In remote Flores island 2/3

IN REMOTE FLORES ISLAND 2/3

In remote Flores island 2/3

Day 1

The rice fields of Bali are beautiful, but even the millenary ones of Flores are not joking at all!
In particular, two will hit you all: those of Lingko which, seen from the top of a hill, form a giant spider web, and those with huge terraces near Ruteng airport.

The famous paddy fields cultivated in the shape of a spider's web, near Lingko.
The famous paddy fields cultivated in the shape of a spider's web, near Lingko.

We also recommend visiting a traditional village: we have seen that of Todo, with its characteristic cylindrical huts with a conical thatched roof. Obviously, the tour of the village will take place after an offer and a ... "good coffee" (do not refuse it or they will be offended)!

In Ruteng, the city where we stayed the first day, we recommend, if you have good stomachs, visiting the city market, as you will feel like you have been catapulted to a century ago (the iconic giant mice of Flores could cut your way).

A traditional cone-shaped hut in the village of Todo.
A traditional cone-shaped hut in the village of Todo.
Sirsak fruit.
Sirsak fruit.

Day 2

On this second day, after leaving Ruteng with the best of intentions, the car left us in the lurch in the middle of the jungle, in an area with little traffic. At this point of the journey, the providential Fred acted as interpreter for us to join Bajawa by three weird characters (a couple tipsy for palm wine) driving a blue van with ... Doraemon equipment.

After hours of waiting in the hotel with some sinister thoughts like "last part of the ruined vacation!", The problem with the car's fuel pump had become history! (With an adjoining visit to the Ogi waterfall and subsequent celebration toast at the restaurant).

The Ogi waterfalls.
The Ogi waterfalls.
Snacking in the jungle?
Snacking in the jungle?

Day 3

Avert the case and restart.
The day began by visiting the beautiful traditional village of Bena, south of Bajawa.

The structure of the village was very characteristic, with wooden houses and sloping thatched roofs, rectangular in shape; these huts created a kind of outline for the stone tombs placed in the center, where rituals such as the sacrifice of animals are still performed today.
The village is located at the foot of Mount Inerie, considered sacred.

The traditional village of Bena, built under the sacred mountain Inerie.
The traditional village of Bena, built under the sacred mountain Inerie.

Everything was clean and kept in extreme order, and silence and peace were at home.

After this visit, the day was completely dedicated to thermal wellness!

Flores, being an island of volcanic origin with still active volcanoes, has sulfur springs and boiling rivers that cross part of the tropical territory, and in some places, it is possible to completely soak in the waters stinking of sulfur (but extremely beneficial) forgetting weather!

Two unmissable places:
-The Malanage hot springs, where a river of cold water and one of boiling water meet to form small pools,
-The Mangeria hot springs, where it is literally possible to slide along smooth rocks from the hot water channels, with a temperature close to 40 degrees!

In the evening we arrived at the small and remote village of Riung, electrically supplied by… diesel generators!

Mangeria hot springs.
Mangeria hot springs.
That's all! If you like this text or have any question, leave a comment below.

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