Ende

Ende is a city in Flores. It mostly serves as the gateway between Flores and Sumba island or Kupang. However, Ende is worth a visit in its own right. Being the biggest city in Flores with around 60,000 inhabitants, boasting both a university and a hospital, it has a middle class and curious young people with good English skills.

Understand
Ende was the site of a kingdom that existed around the end of the 18th century. The name today refers to the capital of the Ende regency, which includes the two autonomous territories of Lio and Ende.

By plane


H. Hasan Aroeboesman Airport is located within 10 minutes walking distance of the Ikhlas and Safari Hotel, but an ojek is worth it if you have a heavy bag.

By boat
Pelni serves Kupang and Sumba island on a 2 week schedule. The boat leaves for Kupang, then returns 3 days later for Waingapu (Sumba), rinse and repeat. Breakdowns and delays make it impossible to post a schedule. The very helpful Pelni office is on the same road as the Ikhlas Hotel. Just follow the road towards the port, and you can't miss it.

By bus
Buses from Bajawa stop at a warung near the airport roundabout for lunch. From Maumere they stop at the terminal 9 km outside of town, however, most continue towards Bajawa and can drop you near the airport.

Get around
Central Ende is very small and everything of interest to the traveler is literally within walking distance, or hail an ojek.

See





 * Kelimutu National Park is a holy mountain with three crater lakes, filled with water of different colors. Far removed from the civilized would, utter silence reigns around these lakes. The 1.690- meter-high mountain, 60 kilometers from Ende, was “discovered” by a Dutchmen Van Suchtelen and Le Roux, who came to explore it after hearing stories about the mountain which the local people regarded as the location of a heaven and hell. According to legend, the man Kelimutu was punished by the gods due to his cruel treatment of the weak. The story presumably refers to the giant Ata Polo Ria, who ill treated the orphans, Ata koo Fai and Ata nuwu muri, as well as the old man Ata bupu. As a punishment, the gods put the giant to death.
 * Rewa Rangga is a prehistoric site with foot prints and he imprint of what is said to be a giant’s behind. The site is located near Nuabosi village, eight kilometers from Ende. To reach it, one must walk for more than one hour from Nuabosi, over a small footpath.
 * Tiwu Sora is a lake inhabited by holy ales, which are said to possess manes, like horses. It takes rather long hike to reach the lake. There is another calm to stop filled with holy ales in the vicinity. Its location is near the village wolotolo, about 20 kilometer away from Ende. The last end of the way to be walked.
 * Wutu weti is the stone bearing the imprint of a boat and man sitting inside it wearing headdress like that of tartar. It is in the village Nua Mbako, near Nggel, in the south of the Ende regency.
 * The Portuguese Fort in Rendo Mau Pandi can be reached by motor boat from Ende in about an hour. Inside are an abandoned house, a well, and a few cannons. A similar fort is found in Numba Rada, about one and a half hour by car from Ende.
 * Nua Kepi is a cave 14 kilometers from Ende. A couple of Japanese scientist once conducted studies for more than a year inside the cave, in which many calm were found.
 * Ndota Keli Lima is the myth of origin of people of Lio-Ende, and tells of the original ancestors, Bobi and Nombi. There is a tomb there, where the couple’s spirits are said to occasionally appear to people, bedecked with all kinds of edible crops probably symbolizing fertility. Not far from the site of the tomb is a hill called Wolo Wita . It is believed to be the spot where the ancestors agreed to disperse to inhabit the various regions of Lio-Ende.
 * Tanah Ka means edible earth. This area is in Tombe Radu, in the Ende district .People are said to eat the soil during periods of severe dog of famine. The area is 17 kilometers from Ende and can only he reached by walking.
 * At Lasugolo, in the village Nida, near Maurole district, is geyser, spurting hot water in a three- meter-high column. It can be reached by car from Ende up to the village of Wologai. From there, one has to walk the rest of the distance for half a day.
 * Mutubasa pond with boiling hot water is where people go to be cured of diseases. Its located near Saga 20 kilometers from Ende. It takes half a day to walk the distance.
