116 Travel | Flores to Alor
The people of Larantuka market , on Flores ’ east coast , are a cheerfully boisterous bunch .
Larantuka market , Flores , is the ideal place to check out the riches of the local fish catch as well as agricultural production .
Bizarrely , the main source of income for many islanders around the Alor archipelago is seaweed , for export as a fixing agent in food and cosmetics .
On other islands we had talked with seaweed harvesters , danced with Abui tribespeople and swum with Sea Gypsy children .
explorers called ‘ The Cape of Flowers ’. As Robba had promised , every day had brought new adventures . We ’ d dived with turtles and mantas , sailed around smoking volcanoes and visited the legendary village of Lamalera , the largest island of the stunning Solor archipelago in the Lesser Sunda Islands . On other islands we had talked with seaweed farmers , danced with Abui tribespeople and swum with smiling Sea Gypsy children .
On tiny Pulau Pura , headman Andrean Baut Bakawetang told me how his forefathers had carried the great iron anchor to the village from the peak at the centre of the island .
“ But how did it get up there in the first place ?” I asked .
“ Nobody knows how the anchor got to the island – perhaps it is Portuguese or Dutch ,” he explained . “ In ancient times though , our ancestors were giants – even taller than you . They carried the anchor to the top of the hill . It was easy for them – they had muscles even bigger than yours !”
Pak Andrean went on to describe how his community was divided into four separate tribes . The Mulepang tribe , boasting no more than 12 families , might be the smallest tribe on earth .
It is among hidden archipelagos like these that you truly grasp the incredible diversity of this country . Indonesia boasts countless treasures amongst its secret islands .
New Routes to Maumere and Kupang Before you go island-hopping between Flores and Alor , be sure to take the time to explore the charming coastal towns of Maumere and