Rote
Getting to Rote
Rote is the southernmost island in Indonesia, closer to Darwin in distance than it is to Jakarta or even Bali. To get there from Australia, one has to fly into Denpasar or Jakarta first, then take another flight into Kupang before either boarding a small plane or ferry. We'd heard that surfers came here in search of amazing breaks that you could surf all to yourself. Admittedly, I'm not a great surfer but having tried to catch waves in busy Byron, Noosa and along the Great Ocean Road, I was determined to see if I could catch some waves without having to navigate a sea of other swell riders.
Getting to our resort on Rote took a couple of flights, a ferry and a long car journey: we flew into Jakarta, then caught a red eye (2AM!) Batik Air flight to Kupang, arriving at dawn. From Kupang, we were driven to the harbour, where we were comfortably on time to board the 9am Express Bahari air-conditioned ferry to Rote. Despite it being Rote's peak travel season, only a smattering of foreign tourists were on this vessel - it was fun watching porters and snack vendors clamber on board before all the passengers, offering food, drink and porterage to everybody, and then hustling off the boat just before it departed. People kept changing seats despite having seat numbers assigned, and much luggage was deposited in the narrow passage in front of us, causing some distress to passengers who needed to get to the slightly more expensive VIP section in the front. Despite the chaos, the boat departed only about 20 minutes late and we reached Rote before noon.
Upon reaching Rote's Pantai Baru harbour, a similar army of porters (who were polite and not at all persistent) descended upon the vessel. We had a car from our resort picking us up so we didn't require any porterage, but if you have many bags or a big surfboard these guys could be useful as the gang plank is narrow.
Also bear in mind that the roads in Rote are not the best - generally very rocky, narrow in places and often utilised by livestock/dogs. And the island's tourist area is around the very southern tip, so it was 2.5 hours on the road, with a lunch stop halfway in Ombok to reach Eliana Resort.
Note: It is possible to save some time by flying from Kupang to DC Saudale Airport on Rote.
At the time of writing (September 2024), this Susi Air flight departed for Rote at at 7:30am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (see image to the right).
For us, this would have necessitated a night in Kupang so we sucked it up and took the express ferry.
Bear in mind that the plane seats only about a dozen passengers including the pilot so we couldn't book it for our departure either as we left it too late and the flight was subsequently full.
I was also told that surfboards could be accommodated on this flight but only if booked early as cargo space is at a premium so consider yourself warned!
*There are also rumours of a Wings Air flight replacing the Susi Air service in the future - so perhaps access to Rote might get easier but for now, this is it!
Eliana Resort - our Rote accommodation
Eliana Resort opened in June 2024 and is a sight for sore eyes indeed! There is still plenty of construction work going on as they are putting up more villas on the sprawling property, but as a staying guest you wouldn't really notice. The road out front is still being built - so expect rocks and corrugation - but if you are looking for peace, quiet, great service and a top-notch restaurant, this is your place. Their staff are also incredibly helpful with booking logistics, etc from the minute you enquire until you leave the island.
A word of warning: if you're looking for bars, restaurants, etc, you're on the wrong island, and secondly, the only place that remotely resembles a commercial tourist hub is about 30 minutes by road away in Nemberala. It is also a fair distance from the surf breaks but if you have transport, it's worth it as it is one of the nicest and newest places to stay on Rote.
If you are after something closer to Nemberala Beach - a bit more low-key and rustic eco-chic in style, consider 81 Palms. We had dinner at the excellent Spanish/Indonesian restaurant here one night - highly recommended - and also peeked into one of the four thatched guest chalets.
Things to do in Rote
Surf
Of course, Rote is a well-known surfing destination and the people who are good at it are here to chase big waves at renowned sites such as at T-Land, famous for its long, perfect right hand break accessible by boat from Nemberala Beach.
But what about beginners? Well, there are plenty of options when conditions allow - from gentle waves at Sand Bar which you can catch in waist-deep water to Squealers, a nice, safe rolling break which can turn left or right and is accessible by boat. We got some great lessons and rented boards from the lovely Coach Armi at Nemberala Beach Surf School. She can also take photos of you!
Kayak
The other place Rote is 'famous' for is Telaga Nirwana, a somewhat spoon-shaped inlet accessible by kayak or small boat through a narrow channel flanked by mangroves. (I use inverted commas because it is not anywhere near the level of Sumatra's Lake Toba or Raja Ampat's Fam in terms of notoriety; however, if you Google "Rote" this is one of the first things that comes up). It is a very beautiful and peaceful spot to paddle, with ancient gnarled mangrove trees and craggy rock formations on all sides. You can climb up to the lookout for a better view.
Also, bring your snorkel along if you want to get a look at the coral around the entrance to Telaga Nirwana. There are plenty of starfish below, arowana in the mangroves, plus small colourful reef fish such as zebrafish and angelfish.
Our resort was very close to Telaga Nirwana and as we left at dawn, they packed us a delicious breakfast of bacon and egg sandwiches with chips - a welcome treat after a couple of hours kayaking!
One thing to be aware of when visiting: the tide. Depending on your vessel, the entrance to Telaga Nirwana can become too shallow to navigate at low tide or the current too strong, so time your visit accordingly.
Walk (or rent a motorbike)
Pantai Batu Pintu
At the time of writing, the road outside Eliana Resort is under construction, but it is eminently walkable, even in thongs. To the east lies Pantai Batu Pintu, which translates directly to "rock door beach". This natural rock formation is indeed a spectacle, as is the white sand lagoon right beside it.
It was however, impossible to ignore that all around it was mounds of rubbish - piles of plastic water bottles, food packaging, glass and cardboard. It was a truly heartbreaking sight.
Another thing that surprised me was how arid Rote was. This time of year was approaching the end of the hot, dry summer season - so the land was parched and a lot of the cattle looked like they were starving.
Nemberala
Farther afield in Nemberala, there are a tiny handful of beachfront bars (mostly inside resorts), some traditional warungs (food shops), a couple of tiny general stores, all that run parallel to a long sandy beach flanked by countless seaweed farms. At low tide, it seemed that the entire coastline was covered in seaweed.
Inland, goats, cows and dogs roam freely, while young kids on motorbikes wave and beep their horns amiably at pedestrians. There's also a church shaped like a ship in its final stages of construction.
On Tuesdays, there's a local market (we missed this) but I would have loved to visit to see what kind of fruit/veg/food the citizens of southern Rote enjoyed.
Boat trip / fishing
Rote is surrounded by stunning islets, some with white powder sand beaches, such as Ndana (the very last stop before Australia) which operates as a military base. Chartering a boat for the day is an excellent way to explore. Just remember to bring a hat and sunscreen as depending on the boat, shade can be limited. On our day out on the water, we snorkelled at Helianak Island, dropped a line (and caught nothing) plus we swam at a gorgeous deserted beach on Ndana (where we had to seek permission from the military first and sign in). I imagine you could also bring your surfboard out and take advantage of some of the lesser known breaks if conditions were right.
