Flores island hopping

Hi all!

Island hopping in Labuan Bajo area in Flores was the main reason for the short escape from Singapore. I specifically chose this tour operator (even though it was slightly pricier) for its boat safety and the service quality. And I think every penny was worth it. We started the day pretty early (about 5 am) and headed to Padar island for a short hike to get this beautiful view. I also started to understand why the tour combined this activity with snorkelling. It was HOT! The heat and the sun was super harsh and a mix of dry and humid, totally different from Singapore.

Seriously, just look at how pretty this place is.

After that, it was back to the boat to chase some manta rays at the manta point. Even though I didn’t get into the water because I can’t swim, it was a funny experience witnessing my boat mates chasing the manta cluelessly. Here’s them floating about after failing to see the manta the first time around. Eventually, a rope was thrown to them in the waters and they had to hold on to it as we went in search for the manta. I did see the manta’s head poking from the sea waters, which was really clear.

After everyone saw the manta rays, we headed to the pink beach. This was the main reason I was glad to choose this operator. They brought us to the longest pink beach in the area that had nobody because it was off the main boat route. Here, you can do some slight snorkelling to see baby turtles and sharks (if you’re lucky). But it’s a pretty safe zone for snorkelling. I also saw a squad of squid from the bridge (below) as we were walking over to the beach. The water is actually that clear and pretty (there’s no editing done to this picture)!

The pink from the beach comes from the red corals that has eroded over time due to the waves. The sand here is actually some of the finest and softest sand I’ve felt. You literally sink slightly as you take each step forward. But it’s really fun. It was here I also started to understand why people enjoy beach holidays. Something I usually scorn. This location was sooo pretty I felt slightly sad to leave.

After the pink beach, we headed over to Komodo island. It was noon by the time we arrived, so we did a mild hike, except for a short portion that was slightly tougher because it was very sandy and my shoes didn’t have a good grip on the steep slope. I also experienced my first sun burnt here. That’s how harsh the sun was, considering I don’t burn even without sun screen and being out in the sun for a long time. 

The view from the top of the island, which is where the komodos usually hang in the morning when it is cooler.

There’s this small white patch on the ground in the picture below, and that’s where the komodo have mark its sun bathing spot.

Our one and only komodo that we saw. Male, 26 years old, he was resting next to their water basin. He was just lying there and everyone was pretty calm. But when he suddenly stood to walk to a shadier spot, everyone literally scampered away, yet trying to capture its movement at the same time.

After lunch at komodo island, it was down to Taka Makassar, a crescent beach located in the middle of the sea. At first everyone had to swim a good distance to reach the beach. But after the boat got closer slowly, me and my friend who were the only one left on board could actually walk over. But it was super crowded, so I didn’t head over. Plus I’m really short, so the water would probably reach up to my neck (based on the water level against my taller friend that eventually went in for a dip).

Corals from the boat.

The crescent beach from afar.

The last place for this tour was Kanawa island, a private island open to the public for free. The sand on the beach here was not as nice as the pink beach (more pebble-like), but the waters was still pretty clear. I even saw 2 starfish that was found in the shallower waters.

This marks the end of my first short beach getaway. It was fun and relaxing. Though getting on and off the boat is slightly intense because of how slippery and high the dock is to the boat. So the locals always had to pull us up, in particular when we arrived back onto Labuan Bajo, just in time for the sunset. Till the next post, bye!

Cinque Terre

Hi all!

After so many months, I’m finally down to the second last recap post of my Europe trip! Cinque Terre, 5 islands,was a highly anticipated segment of our trip. We decided to the hike from Monterosso to Vernazza. In hindsight, it was a good thing we did the hike in this direction as the uphill climb here was slightly easier to handle. Our morning actually started pretty gloomy but it got progressively better as the skies cleared and it became warmer. The view was also super scenic, which made the hike alot more interesting.

Vineyards along the hiking path.

There’s actually a “cats home” midway along the hike.

The loyal companions of a couple. Their dogs were simply too photogenic and adorable!

One of our first sight of Vernazza. But it actually was pretty misleading cause the island seemed close but actually we still had a good long downhill hike to go before actually setting foot on Vernazza.

By then, it was close to mid noon, and the town was a lot more lively. Naturally, we couldn’t come to Cinque Terre without having a taste of the anchovies. WHICH! was surprisingly meaty. It’s like biting into a miniature big fish with our its meat and the juices from the lemon. Super delish! It’s quite unlike the anchovies we get back home which are a lot more”bony” and use to prepare soup stock rather than eaten as a snack/meal by itself.

It was a train ride down to Corniglia, where we hopped onto a shuttle bus to the town (part of the ticket combo we got). It’s a lot smaller compared to Montersso and Vernazza. But we got a lot of our souvenirs here – truffle olive oil (simply fantastic), lemon soap bar etc. Tasted a super refreshing lemon gelato. Seriously, one can’t come to Cinque Terre without getting their hands on some olive oil and having a lemon gelato/lemonade.

Manarola is where the iconic photos of Cinque Terre are captured. We actually spent a good amount of time on this island – listening to the crashing waves, getting our photos etc.

As our train ticket departing from Monterosso drew nearer, we debated if there was enough time to pop by Riomaggiore quickly and immediately catch the next train to Monterosso. We basically took a quick look around Riomaggiore within 15 minutes. The only highlight I could remember of Riomaggiore was the number of people trying out cliff jumping. Seemed like THE prime spot out of the 5 islands.

Fortunately, we manage to get back to Monterosso with time to spare, so we had our dinner, before heading back to Milano. Side note: my dinner (salmon penne) was a disappointment (I was expecting a piece of salmon with my pasta and NOT shredded and mushed up salmon bits mixed in with the pasta). Sigh. But my friend’s spaghetti vongole was super good. Of course, the only time we arrived in Milano early (expecting to have an early night – i.e. before 10pm), the train decided to break down 4 stops from our destination -.- All the announcements were in Italian, which left us quite confused and stranded. So after a lot of arguments between the train conductors and the public, the train was somewhat fixed, and we manage to get back to the hotel. Till the next post, bye!