From Wikitravel

Moni is a small settlement at the foot of the volcanic Mount Kelimutu on the island of Flores in Indonesia. It is a good base for a trip to the coloured lakes of the volcano.

[edit] Get in

Buses from Bajawa (7 hours, 80,000 Rp.) start at 6 a.m. Gunung Mas runs 12-seater "Travel Bus" from Ruteng to Moni (continuing to Maumere) at 7am and 1.30~2.00pm. It takes 10 hours from Ruteng to Moni (6 hours from Bajawa) and they will pick up from hotels by prior arrangement.

From Ende there are more options. Public cars (2 hours, 40,000 Rp.), sometimes called Kijang because they are of the make Toyota Kijang are the most comfortable option. Bemos (20,000 Rp.) and buses (30,000 Rp.) also ply the route in 2,5 hours. If you're feeling adventurous, Ojeks will take you there for 100,000 Rp letting you make your way in your own pace and stop for photos along the very scenic route.

From Maumere (3-4 hours) there is the same plethora of buses (30,000 Rp) and public cars (50,000 Rp), just ask at your hotel.

[edit] Get around

The ubiquitous Ojek is never far away. Depending on your guesthouse's proximity to the national park, Ojeks are between 25,000 - 35,000 Rp (one way) for a ride up to see the sunrise at 4.30 a.m. It's best to walk back since it's a nice walk, and there's nothing worse than having an eager Ojek driver pulling at you to leave the beautiful lakes just as the light is getting perfect for that magical moment.

[edit][add listing] See

• Mount Kelimutu. is the main attraction. Beautiful at sunrise, the three mineral lakes at the top (in the craters) change colour with the changing light of the morning. And if that wasn't enough the lakes change color completely from time to time. In the national park you can see a table of what color the lakes were for each year going back 20 years. 20,000 Rp. + 50,0000 Rp. Camera fee. (45.1360314,7.3110336) edit
• Monkeys. On your way down the volcano you will find the monkeys have awoken. There is an official feeding ground where you can go and feed the monkeys. Be careful, they are sneaky buggers, and there's always a risk when interacting with wild animals.  edit
• Local Villages. . The settlement itself is surrounded by spectacular scenery, landscapes dotted with palms and banana trees. There are also a number of visible burial sites in front gardens, a local cultural tradition.  edit
• Hot springs. Near the entrance to the Kelimutu National Park you find the hot springs. A perfect end to an early morning.  edit
• Waterfalls. Opposite Rainbow Cafe, a small path leads down to a roaring waterfall. Popular with the young locals, this is considered the perfect site for a picnic.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

Not far from Moni (about 5 km in the Ende direction), the big fruit and vegetable market is where the villagers sell the produce from their gardens. Everything is fresh, tasty and picked that very day.

Ikat sarongs and scarfs woven by the local women in the surrounding villages are easy to find. They come in 2 qualities, natural dye and chemical dye. If you don't know the difference, opt for the cheaper chemical dye.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Besides the guesthouses, there are several good restaurants around Moni offering western and local menus. And of course a couple of warungs peddling the cheap and tasty Bakso and Soto Ayam.

Try the traditional Moni dinner offered by a young local called Ivan, the son of the owner of "Marias Inn" guesthouse - he will do vegetarian on request.

• Rainbow Cafe.  edit
• bintang cafe and restaurant, moni kelimutu ende flores, ☎ 085237906259.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Accommodation in Moni is plentiful, although fairly spread out over 2 km along the main road. Prices are per room, and all have private bathroom with western toilets. This lists the accommodation in the order you approach them when arriving from Ende.

• Arwanty Bungalow. has 2 beautiful and very big bungalows each with 2 rooms that can hold 3 people. A double bed in one room and a single bed in the other room that also holds furniture making out the living room. 200,000 Rp.  edit
• Bintang Lodge by Tobias, Moni kelimutu flores Indonesia, ☎ 085 2379 06259 (cafe.bintang@gmail.com). Clean and big rooms with tiled floor. The pricier rooms have hot showers. The restaurant is a great place to meet other travelers. As of May 2012, this is the only place in town with working internet, but there is only laptop and the speed is horrible (Rp 10,000/h). E-mail : cafe.bintang@ymail.com 100-350000.  edit
• Watugana. has two very comfortable rooms upstairs and 5 cheapies downstairs with less light and no view, but otherwise same. 100,000 - 200,000 Rp.  edit
• Maria Inn, Main road (Opposite the school - head up the path where you see their sign and veer right). The budget rooms in the concrete in the back are old and worn-down, but they will do for a night - as at January 2012 they were closed for renovation. The two bungalows in front are nicer, though their bathrooms are so so. The owners are kind and helpful. Check if this is clean and try to bargain a bit - it's a good idea to check prices at other places first as their opening gambit can be quite cheeky. 75,000 - 200,000 Rp.  edit
• Flores Sare. Imagine a hotel in an atrium setting with a beautiful garden with ponds, canals and fountains in the centre and nice comfortable rooms surrounding that garden. Then you might get an idea what this place looked like 10 years ago. Now imagine that it has never been maintained, the canals are dry, the garden overgrown, and the staff indifferent or simple absent. 250,000 - 450,000 Rp.  edit
• Kelimutu Crater Lakes Eco Lodge, ☎ +62-361-7474205 (reservation@ecolodgesindonesia.com), [1]. 10 cute concrete bungalows with balconies and thatched roof. Popular with guests from Jakarta, this hotel specializes in leaving a small environmental footprint by recycling water and using solar power. It is the only up-market (although hardly luxury) option in Moni. 700,000 Rp.  edit

[edit] Get out

Buses and private/public cars pass through Moni on their way to either Maumere (3 hours) or Ende (1.5-2,5 hours, from 20,000Rp, some continuing to Bajawa or Ruteng). Your hotel can arrange transport for you in the public cars, but the downside is that the car will save a seat for you from their start in Maumere/Ende, so you have to pay the price of the full route even though you only get on in Moni. Given that enough people get off in Moni, it is better to just stop flag a car/bus in Moni when you are ready leave. It might take you an hour to do so, but there is also no guarantee that the car your hotel arrange for you will arrive at a specific time. This is Indonesia.

Hint: The public cars are the ones with yellow license plates. (However, it seems everyone is willing to stop and let you on for a price).

This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!