We've been flying under the radar for the past few days. Hopefully we've been missed. The last two days in Java were basically just travel days back to Jakarta, with an overnight stopover in the easily forgettable northern shore town of Pekalongan.
Last couple of photos taken on Java. A tea plantation and, below, one of millions of rice fields.
We very much enjoyed Java, but after nearly two weeks there, where we were doing something all the time, we needed a change of scene and some "chill time".
Three hours of flying time brought us to the magnificent island of Flores, and the town of Labuan Bajo. We are already on our third day here, and if our little place in Jogja was paradise, this is definitely Nirvana.
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda islands, which make up the eastern quarter of this island country, and which is culturally and geographically closer to Oceania than Southeast Asia. Jakarta is three hours away by plane, but you can reach Darwin, in Australia, in half the time.
We selected a resort where we could do some R&R. The place is called Menjaga Bay, and let me tell you, we could not have done any better, anywhere.
Actually, we had expected to be closer to town. The resort can be reached in two ways, by 4x4 jeep, over a torturous rocky road (45 minutes), or by fast boat (30 minutes). We arrived by jeep.
The place is stunning. 18 individual cabins, of which 10 right on the water, and 8 on the flanking mountain, with amazing views of the Timor Sea and several islands, including the famed Komodo Island, which we'll visit tomorrow.
The cabins on the sea
The resort at sunset
Nightime is so peaceful
A couple of the mountain cabins
We are lodged on the sea, where we have a beautiful, large room, amazing views, personalized water access, balcony with lounge chairs, and private outdoors facilities.
Entering our room
Enjoying a dip
Would you call this a room with a view?
Water access
There is an amazing restaurant on the property, where we've been spending time chatting with some of the other 5 couples staying here, and a Spa, which I've already tested and given my stamp of approval.
Love the jelly fish chandeliers
And a wonderful pool.
No words needed, right?
The coastline at this place is made up of mangrove forests, thus the water does not have that aquamarine color you get on sandy beaches nearby, but it is full of fish, many colorful, that you can admire from your own deck. We also have several macaque monkeys all around. You've obviously already gathered that sunsets at Menjaga Bay are astonishing. There is a sunset bar at the end of the pier where the lodges are located. Tonight we'll catch it from there. We'll leave you with some additional random pictures from this amazing locale.
The sunset bar
We took a hike uphill to enjoy a most amazing sunset
Today will be another down day for us, fully appreciating our environment and enjoying this laid-back pace. We'll do the next page after we visit Komodo Island tomorrow.
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