Transport and ferries in Flores

Good evening,

My first question is about travel times and approximate fares. I’d like to check the times I’ve seen because it’s not clear to me—do those times correspond to private vehicles or public buses? - Labuan Bajo – Denge (Wae Rebo) 5-6 h ???? - Denge – Ruteng 3 h ???? - Ruteng – Bajawa 4 h ???? - Bajawa – Moni (Kelimutu Volcano) 3 h 30 ???? - Moni – Koka Beach 1 h 30 ???? - Maumere – Koka Beach 2 h ????

Here are the approximate travel times (can vary by an hour or so either way) by bus for some of the routes you mentioned: Labuan Bajo – Ruteng: 4 h Ruteng – Bajawa: 5 h Bajawa – Moni: 8 h (with a connection in Ende that might not be possible on the same day). Moni – Maumere: 3 h I’ve never done these routes by car, but even though it’s probably faster, expect long hours on the road anyway.

because the travel times waste a lot of time

Is chatting with the other local passengers really a waste of time? Enjoy your trip locked in a car, then...

My second question is about the Maumere–Makassar ferry: I can’t find a clear answer because the Pelni website shows about two ferries a month, while Rome2Rio mentions a departure every day (one way and return the next day, like the Labuan Bajo–Makassar route, I imagine). I’d like to avoid the flight option, which is very expensive for this route.

Yes, Pelni. But your info about ferries (other than Pelni) existing between Maumere or Labuan Bajo and Makassar is surprising—could you share the pages where you found that, please? Flights are expensive because they’re not direct and require one (in Kupang) or even two connections (+ Denpasar), depending on the day of the week.

My third question: I’ve read that flight tickets are more expensive when bought from France than from Indonesia. Has anyone else heard this?

It’s not just for flights—it’s the case for most tourist services in general, no matter the destination country.

Hi, I completely agree with Songsam. Traveling by car cuts you off from the locals in Flores, who are one of the island’s greatest treasures. I’ve done both in Flores and I much preferred using public transport. That said, if you don’t change your mind, don’t stress about it now—you’ll find solutions as you go at each accommodation.

Hi Marie, thanks for your reply! I’ll check if I can do a mix of ridesharing for long distances and local buses for shorter hops. I’ll admit, though, that travel blogs about Flores don’t exactly motivate me to take local buses—some routes take 10 hours! Even though I love chatting with locals and agree those are the best experiences, I really don’t feel like spending whole days in transit, especially with my 13-year-old son who might lose it.

I’d love to travel like long-term backpackers without worrying about time 😅. Plus, it leaves more time for chatting during homestays or sightseeing 😊

Hi Songsam, Thanks so much for your reply. The info I saw on travel blogs about Flores, which mentioned very long journeys for certain distances, had put me off taking the bus (often between 7 and 12 hours). From what you're saying, that doesn't seem to be the case at all, so I'll rethink my plans for the shorter trips. I'd love not to worry about time, but I'm not a long-term traveler, so unfortunately, my reality is that I try to optimize things even more since I'll be with my 13-year-old son. I can hardly make him endure full-day trips, especially since we're heading to Sulawesi afterward, where we'll spend a lot of time in transport. Far from me the idea of wanting to be alone in my car or thinking I'd waste time with the people of Flores—but luckily, exchanges don't just happen on the bus, or at least I hope so.

Anyway, I’ll keep your advice in mind about buying flight tickets. For ferries, I saw this info on the Rome2Rio site: 1 ferry per day from Labuan Bajo to Makassar and 1 ferry per day from Maumere to Makassar. It seems tight from Labuan Bajo, so I think I’ll do it that way because the idea of spending a full day and a night sharing the experience with Indonesians really appeals to me—proof that you shouldn’t form opinions too quickly or too harshly about people based on forum posts! 😅

Hi there,

I’m jumping into this thread because I also need info on transportation in Flores: any recommendations for websites or apps to find details on local buses (schedules, routes, etc.)? Or is it always necessary to ask around once you’re there?

