Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com 20 | ATF OFFICIAL SUPPORTING DAILIES tour operator's choice The island of Flores is often overlooked by visitors to Indonesia. While Indonesia's best known destination is undoubtedly Bali, nowadays Java, Sumatra, Lombok and the Gili islands are on the radar of most visitors to Indonesia. With the recent airport upgrades and increased flights to Labuan Bajo, Flores is slowly but surely gaining popularity, and rightfully so. Labuan Bajo serves as the gateway to Komodo National Park, known for the famous Komodo dragons (most recently featured on BBC's Planet Earth II alongside its first class diving spots). Yet it is the untouched natural beauty, diverse cultures and easy accessibility that make the rest of Flores worth an overland trip. Earlier this year, after a boat trip in Komodo, I took a great trip AS HOME-STAY EXPERIENCES GO, THIS ONE'S A WORLD-BEATER with my parents. We departed from Labuan Bajo early the next morning to our next destination: Ruteng. We did an easy but beautiful bicycle ride through the terraced rice fields in blessed isolation from any other tourists. Following our bicycle trip, we drove to Aimere, a sleepy coastal fishing village along the southern coast. Our local guide, Reny, picked us up for the start of a three-hour trek to our host village for the night: Belaragi. This isolated village in the hills is not accessible by car and only recently begun using electricity. A year ago, a government programme equipped each of the village's 21 houses with a small solar panel with enough power for a couple of light bulbs. The local tribe of Belaragi welcomed us with a traditional flute concert and the village chief slaughtered a chicken in front of our eyes to make soup. We spent the night in one of the thatched wooden houses with our host family. It was as authentic a home-stay experience as could be had anywhere in the world! The next morning, we descended from the hills by foot and continued by car via Bajawa where we enjoyed the scenery during a half-day trek through mountainous forests and small local villages. Most of the time, there were no other tourists in sight. It was like we'd stepped back in time on this predominantly Catholic island. Most local villagers still practice a mix of animist beliefs with Catholic practices. Via the natural hot springs of Soa, we headed north to see the islands of Riung. The fresh barbeque fish lunch on the beach was unforgettable as were the many fish and turtles we spotted while snorkelling. The next day, we headed further east to the mountain town of Moni. An early morning trek provided us with a memorable sunrise over Kelimutu and its three colour- changing lakes! What a way to end this incredible trip to Flores and still quickly return to creature comforts via Ende, nearby Moni, with a direct flight on Garuda to Bali. ** The above trip can be arranged through Khiri Travel Indonesia. E: sales.indonesia@khiri.com Spiderweb ricefields A homestay to remember at isolated Belaragi "The local tribe welcomed us with a traditional flute concert and the village chief slaughtered a chicken in front of our eyes to make soup...it was as authentic an experience as could be," – HERMAN HOVEN, GENERAL MANAGER, KHIRI TRAVEL INDONESIA Herman Hoven, general manager, Khiri Travel Indonesia, shares his trip beyond Komodo to Flores

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