Indonesia is such a unique place on the map; it’s literally the land of islands, and the diversity of flora and fauna, people and languages, history and culture are outstanding (either in a good or bad way). But can you, and do you want to visit all the 17508 islands?

People who come here usually have mono interests (mainly surfing and diving, or just casual backpacking). I’m none of these, but my hunger – and boredom of living on a single island – drives me to explore more and more. I love the joy of reaching unvisited places, and real exploring starts when you don’t meet any tourists.

East Nusa Tenggara, more precisely West Timor (not Timor Leste), was out of my sight. Until someone showed me Pulau Rote on the map, and I was like, Hello beauty, you got my attention. I knew I would visit just didn’t know when.

For personal reasons, I wanted to get out of Bali. When I realized that Nyepi would be at the same time as I was looking for flights, I had mixed feelings. I’ve never spent Nyepi outside of Bali; it was kinda a tradition, and I love the Day of Silence. At the same time, I liked the idea of changing old habits and circles, and the Balinese New Year seemed like perfect timing.

Rote is a surfer paradise that is only seasonally open; it’s busy from May to November and dead the rest of the year. If you visit places that don’t depend on tourism, timing isn’t an issue (you can find the same things and activities at any time of the year), but from a tourist perspective, Rote is pretty much closed in March. It’s more challenging to find accommodation and food, but in return, you can enjoy the wide and empty beaches (just for yourself), beautiful weather, and lush greens (surfers only see the dry, brownish land).

THE WALKING DEAD

Accessing Rote is easy. The flight from Bali takes about 5 hours, including transit in Kupang. On the island, you can rent a car or a scooter (mine was 60k IDR/day/for 5 days); both options are fine as long as you stay on the main roads.

Accommodation in Rote is crazy expensive (even with a Covid discount). Being far from everything always drives prices up, but still.. Also, booking in advance is a gamble in Indonesia; you never know what you’re going to get, and 90% of the photos on the internet don’t match reality. Since I didn’t book anything in advance, I had to find a place to stay after arrival. Everything seemingly available on hotel sites was closed. I stumbled upon a cheap one (250k IDR/night, including meals) that looked abandoned and below my comfort level. I’ve stayed in some wild places during my travels (that could be another story), but I’ve set a bare minimum for now. At sunset time, I got a bit worried. Then, I ended up at Mulia Bungalows. It wasn’t officially open, but for 500k IDR/night, even though the staff was very kind, it didn’t give a good impression. In fact, I slept really bad that night, so I was keen to find another place. And so the magic of the Universe began to unfold.

THE CELESTINE PROPHECY

My first day on the Rote started miserably. It had been raining since the night, I was getting edgy, and frankly, I didn’t feel like travelling at all. I had to push myself out of this low vibration. As soon as I grumpily jumped on my hog, the sun came out; I followed my instincts and original plan to get some beach time (I was excited to spend Nyepi by the ocean). I visited all the famous and alluring spots of the West Coast, and besides a little sunburn, also my adventure-seeker spirit awakened.

On the way, I found another open hotel, where I stopped for a juice, and it became my new accommodation. At the Narrow (for 500k IDR/night), I got a very comfortable room, delicious breakfasts, and even more.

I met two old hands here (ages 60 and 80, but you wouldn’t tell) whose stories dumbfounded me from the first day to the last. You know that feeling when you’re in a situation and blown away by how it just happened? Everything happens for a reason, and I was stunned. Chatting with them every evening was like a seance. And it wasn’t merely about listening to their stories – they also listened to mine. I’ve already forgotten what it feels like to share my experiences, thoughts, and observations, and the others are paying attention and caring. As sad as it sounds, it doesn’t happen too often in my life, so it’s always precious when I cross paths with people of my own kind.

The meaningful conversations, being heard, and most importantly, being present were the least expected and biggest surprises of the island. Ultimately, my time on Rote was more about an inner journey than an outer exploration. However, the synchronicities, the blessing, and the teachings didn’t stop at the dining table.

THE ISLAND OF GOATS

While March is off for tourists, it’s definitely on for locals. Driving around the island, I found that Rotenese are fine where they are. They grow and produce literally everything they need, including coffee and tobacco. Apparently, not so long ago, people didn’t use money – they bargained. The paradigm shift is visible between the old and new generations, even tho they practice and keep their traditions alive. I find it fascinating how things flow on this island, it’s definitely worth digging into.