Thanks in advance,

For transportation, it's easier to arrange everything on the spot—whether it's buses, shared cars, or private ones—because the schedule info is very unlikely to be up to date.

For ferries, I saw this info on the Rome2Rio site: 1 ferry per day Labuan Bajo-Makassar and 1 ferry per day Maumere-Makassar.

I checked the site myself: sure enough, it says that, but I don’t believe it for a second. You shouldn’t rely on Rome2Rio or other sites like 12Go as reference sources because the info there is often wrong and/or incomplete when you venture into remote areas.

For example, if you look up transport from Labuan Bajo to Bajawa, Rome2Rio only lists flights, taxis, or cars—even though there are buses. Why doesn’t the site mention them? Because they’re regular buses (the slow, local kind) that, unlike flights, taxis, or cars, can’t be booked in advance, so they don’t earn Rome2Rio a commission. That’s the real purpose of these kinds of sites.

Once again, totally agree with Songsam!

Hello,

where should you always check on the spot?

Yes: The day before, check with your accommodation (for example) about the bus departure time, which will likely be approximate. When it's time to leave, arrive at the bus station (or whatever serves as one) a bit early (30 minutes to 1 hour...) compared to the time you were given the day before, then buy your ticket and wait. You won’t truly know the bus departure time until it starts moving. Also, keep in mind the following: - Buses are generally few and tend to leave in the morning (understandable given the travel times, as they rarely run at night), - It’s common for some drivers to wait until the bus is sufficiently full before leaving, - The bus might leave earlier than scheduled if it fills up before the set time (hence my advice above to arrive earlier than planned), - Just because the bus starts moving doesn’t mean it’s immediately heading out of town—if there aren’t enough passengers, it might make a (slow) loop around the city, honking to gather more people.

There are buses along the main road that crosses the island from Labuan Bajo to Larantuka, as well as public transport on the routes Ruteng-Reo, Bajawa-Riung, and Riung-Ende, but not on the coastal "road" between Reo and Riung. For anyone with the odd idea of taking the main road its entire length, it wouldn’t be possible without planning connections in Bajawa, Ende, and Maumere. For those with more time than money, (more comfortable) buses run from Labuan Bajo to Bali.

Hello,

Thanks to both of you for the replies—it’s exactly what I thought, but since my last trip to Indonesia was 15 years ago, I figured things might have changed... No worries, we’ll improvise based on the info we get on the ground. I’ll only book our first two nights in Labuan Bajo and sketch out a rough ideal itinerary that we can adjust as we go. I’m leaving in two weeks (not peak season yet), so I don’t think we’ll struggle to find last-minute accommodation. I’ll take Marifb’s advice and play it by ear, step by step. We managed in Bali, in the middle of August and with no reservations, so it should work out off-season in Flores...

@Vaness77 I’ll post some updates when I get back—might be useful for you!

Have a great day everyone! !

Hi It seems there’s a boat that leaves from Riung for Sulawesi. I don’t know if it still exists, but I spotted it when I was there a few years ago. That was back in 2017–2018

Thanks again for your reply! I was initially checking Rome2Rio for a rough idea, but you're right—it doesn’t seem to account for real-world conditions. I think I’ll figure it out when I get there. 😊

Thanks so much, I’d love any info—like cozy, authentic homestays, for example. Wishing you an amazing trip in the meantime!

For homestays or guesthouses, nothing in particular—there are several nice ones, but no guarantee they’re a must-see spot. Check the reviews. The only place I *really* recommend is Sunset Cottages or Lena House near Maumere because it’s a great starting point for snorkeling, and you’ll only find them if you know their names since they’re a bit far from Maumere, which isn’t all that interesting in itself (like many Indonesian towns).

Boats are cheap there, but of course, you’ll have to share with others. You eat better at Sunset than at Lena. You can swim on-site, but the best thing is to take a boat to reach some great spots.

I also recommend starting in Maumere so you can finish with a bang—snorkeling or diving with Komodo!

Hi Cyrille,

I’m heading to Flores around mid-May. If you don’t mind, I’ll reach out a little before then to get some tips (since you’ll be there before me). Enjoy your trip!