Labuanbajo, the western port of Flores, is a small town with the ubiquitous mosque, and fishing men who leave at sunrise or sunset to collect prawns and shells with their wide boat. From there, you can take a ship to visit Flores, named 'Flower' by the Portuguese before they sold the island to the Dutch, Sumbawa, and the beautiful Island of Komodo where you can see the huge Komodo dragons that live there.

Manggarai is a settlement of hill people who speak their own language and have distinct culture different from other ethnic groups on Flores. The villagers, though officially Christian, still practise traditional rites and ceremonies involving animal sacrifice. The most unusual rite you can see involves vicious whip-fighting called caci. Two men armed with bullwhips and shields face off in un-armoured combat, resulting in bloody welts on the shoulders and backs of the opponents.
The spectators appreciate hoots resounded around the village, and his rival jumped into the air in ecstatic proclamation of victory. Winning the whip fight, marked by success at drawing blood from a stalwart foe, would assuredly bring fertility to the victor's village lands and women alike. It would encourage the rains to arrive promptly, and the crops would be nourished. There would be a good harvest for the Manggarai people in the months to come.

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