 * Buu Bei means “place to Dock”. It is the name of a village which lies at the floor of a crater, almost one kilometr below the rim. The sun shines only from 11 o’clock in the morning until two in the afternoon. The village is located 17 kilometer from Ende. It takes half a day to reach it on foot. About 20 years ago, the inhabitants still wore loin cloths made of tree bark. Now they wear clothes.
 * Fila Ria is a beach, south of Ende near the village Meti Numba. The steep hillside extends for nearly one kilometer along the coast. And is about 100 meters high. The beach however, is wide and the water is clean and calm. The site can be reached by motorboat in about two hours from Ende.
 * Mozic Stones cover the seashore from Maunggora to Nangapanda village. There are stones that ae blue, green and black. The place can be reached by car in about one hour from Ende.
 * Mari Longa was a hero who fought by himself against the Dutch. He died a natural death and was buried in his home village. The place on the hill where he defended himself are surrounded by bamboo poles filled with water.
 * Mezbah and stone monument unusually called kanga and Tubu-Mase, are platforms for offerings. In this type of traditional agrarian village, this kind of ritual ceremony is usually held every stage of the process – from that of preparing the soil, to planting, tending the plants and harvesting.
 * The Hollow Stone is on Numba Beach Nagakeo village, in the Nagapanda district, 12 kilometers from Ende. This hole was presumably produced by punch, delivered by a powerful young lady from Wio ( Sumba), who was looking for her younger sister, who had married a nobleman of Roja, Ende.
 * Ae Wau is a complex of pools with water containing sulfur. There are three pools, which are much visited by the people coming from all over Flores, as well as tourists. It is located 80 kilometers from Ende, near nggela village, and can be reached first by public vehicle, the by walking for a distance of half a kilometer from the village of Nggela.
 * Ae Petu is a hot water pool, located near the village of Detusuko, 33 kilometers from Ende. It can be reached by car. At the pool’s side, sands statue of the Virgin Mary.
 * Tolo Rose is the family grave of the lord Wololele. It is locate in the village of Wololelel A, Wolowaru district. The grave lies on a hill and accessible over a stairway buffalo heads, the symbol of greatness’. From the top of the hill, or can admire the beauty of the surroundings, up t the beach of Maumere in the Sikka regency. The peak mount Kelisoke is visible in the distance constantly covered by clouds. Besides boasting beautiful scenery, the mountainside is also good for climbing. Start from Ende towards Wolowaru, at a distance of 64 kilometer. From Wolowaru, it takes a hike of more than three hours to reach the summit.
 * Watu Api is the village where the hero Nipa Do was born. He was a commander of Nangapanda kingdom, who revolted against the Dutch government, who imposed excessive tax burdens and hard labor on the people for the construction of a road network on Flores. Together with his field commanders epa biu, Laja Dhosa and Deru gore, he waged guerrilla war against the Dutch. Nipa Do was eventually trapped and shot to death. A few of his war commanders were captured and put in prisons in Java. The rebellion of Nipa Do is known as the Watu Api War, which took place between 1916 and 1917. In every traditional house, or Sao Nggua, many sacred items are kept. They maybe pieces at gold shaped like sickle, chains, elephant tusks, cannons, swords, knives, book concerning Christianity, and bowls for the preparation of rice mounds. Woven Ikat cloths are produced in cottage industries. The largest producers are the southern areas such as Mbuli, Wolojita, Nggela, Ngtupolo, Wolotopo, Ndona, and Ende.   Sarongs and shawls from Ende have various motifs each reflecting the social status of its wearer.

Eat
Walk in any direction for 2 minutes and you will have passed at least one warung selling Sate, Mie Goreng, Padang etc. Up-market restaurants are scarce, if any.

On Jl Ahmed Yani, near the soccer field, is a street vendor selling Martabak (chocolate pancake) which is excellent. Buy an extra one to take with you if you are flying with Wings Air because there is no food on board.

Drink
There isn't much nightlife to speak of in Ende. If you're desperate for a beer, try Star One.

Sleep
Besides the hotels listed here, several homestays are located on the same road towards the port. These 2, however, are head and shoulders above the rest.



Go next
.
 * Bajawa — home of traditional mountain Asli villages (3 hours and 15 minutes West)
 * Maumere — sun, sand and snorkeling
 * Mt Kelimutu National Park — see the multi-coloured volcanic crater lakes
 * Sumba — mysterious Marapu island, and home of the Pasola