The Island
Rote: Indonesia's quiet southern frontier.
The country's southernmost inhabited island, still gloriously off-grid. Palm-fringed bays, traditional weaving villages, and surf that draws travellers from every continent.
Getting Here
How to reach Rote Ndao.
Most travellers fly into Kupang (KOE), the capital of East Nusa Tenggara, via Bali (DPS) or Jakarta (CGK). From Kupang, a fast passenger ferry crosses to Ba'a, Rote's main port, in about two hours. From the port it's a 90-minute drive to Bo'a, we'll arrange a private transfer when you arrive.
Culture
A culture worth taking time with.
The Rotenese people are known for their warmth, their ikat weaving, and the sasando, a haunting harp built around a bamboo tube with a resonator made from folded lontar palm leaf. Sopi, a clear spirit distilled from lontar palm sap, is served at every celebration. Predominantly Protestant, Sundays are quiet; mornings on the beach are loud with church bells and roosters.
We organise visits to weaving villages, performances of sasando and traditional dance, and trips to learn how sopi is made.
The Surf
Bo'a, T-Land & the outer reefs.
Rote's southwest coast is one of Indonesia's least crowded surf destinations. Bo'a, our home break, is a long, fast left, best at mid-tide on a clean south-southwest swell. T-Land, fifteen minutes south at Nemberala, is the headline act: a peeling left over shallow reef that holds up to head-high and beyond.
On the right days we can charter a boat to outer breaks rarely touched by other surfers.
In Pictures
The Rote we know
Come see Rote for yourself
The fewer travellers who pass through, the more it stays the place we love. We'd love to share it with you.