Alohaa~ I hope you had a nice weekend! Today, let me take you to explore Ruteng, a small city in Flores, Indonesia!
This is the third saga of my Flores overland trip blog posts. Previously, we went to Ende and Bajawa. I guess some of you can’t wait to read about the Komodo National Park.
Be patient, guys… After this blog post, okay? Hehe!
The purpose of writing about my Flores overland trip is to share with all of you that there is more to see than Komodo National Park and Labuan Bajo.
My Flores overland trip route:
Ende > Bajawa > Ruteng > Labuan Bajo + Komodo National Park
Alright, today’s blog post is going to be very relaxing, as relaxing as my long drive from Bajawa to Ruteng, which made my butts flat like roti canai (Indian flatbread) 😂 😂 😂
By the time my mom, sister, driver, tour guide, and I reached our accommodation in Ruteng, it was already around 7:30 p.m.
Luckily, our accommodation in Ruteng is as popular as its restaurant. If you plan to visit Ruteng, Flores, check out Spring Hill Hotel and Spring Hill Restaurant!
You may find cheaper options in Ruteng, but believe me – after the tiring, long drive, you’ll be happy sleeping in a nice and comfortable place and eating delicious food.
Stay and Eat at Spring Hill Hotel & Spring Hill Restaurant, Ruteng – Flores
I thought the restaurant would sell local and western food due to many international tourists, but it turned out it sells Chinese-Indonesian food.
The food price is above average, but the portion is big and it tastes good. We ordered corn and egg soup, sizzling tofu with minced meat hotplate, sweet and sour fish fillet, and white rice.
During dinner, I realized something.
Usually in Asia, one table orders some food to be shared among themselves. But the table beside mine seemed to have a different culture.
Two Western couples ordered one dish for each. They didn’t even share the food with their spouse. Let’s say you order a portion of beef and white rice, then you finish them yourself.
It was interesting because what they ordered wasn’t single-portion food, hmm… Maybe to them the portion wasn’t big, hehe!
Afterward, we went into our spacious room, took a shower, and slept. Btw, I’m uploading the room photos from the Spring Hill Hotel’s website since the photos I took aren’t good:
On the next day, we woke up early because it was the day when we would drive to Labuan Bajo. Finally, our main destination!
However, the breakfast at Spring Hill Hotel Ruteng was a disappointment. The food was cold and there weren’t many options. Luckily, it tasted okay and there were fresh juices.
To us, the star of the breakfast was… the passionfruits!
It’s not easy to find nice, fresh passionfruits in Malaysia or even in Indonesia. So, we gladly finished the whole tray… and the second one, too 😍😍😍
Also read: “Flores Overland Trip: What to Do in Ende”
Also read: “Flores Overland Trip: What to Do in Bajawa”
Visit Cancar Spider Web Rice Field in Ruteng, Flores
After breakfast, we went for a short hike to see the famous Cancar Spider Web Rice Field, Ruteng. As the name suggests, the rice field looks like a spider web from above.
It was a short, easy hike on a sunny day. Although the hike was easy, make sure you wear hiking sandals or shoes as the natural road is slippery.
There was a legendary story about why the paddy field was designed like that. Our guide told us that once upon a time, there was a small family that lived in Cancar Village.
At that time, there was no rice, so the villages only ate cassava, sweet potatoes, and vegetables.
CLARA10
One day, the husband had a dream. Someone told him in the dream that if he killed his child in the suggested field, gold would appear and his family would become rich and happy.
Wanting to escape poverty, he killed his child at night. Not long after that, paddy grew in the field. During harvest season, the yellow colour resembled gold.
The family then lived happily because they could eat rice and sell it to make money.
Alright, about the modern facts. This paddy field is built in a spider web shape (the locals call it ‘lodok‘) following the customary land management.
So, the Tu’a Teno aka the leader, will divide the communal field through a traditional ritual, with animal sacrifice (usually goats).
First, teno wood will be placed in the middle, and the land will be divided in the shape of a spider web.
When the goat’s blood is spilled on the teno wood, that means the land is successfully divided according to the customary law.
Alright, next stop: Todo Village!
Also read: “A Relaxing Walk in Zhaoxing Dong Village, Guizhou”
Also read: “Meow-ing with the Miao Tribe in Miao Village, Guizhou”
Visit Todo Village in Ruteng, Flores
Alright, honestly, the traditional villages in Flores look similar to me. Luckily, Todo Village offers something different for visitors.
