Filled with a multicultural history, Penang stood between the trade routes of the West and East. Its capital, George Town is a vibrant city and a UNESCO World Heritage site preserving many of its old, quaint buildings. Penang provides one of the best food destinations in Malaysia; with Chinese, Malay and Indian cuisines on offer. Combined with its cheap affordability – the island is popular with many visitors that come to sample these delights.
Everything that Bali can offer is here to make your stay pleasant and enjoyable. Being the most developed island, the landscape is completely diverse with lush green rice paddies, a volcano and beaches. We discovered it was easy to escape the crowds and the scenery here still makes it worthwhile to go.
Our final stop on the island was Labuan Bajo; a coastal town with a harbour now popular with tourists to visit the nearby islands that make up the Komodo National Park. The main draw here is to see the world’s largest lizards – the Komodo Dragon. Labuan Bajo town is quiet large, with more expensive hotels taking the prime positions and a variety of restaurants and tour operators that line its busy main street. After 330 miles travelling from Maumere, over a two week trip through windy mountain roads – it was nice to arrive.
Following from Part 1 of our Flores adventure, Part 2 covers our journey from central Flores to the West. We visit traditional villages scattered across volcanic plains and dense forests. We see amazing rice fields grown in a spider web pattern and we get an unexpected tour offered by local school students.
Beyond Bali and Lombok towards the east lies Flores, a long island named by the Portuguese colonists who arrived here in 16th Century. The island is an adventure playground; filled with active volcanoes, stunning lakes and hidden beaches. Dotted with traditional villages, interesting cultures and the mysterious Komodo Dragons to the far west, Flores offers you an alternative Indonesian escape with fewer tourists.
