City: East Nusa Tenggara
Top Things to do in East Nusa Tenggara
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Things to do in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas
East Nusa Tenggara (Indonesian: Nusa Tenggara Timur – NTT) is the southernmost province of Indonesia. It is located in the eastern part of the Lesser Sunda Islands and includes West Timor. It has a total area of 47,245.82 km, and the population at the 2010 Census was 4,683,827; the latest official estimate in January 2014 was 5,070,746. The provincial capital is Kupang on West Timor.
Restaurants in East Nusa Tenggara
1. Tiwu Sora
2. Gunung Mutis Natural Reserve
3. Komodo Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 923 reviews
Reviewed By ochassot - Santa Ana, Costa Rica
A trip to Komodo National Park and World Heritage Site is a must for any trip to Indonesia. The scenery from the boat trip from Labuan Bajo is stunning, and watching the dragons in Komodo a must. There are short, medium and long hikes available on the island (hiring a park ranger is affordable and also mandatory), all worthwhile. Most visitors come to Komodo on a day trip and spend an hour or two. If you have time, consider staying overnight, you'll have the island to yourself!
4. Komodo National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 794 reviews
Reviewed By Helen_JannesonBense - Perth, Australia
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a place so otherworldly like Komodo Islands. Accompanied by a wonderful group of bloggers, members of Indonesian tourism, experienced local boat crew, we set sail for 3 days to explore the islands. We set off from the main hub of Labuan Bajo, the westernmost tip of the Flores island. Our first stop was Kelor Island. I was first struck by the multiple shades of turquoise water and the breathtaking landscape. As I looked closer, I saw local children playing soccer with an old plastic water bottle. I soon realised that the rubbish that lined the shores at Labuan Bajo, was also making its way to this once pristine island paradise. We climbed the many steps to the top and were rewarded with grand views of the surrounding islands and ocean. It was an easy climb, however I would recommend good shoes and a beginner-moderate fitness level to get to the top and back down again. From here we set sail to Kalong island to settle in for the night and watch the sunset while the bats took off into the night sky. It was such a sight to see! For over 15 minutes, hundreds upon hundreds of bats flew from the mangroves across the sunset sky, some with a wingspan of up to 1.5m! We had a 4.30am wake up to hike to the top of Padar Island for sunrise. This hike was probably one of the more challenging I’ve done. It feels like a million steps to get to the top, though it’s roughly 700 steps. I would suggest a moderate fitness level for this one, good hiking shoes, sunscreen, setting off as early as you can, and taking lots of water because it gets very hot. It’s about a 2 hour boat trip from Labuan Bajo if you don’t want to go for sunrise or sleep overnight on a boat. For me, it really was worth it to watch the sunrise over the water and light everything up. I watched the pastel colours changing with the light over the majestic island landscape. With black, white and pink sand beaches, Padar island is one for the adventure bucket list for sure. Next we headed to Pantai Merah, also known as Pink beach. A microorganism, known as Foraminifera, produces the pinkish red colour pigment on nearby coral reefs that makes the sand pink. The intensity of the pink colour varies due to the amount of coral found in the sand. It’s worth mentioning that even though you might not see Komodo dragons here, they are known to live on the island and they are also very good swimmers, going from one island to another within Komodo National Park. I didn’t realise this while I was having a relaxing float in the water by myself that Komodo dragons could be swimming by me! The next part of our journey was to Komodo Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see the Komodo dragons up close and personal and meet the locals in Komodo Village. I was once again stunned by the amount of plastic rubbish along the shores. We met some local children from the village who were playing here with these mounds of plastic junk. The strong currents are constantly bringing more and more rubbish to the shores, killing marine life along the way. We must be mindful of plastic use and disposal during our visit to places where proper waste disposal systems are not in place. Your best option is to bring your own reusables and choose eco tours. If you do use plastic, please collect all your rubbish and take it home with you to recycle properly. Placing it in a local bin means it will most likely end up in the ocean. Komodo island had a very eerie feel to it. I’m not sure if it was because I knew that deadly Komodo dragons were here in their natural habitat and I felt like the intruder. As I took part in the very touristy experience walking along with a guide, and stopping for a very staged photo op with a Komodo dragon, I started to feel uneasy about this entire experience. It didn’t sit right for me. I really didn’t want to take a photo. I soon learnt Komodo dragon numbers are in the decline. The over polluting, the poaching, burning of their habitat, relocating, climate change (rising temperature impacts on the survival and sex of their offspring), and over tourism (feeding the dragons, affecting their mating habits) has endangered the species. Concerns have arisen that Komodo dragons could be extinct within 50-100 years. In 2019 the Indonesian government had called for a closure of the island for 1 year to help replenish numbers and then back flipped on that move. As much as I loved learning about Komodo dragons, I also feel like there are parts of this world that I’d rather not be able to see, knowing that my lack of presence will work towards protecting these species. My hope is that a sustainable eco-tourism approach will be maintained moving forward. After this wild adventure with the dragons, we set sail for one of my favourite spots of this entire trip – Taka Makassar; a sandbank island amidst the archipelago. I watched the sunrise from the top of the boat with 360 degree ocean views. After breakfast we set off in a smaller boat to Taka Makassar for some snorkelling and swimming in crystalline blue waters. It’s a tiny sandbank that gets very busy, so it’s best to visit early in the morning. We experienced some of the cleanest waters I’ve seen. It reminded me of the Maldives. From here we took our small boat to Manta Point to snorkel with the Manta rays. I was amazed at how many there were as soon as I dove into the water. Snorkelling in and around this area was absolutely amazing with so much biodiversity. For the afternoon we visited Kanawa Island. Another fabulous snorkelling spot with crystal clear turquoise waters. When you head back to Labuan Bajo, make sure to visit Melo village to experience the mesmerising Tetek Alu and Caci dance with the local tribe. These dances are an important part of their cultural identity and ceremonial life. The ocean vista from high in the mountains is breathtaking. Supporting locals is an important part of sustainable tourism. Make sure you buy your art and treasures directly from the locals too and always show respect for their customs and cultural protocols. Modest clothing is recommended for Labuan Bajo. These islands are definitely a must visit for the ocean lovers. It was actual mermaid heaven and one of my favourite trips ever!
