Imagine a warm welcome in a tribal village, sleep in a traditional Flores house, join in community activities, listen to ancestral folktales, practice Ikat weaving, go on a forest hike or take a fishing trip……..That is exploring authentic Flores Website
Flores has so much more to offer besides the usual places which receive a lot of promotion. Most communities off the beaten path – often situated in remote areas – do not directly profit from the growing tourism. When you stay overnight at one of the hosting families you pay directly to them. The village provides a free room for your guide / driver.
In 2013 I initiated Flores Homestay Network to support Community Based Tourism development for poverty alleviation and preservation of biodiversity. The curriculum for community training on Flores was developed by Dr. Stroma Cole, senior lecturer in tourism geography at the University of the West of England. The artwork for our website was developed by Karin Minnigh. We organised three trainings, Bajawa 2013 – 2014 and 2015 both in Leda Ruteng. Stroma conducted the first two trainings and 2015 was given by Marta Muslin, Anita Verhoeven, Gemma Sollis and Arie Saridin
Training topics include amongst other
- Interaction with tourists
- Land rights
- Positive and negative impact of tourism
- Sanitation and hygiene
- Economics
- Exploring assets for tourism
- Code of Conduct
- Basic standards
As follow-up professional volunteers – mostly graduates from University of the West of England – lived in the participating communities to support them for skills development – basic English, sanitation, formulating a Code of Conduct and establish a rotating system in order for all participating hosting families to benefit equally. Volunteers Ben Bell and Liam Hicks made this video during their stay in Homestay Pemo
The Code of Conduct contains important information about local do’s and don’ts in the villages. Please be respectful. The people on Flores are too polite to tell you off when you behave in an improper way. You can find a Code of Conduct on most pages of Flores Homestay Network website and Facebook pages.
These pictures were taken during the 3rd training in 2015 in Leda in Homestay Mbeliling.
Coordinator of Flores Homestay Network is Marta (Ica) Muslin Phone and WA +62 (0) 813 38511345 Email
For the love of an island 