9 stops
- Ferry
- Bus
Flores after the August 2026 earthquake
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Flores before dawn on 15 August 2026, with reports placing the epicentre about 68 km north-north-west of Ende. Landslides cut the Trans-Flores Highway. Reports from 18 and 21 August said the main sections had reopened, though overland disruption continued, and that Komodo National Park and its Padar and Komodo Island sites were operating again. Kelimutu reopened on 25 August with limits: the park head said service counters are open 07:00 to 12:00, some viewpoints stay closed because of landslide risk, and visitors must keep back from the crater edges. One travel agency reported that sunrise visits were not allowed. Wae Rebo and Riung were reported closed in late August, and we found no reopening date by 6 October. Conditions change, so ask your operator, guesthouse or the park before you rely on any stop in this guide.
Is this route for you?
This route suits two kinds of traveller: bucket-list wildlife lovers who want the dragons and the boat trip's reef life, and independent, slow-travel backpackers happy to trade comfort for a part of Indonesia most visitors to "Bali" never see. The overland half asks a lot of patience. Flores's single main road winds through mountains, so Ruteng, Bajawa and Moni sit a half day to a full day's drive apart, not a network of easy day trips.
If you'd rather stop at the boat trip and skip the long drives, see the Komodo guide for the 2 to 3 day version on its own. If you want a proper mountain trek instead of a highland road trip, the Lombok and Gili Islands route swaps this for the Rinjani summit trek. Travellers building a longer Indonesia trip usually pair this with the Java overland route at the other end, as in our 3-week Bali itinerary.
Day by day
Arrival and the first night aboard
Labuan Bajo
Getting there Fly from Bali (Denpasar) to Labuan Bajo, about 1 hour 10 minutes; your boat operator or a scooter taxi covers the short harbour transfer
- Morning
- Land at Komodo Airport and drop your bags at a harbourside guesthouse or straight onto your boat
- Afternoon
- Board your liveaboard, meet the crew, and do an easy first snorkel stop, often at Kanawa or Sebayur Island
- Evening
- Dinner aboard as the boat motors toward the national park; you'll sleep on deck or in a cabin, depending on the boat
Eat Kolo (rice cooked inside bamboo over an open fire) if the crew is Manggarai, alongside a simple Indonesian spread
Local tip Pack seasickness tablets even if you don't usually need them: the crossing into the park can be choppy in the afternoon swell
With more time A free morning in Labuan Bajo suits a late-arriving flight
A three-bay panorama, dragons on Komodo and pink sand
Padar Island
- Morning
- Climb Padar Island's viewpoint at sunrise, a climb of about 800 steps that takes 30 to 45 minutes at an easy pace, to the three-bay panorama; it is quietest before the day boats arrive and there is no shade by mid-morning
- Afternoon
- Motor to Komodo Island for a ranger-guided walk to see wild Komodo dragons; a ranger or naturalist guide leads the walk and sets the route, so this isn't something you can do unguided
- Evening
- Anchor off Pink Beach for a swim and a snorkel over sand tinted by crushed red coral, then watch the sunset from the deck
Eat A boat-cooked Indonesian spread
Local tip Wear reef shoes at Pink Beach: the sand is coarser than photos suggest, and the shallows hold live coral
Mantas, a last reef, and back to Labuan Bajo
Manta Point
- Morning
- Snorkel at Manta Point, a channel inside the park where reef mantas come to feed; guides only stop to snorkel when they judge the current safe, and you'll wear a life jacket
- Afternoon
- A final reef stop, chosen by your crew according to the current, before the boat turns back for Labuan Bajo
- Evening
- Disembark in Labuan Bajo and move into a harbourside guesthouse for the night
Eat A proper sit-down meal on land, grilled fish being the local specialty
Local tip Build a spare day into your flights around the boat trip: the harbourmaster stopped tourist boats on several days in 2026, mostly for rough seas, including short closures in the dry season (see our Komodo guide)
Overland into the highlands
Ruteng
Getting there A shared travel van or private car from Labuan Bajo to Ruteng, about 3.5 to 4 hours on the Trans-Flores Highway's first mountain stretch; book the van through your guesthouse a day ahead
- Morning
- Leave Labuan Bajo early to beat the midday heat on the switchback road
- Afternoon
- Settle into Ruteng, a cool highland town in the mountains, then visit the Cancar spider-web rice fields nearby, where the paddies fan out from a single hub in a circular pattern like a spider's web
- Evening
- An early night, since tomorrow's drive is the longest of the trip
Eat Corn-based staples start appearing on menus here as you head into the highlands
Local tip Bring a light jacket: Ruteng's highland air is noticeably cooler than Labuan Bajo's coast
Ngada villages and megalithic shrines
Bajawa
Getting there A shared van or private car, Ruteng to Bajawa, about 4 to 5 hours; the road is paved but narrow and constantly curving, so treat this as a full day of travel, not a scenic add-on (sources give different times, so allow extra)
- Afternoon
- Visit Bena, the best known of Bajawa's traditional Ngada villages, where thatched-roof houses circle megalithic ancestor shrines beneath the cone of Gunung Inerie
- Evening
- Dinner at Bajawa's small night market
Eat Jagung titi, a pounded corn dish and a Ngada-region staple
Local tip Ask before photographing inside Bena: it's a lived-in village, not a museum, and visitors usually leave a small donation at the entrance
On to Kelimutu's doorstep
Moni
Getting there A shared van or private car, Bajawa to Moni via Ende, roughly 4 to 5 hours through more of the same winding highland road (sources vary)
- Afternoon
- Settle into Moni, a small village that exists mainly to serve Kelimutu visitors, and arrange your sunrise transport for the morning
- Evening
- An early dinner and an early night: tomorrow starts before 4am
Eat A simple warung meal, plus a first taste of Flores highland coffee
Local tip Confirm your Kelimutu transport and guide the evening before: options thin out overnight in a village this small
Kelimutu at sunrise, then on to the coast
Ende
Getting there A pre-arranged car to the Kelimutu car park, then Moni to Ende by shared van or private car, about 1.5 to 2 hours
- Morning
- Kelimutu's three crater lakes sit side by side in different colours, and the colours shift over months and years, so don't expect them to match old photos. Before the August 2026 earthquake the usual plan was a start around 4am for sunrise. Since the park reopened on 25 August, counters have opened at 07:00 and some viewpoints are closed, so check the current rules the evening before and plan a morning visit
- Afternoon
- Head down to Ende for a flight out (Wings Air is the only airline, with flights to Kupang and to Labuan Bajo) or an onward ferry connection
Eat One last bowl of kolo or a plate of grilled fish by Ende's waterfront before you go
Local tip Wings Air's Ende schedule is thin, and Ende Airport cancelled all flights through 20 August 2026 after the earthquake, so check flights before fixing this as your end point; some travellers loop back overland to Labuan Bajo instead
The 10 day version
Ten days adds a rest day in Labuan Bajo before the overland leg and a push on from Ende to Maumere, which has its own airport.
