Location: Maumere
Top Things to do in Maumere
What to do and see in Maumere, Indonesia: The Best Places and Tips
Maumere is the seat capital of the Sikka Regency and the second largest town in Flores, Indonesia. It lies on the north coast of the island and the port is in the north-west part of the town.
Restaurants in Maumere
1. Koka Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 90 reviews
Reviewed By Astrid W - Hareskov, Copenhagen, Denmark
Koka beach is a really beautiful beach (good place to make a rest when going between Moni and Maumere) but it's soooo dirty! Trash everywhere. You have to pay first 5000 rupiah to enter and than another 5000 to park, AND 5000 more to go to the view point. It's not a lot of money, but it's very clear that the money isn't spend at keeping the beach is a good shape. It's a shame, but very typical for Indonesia.
2. Mount Egon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 35 reviews
Reviewed By almondy23 - Perth, Australia
Climbed this in a small group recently, you need transport (motorbikes best) to take you along terribly rutted roads to the trailhead, and someone really needs to show u where it starts. About 1-1.5 hours up through nice forest before it opens up a bit before the final climb up through the rocky cone to the crater. Was windy as hell at the top and very cloudy, but nice view of the crater. Seemed in July it was clear at sunrise, cloudy after 8am, then clear later in the afternoon.
Not too hard a climb at all with good shoes and a bit of care going down, recommended!
3. Flores Komodo Tours
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 10 reviews
Flores and Komodo Islands are known to the world as a very exotic and magnificent place providing tourists an experienced of a life time. PT. Flores Komodo TOURS offering affordable packages starting 1 Day Trip to 9D/8N. We are a legal company with a permit to conduct tourism and transporting business granted by the Indonesian Government in Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Any package you choose will be the most comfortable trip you will ever take. Our goal is to continuously strive to exceed our client’s expectations, provide enjoyable and quality tour throughout Flores and Komodo Island that while respecting the environment and local culture. World’s most popular tourism website, Lonely Planet, recently released the Best Destinations to Explore in 2015. Indonesia through the island of Flores in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, was chosen among the Top 10 Regions Best in Travel 2015, along with Macau, Rocky Mountain USA, Atacama UN Chile, and more. Flores was chosen among the world’s best regions since, aside from being habitat to the giant Komodo Dragons, the region is also known as a divers paradise and is decorated with looming volcanoes and lush tropical Forests. The island is recognized as offering a complete adventure for travellers. There are many places where visitors can indulge in their sheer beauty. Situated west of Flores, Labuan Bajo is a peaceful small port complemented with beautiful Beaches nearby. In 2012, UNESCO honors the village of Wae Rebo with Asia Pacific Award for its effort to preserve the architect of its traditional homes. Lonely Planet also recommended other small towns such as Bajawa which still retains well preserved traditional culture. According to Lonely Planet, a week in Flores can provide a truly fascinating experience. A trip to the Moni area and Mounth Kelimutu will offer its own memorable experience. The sunset over the three-colored Lake is definitely an unforgettable spectacle. Further to Maumere, you will discover Paga Beach which radiates a serene atmosphere. Flores also has a number of cafes and restaurants offering fresh, delicious, and uniquely Indonesian food and beverages. Lonely Planet specifically complimented the seafood and Indonesia’s distinct (nasi campur) or mixed rice that are considered tasty and relatively cheap. Through this trip well guarantee when you get home, the only thing you want is to come back - to visit us again in Flores. The magnificence of Flores and Komodo Islands are real, and when you leave from Labuan Bajo youll be re-energize to return to your normal daily routine. May the beauty of Flores and Komodo Islands painted by the Great Painter will always be preserve for the whole world to witness. Our hope when you return to your hometown, youll be our voice to your family and friends to sound the beauty you observe and off course-enjoy! Warm regards from Flores Island
Reviewed By Mary K - Sydney, Australia
This tour should be avoided. The claims made by Mr Oyan Kristian on his advertising flyer are deceptive and misleading.
The trip as advertised is either 5,6 or 7 days. I looked at the distance and settled for 7 days. The trip started in Maumere where i was met by the guide and the driver. It went ok at first - i saw some weaving and had an included lunch. Then it started to unravel. We arrived in Moni near the famous Kalimantan extinct Volcanos. The good hotel was not booked ( we went there first only to find there was no booking for me) and I ended up at a backpackers with no water( no shower) and there was no dinner as promised.
The next day after climbing the volcano we drove to Riang. The roads are terrible and the hotel this time had water but only cold water. The promised snorkelling trip which i believed was arranged and paid for, now the guide told me i had to pay for the boat and find people to share the price. And all this before 8 am the next day. The guide had not been there before. I got in by 7pm and there was no dinner again.
I spoke to the guide and emailed Mr Oyan Kristian. It became obvious that the guide was unfamiliar with the itinerary and the next big activity was climbing 4.5km up a mountain to a native village Waerabo and the guide had not been along the trail before. Again email to Mr Oyan Kristian to ask for a local guide who knew the rainforest path. The guide was provided eventually. No dinner again provided. At the village i paid for the accommodation and food.
So the trip went on with me anticipating the problems and emailing Mr Oyan so he could sort it out before I reached the next destination.
The final last straw was arriving in Labuan Bajo to find the boat trip to Komodo island was not known to the hotel. I had no ticket no instructions and no time for pick up. It turned out 5.30 am was the pick up time and My Oyan was telephoned by the hotel and only then was it confirmed.
