Flores and Komodo Tours & Holidays

Considered by many to be the new challenger for Bali’s undisputed crown, Flores lies amongst the islands of the Lesser Sundas. Christened Flores by Portuguese traders in the 16th century, the island provides a welcome escape from the well-trodden tourist trails of some of the more popular parts of the Indonesian archipelago. Home to a rich tribal culture that is unusual in Indonesia for being nominally Catholic, the island can boast giant endemic rats, idyllic hidden beaches that are amongst the finest in Indonesia and some of the best diving to be found anywhere. The gateway to the famed dragons of Komodo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Flores also offers up the colourful crater lakes of Kelimutu National Park and the Stone Age megaliths of Bena. The surrounding azure waters meanwhile play host to whale sharks, manta rays and barracuda. Komodo Island probably needs little introduction, given its famous connection with the largest lizards on earth. Populated by dragons, Javan deer, banded pigs and a small human population descended from former convicts, the island forms part of the Komodo National Park, alongside the other two main islands of Padar and Rinca. Covering some 390 square kilometres, its rugged hills and dry savannahs lie at the centre of the Indonesian archipelago, providing a haven for around 5,700 of the island’s famous giant monitors.