| Day | Where | What | Eat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Labuan Bajo | Fly in, settle in before boarding | Kolo |
| 2 to 4 | Komodo National Park | A 3-day, 2-night boat trip: Padar, Komodo Island, Pink Beach and Manta Point | Boat-cooked food |
| 5 | Labuan Bajo | A rest day: dive, do laundry or just recover before the long drive | Grilled seafood |
| 6 | Ruteng | Overland into the highlands, the Cancar spider-web rice fields | Manggarai regional food |
| 7 | Bajawa | Bena's traditional Ngada village and its megalithic shrines | Jagung titi |
| 8 | Moni | On to Kelimutu's doorstep | Flores highland coffee |
| 9 | Ende | Kelimutu sunrise, then down to the coast | Kolo |
| 10 | Maumere | A further 3 to 4 hours on to Maumere, or a flight out from Ende instead | Fresh seafood |
What it costs
The boat trip and the overland leg are priced very differently. The boat is usually one lump sum, while Flores overland runs on daily guesthouse, van and meal costs.
| Item | Typical price (IDR) | About (US$) |
|---|---|---|
| 3-day, 2-night shared boat trip, per person (by cabin type) | 3,600,000 to 8,000,000 | 200 to 450 |
| Komodo National Park entrance fee, foreign visitor, per day (often not included in boat prices) | 250,000 | 14 |
| Naturalist guide on Rinca, per group of up to 5 (ask your operator about Komodo Island) | 200,000 | 11 |
| Guesthouse room, Ruteng, Bajawa or Moni | 150,000 to 300,000 | 8 to 17 |
| Shared travel van, per overland leg | 150,000 to 250,000 | 8 to 14 |
| Local meal (nasi campur, kolo, jagung titi) | 25,000 to 50,000 | 1 to 3 |
| Kelimutu entrance fee, foreign visitor, weekday / weekend (2026 guides; not confirmed on an official page) | 150,000 / 225,000 | 8 / 13 |
Budget roughly US$200 to 450 for the boat trip (the same range as our Komodo guide), plus about US$20 to 39 a day for the overland leg, excluding flights. At September 2026 rates, US$1 is about IDR 17,800. Park and harbour fees can be added to quotes, so ask what your operator's price includes.
Getting there, away and around
Fly into Labuan Bajo (Komodo Airport, LBJ) from Bali or Jakarta; the Bali flight takes about 1 hour 10 minutes. Every boat trip and dive shop is a short walk or scooter ride from the harbour front.
Overland, a shared travel van (locally an "ELF") covers each leg for the lowest price, but seats fill up and departures aren't fixed to a strict timetable. A private car with a driver costs more but runs on your schedule, and it's worth it if your days are limited: the Trans-Flores Highway is paved along this stretch but narrow and constantly curving, so book comfort over speed either way. The 15 August 2026 earthquake caused landslides on the highway near Ende, and reports said the main sections had reopened by 18 August.
Away from Ende, Wings Air is the only airline, with 2026 schedule listings showing flights to Kupang and to Labuan Bajo (about 10 to 13 a week each), so check it before you rely on it. The other options are a ferry connection or continuing the drive on to Maumere, which has an airport of its own. Some travellers skip the flight question entirely and loop back overland to Labuan Bajo instead.
Best time for this route
Go between April and November, Komodo's dry season, when the seas are calmer for snorkelling and sailing. Avoid December to March: rougher seas can cancel or reroute boat trips, and heavier rain on the mountainous interior can slow the Trans-Flores Highway. Short closures happen in the dry season too: in 2026 the harbourmaster stopped voyages to Komodo and Padar on several days, so keep a spare day.
What to eat on this route
Kolo, rice cooked inside a length of bamboo over an open fire, turns up on the boat and around Labuan Bajo wherever the crew or cooks are Manggarai. Push inland and the food changes: jagung titi, a pounded corn flatbread, is a Ngada-region staple around Bajawa, and corn generally takes over from rice as the everyday starch through the highlands. Flores also grows its own coffee, worth trying in Moni or Bajawa before you leave. For the wider Indonesian picture, see our Indonesian food guide.
The boat leg with a Trip Host
Keep planning
See the Komodo guide for the boat trip on its own, the Java overland route and the Lombok and Gili Islands route for the routes this one most often pairs with, and the Bali and Indonesia travel guide for every other way to build a longer trip.