The sky started to get dark, so I kept chanting “Please don’t rain, please don’t rain…” in my heart. First, before we entered the village, we had to cover our legs with a traditional cloth – men and women.
A villager helped us to assemble the cloth. Then, we sat in a small office and were welcomed by the village representative cum guide.
He greeted us and explained that there would be a voluntary donation when we entered the main traditional house. The donation would be used to maintain Todo Village and its culture.
In Todo Village, you will see round-shaped stilt houses with their iconic triangular coconut fiber roof. These traditional houses are called Niang Todo.
In the middle of the village, there’s a main traditional house, Niang Mbowang, to welcome visitors. There’s a cobbled stone path surrounding the village that leads to Niang Mbowang.
After a brief explanation of the village, we finally entered Niang Mbowang. The village leader and two women were waiting for us. The main house was very spacious and had a very high ceiling.
It was built with bamboo and wood. There were some wooden pillars inside the house, each with different carvings and meanings.
Basically, they encourage the king or head of the family to be a good person and always remember to return home (if not mistaken, sorry I forget).
We placed our voluntary donation in a box and sat down. Then, the village leader prayed for us, visitors who came for the first time to the village, and blessed us.
When he finished, the guide asked if we wanted a cup of hot coffee or tea. We preferred tea.
Since the women boiled the water with charcoal, there was a hint of a burnt taste in the tea. Then, we started to chat with the guide.
Todo Village is where the Todo Kingdom, one of the biggest kingdoms in Manggarai, was founded. In this traditional village, there was a dark story about a ruthless king.
It was said that the king would destroy everything he couldn’t have, including women. So, there were some stuff made of human skin… and the most famous one is a drum made of a woman’s skin.
However, the drum wasn’t displayed. If someone wants to see it, there should be a ritual before the villagers can show the drum.
When we returned to our car, my sister told me that the village representative had never left his village. The exception was when he went to school in Ruteng city 😲😲😲
Suddenly, I felt so grateful that I could travel overseas. So guys, if the currency you’re earning is stronger than the Indonesian rupiah, please be generous with your donation.
This way, the next travellers can enjoy the history and culture of Todo Village in Ruteng as well🙏🙏🙏
Next, we headed for lunch and a long drive to Labuan Bajo.
Also read: “Sea and Self-Love at Lelewatu Resort Sumba”
Also read: “Digital Detox Trip: Nature Edition in Raja Ampat, Indonesia”
Stay Overnight at Wae Rebo, a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Conservation Village in Flores
Did you know that many travellers come from far, far away to Flores for two main reasons? They are:
- To see komodo dragons at Komodo National Park (near Labuan Bajo)
- To have a unique experience staying overnight in Wae Rebo Village
Wae Rebo is an isolated village located on top of a mountain, in the middle of a lush forest.
To reach the village, travelers must endure a very bumpy car ride, switch to motorcycles, and then hike up for around 4 hours (depending on your fitness level).
Of course, the next day, they also must hike down for around 4 hours 🥲🥲🥲 This was the reason I decided to skip Wae Rebo during my Flores overland trip.
If you’re used to backpacking, you may have the stamina to do it. Otherwise, you can hire a porter to carry your bag.
So, what awaits at Wae Rebo? The UNESCO Top Award of Excellence village offers a unique experience staying in Mbaru Niang, a traditional house, and living like the villagers.
There’s no internet and mobile connections in the village, and electricity is only available from 6-10pm.
According to my tour guide, Wae Rebo has a dedicated Mbaru Niang for travellers (mixed genders) to stay at. That means travellers won’t stay together with the villagers.
The reason is that the villagers do everything in their houses, from cooking, storing food, to sleeping. Therefore, some travellers may find it uncomfortable staying in the same house as the villagers.
Wae Rebo’s traditional house, Mbaru Niang, is built in five levels:
- Level 1 (lutur): living quarters for extended family
- Level 2 (lobo): to store food and goods
- Level 3 (lentar): to store seeds for the next harvest
- Level 4 (lempa rae): food stocks for emergency/drought
- Level 5 (hekang kode): to place offerings for the ancestors
For more information about Wae Rebo, you can read about it here.
Alright guys, that’s the end of our Flores overland trip – Ruteng edition. I hope this blog post inspires you to explore Flores, Indonesia.
Have a great week ahead! I can’t wait to share the next blog post with you – Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park! ✨✨✨
CLARA10
Also read: “Baliem Valley Festival Budget Tour: Day 1”
Also read: “Visitting Dewata, the Biggest Starbucks in Southeast Asia”
Read more travel stories here…
