Bali Has Peaked. Flores Hasn't.
In 2026, Bali implemented its long-debated tourist levy, and visitor management schemes are now in place at Tanah Lot, Uluwatu, and Ubud's Monkey Forest. The island is still beautiful. It's also genuinely, exhaustingly crowded, and the prices are rising to match. For travellers who remember — or have heard about — what Bali was like, Flores is what they're looking for.
Flores is the long, rugged island 500km east of Bali, home to Komodo National Park, the extraordinary tri-coloured volcanic lakes of Kelimutu, some of Indonesia's most pristine diving, and a travel infrastructure still calibrated for adventure rather than luxury.
Komodo National Park: Beyond the Dragons
Yes, you can see Komodo dragons — the largest living lizards on earth — on Komodo and Rinca islands within the national park. Rangers escort small groups; the dragons are entirely wild and genuinely intimidating at up to three metres long. The experience is impressive, though managed carefully since a fee restructure in 2022 means permits now require booking in advance.
But the park's less-discussed glory is its marine environment. The waters around Komodo are some of the most biodiverse on the planet, driven by strong currents that funnel nutrients through the straits. Manta rays congregate at cleaning stations near Manta Point year-round. Drift diving past walls of coral, reef sharks, and schools of fusiliers is standard. Sightings of blue whales, whale sharks, and dugongs are recorded regularly. For divers, this is a bucket-list destination.
Kelimutu: Three Lakes, Three Colours
At 1,639m on the central spine of Flores, the volcano Kelimutu holds three crater lakes that are different colours — and change colour independently over time, driven by volcanic mineral activity and oxidation. On a single visit, you might see one lake black, one deep green, and one turquoise. Come back in two years and the combination may be entirely different.
Locals believe the lakes hold the souls of the dead, with different lakes receiving different souls based on how they lived. Whether or not you find that compelling, the pre-dawn hike to reach the crater rim at sunrise — watching the colours emerge from the mist — is one of the most quietly astonishing things you can do in Southeast Asia.
Flores' Villages and Culture
Flores is predominantly Catholic — a legacy of Portuguese colonialism unusual in predominantly Muslim Indonesia — and the combination of Catholicism with older animist traditions produces a ritual culture unlike anywhere else in the archipelago. The village of Wae Rebo, reachable only by a 4-hour jungle trek, is a cluster of traditional cone-roofed houses at 1,200m altitude, home to around 100 people. Staying overnight (basic homestay accommodation available) is one of the most genuine cultural immersion experiences left in Indonesia.
Bajawa is the highland town at the heart of Ngada culture, surrounded by villages where megalithic structures, ancestor shrines, and traditional ikat weaving are part of daily life rather than tourist performance.
Diving and Snorkelling Beyond Komodo
The dive sites around Maumere in east Flores were largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1992 but have regenerated significantly. Riung on the north coast offers 17 islands of coral gardens accessible by boat, almost entirely without tourism infrastructure. Ende's surrounding reefs are uncrowded and excellent for beginners.
Getting Around Flores
Flores has multiple airports: Komodo Airport (near Labuan Bajo in the west, where Komodo trips depart), Ende Airport (central), and Frans Sales Lega Airport in Ruteng. Labuan Bajo has seen the most tourist development and now has a range of accommodation from budget guesthouses to upscale liveaboard dive boats.
The Trans-Flores highway connects the island end-to-end in approximately 2 days of driving — a genuinely spectacular road trip through volcanic highlands, rice terraces, and coastal villages. Self-drive or hire a driver (recommended, as the roads demand local knowledge).
2026 Practical Notes
- When to visit: May–October is dry season and ideal. The wet season (November–April) brings flooding on mountain roads but the diving remains excellent.
- Komodo permits: Book through a licensed tour operator in Labuan Bajo. Entry now requires a SIMAKSI permit which should be arranged in advance through your accommodation or a local agent.
- Budget: Significantly cheaper than Bali. Guesthouses from $15/night; local meals from $3. Liveaboard dive trips are the big expense — budget $180–300/day for reputable operators.
- Getting there: Garuda Indonesia, Wings Air, and TransNusa fly from Bali (Denpasar) to Labuan Bajo. Flight time is approximately 1.5 hours.
The Bottom Line
Flores is not undiscovered — Labuan Bajo in particular has developed quickly — but outside the western tip the island remains genuinely off the beaten path. The combination of Komodo, Kelimutu, Wae Rebo, and some of the world's best diving in one island makes it a destination that should be far more visited than it is. In 2026, it still isn't. That's your advantage.