Best Things to Do in Flores, Indonesia

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Once you leave Labuan Bajo behind, Flores turns into a completely different kind of trip — volcanic highlands, crater lakes, traditional villages and coastlines that most visitors to Indonesia never get to. This list covers the best things to do across the island beyond the Komodo boat trips, roughly organized west to east along the usual overland route.

If you haven’t planned your Komodo National Park trip yet, start with our Komodo boat tour guide — this list picks up where that trip ends.

1. Trek to Wae Rebo Village

Flores’ most iconic cultural site: a Manggarai settlement of seven cone-shaped Mbaru Niang houses set at 1,100m in the highlands above Ruteng. Reaching it takes a roughly three-hour jungle hike from Denge village, and most visitors stay overnight in one of the traditional houses, sharing a meal with the community. It’s one of the only places in Indonesia where you can experience traditional communal living rather than just viewing it from outside.

2. See the Cancar Spider Web Rice Fields

Just outside Ruteng, the Manggarai lingko land system creates rice paddies that radiate out from a central point like a spider’s web — a distinctive land-division tradition unique to this part of Flores. The fields are most striking during planting season (October-November) or just before harvest (March-April), when the color contrast between paddies is sharpest.

3. Visit the Liang Bua “Hobbit Cave”

About 14km from Ruteng, Liang Bua is the archaeological site where remains of Homo floresiensis — nicknamed “the hobbit” for its small stature — were discovered in 2003. A small on-site museum explains the find, and it’s a straightforward stop if you’re already passing through Ruteng.

4. Watch the Sunrise at Kelimutu

Flores’ single most famous natural sight: three volcanic crater lakes sitting side by side at 1,640m, each a different color, and known to shift shade over time due to mineral activity. Visitors base themselves in Moni village and set out around 4am to reach the viewpoint before sunrise, when the light and often a sea of cloud below make the lakes especially dramatic.

5. Explore the Ngada Villages Around Bajawa

Bajawa, a cool highland town at around 1,100m, is the gateway to a cluster of traditional Ngada villages — Bena, Luba, Wogo, Tololela and Gurusina among them. Bena in particular is known for its megalithic stone structures and traditional houses arranged around a central ceremonial space, with seasonal ceremonies still held there.

6. Soak in Bajawa’s Hot Springs

The volcanic geology that shapes this part of Flores also produces natural hot springs at Malanage and Mangeruda, both a short drive from Bajawa. Malanage is particularly notable for sitting where a hot spring and a cold river meet, letting you move between temperatures within a few steps.

7. Climb Mount Inerie

An active stratovolcano near Bajawa rising to 2,245m, popular with travelers who want a proper hike rather than a scenic viewpoint. A guide is mandatory, and most climbs start around 2am to reach the summit for sunrise — a serious outing rather than a casual walk, but with panoramic views over the Ngada highlands as the reward.

8. Snorkel or Dive Riung’s 17 Islands Marine Park

A lesser-known marine park north of the main overland route, with healthy reefs, uninhabited islands and a notable flying fox colony on Pulau Ontoloe. Riung sees a fraction of the visitors that Komodo National Park does, which is exactly its appeal if you’ve already done the classic boat trip and want a quieter alternative.

9. Visit Sano Nggoang Crater Lake

The deepest crater lake in Flores, ringed by hot sulfuric springs, reached via a rough 2-3 hour drive west of Labuan Bajo. It’s a good stop for travelers with their own vehicle and time to spare, less practical as a quick add-on to a standard itinerary.

10. Walk Blue Stone Beach

Between Ende and Maumere, Penggajawa Beach is covered in smooth blue-green volcanic pebbles formed by ancient eruptions — more of a photo stop and short walk than a swimming beach, but a distinctive one worth the short detour if you’re driving this stretch of the island.

11. Relax at Koka Beach

Near Maumere, Koka Beach’s twin white-sand bays offer calmer swimming and snorkeling than most of the island’s boat-trip beaches, without the crowds that come with organized tours.

12. Visit the Nuabari Megalithic Villages

Near Maumere, the Nuabari villages hold massive megalithic tombstones marking ancestral graves — a genuinely off-the-radar cultural site that sees very little organized tourism, worth visiting with a local guide who can explain the significance of what you’re seeing.

13. Dive Maumere’s North Coast

Maumere’s dive sites don’t get the attention Komodo does, but the north coast has its own reefs and wall dives, appealing to divers who’ve already covered the Komodo sites and want somewhere quieter to finish a Flores trip.

14. See Ende’s Sukarno Exile House

Ende, on the south coast, is where Indonesian founding president Sukarno was exiled by Dutch colonial authorities in the 1930s. His former house is preserved as a small museum, alongside a museum of local ikat weaving traditions — a worthwhile stop if you’re passing through rather than a destination in itself.

15. Watch Traditional Ikat Weaving

Villages across central and eastern Flores, particularly around Ende and Maumere, still produce hand-woven ikat textiles using traditional dyeing techniques. Several villages welcome visitors to watch the process and buy directly from weavers rather than through souvenir shops in town.

Things to Do in Flores by Region

Region	Highlights
Labuan Bajo	Komodo National Park boat trips — see our things to do in Labuan Bajo guide
Ruteng	Wae Rebo trek, Cancar rice fields, Liang Bua cave
Bajawa	Ngada villages, hot springs, Mount Inerie
Riung	17 Islands Marine Park
Moni	Kelimutu sunrise
Ende	Sukarno’s house, ikat weaving museum, Blue Stone Beach
Maumere	Koka Beach, Nuabari villages, north coast diving

For help deciding how much of this to fit into your trip, see our full Flores travel guide, which covers getting between these regions and how many days each stretch realistically needs.

Best Things to Do in Flores FAQ

What is the number one thing to do in Flores?

For most travelers, it’s a toss-up between Komodo National Park in Labuan Bajo and the Kelimutu sunrise in central Flores — the two most iconic and photographed sights on the island.

Can I visit Wae Rebo as a day trip?

Technically yes, but most travelers stay overnight given the three-hour trek each way and the chance to experience the village properly rather than rushing through.

Do I need a guide for Mount Inerie?

Yes, a guide is mandatory for the climb, both for navigation and safety on the pre-dawn summit push.

Is Riung worth visiting if I’ve already done Komodo?

Yes, if you want a quieter, less touristed marine park experience — Riung sees far fewer visitors than Komodo National Park.

How many of these can I fit into one trip?

A full west-to-east crossing of 8-10 days can realistically cover most of this list. Shorter trips should prioritize based on region — see our Flores travel guide for suggested itineraries.