Waerebo Village — Attraction in Flores

My honest, no sugar-coating review here.

You’ve read enough about Wae Rebo in other review. Here’s my review from different perspectives, as a guest/hiker, as a parent, as someone from medical background, to help you set your expectations right.

Points that made the hike worthwhile:

1. the pavement covered about 1/3 of the route. Hats off to the villagers for their efforts on building the pavement in such a challenging, treacherous topography.
2. the village people and kids are really friendly.
3. view are spectacular - you have seen how instagramable it is in the photos.
4. the accommodation provides clean bedding and blanket

Issues of concern:

1. safety hikers do not complain about the basic facilities — this is what we signed up for. The stairs to the outdoor washroom / bath, was covered in mud, many fell or had a near-fall. they could have clear up the muddy stairs to prevent falls. Dinner was in another house, it was raining heavily & pitch dark. The ground was muddy and slippery, no lighting/ torchlight was provided. Handphone light wasn’t sufficient in this pitch dark environment. A few of us slipped. the person in-charge of tourism could have adopted sustainable energy with solar panel or just a simple gesture of providing a torch light.

2. guest experience during the welcome ceremony, we were told by the host this is where we are welcomed like a family member, we will sit and eat together. Fact - you will be eating with groups of hikers, none of the locals will join in. There’s no engagement / conversation with any of the locals. We were rushed through the dinner & breakfast as there was a second batch. If you have been to some nice, small home stay with personalize experience and hospitable hosts, this felt uncomfortable. It felt as if we are being ‘processed’ through instead of hosted as a guest. we figured there was easily 120-150 tourists / hikers around. Possibly it’s overcapacity for the village/ hosts to cope. Maybe they should allow respective group to dine in their own house instead of making everyone dine in one house and having to rush us off.

it was raining heavily at night, We were asked to walk over to the other house for dinner. Our raincoat was broken and our clothes were wet. The host could have offered us umbrella to walk across, instead, they walked off with their umbrella after notifying us of dinner time. Simple gesture as such would have made us feel so much better by not getting wet in the rain again, and slept in cold wet clothes at 12 degree celsius.

3. bring toddlers / kids we met some parents with really young toddlers(below 1). I wouldn’t say it’s absolute NO, but this is not the easiest place to hike up and the nearest medical facility / clinic are far out in the village at the base of the mountain. Do weigh in and out the risks.

4. medical / physical limitations if you have severe hip , knee arthritis and have trouble with walking longer distance on daily basis/ going up and down the staircase, this place is not for you. The inclination & elevation, are merciless towards your joints. The slippery last 2/3 of the route ( if it rains), is challenging for the balance.

5. what I read from Google review vs my personal experience view 5/5 meal: ok experience in the village 3/5

Tips:

1. if you are not a regular hiker with fairly good fitness level but still determined to take this hike, get a guide to pace you.

2. raincoat - get a full-length raincoat from the base of the mountain / the sundry shop in the village.

3. rehydration stick / isotonic drink - you will need this

4. staying dry & warm at night - night temperature at Wae Rebo can be as low as 12 degrees Celsius. Layer up. Pack your clothes in plastic bag / double ziplock bag in case you need to hike in the rain for 2.5 hours like us.

5. stay overnight at Wae Rebo Lodge & hike up early morning to avoid the rain that usually starts by mid noon.

It’s still a beautiful place worth your time as long as expectation is well-managed. Hope this...

At a steady pace, the hike can be done in 1½ hours, but taking a more leisurely stroll and enjoying the scenery, it will be anywhere between 2 and 4 hours.

The first part of the hike towards Wae Rebo was paved in the beginning of the COVID period, so you’ll have an easy start. After a while (about 30 minutes, depending on your speed) the paved part ends, and the path gets muddy and rocky, but never really difficult. Some sturdy shoes can be recommended, but of course there are always people who can be spotted walking the path in flip-flops. The hike itself is not that hard, but you’ll definitely be sweaty once you’re done because of the humidity.

