Lazy Days on a tiny island paradise

Idyllic beach fronting crystal clear waters at Seraya Kecil Island in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara. — Photo by Deanna Ramsay

There was an audible gasp when the boat made a final turn and began approaching Seraya Kecil Island as passengers realized the island ahead was their destination.

For the boat was heading toward a tropical paradise of postcards the world over — an idyll of beach fronting crystal clear waters, several small wooden bungalows with thatched roofs set immediately on the white sand.

Wading off the boat, visitors make their way to the open-air restaurant ahead, the only other building in sight. Keys to bungalows are handed out. And that’s it. Guests are left to immerse themselves in a place many can only dream about.

Seraya Kecil is about an hour ride from Labuanbajo on the western tip of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara.

The journey there is actually part of the experience, as one departs the picturesque Labuanbajo on a small boat carrying supplies, shoppers from the fishing village on Seraya Kecil and visitors to the bungalows, meandering past jutting emerald volcanic peaks, tiny uninhabited islands and over coral fringed ocean of greens and blues.

JP/Deanna Ramsay

Seraya Kecil is for those who want to wallow in doing absolutely nothing. There is no cell phone service, no Internet, no televisions and the electricity only works for several precious hours in the evening.

Bring a book or books, rent a hammock or simply gaze out at the unimaginable paradise laid bare in front of you.

The main activities on the island involve, of course, the sea. Snorkeling gear is available for rent and the waters directly fronting the beach are teeming with sea life — vibrantly colored schools of tropical fish, incredible coral varieties, starfish that looks impossibly fake.

These waters are perhaps some of the best in the world for observing ocean life as they are relatively untouched by pollution or coral degradation. There is simply nothing like it.

More adventurous types can rent a canoe or motorboat, although it was overheard that the canoe had a leak.

And, captaining one’s own boat may seem a recipe for disaster for those wary of stories of hapless tourists marooned on one of the many deserted islands in the area seething with komodo dragons.

The bungalows themselves are very basic, a small room with a bed and mosquito net. The bathroom is open to the elements, with only a squat toilet and two buckets. There is no running water until the electricity starts up.

Other than trips to the shoreline for bucket filling, the only other requirements are to contemplate the beauty of eastern Indonesia and consider what to order for lunch and dinner. The kitchen prefers that guests note down their dinner orders before 6 p.m. as there are only a few people manning the stoves.

As far as the restaurant goes, it is recommended that one checks any impatience at the door, which is not so difficult considering the many stress free hours one has on Seraya Kecil.

Do not expect an order of fried noodles at lunch to appear in anything less than half an hour.

— Photo by Deanna Ramsay

After any initial confusion the wait for a meal may cause, the laid back atmosphere of the restaurant — and the island as a whole for sure — becomes a joy to behold and experience.

Four days on Seraya Kecil allows two people to try most of the dishes on the menu, with highlights the guacamole with krupuk, a tomato and cucumber salad with garlic and citrus and the piping hot deep fried pineapple, a twist on the ubiquitous fried banana.

During one lazy lunch — it is impossible that they are anything but — a lone fisherman was spotted anchoring near the restaurant. He spoke to the manager, who was seen handing over a pack of cigarettes and a handful of rupiah notes and returning with a beautiful pink fish, assumedly that night’s dinner.

There are also lovely walks to be had; one must only ascend one of the many small peaks dotting the island for 360 degrees of beauty as far as the eye can see. Goats will meander past you as avian life like Pied Imperial Pigeons, Brahminy Eagles and Great-billed Herons swoop past.

The sunsets are spectacular from those peaks, and if one is on Seraya Kecil near the full moon, it will rise and glory in front of your bungalow as you sit, awed, in the soft sand. After the moon sets late in the night, millions of stars can be observed sparkling over the sea.

Seraya Kecil provides an inimitable feast for the senses: lazing on your bungalow’s porch, swimming in the fairytale waters, gazing at jade islands dotting the seascape, catching the muffled strains of a guitar or the chance splashing of fish in the water and perhaps eating your dessert before dinner.

One may never, ever want to leave.

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