Bajawa is a town of Flores, Indonesia and the capital of the Ngada Regency. Ngada Regency is part of East Nusa Tenggara province and located to the east of Ruteng.
Bajawa features natural hot springs which are used for bathing and volcanic scenery due to the proximity of the Inierie Volcano. The population is primarily Roman Catholic.
There are many "tourist guides" in Bajawa. None of them are in any way trained, and their primary skills are speaking English and overcharging. The best you can do is stay clear of them and just hire a motorbike (Rp100,000) or charter a bemo for the day (Rp300,000) and see the villages at your own pace.
There is an official, and very helpful, tourist information service in the mayor's office. There are also many touts that have shops with "Tourist Information" signs printed on them. Don't be fooled by them: the real tourist information will not try to sell you anything.
No information available
Just like Ruteng, Bajawa is also a great place to produce coffee. Never order instant coffee when you are here. Remember that by default here coffee is served with sugar, so please request in advance if you would like to have less or no sugar.
Also, just like the cold area Ruteng, arak is popular drink (also called moke here).
No information available
As of Mai 2018, accommodation in Bajawa is increasing, many new homestays are opening and others are under construction in the street behind the Edelweiss Hotel (Lorong Ditos): Marselino's Homestay, Queen's Homestay, Edelweiss Homestay (different from the hotel) and Kristian's Homestay at the end of the road offer pretty much the same services with free Wifi, breakfast included, tourist info, laundry service, and motorbike rental. Expect Rp150,000–250,000 for a double/twin room in such a homestay.
You would need to hire a car or motorbike to explore Bajawa area. Your accommodation would be able to help you with these. A motorbike should be Rp100,000 per day (as of Nov 2018).
At 1,200 m (about 3,800 ft) above sea level, Bajawa is much cooler than the coastal lowlands. Bring a sweater for the chilly nights. Bajawa is the Center of Ngadha ethnic minority interesting local villages.
