Bena Traditional Village
Bena Traditional Village
4.5
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
422 reviews
Excellent
204
Very good
155
Average
52
Poor
7
Terrible
4
Ignatius Dwi K
Yogyakarta, Indonesia42 contributions
Sept 2012 • Friends
Bena village is one of the megalithic village located in Ngada, Flores. Precisely in the Village Tiwuriwu, Aimere District, about 19 km south Bajawa. This village located on the eastern slope of the mountain Inerie. Can be reached by motorbike, car, and public transport. Its presence at the bottom of the mountain are the hallmark of the old society as a devotee of the mountain where the gods. According to the villagers, they believe in the existence of Yeta, who reigned in the mountain gods that protect their village.
Bena villagers gardening. Their crops are coffee beans, clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
From this village can do trekking for about 2 hours to the other traditional villages, namely Tolela and ends at Gurusina. Line trekkingnya very fun because going up and down and through the lush forest. Bena villagers are very friendly.
Bena villagers gardening. Their crops are coffee beans, clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
From this village can do trekking for about 2 hours to the other traditional villages, namely Tolela and ends at Gurusina. Line trekkingnya very fun because going up and down and through the lush forest. Bena villagers are very friendly.
Written 19 January 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CoisDeZweed
Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands852 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
This is a very touristic place: 25k entrance per person. Instead of a gift like other traditional villages. We wanted to go there, but our guide said that it is better to take a good picture from the stairs in front of the village and go to Tololelo instead. This was a great tip: it is the best photo opportunity there!
Our guide was full of good tips and he was very interesting with all this info he gave us. If you are interested in a good tour with a bike to all the local spots (villages, markets, hot springs, waterfalls, mountains etc), you can contact him via Facebook or mobile: Edwyn Bajawa / 082 340 802 479.
Our guide was full of good tips and he was very interesting with all this info he gave us. If you are interested in a good tour with a bike to all the local spots (villages, markets, hot springs, waterfalls, mountains etc), you can contact him via Facebook or mobile: Edwyn Bajawa / 082 340 802 479.
Written 26 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vincent Sales
Flores, Indonesia4 contributions
Jan 2019 • Business
It was really quite to visit Bena in low season. We did it in early of January 2019. There was a sunny day. the village was very clean and fresh. some local women weaved textiles and small children were playing at the home page. we had a good time to see a local woman did dyeing with the natural color from plantation. In the end of visitation we have a glass of coffee for each. it was an original one.
Written 16 January 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bilal Q
London, UK4 contributions
Aug 2018 • Friends
During our afternoon tour of the villages we visited Bena village and Toloboro village. Myself and 3 others had a guided tour by Melki. Melki was an amazing guide, we contacted him before hand to arrange and he was so helpful. He even helped us arrange a car and driver to take us to the villages before the tour began as we could not find any scooters for rental on the afternoon. He was punctual, friendly, with great English and was really knowledgeable about the villages and the lives of those living there. I cannot recommend him enough.
The villages themselves were lovely to see. You really get a sense of how the community lives. We loved seeing all the houses and speaking to the locals, watching them weave and the children play together. Melki explained in great detail about the society, as it is a matriarchal society there are different elements to the houses to show if they are owned by women or men. He also introduced us to the locals, filled us in about what the various different buildings in the village mean, village customs, family ties, local names and explained the beetle nut, which you will see the majority of the women chewing.
After this he then took us for a short walk/hike between Bena village and Toloboro. Whilst walking through the jungle he pointed out loads of different types of flora and fauna, showing us fruits and spices growing off the plants. This was such a nice touch and we really enjoyed seeing where all these things we often use come from. At Toloboro village we had a look around as in Bena.
We then headed to the hot springs, which I also recommend.
All in all we had a great experience, but Melki our guide definitely made it! We don't usually take guided tours as we like to figure things out ourselves, but I must admit it was definitely worth it in this case. Melkis knowledge was great and without it we would of just been looking at the villages with no real insight.
Also, the most impressive thing was he put us in touch with another guide for us to climb Mount Inerie. As my partner and I didn't have the correct shoes, Melki and Laurenso (the other guide) accompanied us to the town centre to help us find shoes. They stayed with us for an hour, going to various different shops and trying on numerous pairs of shoes and even dropped us back to our hotel after. This was just so amazing, they are so genuine and kind and did not ask for any payment for their time. We then bumped into Melki again a few days later and he invited us to a local wedding. He is honestly such a genuine and kind person, if you need a guide around Bajawa look no further!
Melki's contact number is: +62 823-5063-0768 should you wish to take a tour with him!
