
Cone-shaped of Wae Rebo houses.
After I stayed one night in Labuan Bajo, I continued my journey eastwards. My next two stops were Wae Rebo then Ruteng.
Way to Denge
I left Labuan Bajo with Benny, my guide, by a motorcycle at 7 am. Wae Rebo is located 60 km (straight distance) southeast of Labuan Bajo. To go there from Labuan Bajo, take the Trans Flores highway, the road conditions are generally good and well maintained with a few potholes. There are many blindbends along the route. We passed a hilly road until we were near Lembor. There the scenery changes to vast flat rice field terrain. Lembor is a district in West Manggarai and the biggest rice supplier for East Nusa Tenggara. We made a stop there to buy meal for our lunch. Once we left Lembor, we went through a hilly road again.
After Waenakeng, we turned right to a village called Enteer. This is a local road. The conditions are not too bad, although there were more potholes now. The width is only enough for one car, but it’s not a problem since there are not many vehicles that pass through this road. Follow this road until Pela then turn right in the junction (the left turn will take you back to Trans Flores highway). We followed this road until we reach the southern coast. The road was getting worse. But for me, it is still not that bad. Some parts are not paved yet. From 1 to 10 scale i give 7 for this road, with Trans Flores highway is a nine.

On the way to Denge we can see Mules Island.
Once we arrived on the coast road, we drove westwards to reach Dintor. From here you can see Mules Island. This island is very magnificent with a 200 m (my rough estimation) cliff soared from the island’s hilly terrain. We had lunch at a beach, somewhere before Dintor. The beach here is not a sandy beach. The beach filled by pebble-couble stone, a kind which originated from volcanic stone. Arrived in Dintor, we turned right going north to go to Denge (there is direction board). From here we saw a misty mountain, Benny said Wae Rebo is located up in that mountain, whose peak couldn’t see due to the mist that covered it. The scenery on the way to Denge is very beautiful, with Mules Island in the south, misty mountain in the north and large golden rice fields surrounding you.
Denge is the starting point to hike to Wae Rebo traditional village. There is a homestay that is also an information center in Denge, managed by Pak Blaisius, who is also a teacher in the nearby elementary school. When we arrived in Denge, it was already 03.15 pm. Pak Blaisius said it usually takes 3 hours hike to go to Wae Rebo village for local people. I was a bit worried that if I cannot make it in 3 hours, means I have to walk through the forest in the dark. Actually I don’t mind that, but the problem is neither me or Benny brought a flashlight. With a dense forest and canopy along the path, it would be very dark inside the jungle. But Benny convinced me it will be ok. Then after I left some of my stuffs in the homestay (I only brought water, jacket, sleeping bag and first-aid kit within my bag), we left Denge at 03.30 pm.
Hiking to Wae Rebo
The first part of the path to Wae Rebo is an unpaved local road. It is 3-4 m width, it seems that the local government plan to build car access until the first rest point at Wae Lomba river. It took me less than an hour to reach Wae Lomba, since it’s been a while didn’t do many outdoor activities, it was quite a hike up for me.

It was foggy when we hiked up to Wae Rebo.
Next we entered the jungle, a dense tropical forest. It is a narrow path inside the jungle with one side edged by valley and a bit slippery. We had to walk uphill, but it wasn.t very steep. It was foggy when i hiked, so I could not see the far view. Especially when we arrived in Pocoroko, the second rest point. Benny said, usually people can see the ocean from there, but we could only see white fog. Pocoroko also known for village people to look for mobile signal, since there is no signal in the area.
After the last resting point in Nampe Bakok, the path went downhill. Just before Wae Rebo village we entered a coffee plantation. Some of the coffee beans were already turning red. Then behind the mist and after three hours hiking (yes, I made it in 3 hours!), I finally saw the cone-shaped houses of Wae Rebo.

