JAN - MAR 2020 REDISCOVER HIDDEN PARADISE THE TRI-CRATER “Boiling Lakes” OF MOUNT KELIMUTU THE LAMAHOLOT VILLAGES IN EAST FLORES Ende’s TradiTIONAL IKAT TENUN MARKET K OModo’s Bat Island TREKKING AT THE KOMODO NATIONAL PARK www.floresplus.net Photo by Instagram / @thismattexists FLORESPLUS 1 Sail in style with Plataran Private Cruises on incredible journeys of awe and adventure in the Indonesian archipelago. Jl. Soekarno Hatta, Labuan Bajo, Flores East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia P. +62 385 41019 | www.plataran.com 2 FLORESPLUS Editor’s Note One of the most exciting things about Flores is the endless possibility of adventure and discovery. Everyone knows about the Komodo National Park but many do not understand or even can envision the wide expanse of this beautiful island. Beyond Labuan Bajo in the West, there is 13,000 km still left to uncover. With this in mind, we have taken some time to highlight some of the most notable destinations and natural attractions that you mustn’t miss when you are out and about discovering Flores. Read more in our Best of Flores section. Just like most mysterious and untouched tropical island destination, Flores has a ton of thrilling traditional festivals and cultural events that are open for viewing to outside visitors. As the island is home to hundreds of different indigenous tribes, there are always ceremonies, festivals and events to look forward to. You can see which ones will take place during your travels in our What’s Up section. Anywhere you go in the world, you will be sure to want to take advantage of unbeatable deals that will give you great value for money. See our Hot Deals section for awesome offers on trips on a traditional luxurious phinisi, suggestions on tours and trips and where best to eat and even a pearl farm visit and the chance to bring home a beautiful South Sea Pearl. If you’re a photographer - we welcome all contributions of exceptional photographs featuring Flores’s wondrous landscapes both above and underwater to feature in our weekly newsletter, Instagram and Facebook. Simply tag us and we’ll credit you if and when we use your photographs. So come and join us as we Rediscover Hidden Paradise and do visit www.floresplus.net for more insights and to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. If you would like to reach us, do send us your comments – email us at info@floresplus. net or simply contact us on Social Media. We’d always love to hear from you. Happy Exploring! The Flores Plus Team Contact Us : Phone : +62 361 9065014 Company Director : Accounting : Circulation & Distribution : For editoral : Hendra Lapusa Yuliana Bela Putu Sukarsa [email protected] Graphic Designer : Web Design & Developer : Wayan Sudartha For advertising : Achmad Irza Nursamsi Kadek Dwi Angga Permana Traffic : [email protected] Editor : Diana A. Yuli Astuti The following photos are courtesy of SwissContact - Page 17, Page 21, Page 22, Page 26, Page 27, Page 30, Page 32, Page 33, Page 34, Page FLORESPLUS35, Page 37 3 BEACHSIDE LUXURY RETREAT Waecicu Beach, Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara 86757, Indonesia T. +62 812 4614 4348 | E. [email protected] | www.plataran.com 4 FLORESPLUS Content 3 Editoral 31 Cruising Komodo & Beyond 6 What’s Up Flores 33 Diving & Snorkeling in Komodo 8 Hot Deals Flores 34 Wildlife 10 Best Of Flores 36 Entrance Tickets and Other Fees 16 Newsletters 38 Districts and Places to Visit 18 Understanding Flores 48 Getting to Flores & Travel - 22 People & Culture Practicalities 23 Geography & Weather 49 Hotels in Flores 24 History 53 Eat in Flores 26 Cultural Highlights 55 Flores Essential Info 30 About Komodo National Park Follow Us floresplusmagz @flores.plus www.floresplus.net FLORESPLUS 5 What’s Up Flores Reba Traditional Ceremony January / February 2020, Kampung Adat Bena Reba is one of the most important cer- emonies in the Ngada district – it is a thanksgiving celebration held annually to thank God and to honour their an- cestors for blessing the villagers with good harvest and wealth. This ceremo- ny is held over three days and is packed with rituals, food crops and livestock and focuses on the legend of the an- cestors and how they travelled far and wide to find a better place to live. The are many different stages to the ceremony; preparations and rituals begin one week ahead of the actual day and is followed by the collecting of offerings, receiving guests, dancing, reciting original myths, and praising the yam root as yam used lages, this ceremony will take place here first, to be the most important and staple followed by other villages in January including food in the past. As the village Bena is Langa, Nage and Wogo and Ruto, Deru or Ture- considered the mother of all Ngada vil- kisa in February. *Photo by Marketplus.co.id Pasola War Festival February / March, Sumba The Pasola War Festival takes place annually in February & March several days after the full moon in West Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara to honour God and the ancestors. Precise dates to the festival will usually be announced by religious representatives two weeks before the actual event takes place. Although thrilling to watch, the Pasola War Festival is an ancient ritual preceded by plenty of ceremonies and rituals. Visitors and tourists planning to watch should remember to behave calmly and accordingly. 