For the record the guide was only given £35 US for a 7 day tour for expenses and it subsequently came to light that My Oyan had expected me to pay for the meals of the driver and guide. The only problem was that i didn't know. He had not informed me and other tourists told me this was not usual practice.
Flores was an amazing destination. Amazing things to see and do. Pity about the bad hotels the disorganisation and the things that didn't happen but were promised. I paid $1550Australian Dollars. I think I was had.
4. Bugis Village
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By ricky_indo - Canggu, Indonesia
This is a traditional Bugis stilt village on the edge of Maumere. The Bugis are the traditional seafarers of Borneo, who were also pirates, and have made their homes and settled in stilt villages throughout the archipelago. The Bogeyman or Bugyman was a fictional evil-doer used to scare kids by parents, but the name is derived from the Bugis pirates. Many of the buildings are on stilts, and a few of them survived the 96 tsunami and are fantastically decorated. The locals welcome visitors, there is nothing to pay. There is an attached small quay with bugis schooners - its an interesting spot to simply have a wander around, chat to the locals, and se how a different and strictly muslim cultural group survives on the firnges of predominantly christian Maumere.
5. Sikka Old Church
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By Andresguia - Denpasar, Indonesia
The church reflects the Portuguese influence in Flores. It is worth visiting to see a combination between traditional style and Portuguese architecture. Local women make the finest Ikat style cloth of very good quality. The patterns and materials are among the best in Flores.
6. Tanjung Beach
Overall Ratings
4 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By ricky_indo - Canggu, Indonesia
Drive out of town from Maumere about 20 km along the northern coast road. You will pass the village of Patisumba and then come to a beautiful beach (unfortunately littered … locals picnic here on Sundays) with coral sand and scattered mangroves. Avoid weekends due to local crowding and littering.
Take your snorkel gear and enter the clean warm water. The lagoon contains seagrass meadows and then passes into a back reef dominated by fragmented dead corals. Keep going out to sea and eventually the water deepens and there is very healthy reef, dominated almost exclusively by Acropora. There are a few reef fish, but not many, and the back reef corals are a mixture of small heads of Acropora, Porites and Montastrea. Although the reef is healthy, both coral and fish diversities are low, and this appears to be a reef at an early colonization stage, probably following the 1992 earthquake and tsunami that devastated many of the reefs in this area.
Still, it is a great place to snorkel, and well worth a visit if you have an hour or two to pass in the Maumere area.
7. Doka Village
Overall Ratings
4 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By terbangbelanda - Batam, Indonesia
When you want the cultural experience of a real "royal" welcome by the locals you have to witness this!! After a 45 minutes drive up in the Mountains you are awaiting a welcome blessing by the head of the community followed by some nice music and interesting dances. Then the women have to try out the beetle-nut and the man a local cigarette fired by a handmade fire this all followed by a bite of local cassava. Thereafter you will see how cotton is made into threads, then coloured and later woven into nice Ikat's . After writing in their guestbook and making a 1 juta donation for the community there will be some more spectacular dances in the end.
8. Sikka Weaving Village
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By ricky_indo - Canggu, Indonesia
This village is well worth visiting. It isn’t a traditional “adat” village, but the old ladies put on a great ikat show. For a couple of 100K IDR contribution, they will bring out all the kit and show how the cotton is collected, processed, spun, the weft is tied and then died, using natural indigo and other dies, and then is woven into cloth. Order a kelapa muda, and sit through this great show.
In the mean time they will be setting up all their finished ikats for you to purchase. It gets a bit hassly, but some of these ikats are really special, being hand spun and naturally died, and you can get them down to around 50% of their starting price. Some are not cheap, but we walked away with a good selection of beautiful small ikats for use as scarves and shauls, for prices averaging 150K IDR a piece.
Additionally, this place has a beautiful church, and an old wooden house (palace) on the beach, that is dilapidated, but is where the old Portuguese king (something Da Silva) lived at the the end of the 19th century. To cap it all, have a stroll along the beautiful beach, with the surf pounding.
Only the old ladies of the village are keeping the ikat tradition alive. None of the youngsters are interested. Go and donate a few 100K to the church, to the ladies, and buy a few ikats to support the local economy and to help keep this tradition alive.
9. Kajuwulu Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Reviewed By esubijono - Jakarta, Indonesia
Besides the Beaches, Maumere has another scenic area in Kajuwulu especially during sunset time .. and if you don't have problem to climb up, there are a staircase to go up to the highest level of the hill where you can find a big cross statue .. and the best view over the bay.
10. Alok Market
Overall Ratings
4 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By ricky_indo - Canggu, Indonesia
This market starts at 6am, and is booming on a Tuesday morning. Other days of the week it is open, but quiet with much fewer choices. It is located in a specially built concrete and covered market place in central Maumere. It is interesting, selling veggies, fish, meat, live horses, live pigs, even a few dogs (yes, for the cooking pot), herbs and spices, local made tools etc., and a whole ikat section, selling quality ikats from the local villages, and as far afield as Ende. If you want nice ikats at decent prices, then this place has the best variety … but bargain hard. We went on Tuesday morning and there were many, but at high prices. We followed up on Thursday morning, when there were much fewer ikats available, but we bought some really nice ones at 50% off the price they wanted on the previous Tuesday.
