I’ve been fearing the Komodo dragon post, but I guess if you can perch right behind one, I can look from here! (Still, eeeeeek) The water colors are so soft and beautiful, and the pink sand is just luminous. All in all, a tremendous couple of days for sure.
Haha Lex you have us both chuckling. I should know Ben better by now. An hour can and does usually turn into 3 hours and so on… But definitely a “treasure chest” at the end!
I think if that komodo dragon had been facing me, this photo would NOT have happened. I figured that hopefully he had NO idea I was there. I snuck in and snuck out quietly and quickly. Task done.
I’m still dreaming of that pink sand and those clear waters.
Thanks for your terrific comments,
Peta
Both experiences look terrific (apart from the sore behind from the motorbike.) I admit I’d be a little more partial to the snorkeling, (and inclined to strap on scuba gear), the spot sounds beautiful. The colorblind thing is truly strange. I’ve had first hand experience of colors filtering out as you go deeper, in fact I generally bring a light so I can see true colors. I was curious as to what else might be behind it and learned they have glasses that may give some of the effect the water gave to help you see more color. They filter specific wavelengths, much like the water does. Check https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/color-blind-glasses.htm for more info.
Dave, we both love the idea of scuba diving but find snorkelling so much more accessible. And in these waters, we could see way deep down without any issue due to the fact that the waters were so clear and also the vibrancy of the reef and the fish.
The colours filtering out as you go deeper into the ocean sounds like it is the same process of colours having a shorter range, i.e attenuating ~ so the same phenomenon that reduced colours for you, is what allowed Ben to see more colours, if that makes sense. Thanks for the link, we will look into it. Ben did try something like that years back, perhaps the technology has improved now. Worth looking at.
Peta (& Ben)
A packed full action time, so much exciting stuff. Flores looks amazing, I am glad you found a great guide to show you the way, nothing like local knowledge. Those Komodo dragons look fierce. Peta you are brave to pose for photos so close to this dangerous creature. How fantastic for Ben to be able to see colors underwater? I had no idea that was possible for colour blind people. Great post, beautiful photos ๐
Gilda, we never use guides actually, because at the risk of missing something, we like having our independence to discover in different directions and without the presence of a third party. Here, we had no choice at the waterfall and it turned out to be a positive clearly and at Komodo island, it is also a requirement. I think I am brave too, but you will notice I am BEHIND said dangerous creature, not face to face. I found them quite ugly and scary, but Ben thought they were so ugly that they were cute!
Thanks for the compliments on the photos and post.
Peta
I feel as though I have just been on the most extraordinary adventure.
Peta I would have been with you that the motorbike ride was wway too long and definitely leaning to the unhappy frame of mind. I loved how your guide cared for you and held your hand. Not so sure about his suggestion of jumping in but our risk tolerance is all different.
I’m definitely with Ben about heading to see the Komodo dragons! Yes please to that. I probably should be more frightened of them and likely in person would be more cautious but I find them fascinating.
Ben the colourblindness information is surprising and so exciting. Dave is colourblind as well so I will be sure to have him read this. What an experience it must have been for you!
Keep exploring you two. The only issue is that my list of travel destinations keeps growing as I follow along.
Thanks Sue ~ this was a successful post then!
I really like your observation that everyone has a different risk tolerance. That is very true and it seems that it may not only be personalities, but cultural as well.
So interesting to see the different responses to our photos of the dragon ~ from fear to fascination. Bravo to the dragons for pushing some of us out of our comfort zones. Always a good thing.
Wondering if Dave has been snorkelling and if he had the same experience? If not, what a gift you can give him…
Haha ours keeps growing too. We are often torn between returning to our favourites and exploring new places and then as well, we love to see our children and parents at least once, but hopefully twice a year. Whew, it’s a lot!
As I write this, we are sharing a guesthouse with a 79 year old woman travelling solo and she seems to have been to almost every country (from Africa to Asia to the Caribbean) in the world! Inspiring and just from talking to her we added a few destinations to our list.
Peta
What an amazing set of adventures … well, except for maybe the long bumpy ride on a motorcycle. The scene of that waterfall definitely looked worth the effort though.
… and the pink beach, and the fish! Wow! I had no idea that colours are seen more vibrantly underwater. Learn something new everyday!
Joanne, the long bumpy ride is long forgotten, with only the beauty of the place and the swim now in my memory. And of course, I would do it again if I had the chance haha.
This was a very special trip ~ loved the comfort of Ubud but making the effort to get to a new part of Indonesia was well worth it!
Thanks for stopping by,
Peta
Wow, what an absolutely spectacular adventure. Loved the video of you swimming, looked so beautiful. As for that dragon, Iโm not sure I would have sat so calmly behind it. Thanks for sharing your extraordinary experience.
Thanks Miriam for your lovely comments and for stopping by to read us. Re the dragons, I am now pretty accustomed to encountering monitor lizards in Sri Lanka, where we live… yet but these relatives of the monitor lizards are entirely different league. I am a huge animal lover, but I can’t say I loved these creatures…
Peta
Peta – truly adventurous! I so enjoyed your prose and the spirit your gave the story.
Looking forward to more, and to reading what is for your back-log ๐ Many thanks for the fun – Susan
Susan thanks for your compliments and for stopping by to read us! Welcome. So glad you enjoyed this post so much and hope you have fun reading some of the archived ones.