Rote has a very interesting micro-diversity; like Noah’s island, a bit of everything. I’ve never been to a place in Indonesia where all the farm animals were present. There’s usually a dominant one in a given region, but here, they have them all: cow, sheep, goat, horse, buffalo, pig, poultry. Goats are definitely the kings. As the saying goes, animals live free, and people live in cages. The goats take over the roads around sunset and don’t leave until dawn, and goat poop balls are rolling everywhere in the morning. At first, I wondered why people drive so slowly here, but now I see the reason.

Besides being an animal kingdom, the roads are mostly just asphalt splashes. The western side of the island (the touristy) is more developed, but the eastern and southern parts are almost 100% Rotenese territories. This means that roads don’t always exist, and the ones you can find are not necessarily for driving – at least not on an ordinary scooter. I only recommend visiting these rural areas if you have some experience, are into off-roading, and can find a proper dirtbike (details below).

My other suggestion is DO NOT FOLLOW GOOGLE MAPS. I cannot stress this enough. Stay on the main road and navigate manually to reach any attractions. But don’t rely on Google because it’s a trap! During my travels in Indonesia, I lost it maybe two times (it’s when I stop the engine and swear in my mother tongue, very juicy). Rote became the third time. I’m not positive it was purely because of the road because it was still feasible (just a tiring and annoying real pain in the ass on a scorching day), but the breakdown and breakthrough happened.

THE FINAL TOUCH

Here’s the story: I went on a road trip. The first part of the day went smoothly, but the northern coast and the western peak of the island were not too striking, so I was surely looking for some excitement (be careful what you wish for). After a quick stop at Mulut Seribu, I headed south. I got a bit suspicious when Google took me from the main road to a white stone track, but the rice fields looked pretty. When the path got bumpier, and puddles showed up here and there, I had a bad gut feeling, but I kept going.. because I’m stubborn.

When I finally reached Pantai Nita-Salidae, I ran out of patience. I’d already spent more than an hour in this track purgatory (and was only halfway to my first desired spot) and couldn’t predict what the rest would be like and how I would get out of there. I checked the map again and decided my pinned spots were not worth the unpredictable pain. Honestly, I was disappointed and mad at myself because I had never given up a road before. Ever. (I usually go lemming until I make it.) But as I turned towards the mountains instead of following the coast, the epiphany hit me.

If there’s no reward at the end of the journey, there’s no point in clinging to the road.

Just because I initially chose something, I’m free to think it over, change my mind, and LET. IT. GO. Although it sounds so self-evident, it was a real revelation because I saw the analogy to my current life situation. Just because we choose people doesn’t mean we have to stay if they don’t choose us. We have to respect, love, and choose ourselves and let them go. Holding on to anything (or anyone) that doesn’t bring us joy but only poisons our heart, mind, and soul is not serving us in any way.

Of course, giving up letting go doesn’t mean turning back to the same way – the past is the past, and that’s not where we go. Leaving on a side exit is what sets you free. And that’s exactly what I did. Although I didn’t know what lay ahead, when, and how I would get out of this place, I felt liberated. The burdensome fog in my mind cleared minute by minute.

When I stopped to check the route, I got my reward; I found myself in a magical forest. It may not seem special to the lay eye, but when I stopped the engine and looked around, I was amazed. The trees looked supernatural, and the sound of the forest filled my heart. The twist in the story is that after this micro-boost of strength, and hope, and world peace, the Universe’s sense of humor blessed me with the biggest, dirtiest mudhole. Why? Why not.

I spent almost 4 hours in this Bermuda Triangle – but who’s counting, time flies when you’re busy being tortured. It was a huge relief when I finally reached the main road, and it was not sunset yet. I needed some time to process everything that happened, but I feel good. I took the remaining days really slow. I didn’t push myself to see or do more; I just enjoyed the beaches and the good company.

This post is more an open diary than a travel guide. Rote has a very special energy, and I have to come back to do all the tourist activities. But for the record, here are my top 3 places for now:

PANTAI LOEDIK

BUKIT DANOFULAK

PANTAI LIFULADA

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