Maumere

Indonesia

Maumere is in Flores, Indonesia.

There are rumours about caves and hot springs, but this remains to be seen. The beaches outside of town are nice enough to spend a day or two on, but it's better to simply choose one and stay there instead of the town.

  • Diving. The waters off nearby Pulau Besar has good reefs for snorkeling and diving. Unfortunately, the dive centres don't get many customers and will only leave with 2 or more guests, so single divers will get a tough time buddying up. Prices hover around US$75-80 for a day with 2 dives, full equipment and lunch. Operators are found at Ankermi, Sea World Club or Wailiti Beach Hotel.
  • Snorkelling. Most hotels have snorkel gear you can rent (or simply borrow). You will have to go pretty far out from the shore to get to the reefs, but the currents are not too strong in this area so you should be alright if you are a decent swimmer. Check with your hotel for the best spot - or arrange a boat tour with a local fisherman (around Rp 450,000 for the day).
  • Jetski / Banana boat. Wailiti Hotel offers thrillseeking fun on the banana boat, if you really want to get into the holiday spirit. Rp 150,000-200,000..

Diving. The waters off nearby Pulau Besar has good reefs for snorkeling and diving. Unfortunately, the dive centres don't get many customers and will only leave with 2 or more guests, so single divers will get a tough time buddying up. Prices hover around US$75-80 for a day with 2 dives, full equipment and lunch. Operators are found at Ankermi, Sea World Club or Wailiti Beach Hotel.

Snorkelling. Most hotels have snorkel gear you can rent (or simply borrow). You will have to go pretty far out from the shore to get to the reefs, but the currents are not too strong in this area so you should be alright if you are a decent swimmer. Check with your hotel for the best spot - or arrange a boat tour with a local fisherman (around Rp 450,000 for the day).

Jetski / Banana boat. Wailiti Hotel offers thrillseeking fun on the banana boat, if you really want to get into the holiday spirit. Rp 150,000-200,000..

There are tons of ATMs in Maumere accepting international credit cards.

  • Pasar Alok. Weekly market happening on Tuesdays. Stalls with fruit, vegetables, second hand clothes, traditional textiles (Tanon Ikat). Locals from the mountains and other villages come to sell their goods.
  • Pasar Wairkoja. Weekly market happening on Fridays.
  • Toko Daur Ulang (part of Pantai Paris Homestay). Shop selling various recycled and upcycled products made by the local community and disabled people.

Pasar Alok. Weekly market happening on Tuesdays. Stalls with fruit, vegetables, second hand clothes, traditional textiles (Tanon Ikat). Locals from the mountains and other villages come to sell their goods.

Pasar Wairkoja. Weekly market happening on Fridays.

Toko Daur Ulang (part of Pantai Paris Homestay). Shop selling various recycled and upcycled products made by the local community and disabled people.

There are plenty of Warungs around the centre, offering all the usual suspects. Restaurants of the kind you would associate with candle light dinners does not exist. Outside the town you are at the mercy of the restaurants at your hotel, so check them out before checking in.

  • Warung Jakarta. has fresh fish and seafood at reasonable prices in big portions.
  • Warung Dahlia. Cheap and popular with the locals, this place serves all the usual suspects; soto ayam, nasi campur, ikan bakar. If it's Indonesian they have it. Everything is cooked fresh.
  • Golden Fish. Up market, and highly recommended fish restaurant. Choose your live fish, crab or lobster from the tank and wait while they steam, grill or fry it for you.
  • My Bread Bakery. The proximity to Gardena Hotel and the heavy amounts of chocolate used in the baked goods here make it a bad combination for your diet. However, once in a while you should allow yourself to indulge in the goodies. You can buy bread, cakes, burgers or mini-pizzas for eating in or take-away.
  • Roxy Supermarket. The well-stocked, low-priced Roxy is a good place to stock up on essentials for the 24 hr boat ride to Makassar.

Warung Jakarta. has fresh fish and seafood at reasonable prices in big portions.

Warung Dahlia. Cheap and popular with the locals, this place serves all the usual suspects; soto ayam, nasi campur, ikan bakar. If it's Indonesian they have it. Everything is cooked fresh.

Golden Fish. Up market, and highly recommended fish restaurant. Choose your live fish, crab or lobster from the tank and wait while they steam, grill or fry it for you.

My Bread Bakery. The proximity to Gardena Hotel and the heavy amounts of chocolate used in the baked goods here make it a bad combination for your diet. However, once in a while you should allow yourself to indulge in the goodies. You can buy bread, cakes, burgers or mini-pizzas for eating in or take-away.

Roxy Supermarket. The well-stocked, low-priced Roxy is a good place to stock up on essentials for the 24 hr boat ride to Makassar.

Maumere is a port town. Port town, means sailors, and sailors mean alcohol and prostitution. The Karaoke bars outside of town make up the venues that often combine the two. However, regardless of your intentions, there is much fun to have while loudly reading random Indonesian words from a TV monitor into a microphone while music is playing - also known as karaoke.

Libra Karaoke.

Bintang Disco and Karaoke.

  • Comtel. offers the most expensive internet in town. However, it is signposted everywhere and has WiFi. Rp 8,000/hr.
  • Warnet. 12.00-24.00. No WiFi, but you can bring your own laptop and use their ADSL connection. Rp 4,000/hr.
  • ET Shop Cyber Café. Has internet and WiFi. CDs and other computer accessories are sold here, if you want to transfer your photos to a CD. There is a nice café area in the back, which makes this the perfect place to wait for a delayed Pelni ship. Rp 5,000/hr.

Comtel. offers the most expensive internet in town. However, it is signposted everywhere and has WiFi. Rp 8,000/hr.

Warnet. 12.00-24.00. No WiFi, but you can bring your own laptop and use their ADSL connection. Rp 4,000/hr.

ET Shop Cyber Café. Has internet and WiFi. CDs and other computer accessories are sold here, if you want to transfer your photos to a CD. There is a nice café area in the back, which makes this the perfect place to wait for a delayed Pelni ship. Rp 5,000/hr.

  • Bali, air services
  • Kupang, air services
  • Lombok island, via Bali or Labuanbajo
  • Sumbawa island, by sea or via Bali or Labuanbajo
  • Makassar, A Pelni service on a classic Indonesian inter-island ship.
  • Ende in Flores, by road
  • Moni in Flores, by road
  • Labuanbajo and Komodo National Park in Flores, by air or sea

A taxi to the airport costs 50 000 rupiah (a substantial increase to what it used to be recently). An ojek costs 10 000 and a bemo costs 4000 and may take you closer than the route actually goes. The domestic departure tax is 10 000.

[[Bali]], air services

[[Kupang]], air services

[[Lombok]] island, via Bali or Labuanbajo

[[Sumbawa]] island, by sea or via Bali or Labuanbajo

[[Makassar]], A Pelni service on a classic Indonesian inter-island ship.

[[Ende]] in Flores, by road

[[Moni]] in Flores, by road

[[Labuanbajo]] and [[Komodo National Park]] in Flores, by air or sea