50 men in traditional warrior costumes from multiple villages will be divided into two groups - the ritual begins with prayers and offerings and then Do not be alarmed – the show of blood is part of warriors on horsebacks will begin chasing the thanksgiving ritual for God and the ancestors. one another by throwing spears at their Pasola is derived from the word Sola or Hola, opponents until some blood can be seen. which means spear. *Photo by Pesonatrip.co.id 6 FLORESPLUS What’s Up Flores Sarong & Tenun Ikat Festival March 2020, Kupang, Timor Sarong and Tenun Ikat are traditional hand-woven textiles of Flores and East Nusa Tenggara. These textiles are crucial elements to the communities here and are held in extremely high regard. They play important roles to mark various milestones for families, the communities and villages in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The Sarong & Tenun Ikat Festival was conceptualized to uphold the importance of this heritage to the communities of East Indonesia while increasing awareness and exposure to this unique and ancient art form in the Ikat from Flobamora - namely Flores, Sumba and eyes of the world. In partnership with Timor. In addition to beautiful textiles, there will NTT Regional National Craft Council be a variety of traditional dance performances headed by Julie Sutrisno Laiskodat, the including Gawi, Dolo-dolo Jai dan Tebe and festival will showcase the various styles traditional foods from each respective district. and creations of the Sarong and Tenun *Photo by Tempo.co Komodo Festival 2020 TBC, Labuan Bajo, Flores A spectacular event highlighting everything wonderful about the Komo- do Dragons, Komodo National Park and Labuan Bajo. This 6-day event will see thrilling activities including a Komo- do Parade, Photography Competition, Beach Volleyball, Boat Race, Arts & Crafts Exhibitions, Performing Arts and Musical Performances and many more. While you’re there, take the opportunity to explore Komodo National Park and all its wonders; dive, sail, snorkel and meet the incredible wildlife both above and underwater. Komodo National Park is a world-famous dive site and is home See the dragons on Komodo and Rinca Is- to over 1000 species of fish and more lands, visit the Pink Beach, snorkel at Man- than 350 reef-building corals. Immerse ta Point, go trekking at Gili Laba and watch yourself in ancient cultures and tradi- the breathtaking Caci Dance – an ancient tions in the village of Komodo, Papa- warrior whip fight where both warriors are garang, Bajo and Sape and explore the dressed head to toe in dazzling traditional myriad islands that make up the park. Manggaraian outfits.*Photo by Pesona Indo FLORESPLUS 7 Hot Deals Flores Atlantis Beach Club by Plataran Located on the popular and scenic Pantai Pede, Atlantis Beach Club is renowned as a prime beach club with the best sunset views to be found anywhere in Labuan Bajo. Ac- knowledged as the best place to hang out by domestic and international tourists, Atlantis makes a splash with its distinctive architec- ture – a sunken phinisi boat that has been refurbished into a restaurant and beach club. In addition, Atlantis on the Beach features a traditional Indonesian joglo in its array of ele- gant facilities. Built in a classic Javanese style, the crafted wooden joglo hut serves as a cosy yet spacious dining venue next to the pool and with ocean views. With the spectacular beauty of Labuan Bajo at its doorstep and the artistic elegance of Indonesian heritage all around, the new joglo is the perfect place Jl. Gorontalo, Pede Beach, Labuan Bajo, Flores to enjoy some delicious traditional cuisine. Ph: +62 811 3822 239 | www.plataran.com Atlas Pearls Farm Tour In Labuan Bajo Atlas Pearls, the leading producer of beautiful and high-quality South Sea Pearls would like to invite you to visit its pearl farm in Labuan Bajo, Flores during your trip to this beauti- ful and breathtaking island, also known as home to the Komodo Dragons. Here, you’ll not only discover firsthand the making of each precious South Sea Pearl but also un- derstand the intricacies behind each elab- orate process and the people behind it all. Tours are available 7 days a week and can be conducted in both English and Bahasa. There will be a video introduction, a viewing of the live seeding of an oyster, see a real-life hatchery and take part in a thrilling hunt to find a shell in the waters surrounding the Atlas Pearl’s Labuan Bajo showroom.