Exploring in & around Labuan Bajo by scooter
Over the ten days in this island paradise, one of the best choices we made was without a doubt hiring a scooter for the duration of our stay on island time. This is a beautiful little place that is about as remote as it gets—and it is epic. Ten days on island time was incredible, exactly what we needed. While it was initially more challenging than anywhere else we have travelled to so far to find one, the place we did hire from was awesome. It always surprises me how much guts these little scooters actually have. Our scooter zipped up and down mountains, along coastlines and through vast fields and little villages. We took the scooter out pretty much every day, seeing something fresh and different every time we did so. Flores truly does have it all. We went in the dry season, which meant most of the island wasn't green (like it is in the rainy season). Even so, it was pretty much perfect. And every time we got out on our scooter, it got better, more beautiful.
After breakfast overlooking Labuan Bajo's surrounding islands and reefs, we decided to see what was to the left of our beautiful villa. As it turns out, to the left of Labuan Bajo lies vast fields and little villages where goats and chickens roam, and children excitedly laugh and wave at you as you ride through. This part of the island felt at once community-driven and even more isolated than anywhere else we had seen on the island. A place where you can ride for easily half an hour and see nothing but fields and mountains, before it opens back up into the next little village...on and on it goes. And it is so freeing, in a way that is nearly impossible to describe. I feel like every different landscape on this island has something different and equally special to offer. On this day, in this environment, it was seeing how happy the locals are to have what comparatively is so little to what we have. It was humbling, to put it simply. The joy on the children's faces as they waved to us, the peace of the locals, the beautiful sweeping landscapes.
Another day, the rain clouds poured over the beachside town of Labuan Bajo in the morning, and then the sky opened up after we had breakfast. We decided to venture to the right of Labuan Bajo that day, getting to see what there was to explore and experience what that part of the island had to offer. We found a few massive island resorts that you had to either stay at or dine in at (if they had that option - some of them did not) to even get to go to the beaches that were home to most of the reefs. We stopped off at a lovely little Airbnb up on the mountain overlooking the reef and some islands off the shoreline. We had lunch and drinks, watching monkeys play at the top of the rocky hill next to us. The owner told us about the history of the island, and of his process with building the Airbnb and cafe from the ground up. It was humbling and fantastic. After a delicious meal and saying our goodbyes, we left to explore further (however, we did go back to this spot again).
"I am longing to be with you, and by the sea, where we can talk together freely and build our castles in the air."
Bram Stoker, Dracula
As it turns out, that part of the island specifically was so special that we hired some snorkel gear to go explore it again another day...only, we couldn't find any beach spots that were easily (if at all) accessible on our own, or without having to go through one of the hotels. Still, it was a beautiful day...we got to see rolling mountains set alongside mangroves and beachside reefs that framed the island. The stark contrast of the bright and light aquas, blues, and turquoises, with vibrant greens and the browns and sandy tones, was a contrast that is beautiful and unforgettable. This was one of my absolutely favourite moments...getting to just ride through all the quiet places and take it all in on our own time and in our own way. Adventuring through the island by scooter is the best way that we could have done this trip. As usual, having our own way of adventuring and exploring on our own time and in our own way was the best possible way for us to experience it.
And then, of course, there are our favourite little restaurants and bars along the main street and beyond. From the Italian restaurant and the shoreline cafe on the left side of the main street, to the rooftop bar with a pool overlooking the bay and the backpackers cafe to the right, Labuan Bajo itself is unreal in just about every way—as is, of course, East Nusa Tenggara in general. From the fresh fish markets and the shoreline reefs and islands, to the beautiful hills and vast fields around little villages, this island paradise has it all—and then some. This place has all the magic of an island paradise, as well as effortlessly having its own unique atmosphere that draws you in, takes your breath away and leaves you feeling at peace, excited to travel the world more (and to come back to this unreal destination) and in love with life all at once.