Peta
Such a lovely time the two of you had around Flores, onland and in the waters. That guide guiding you to the waterfall was so friendly and helpful even though both sides spoke different native languages – and it seemed like a private excursion with no one else around ๐
Padar Island looks amazing from the top and that is quite the view. Didn’t know Ben was colourblind! It must be so exciting to finally see some colours prominently underwater ๐
Thanks for your comments Mabel. Yes we did feel like we had the whole place to ourselves at the waterfall as other than a few locals enjoying the rocks, we were the only ones there. At first we were not thrilled about having a guide as we never hire guides, and prefer to do things on our own, but seeing as there was no option we found ourselves with one, and he was so helpful and sweet, that it just added to the experience.
Peta
OMG….what an incredible adventure! Thank you for sharing with all of us..I am floored by the beauty of nature,,,especially the pink sand beach, the magical transparent waters and the underwater corals and gorgeous fish. Benjaminโs experience with colors must be imprinted in his mind for life….I am so happy for him๐As for the dragons I did not even knew that they existed……Scary!
Remarkable blog ๐๐๐๐๐๐
Madame Bell, so nice to read your feedback here. Of course the pink champagne coloured sand would catch your attention.. ๐ I would have thought you would LOVE those dragons…
Stay tuned, more still to come which I think you will really enjoy.
BSB
I loved this adventure, from start to finish, although I am with Peta, getting so close to those Komodo dragons would be very unnerving. How thrilling to be able to see the vibrant colors of the fish and coral underwater…so very interesting!
LuAnn, as we are coming to a close of this three month journey, these two adventures still stand out as highlights for us. With regard to the dragon, believe me, if he could SEE me, I would not be this close. I was putting the odds on the fact that if I snuck up behind he would not know I was there…
Peta
Love, love love the people shots! Adored Flores and wanted to see it on the back of a motorcycle but The Captain says his motorcycle days are behind him now that ‘he has a boat in an anchorage to worry aboutโ. My only motorcycle trip has been the brief one with Peta and Ben in Sri Lanka and the ones that I took when visiting Vietnam sans Fabio!
Great story of Peta facing the suspension bridges and being guided by her new BFF. Great picture too! Heights horrify me as I think you know. That swim was the perfect reward for her bravery!
Loved the Komodo Dragons but sadly did not make it to Padar Island. Stunning. Just one of the many things in this post that have me longing to return to Indonesia.
I was delighted to read that Ben is able to see vibrant colors underwater! The waters are glorious in those parts (as youโve illustrated with your google grabs) and it is nice to know that Ben was able to enjoy them fully. And I LOVE swimming with Mantas!!!! What a wonderful experience you had.
Thanks Lisa for all your positive enthusiasm and lovely feedback! No one else that we personally know has been to Flores in Indonesia, so it is particularly satisfying to read your comments.
So glad you enjoyed this post so much… stay tuned for Penang!!
Peta
Oooo, that beast is Spectacular!!!!))))))))))
So very Juristic Park.
IS that where you are!??? x
Haha Kim, of COURSE you would love the Komodo dragons. Yes, we were there for a visit.
Peta
The look on your face in that Komodo dragon photo is hilarious. Iโve got a phobia of Komodo dragons, but I will be confronting my fear in just a few days! The pink beach and that lookout hike are on the agenda, too. Ben looks pretty swanky in that pink shirt.
Haha I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you confront those Komodo dragons J.D. Nothing can quite prepare you for that “close up” moment. No worries, only one human a year gets eaten by them. Enjoy the pink beach and the hike… the best part though is for sure the snorkeling in the pristine coral reefs!!
Peta
You should return to Flores for more! It’s one of my favorite islands in Indonesia for so many reasons — the incredible underwater beauty, as you and Peta witnessed yourselves, is one of them. I’m glad to know that despite the rapid developments Labuan Bajo has been experiencing in the past few years, when you leave the center of the town everything still seems to be relatively untouched.
Oh we certainly hope to return for more. Of course more and more travellers will no doubt discover Flores and we can only hope that the amount of boats which go to the now pristine coral reefs is kept within sufficient check to prevent the deterioration of the underwater system. (Such as is the case in Thailand).
Peta
Wow! You had yourselves quite the day! I enjoy following your adventures as this part of the world is not currently on our radar, so I’m enjoying vicariously through your lens. When we were in the Dominican Republic, we got to visit a small cocoa farmer and he handed up one of the big pods, then split it open and encouraged us to try tasting one of the seeds. It was surprisingly tasty, but ugh, super slimy. Amazing that something so delicious stems from something so gross. Love all of the beach photos, I’d like to walk along each one of them, but not keen on the suspension bridges or the dragons!
Patti thanks for your interesting comments…and for following our adventures. i have neve tried tasting a cocoa seed and you do make it sound oh so appealing.. NOT! Haha. When we lived in Nicaragua we used to toast the cocoa seeds in order to grind them into raw cacao for homemade chocolates.
The pink colored sand beach was my absolute favorite. I had read about these pink sand beaches but was surprised to find that the sand actually WAS pink. Yup I can’t say that the dragons were my favorite, although I probably am somewhat acclimatised to these creatures from sightings of the Monitor lizard in Sri Lanka. Not as big but a cousin of the komodo dragon.
Peta
This was an exciting post. I doubt I will ever experience this firsthand, but this was fun.
Thanks Dan for stopping by to read us and leaving your feedback. Glad you enjoyed it.
Peta