RUTENG TOWN

If you Flores Island Trip, one of the small that you will pass by is Ruteng Town. And some times, you will have overnight in this Small Village. 

Ruteng is a small town towards the western end of Flores Island, Indonesia and lies about 1.200

metres above sea level so the air is cool. Surrounding the town are green rice fields that provide the staple for the population on this predominantly dry island. Coffee grown around here is also most invigorating.. The population is predominantly Roman Catholic, Almost the architecture of big building in this town followed the European style.

To get to Ruteng you can drive from Labuan Bajo, West manggarai Regency about 4 hours (by car or motorbike), the distance is about 130 KM. There is also the airport in Ruteng that served flight from and to Kupang ( the capital city of East manggarai regency). To reach one place to each place inside the town is very easy, there are so many local transport that called “BEMO” or you can take motor taxi or “OJEK”. Ruteng town has local market in the center of the town and there are some of tourist object that easy to reach from this cool town, they are:

• Liang Bua Cave: Only a half-hour drive/ ride north of Ruteng town, these are prehistorical caves where the fossils of homo florensis were found. The caves themselves are not particularly special, but it’s intriguing to sit under the stalactites and imagine that 1-metre high cave-people were living here only 17,000 years ago, while modern human beings lived in the valleys below. The surroundings are very pretty and only 50 metres down the hill there’s a small museum with a replica of a Homo florensis skeleton.
• Spiderweb rice-fields: About 20 min drive from town in the direction of Labuanbajo. After a short hike up a hill, you have the view of the valley and the spiderweb rice-fields. Definitely worth a visit.
• Rana mese Lake: 21 Km from town, on the main road towards Bajawa. Beautiful and very peaceful lake, interesting flora and fauna. It is possible to walk around the lake on a small path (around 45 minutes). The area is very calm with a few fishermen plying their trade. It is also possible to visit a 75m waterfall near one of the surrounding villages.
• Goro Curu: This small hill is a perfect early morning walk. It takes around 45 minutes from the center of Ruteng and the views are great.
• Ranaka mountain: The famous volcano in the Ruteng area. Some years ago, following some activity, a lava dome appeared that is called Anak Ranaka (the child of Ranaka). It is possible to drive all the way to the top on a sturdy motorcycle. The road is in bad condition. Best thing to do here is trekking, it needs approximately 10hours up and down (depend on stamina).
• Ruteng Pu’u village: Takes 10 minutes drive from the center of Ruteng, here you can see the traditional house of manggaraines, you will go inside the wooden houses that have the shape of a spiderweb (the same pattern as the rice fields). They have some traditional drums on display. There are also traditional villages around Ruteng with more authentic architecture.