On a whim, I checked the Accor website and discovered an even cheaper deal if we booked directly. However, I told Garry that if he booked for 14 days, I couldn’t lie on the beach for two weeks. Instead, I’d do a side trip to the nearby islands of Flores to spot Komodo Dragons in the wild and join him when I was done. Garry decided this excursion sounded rather interesting. We ultimately compromised on 4 nights exploring Flores, followed by 11 nights at Nusa Dua.
By chance, I found a fabulous cabin on a new boat offering a three-day, two-night tour around the Flores islands. The boat, Andalusia 3, was launched in late July. I booked us the Ocean Suite, a spacious top-deck cabin with a private balcony and ensuite. Despite this decadent accommodation, the entire cruise only cost about $1,600. This included our cabin, all meals and non-alcoholic drinks, guided tours, a full-time photographer and airport transfer.
On Wednesday we caught an early evening flight out of Sydney, bound for Denpasar. We decided to make the most of it by checking in early and enjoying a late lunch in the Qantas First Class Lounge. We arrived in the lounge shortly after 2:30pm; our flight didn't board until 4:35pm. Lounge regulars know that Qantas keeps a few bottles of Taittinger out the back. It’s never published on the menu, but it’s almost always available. We duly ordered a glass each. By the time we were done, I think we’d polished off the entire bottle. A fine start to our vacation.
Our flight landed shortly after 8pm. We had an early flight to Labuan Bajo the following morning, so I booked a discounted room in the airport Novotel, a short walk from the international terminal. The following morning, we talked the staff into starting breakfast service ten minutes early. This meant that we enjoyed a more leisurely meal before walking across to the domestic terminal.
Our flight to Labuan Bajo landed ahead of schedule, and our luggage was almost first off the plane. As a result, we exited the terminal in time to catch the hotel’s complimentary shuttle bus, which runs once an hour. I decided to splash out and book us a sea view room at the Meruorah Komodo Labuan Bajo. This is the top hotel in town and offers stunning harbour views. Our room wasn’t ready, so we filled in a couple of hours lounging by the pool.
Our room rate included complimentary afternoon tea, which we enjoyed before heading to dinner at Le Bajo Flores, a fabulous restaurant at the end of a nearby pier. Weeks earlier, I booked a table on the deck outside where we watched the sunset over cocktails before dining on a tasty seafood platter.
On the way back to our hotel, we wandered through the local fish market. It’s one of those classic venues you stumble upon that’s dull and desolate by day, but comes alive at night. The market features a ramshackle row of small stalls extending along the waterfront, each selling a colourful selection of fresh fish. Out the back of each stall, a chef beavered away in a tiny kitchen cooking your purchase, which you then ate at communal tables overlooking the water.
We spotted some enormous lobsters, alone with repeated stacks of mantis shrimps displayed inside large plastic bottles. Apparently, these shrimps are rather aggressive so their solitary confinement isn’t as cruel as first appears. They’ve been known to break a man’s finger or cannibalise one another if kept in the same tank. Garry confirmed that the seafood on offer was top-notch and freshly caught.
The following morning, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on the hotel’s rooftop terrace overlooking the harbour, before the tour company transferred us to the local wharf. By 10:30am, we’d boarded the vessel and were on our way to explore some of Indonesia’s Instagram-famous sights. I’ll share more about our adventures in my post.
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