Flores is the gateway to Komodo Island and one of Indonesia’s top destinations. It’s home to an alluring archipelago with lush, volcanic landscapes and a fascinating history. It’s the perfect destination for thrill seekers looking to get off the beaten path. Flores, one of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Nusa Tenggara Timur (East Nusa Tenggara) provinsi (province), Indonesia. The last major island in the chain, which extends eastward from Java, it is long and narrow, 5,500 square miles (14,250 square km) in area, and has numerous inlets and bays. The island’s name is derived from the Portuguese designation for the island’s eastern Cape Kopondai—Cabo de Flores (“Cape of Flowers”)—named for the flamboyants (Poinciana regia) found in profusion there. Flores is largely mountainous, especially in the west, where Mandasawu Peak reaches 7,900 feet (2,400 metres). Several active volcanoes are in the centre and east. Near Ende, historically the main city and once a mission centre, is Mount Kelimutu, the “mountain of the three coloured lakes.” In May 1974 a volcanic eruption on nearby Mount Iya caused one of the lakes—the blue-white one—to change to a reddish colour, similar to the other two. The island’s interior has been little explored. The rivers are unnavigable. Most of the vegetation consists of either tropical deciduous forest or savanna, and the western end was formerly a haunt of a giant lizard.Flores Island has a typical monsoon climate. Rainy season is from
December to March. June to September is dry season, during the months October, November and April, May can be occasionally rain but usually it is dry.
Measured by the rainfall, Flores can be divided into three zones: 1. the dry north coast with less than 1000 mm of rain per year, 2. the central mountain with over 2000 mm of rain per year and 3. the south coast, which benefits more often from the rainfall.
In the coastal lowlands, temperatures are between 24℃ and 34℃ throughout the year. In the mountainous regions with peaks up to 2445m the average temperatures is up to 12℃ lower and don’t rise above 30℃ at lunchtime, so it is good weather for extensive hikes and trekking. At night there can be very cool in the mountains.
The best time to visit Flores is from mid-April to mid-November.
