Bajawa: the cool highlands of Ngada

The road from Ende climbs for three hours through rainforest and coffee gardens before it reaches Bajawa, a small town on a plateau between four volcanoes. The air is cool, the mornings are misty, and the people are Ngada, a distinct culture with its own language, architecture and relationship with the dead.

Most travellers use Bajawa as a base for two things: the traditional village of Bena, half an hour south, and the climb of Mount Inerie, the sharp cone that dominates the skyline. In between there are hot springs, megalithic sites, weaving villages and some of the best coffee in Indonesia.

Bena: the village on the hill

Bena is a Ngada village of about forty houses, built in two rows along a ridge with a plaza of stone tombs between them. The houses have steep thatched roofs and carved wooden fronts, and the plaza holds the ngadhu and bhaga: the tall, umbrella-like shrines that represent male and female ancestors of each clan.

It is a living village, not a museum. People farm the slopes below, keep pigs and chickens under the houses, and weave ikat for sale. There is an entrance fee, and the villagers ask that you do not enter the houses without an invitation. Photography is allowed in the plaza, but ask before photographing people, and do not climb on the tombs. The best light is early morning, when the mist sits below the ridge and the village is quiet.

Ngadhu, bhaga and the Ngada religion

The ngadhu is a carved post with a thatched umbrella, and the bhaga is a small house-shaped shrine; each pair belongs to a clan and honours its ancestors. They are the centre of Ngada ceremonial life, and the village still performs the rites that go with them, including sacrifices and the annual celebrations after harvest.

The Ngada also bury their dead in the plaza, in stone tombs that are built during the person's lifetime. The result is a village where the living and the dead share the same space, and where a ceremony can involve the whole community. Wogo, another village near Bajawa, has a similar layout and fewer visitors.

Mount Inerie and the volcanoes

Mount Inerie is the perfect cone you see from Bajawa, 2,245 metres high and one of the steepest climbs in Flores. The trail goes from the village of Watumeze, takes four to six hours up and down, and is loose, exposed and hot by mid-morning. It is a scramble rather than a hike, and the descent is harder than the climb.

The reward is a view over the Ngada highlands, the Sawu Sea and, on a clear day, the neighbouring volcanoes. Start before four in the morning to reach the summit at sunrise, take a local guide from the village, and do not attempt it in the rain. Other peaks, including Ebulobo and Inelika, are for the more serious.

Hot springs and coffee country

Malanage hot springs sit at the confluence of two rivers, one hot and one cold, about 20 minutes from Bajawa. The pools are natural, the water is warm, and the setting is a green gorge with a small waterfall. It is popular with local families at weekends and empty on weekday mornings. Entry is a few thousand rupiah, and there are basic changing rooms and a warung selling coffee and instant noodles.

The highlands around Bajawa grow arabica coffee, and the small roasteries and warungs in town sell beans for a fraction of the price in Bali. Ask for kopi Bajawa, try it before you buy, and take a bag home. The same hills grow avocados, passion fruit and the vegetables that supply the restaurants of Labuan Bajo.

Where to stay and what it costs

Bajawa has simple guesthouses and a handful of small hotels, mostly around Rp 250,000 to 700,000 a night, with hot water and blankets for the cold nights. The best are on the edge of town with views of Inerie, and several have gardens and fireplaces. There is nothing luxurious, which is part of the appeal.

The town is small enough to walk, and the restaurants serve simple Indonesian food: rice, noodles, grilled chicken and vegetables from the highlands. Bring cash, as ATMs are limited and unreliable. The nearest hospital and the airport are in town, but serious medical cases are evacuated to Bali or Kupang. Evenings are cool enough for a jacket, and the town shuts down early.

Getting there and a two-day plan

Bajawa is three to four hours from Ende by road, on a winding but paved road through the mountains, and six to seven hours from Labuan Bajo on the trans-Flores highway. There is a small airport at Turelelo Soa, with flights from Kupang and Ende when the weather allows. Most people arrive by car with a driver.

Two nights is the minimum: one day for Bena, Wogo and the hot springs, one for Inerie or the coffee country. Three nights lets you slow down and see the villages without rushing. The best months are April to October, in the dry season; the wet season is green and quiet but the mountain is often in cloud.

• Day 1: Bena in the morning, Malanage hot springs in the afternoon.
• Day 2: Mount Inerie at dawn, or Wogo and the coffee gardens if the weather is poor.
• Bring a fleece: the nights are 12-15°C, colder than anywhere else on your Flores itinerary.
• Hire a local guide for Inerie and ask before photographing anyone in the villages.

Questions people actually ask

Is Bena village worth visiting?

Yes. It is one of the most intact traditional villages in Flores, with megalithic tombs, ancestral shrines and a spectacular ridge setting. Go in the morning, dress modestly and accept that it is a living village rather than a site.

How hard is Mount Inerie?

Hard. It is a steep, loose scramble of 1,000 metres of ascent, taking four to six hours up and down. You need a guide, an early start and dry weather; it is not a walk for anyone unsure of their footing.

How do I get to Bajawa?

By road from Ende (3-4 hours) or Labuan Bajo (6-7 hours), or by small plane to Turelelo Soa airport when weather permits. Most visitors arrive with a car and driver as part of a Flores overland trip.

What is the weather like in Bajawa?

Cool and misty. Days are around 22-26°C and nights can drop to 12°C, with rain likely in the wet season. Bring a fleece and a rain jacket even in the dry season.