**For those keeping track, I went to Indonesia right before Singapore but had been waiting on pics before posting. But I've decided to add them in later - you'll see.**
My solo time in Indonesia didn’t get off to a great start after arriving in the dark in an unfamiliar country. The taxi people bombarded me upon leaving the exit and my flight to Labuan Bajo the following day was rescheduled from 3pm to 10am and then delayed several times until it was back to 3pm. Alas! Going with the flow was the name of the game this trip.
Landing in Labuan Bajo the next day was a much calmer experience and I paid the 50,000 IDR to take me the short ride to my hotel, the Eco Tree O’tel. Right as I got there I noticed a couple who I recognized from my flight. We got to chatting and turns out they were from London and were on my tour the next two days! Long story short, Emma and Mark were amazing and quickly invited me to accompany them to dinner. We decided on a cute Italian restaurant called La Cucina and I learned all about my fellow travelers over some homemade pasta and beers. Who knew a small Indonesian island would have some decent homemade pasta? Plus it came with a view...
XPirates Flores 2 Day Dragon Tour
The next day started our tour, and this was the main reason for coming to Labuan Bajo. It started with an early pick up at 7:30am that took us down to the water. We met the fourth to our small crew, another solo traveler named Kia from the Philippines, and took a small boat to our liveaboard. We originally were supposed to stay at the XPirates Dive Camp on one of the islands, but let me remind you we were going with the flow. There were four of us and five staff, which seemed excessive but who am I to judge. Overall the tour was really fun and we had an excellent group. Here are the highlights:Day 1
Kelor Island: Our first stop started with a rather vertical climb to see the panoramic view from the top of this mini mountain island. We were sweaty by the time we got back down and eager for a dip in the clear water.
Manjarite Beach: Our first official snorkel stop. I had originally thought I wanted to dive, but am glad I wasn’t really given the option. This wasn’t the best snorkel spot of the trip but it was still beautiful and had a ton of starfish, one of my favorites.
Loh Buaya Komodo National Park: While I’m pretty sure we got ripped off on the 600,000 IDR 2 day park entrance fee, I’m glad I got to see the famed Komodo Dragons. We opted for the medium hike with our park guide and saw all kinds of wildlife.
Rinca Village: This stop gave us the flavor for how the locals lived on Rinca. It was clear this was a small fishing village with minimal money. We saw a dragon walking around toward the end of the village. Could you imagine this deadly creature walking through your neighborhood?
Pulau Koaba, a.k.a. Kalong Island: This island is known for one thing, flying foxes (a.k.a bats). Thousands of them take off around sunset and fly to Labuan Bajo. The sheer number of bats made for an unbelievable sunset experience.
Day 2
Manta Point Komodo: I never realized how cool Manta Rays were until I snorkeled with them. They were gigantic and glided gracefully under the water surface. The current was really strong so we repeatedly used the small boat to find them and jump in the water right as they passed.
(Pictures to come!)
Mawan Pink Beach: While not as pink as I was hoping for, we still got the idea. The sand turns pink from the red coral breaking up on the shore. We also enjoyed some really spectacular snorkeling here. The reef was beautiful and the best I’ve ever seen.
Palau Karangan Sandbar: This random sandbar island in the middle of the water was our spot for some picturesque relaxation.
Turtle Bay: Did you know I love turtles? Well after Australia, you should. This stop was unbelievable. We were 100% guaranteed to see turtles here and we saw at least eight. This was their “cleaning station”, allowing them to be perfectly camera ready for us.
(Pictures to come)
Back on land we were dropped back off at the Eco Tree O’tel, a hotel I absolutely loved. The staff was really friendly and it had a pleasant upstairs that lent itself perfectly for relaxation and drinks.
That night my new friends Emma and Mark once again invited me to join them for dinner at Happy Banana where we enjoyed some sushi and drinks.
The following morning I said bye to my new friends (come visit me in the US!) and headed to the airport destined for Bali. In Bali I spent much of the day relaxing at the Novotel Ngurah Rai Airport hotel. This time I wasn’t messing around with taxis for my early morning flight, and this hotel was an excellent pick even if it cost a bit more (but $72 still isn’t a lot).
Overall, I’m thrilled I chose to take the mini trip to Labuan Bajo and couldn’t have been luckier in finding my fellow travelers from London. They made my solo trip to Bali feel more like vacation with some new friends.
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