WONDERFUL WAE REBO (DE)
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Flores is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. The traditional village of Wae Rebo in the district of Manggarai on the island of Flores, East Nusatenggara, has received the Top Award of Excellence from UNESCO in the 2012 UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards, announced in Bangkok on 27 August 2012.
This small and isolated village was recognized for its rebuilding of the traditional Mbaru Niang traditional house based on the spirit of community cooperation towards a sustainable tradition, while at the same time improving its village welfare.
Founder of the village and, therefore, their main ancestor who built the village some 100 years ago, was a man called Empu Maro. Today, the inhabitants are his 18th generation descendents.
Wae Rebo’s main characteristics are their unique houses, which they call Mbaru Niang that are tall and conical in shape and are completely covered in lontar thatch from its rooftop down to the ground. It appears that at one time such kind of houses were quite common to the region. But today, it is only this village that continues to maintain the typical Manggarai traditional house, without which these unique houses would have been completely fazed out.
The house has five levels, each level designated for a specific purpose. The first level , called lutur or tent, are the living quarters of the extended family. The second level, called lobo, or attic, is set aside to store food and goods, the third level called lentar is to store seeds for the next harvest, the fourth level called lempa rae is reserved for food stocks in case of draught, and the fifth and top level, called hekang kode, which is held most sacred, is to place offerings for the ancestors.
DESTINATION
RUTENG
Ruteng, the capital of the Manggarai district, is located at the foot of a high mountain range and in the center of a complicated network of valleys, which flow into the largest rice-producing areas of Flores. Long-standing traditions are still very much present in Ruteng, e.g. Caci: a whip fight which is an important element of traditional ceremonies. It is therefore often performed during the marriage of the wealthier and more influential Manggaraians.
WAE REBO
Wae Rebo is a small, very out of the way village. Located some 1,100 meters above sea level, where the air is cool and the village completely surrounded by panoramic mountains and the dense Todo forest. This tropical forest is rich in vegetation, where you will find orchids, different types of ferns and hear the chirping of many songbirds.
BATU CERMIN CAVE
Hence the cave’s name, Batu Cermin, which means ‘mirror rock’ in Indonesian. Located only 4 kilometers from central Labuan Bajo. Batu Cermin cave is set within an impressive prominent rock formation near Labuan Bajo. Through a hole in the cave, rays of light find their way into the cave’s inside walls where they perform a spectacular show of reflected sunlight. This fascinating effect is caused by some slick, mirror-like rock surfaces that reflect the light.
DISTANCE From JAKARTA
2 hours 30 Minutes
FLIGHT RECOMMENDATION
JAKARTA to LABUAN BAJO
LABUAN BAJO to JAKARTA
DISTANCE From BALI
1 hour 30 Minutes
FLIGHT RECOMMENDATION
BALI to LABUAN BAJO
LABUAN BAJO to BALI
*) Early flight to Labuan Bajo and Late flight to Jakarta/Bali are highly recommended to maximize your trip in Wae Rebo.
