Driving a motorbike in Flores, Indonesia is incredible. The scenery is green and lush, and there are rivers, mountains, and beaches to see.
I had a long drive from Ruteng to Bajawa, where there were some sites. But the drive itself was a site, so I was in no hurry.
I went down the mountain, through rice terraces, down to the sea, then up a mountain. Once again, the black sand beaches were deserted.
All the kids I passed said “hello mister.” People smiled back when I smiled at them. I stopped a lot to talk to people.
Two important rules when driving a motorbike in Indonesia are to always smile, and never wear sunglasses. It makes you more accessible to the locals.
I stopped at a sign that said “coffee” in English. A family ran the business, and the husband spoke good English. I chatted for a while.
A guy selling coconuts, and his friend came up and joked that one of the kids was a buffalo, and another was a werwolf. People on bikes stopped and asked where I was going. Everyone wanted to help me get to where I was going.
Hi man!!
Really nice blog. I’m going to Flores with my girl in a few days and I want to visit the Ngada villages by bike. You know if it is possible to rent a motorbike in Bajawa?
Thanks
I think so, but you’ll have to ask around. There isn’t really any tourist infrastructure there.