The biggest attraction of Flores is Keli Mutu, the tri-coloured crater lakes that change colour. The natives believe that the souls of the dead go here, and each group of the dead has "their" lake: sinners black, young people green, old people blue. Near Keli Mutu there are hot springs in which you can bathe.
The Bajawa area is inhabited by the animist Ngada tribe, who live in strange thatched-roof houses and make their living growing vanilla and coffee. Near the village of Bema you can see the megalithic stone menhirs (the oldest dating back three and a half thousand years), which the natives still erect in memory of the dead. The Gunung Inerie volcano is nearby.
The islands of Rinca and Komodo, inhabited by giant Komodo lizards, are accessible by boat from Flores.
Here, the varani grow up to four metres in length and are the largest living lizards on Earth. They feed mainly on wild pigs, but can rarely attack humans. For safety reasons, you cannot move freely on Komodo - the dragons can only be seen when accompanied by national park rangers or at a place where they are regularly fed.
What to see around
Discover all the places to see in Indonesia.
