Equivalent to traveling to random-town Minnesota for a summer vacation, save for the fact that we're talking Indonesia here, is Labuan Bajo of the Flores Islands. Full of good-hearted people and the small-town vibe.
This amazing little island is tucked off the drunken track of overwhelmingly boozy-smelling Australian tourists (see: Kuta, Bali). If you can get past the 4 AM call-to-worship blasting over the whole town's decrepit PA system, you'll find that there is a lot to like here in Labuan Bajo:
-Manta Rays!
-Scuba Diving tours in some of the most diverse reefs on planet earth!
-Dang good pizza!
-Serenity! (Again, minus the 4x / day call to worships)
-Fish market complete with super cheap, real pearls!
-Freshly Satayed Chicken Satay!
-Killer sunsets that are actually enlivening!
-KOMODO DRAGONS!
We hiked for a few hours through rice paddies and steep, muddy forests towards magical waterfalls only to get monsooned away immediately upon arrival.
If you need to get anywhere, hop on a family-commuter, called a "Bemo." It is sure to be filled with stuffed animals
Full moon and Frangipannis
The sun sinks below, leaving the boats in the bay to rest for the night.
After tramping around an exquisitely hot, dry, island for almost 3 hours, this buddy plopped himself smack dab onto the trail, not more than 5 minutes from the trailhead.
Yeah, I guess its okay.
