Nuca Molas, a small island off the coast of Flores with wild and diverse scenery, is the most recent location in Indonesia to be likened to Jurassic Park.

If you’re travelling through Flores, heading to Komodo, or intend to visit the neighbouring community of Wae Rebo, it’s definitely worth a stop.

You can hike one of the hills or climb the lighthouse to get a better perspective of the central highlands, and the island’s scenery is breathtaking. Because of its somewhat distant position, the masses are kept at bay!

Everything you need to know before visiting Nuca Molas will be covered in this travel guide, including how to get there!

How to Travel to Nuca Molas

• The first step is to fly to Flores Island.
  To begin, take a plane to Labuan Bajo’s Komodo International Airport (LBJ).

There are daily, reasonably priced flights from Bali, Jakarta, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur from this airport, which is the nearest to Nuca Molas.

• The second step is to drive to Dintor.

After that, you will require transportation to Dintor settlement, which serves as the starting point for Nuca Molas island. Due to poor road conditions, the travel from Labuan Bajo takes four or five hours.

You can take an organised trip, hire a private driver with a car, or rent a scooter and drive yourself.

Even if you have experience, it will take a long time to get there by motorbike due to the exceptionally difficult roads, therefore I wouldn’t advise driving alone.

A private driver was the obvious choice for me because I went to Nuca Molas as part of a road trip through Flores Island. A one-way transfer from Labuan Bajo airport to Nuca Molas costs roughly 1 to 1.5 million Rupiah.

You should at least think about visiting Wae Rebo village for a day or two while you’re there. It’s a typical community surrounded by breathtaking mountains, and since it’s close to Nuca Molas, you may visit both locations on the same trip.

However, an organised tour can be a smart choice if you just want to see Nuca Molas and aren’t planning a long road trip across Flores.

This two-day excursion includes transportation from Labuan Bajo, food, lodging for the night, and a guide who speaks English. It’s likely the easiest and most practical way to travel to Nuca Molas.

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• Step 3: Take a Boat to Nuca Molas

You can actually see Nuca Molas island from the coast after you reach Dintor village. Even when it is far away, it still has a striking appearance!

I made the boat excursion arrangements ahead of time by getting in touch with the proprietor of Jose Homestay, where I also spent the night before continuing on my Flores road journey to Ruteng.

As an alternative, you might try to arrange a boat yourself at the small harbour in Dintor village (map here), although that would be more difficult to do on the spot because the inhabitants don’t speak English.

Even though the boat is small, the 30-minute boat voyage to Nuca Molas is safe and comfortable enough.

To keep any cameras or other equipment secure, I would strongly advise packing them in a waterproof bag. We had to use a small raft to get to the boat when I visited in May because the waves were too rough to land the boat on the main beach.

I was rather concerned that my photography equipment would be ruined if I dropped my rucksack into the ocean, but everything worked well.

But looking back, having a dry bag there would have been fantastic. Simply put, I didn’t anticipate using one on this trip!

What to Expect When Travelling to Nuca Molas

Pulau Mules, another name for Nuca Molas, is a really attractive island. It is understandable why it has been likened to Jurassic Park or Moana.

Steep hills and palm palms fill the entire island’s interior, with one enormous peak in the middle that looks amazing.

Make plans to visit the island for half a day. The lighthouse is the major attraction, and although you can climb to the top, the stairway and steps inside are a little steep. Proceed at your own peril. The view from the summit is breathtaking.

After seeing the lighthouse, Jose and I went on a quick walk to one of the island’s central hills. This was the finest view! In the distance, we even spotted Javan rusa deer running.

The island also features a bat cave and a number of lovely white sand beaches for further exploration. Just remember to bring water, because the midday heat is no joke.