In the village there are about 7 huts, of which 1 is specifically built for tourists. All the other huts are for the villagers, often housing 4-6 families in one hut. During the day, most of them work in the neighbouring fields, while some others were selling souvenirs such as local coffee and handmade bracelets. Dogs, cats, and chickens can also be seen roaming around the village.

Because the village surrounded on all sides by forests and mountains, Wae Rebo can get quite chilly at night. Fog and showers are definitely not uncommon and the weather can change quickly.

Most travellers to Wae Rebo stay overnight before going back the next day. The tourist hut has place for about 20 people, all provided for with a comfy mattress, a pillow, and bedsheets.

Most people arrive in the (late) afternoon, and leave again the next morning after breakfast. In the evening, a generator provides some light and gives you an opportunity to charge your phone. Around 10 in the evening it goes off and it's time to sleep.

Between the sleeping (and eating) area and the kitchen, there are 2 bathrooms with western style toilets and a bucket shower.

Both dinner and breakfast is included if you stay overnight in Wae Rebo. In the traditional huts meals are cooked inside the hut, but the meals for the tourists were cooked by the villagers in an adjacent kitchen which is large and smokey.

The meals were basic but tasty with rice, vegetables, egg, and krupuk (also for breakfast). We enjoyed dinner and breakfast sitting on the floor and chatting with the other tourists, which were mainly Indonesian.

General Tips • Rain gear - When it rains, it can rain really hard. So make sure to bring some rain gear just in case. • Sturdy shoes - Of course there are always people who can be spotted walking the path in flip-flops, but sturdy shoes are recommended. • Comfy clothes - Both short and long trousers are possible for the hike. The path is clear of vegetation, although we did catch some leeches. • Earplugs and a torch - At night earplugs can be recommended because of snoring tourists, and a headlamp or torch to go to the bathroom. • Pyjamas - During the evening we noticed all of the Indonesian tourists taking a shower and changing into pyjamas. • A towel - There are Indonesian bucket showers available and ropes to leave your towel to dry. • Chargers - There is a generator at the village running until 10 PM to charge phones or cameras. Small change - The villagers have plenty of souvenirs for sale such as coffee...

One of the most memorable experiences in Indonesia. From the trailhead you can leave your motorbike there and give the helmet to the kiosk owner who will look after it for 10k. You can also rent a walking stick for 10k and it’s very helpful for both the climb and descent.

It took me three hours to hike to the village, but a fitter person could do it in two hours. The hike is through the forest so no need to worry about being exposed to the sun. The path is slippery in some places but otherwise in very good condition.

Upon entering the village, you will be escorted to the mandatory welcome in the main house, where you will be asked to pay 50k. And then, if you are sleeping there, it is another 325k for a bed, dinner and breakfast the next day. After that, you’re free to do whatever you want, which is mainly admiring the houses, a short walk around the village and then mingling with the villagers and other guests. For 375k, I think it’s great value for money and by no means extortionate.

They provide a mattress and blanket but you must bring your own towel. The toilet is clean and there is a bucket shower. The bed is comfortable to sleep on, but a few mosquitoes at night. You share the room with other travelers (about 15 during my stay) but it was fine for a night and nice to interact with everyone.

For the dinner and breakfast, they cater for vegetarians. The food is good and filling, I carried a lot of snacks with me, but it was too many. I also carried too many warm clothes - it’s best just to bring one jumper, one raincoat, and 2 x t shirts, jogging bottoms, socks and underwear.

I travelled alone but made good friends with the other guests, that makes the trip so much more memorable. We hiked back to the bottom together the next morning.

The only downside is the road leaving the Wae Rebo is in bad condition, so be prepared for a bumpy ride. I was a bit nervous coming here as a solo traveler, and was considering to get a guide just for company, but it is not necessarily. From the trailhead the hike is not difficult (just tiring) and you will make friends with the other guests.

Thank you Wae Rebo village and I hope to be...