5. Sano Nggoang Crater Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By Myx2017 - Antwerp, Belgium
Getting to the lake I read some bad reviews for getting to the lake before I went there, I think they are exagerrated, it’s not that bad. When you leave the Trans Flores Highway in Bambor, it’s a 10km ride to Werung. The road is bumpy and the asfalt is in pretty bad shape at some places, but it’s a regular “Flores sideroad” I would say. We did it by motorbike (scooter 150cc - 2 persons on it) in approximatively one hour. The second part, from Werung to the lake village is another 10km, but the road is somewhat better and you need to cover less altitude. 30-45mins tops. So it should take you about 1h45 from Bambor to the lake if you’re good driver and if you don’t mind being tossed around a bit. Reward: a stunning, peaceful, truly of the beaten track experience. Make sure you arrive before sunset. Note that except hiking the nearest mountain, there’s nothing really to do over there, it’s just about enjoying a quiet time in a very nice and peaceful touristless environment. Petrus and Sicilia guesthouse We couldn’t be more enthousiastic about them and their place. Situated at 20m from the lake with a nice garden and a pond (when you arrive at the T-junction at the lake, turn left to go to the village), is the right place to enjoy the lake views (go on the balcony of the guesthouse to watch the sunset). Petrus and Sicilia are the perfect hosts, they’re adorable and love to receive guests. Petrus speaks English and it’s easy to communicate with him. He invited us to dine with him and his wife Sicilia at their place. As I said, off the beaten track. A room for 2 is roughly 300k IDR meals exlcuded. Anyway, we would have stayed longer if our timing would have allowed it.
6. Fulan Fehan Savanna
7. Savana Puru Kambera
8. Rinca Island
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 721 reviews
Rinca Island, Komodo Island and Padar Island are the main islands of Komodo National Park. Famous for some of the world's best dive sites and their popular inhabitant - the Komodo dragon - the area attracts thousands of tourists each year. Treks on Rinca Island start from the ticket office at Loh Buaya. You also have the option to choose between three trails. The shortest trek takes 30 minutes. It is an easy, shaded walk that passes an artificial waterhole before ascending to a small hill with a view over the bay. The one-hour medium trek winds between dragon nests and out into the sunshine across an exposed savannah that is studded with lontar palms. For the best opportunity to see dragons and their prey, choose the two-hour trek past a permanent waterhole and across steep, exposed slopes that offer breathtaking views
Reviewed By aliciaannchapman - Portland, United States
We visited Rinca in the afternoon after scuba diving with Blue Marlin Komodo via the same boat from Labuan Bajo. We saw many dragons lazy after killing a buffalo that morning- bad luck missing the action but it did make for lots of great photos posing with these gentle giants! Also saw several young dragons running around the trails and even one that surprised us in the forest! Thanks to the excellent local rangers who help conserve this fragile ecosystem for future visitors!
9. Sumba Cultural Conservation and Learning Institute
10. Manta Point
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By BradX_11
This was just one of the places we stopped on our way beck to Labuan Bajo after visiting Komodo Island. The boat captain slowly circled the area until we saw Mantas swimming below us (water was exceptionally clear). Once they were spotted, we jumped in. Obviously the current speed and direction will be dependent on what the tides are doing, but when we were there in the middle of the day, the water was moving rather swiftly. When we hit the water, we had to start swimming right away just to hold our position above the mantas. They obviously come to this point as the moving water funnels their food through a narrow area. The mantas basically swim just enough to hover in one spot and open their mouths. The water pushes the plankton right into their mouths. We had to swim relatively hard just to stay above them and get some pictures. We were lucky and our boat was only one of two when we first got there. Within about 10 minutes, several large "cattle boats" showed up and dumped about 15 more people from each boat into the water. At that point it wasn't worth trying to watch the rays and maintain my distance from all the other people that were maneuvering to get above them. If you're not a strong swimmer, you might want to let some other people get in the water before you do to gauge the speed of the current. The rays we saw were about 6 to 10 feet from wing tip to wing tip. At one point I counted 9 mantas in my field of view at the same time.