Ameh was talking to the ancestors in Nyiang Kendang.
It was already dark when I arrived there. All the people were already inside their houses. Benny knocked at one of the house door. It’s apparently the main house, called Nyiang Kendang. They were quite surprise that there were visitors that arrived in the night. But then they welcomed me into the house and we us to introduced each other. Before I could start any activity in Wae Rebo, I needed to pass a permit ceremony first. The village head, Ameh, talked to their ancestors spirits, in Manggarai language, to let us (me and Benny as the visitors) alone during our visit, because we are his and village people guests.
The circular, cone-shaped buildings were built in a traditional way. The massive roof, made of ijuk (palm fiber), is supported by a central wooden pole. This wooden pole usually made from Worong wood, according to Ameh. Ameh said, the circular shape is very important for Wae Rebo people, not only for their houses but also for their farms. He said it is easier in heritage division. Nyiang Kendang is a house for eight families. There are eight rooms in this house, one room for every family. Other houses, called Nyiang Gane, only has six rooms. In front of every room they hang chicken feather as ancestors guardian. The kitchen is located in the center. They still use fire woods for cooking and using stones as the stove. They have small windows around the house as ventilation.
After small talks, Ameh brought us to one of Nyiang Gane. There is one house built specially for visitors, since there are more and more people who visit Wae Rebo village. Unlike other houses, the house where we were going to sleep at has no room. There is only one large room without border. There is also no kitchen in the center. They built the kitchen in the back of the house. There is also typical Indonesian toilets beside the kitchen. Mama Nina and Yustin cooked a dinner for. We had dinner with Ameh, mama Nina, Yustin and Bapak Huber. They cooked us cassava leaves and green pumpkins soup. It was very nice, also the rice. To be honest sometimes, food cooked by firewood are not as good as cooked by gas stove, because you still can taste the firewood burnt, especially if you drink water boiled with firewood. But I think, this time all tasted perfect for me.
We slept on a tikar, a woven mat made from pandan leaves. The also have pillow made from tikar and filled by kapok. At that night, me and Benny were the only visitors.
Bapak Huber, Ameh, Mama Nina and Yustin told me many things about people in Wae Rebo. These are some facts about Wae Rebo:
- Their new year named Penti, indicates the beginning of planting period.
- The average married age of Wae Rebo people is 25 years old.
- People in Manggarai started to plant rice in 1938, and people in Wae Rebo started eat rice in 1957.
- They sell their coffee in Dintor market for 30 thousands rupiah per kilogram.
- Although they have Luwak coffee, they do not sell them.

Coffee beans being dried.
The next day we left Wae Rebo at 09.30 am and arrived at 12.00 pm in Denge. We left Denge at 01.00 pm and arrived in Ruteng at 06.30 pm. I said goodbye to Benny in Ruteng.
Ruteng
New day in Ruteng, I started my day at 9.30 am. I planed to go to Cancar and Liang Bua today. Cancar is the place where you can see the spider web rice fields and Liang Bua is excavation site of Homo florensis.

Spider web rice field in Cancar.
I went to Cancar by bemo (car used for public transport in Flores). I went to Ruko to take a bemo to Cancar. I arrived in Cancar market after an hour. You can ask people where is the look out point for spider web rice field. It is only 300 m from the market. I walked to the look out point and went straight up. There is stair path way to the look out point. It was only 10 minutes walking up. It was very nice view. The only circular rice field in the world. Too bad I didn’t find anyone to ask about the meaning of this shape, or why they built the rice field like this.
After I finished taking pictures, I went back to Cancar market and took bemo to Ruteng. Initially I wanted to stop between Cancar and Ruteng. Because I saw direction board to Liang Bua between Cancar and Ruteng. But people in bemo told me better to go back to Ruteng and to find an ojek or bemo from there. Since I was in a hurry (I had booked a travel car to Bajawa at 15.00), I decided to take ojek. Then everybody in bemo tried to help me to find the ojek.
I took an ojek from Ruko. Then the road to Liang Bua led to a local road, I rated 7 for this road. It took 45 minutes to go to Liang Bua. There is an information center in Liang Bua. A guy from information center welcomed me then brought me to the cave. The 50 m width cave is fenced, so you need key to open the gate.

Replica of Homo florensis bones.
There was only one active excavation hole when I was there. The cave has 50 m width, 20 m height and 30 m depth. There are many stalactites on the cave roof and some tree roots penetrate the cave roof. In the information center you can find many information about the archeology activity in Liang Bua and about Homo florensis. Discovered on 2003, Homo florensis has height less than 1.5 m. Their fossils found at Holocene horizon at 595 cm depth.
To Bajawa
Back to hotel, I was waiting for half hour until the travel arrived. It arrived at 3.30 pm, 30 minutes late, but it was ok.
The road to Bajawa has a beautiful scenery. It passed through mountainous hill with rice fields between the valley. Too bad It was getting dark after 2 hours. I arrived in Bajawa at 9.30 pm.

Labuan Bajo-Wae Rebo-Ruteng Route
-edited by ment0w-
Where to Stay
-
- Hotel Ranaka in Ruteng for RP 150,000/night exclude breakfast.
- Denge Homestay for Rp 200,000/night full board.
- Wae Rebo for Rp 275,000/day full board.
Transport
- Ruteng-Cancar by bemo for Rp 5,000 one way.
- Ojek Ruteng-Liang Bua for Rp 30,000 return.