Maumere

Maumere is in Flores, Indonesia.

Get in

Maumere is a small town both in geography and population.

By plane

• 1 Frans Xavier Seda Airport (MOF  ^IATA Indonesian: Bandar Udara Wai Oti, also known as Wai Oti Airport or Maumere Airport) (3 km out of town). Maumere is linked by air with regular flights from Kupang/Timor's El Tari Airport (KOE ^IATA). and Denpasar's Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS ^IATA). 3 companies fly to here, Batavia & Lion Air. All flights eventually end up in Bali, either via Kupang, Sumba or Labuanbajo, so together there is at least 1 flight every day from Bali.  

An ojek from the airport to anywhere shouldn't be more than Rp 5,000. If you walk the 500 m to the main road there are plenty of bemos to take you into town, but it's doubtful you will get that far before a reasonably priced private transport provider offers a low price you can't say no to.

By boat

Pelni has ships to Makassar and Kupang every 2 weeks. The schedule keeps changing and even the local Pelni office has given up planning more than 2 weeks ahead. Tickets can be bought from the local Pelni office near the port on the road to Wailiti and Gading Beach Hotels.

By bus

Buses to Ende, stopping in Moni start from the west bus terminal a fair way out of town. Have your hotel arrange the transport for you, and they will come and pick you up. As always, the bus will circle the town until full. You can get as far as Bajawa in a single day, but that is a 15-hr drive. Buses to Labuanbajo will stop in Bajawa for 1 night.

Buses from Moni to Ende sometimes stop in the centre of Maumere - not at the terminals - and some might even take you to your hotel, if you already know where you want to stay.

Get around

It seems everyone is an Ojek, and will take you anywhere for around Rp 5,000. Gading Beach Hotel 10 km from the centre will cost you 5,000 Rp. Bemos charge Rp 1,000 around town and Rp 3,000 outside.

Renting a scooter for one day will cost you approximately Rp 100,000.

See

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.

Do

Water sports

• 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, "Blue Crystal Dive Trip", 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.. 

Buy

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.

Eat

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 (by the port). has fresh fish and seafood at reasonable prices in big portions. 
• Warung Dahlia (near the Church, 500 meters inland from the port). 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 (just around the corner from Gardena Hotel). 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 (near the Post Office). The well-stocked, low-priced Roxy is a good place to stock up on essentials for the 24-hr boat ride to Makassar. 

Drink

Maumere is a port town. Port towns mean 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. 

Sleep

In town

• Gardena Hotel (in a quiet street near the Post office. It's difficult to find, but an ojek will cost you no more than Rp 2,000 from anywhere in town). This place has it all. Cheap, clean, comfortable rooms and very attentive and helpful staff with impeccable English. They can arrange everything for you and seem to know just about everyone. All rooms have private western style bathrooms and breakfast is included. Rp 80,000-120,000. 
• Wini Rai II. The expensive rooms are ridiculously overpriced although they come with TV and A/C. The cheaper rooms have shared bathrooms, but when they say cheap, they mean it. The staff is absolutely lovely. Rp 50,000-200,000. 
• Beng Goan 1 & 2. Well-run place that is so popular they built another one right next to it. It's in the centre of Maumere, so you are never far from anything. Internet, travel agents, Pelni office are all within a skip and a jump. s/d: Rp 60,000-125,000/Rp 85,000-175,000. 
• Hotel Lareska. It has small rooms with private bathroom (local style). The staff speaks little English which gives you an excellent chance to practice your Indonesian. As always, breakfast is included. Rp 77,000-165,000. 

East of town

Buses to Larantuka (Rp 5,000-10,000) or the omnipotent bemos (Rp 3,000-5,000) or Ojeks (5,000-30,000) will take you to any of these places. Just let the driver know which hotel you want. As always, bemos and buses circle the town picking up passengers, leaving only when full.

• Perata Sari Hotel (At the airport). A decent hotel just off the airport. Good for those early morning flights. 
• Sea World Club (8 km). Undoubtedly the best beach around Maumere. The rooms are clean and the beds are comfortable. The restaurant is a little expensive, but they have everything on offer, including home-made ice cream. Diving is available at US70$ per day including equipment, 2 dives and lunch. US$20-80. 
• Sunset Cottages (24 km). Simple bungalows that has seen better days dotted on a palmtree covered black sand beach offering nice shade with a cool sea breeze. It has a nice restaurant with a good travellers vibe (if there are other travellers, that is). Rp 80,000. 
• Warang Beach homestay, ☏ +62 85303820212. Very scruffy bungalows. Rp 60.000. 
• Wodong Beach. Very basic bungalows on the beach. The staff speaks little English, but you are likely to have the place all to yourself. Rp 60,000. 
• Lena's House (28 km). It has 3 bungalows on the beach (during high tide, there is no beach, so they're by the sea). The attentive owner runs a good restaurant and will make sure you enjoy your stay. Rp 70,000. 
• Ankermi (29 Km). This up-market resort has huge bungalows that sleep 3 people (1 double bed and 1 extra foam mattress on a repos). All rooms have private bathrooms with open-air showers and squat toilets. Price includes breakfast, afternoon tea and buffet dinner. Slow WiFi is available for Rp 10,000/day. A/C is an extra Rp 60,000. Diving trips and courses are available. s/d: 225,000/390,000 Rp.. 
• 1 Pantai Paris Homestay (2 km east of Town), ☏ +62 8123 955 141. Check-in: 07:00 - 21:00, check-out: 12:00. Just off the airport (5 min) along the shore of Pantai Paris. 2 spacy rooms with indoor western style bathrooms, and 1 backpackers room with 2 bunk beds. Meals can be provided at an extra price but alternatively guests may use the outdoor kitchen to prepare their own meals. There's a speedy Internet connection and free Wifi. Rp90,000 - 300,000 per night. (updated Jun 2016)

West of town

• Wailiti Beach Hotel (3 km). Resort, complete with swimming pool and water sports activities, including diving. Set on a mangrove beach with lovely views. All rooms have A/C and are big enough to host a small party, private bathrooms with western toilets and the expensive ones have TV. The restaurant is somewhat more expensive and caters to an upmarket crowd with a taste for lobsters and crabs that can be chosen live from a tank. Rp 250,000-350,000. 
• Gading Beach Hotel. Gading, meaning ivory, has 5 bungalows with sea (and sunrise) view that is excellent value. Behind them are the cheaper rooms. Make sure that you don't get the ones near the karaoke place next door. The restaurant is a great place to watch the boats sail by, and the staff is very attentive. Breakfast is included, and they offer free transport to and from Maumere incl. the airport or bus station. Rp 100,000-200,000. 

Connect

• Comtel. offers the most expensive internet in town. However, it is signposted everywhere and has WiFi. Rp 8,000/hr. 
• Warnet (near the mosque). 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 (Across from BankNTT, near Warung Dahlia). 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. 

Go next

• 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 Rp50,000. An ojek costs Rp10,000 and a bemo costs Rp4000 and may take you closer than the route actually goes. The domestic departure tax is Rp10,000.