The villages themselves were lovely to see. You really get a sense of how the community lives. We loved seeing all the houses and speaking to the locals, watching them weave and the children play together. Melki explained in great detail about the society, as it is a matriarchal society there are different elements to the houses to show if they are owned by women or men. He also introduced us to the locals, filled us in about what the various different buildings in the village mean, village customs, family ties, local names and explained the beetle nut, which you will see the majority of the women chewing.
After this he then took us for a short walk/hike between Bena village and Toloboro. Whilst walking through the jungle he pointed out loads of different types of flora and fauna, showing us fruits and spices growing off the plants. This was such a nice touch and we really enjoyed seeing where all these things we often use come from. At Toloboro village we had a look around as in Bena.
We then headed to the hot springs, which I also recommend.
All in all we had a great experience, but Melki our guide definitely made it! We don't usually take guided tours as we like to figure things out ourselves, but I must admit it was definitely worth it in this case. Melkis knowledge was great and without it we would of just been looking at the villages with no real insight.
Also, the most impressive thing was he put us in touch with another guide for us to climb Mount Inerie. As my partner and I didn't have the correct shoes, Melki and Laurenso (the other guide) accompanied us to the town centre to help us find shoes. They stayed with us for an hour, going to various different shops and trying on numerous pairs of shoes and even dropped us back to our hotel after. This was just so amazing, they are so genuine and kind and did not ask for any payment for their time. We then bumped into Melki again a few days later and he invited us to a local wedding. He is honestly such a genuine and kind person, if you need a guide around Bajawa look no further!
Melki's contact number is: +62 823-5063-0768 should you wish to take a tour with him!
Written 14 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CrisandShamo
Australia184 contributions
Dec 2016 • Couples
Yeah sure, it's not a traditional stone age village now in the sense that many people all have mobile phones...and they also charge for entry...but the money is distributed to the village to help the people continue to live here and transition into the modern era. Respect the local people when you visit and ask for permission to take photos...don't just shove a camera in their face. Also don't walk over the grave sites in the centre. I think Bena is one of the happiest and most easy going accessible village of this type I have visited, don't ruin that by being an ugly tourist. If you want REAL tradition, travel to one of the far flung villages that no one visits....but they may eat you!
Written 18 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wirawanwinarto
Jakarta, Indonesia215 contributions
Mar 2014 • Friends
Located on the slope of Mount Inerie, this village along with two others, Luba and Gurusina, are stunningly exotic. This well-preserved traditional village are busy and lively. The people are very welcoming. One of the senior of this village is a priest who greeted us warmly and told us stories about the village thoroughly. We reached this place by riding a motorcycle, but I guess this place will also make an interesting place for a trekking trip.
Come early in the morning, and then proceed to other villages and bath in the hot springs nearby. This trip is almost perfect, except one, our guide was drunk. Seriously. He drank local wines too much and talked non-sense along our trip.
Come early in the morning, and then proceed to other villages and bath in the hot springs nearby. This trip is almost perfect, except one, our guide was drunk. Seriously. He drank local wines too much and talked non-sense along our trip.
Written 25 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Olivia K
Exeter, UK72 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
We had a private tour with local man Lucas from Lucas Restaurant in Bajawa which was life changing- a highlight of my 6 week trip in Indonesia. It was an incredible experience to visit Bena and Luba (another village about 200m away) and his own home in another village. Definitely go with Lucas, he is known among the locals so you get a much more exclusive experience when you're with him. The view at the top of Bena is just mind blowing- so beautiful. Def worth a visit.
Written 12 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ann S
Nanaimo, Canada390 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
Bena was fascinating as it was the first village with traditional houses we had seen. In addition to the houses we saw the sacrificial stone tables, where animals are ritually slaughtered for occasions such as a wedding or funeral. But don't miss Luba, a smaller village close by, which is smaller and less of a "tourist draw" - we were lucky that our guide and driver introduced us to Luba (noted in the "Lonely Planet") Beautiful view of the Sumba Sea from the top of the village. We were the only visitors to both those villages that day. If you are travelling around Flores, this is a side trip that should not be missed, and be sure that your driver takes you to Luba as well.
Written 30 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Friggykeith
Frigiliana, Spain193 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
Some criticize these villages as being "artificial" "fabricated" etc. Living in Europe I suppose Windsor castle, Schloss Neuschwanstein, Versailles etc are living castles and therefore acceptable? this village for me demonstrates the legacy of Flores village life and an opportunity for everyone to understand the history and life style of these extremely interesting tribes. It would be a pity if they disappeared and left us with museum exhibits only.
When we signed the visitor book three people had visited that week, so hardly an overwhelmed attraction!
When we signed the visitor book three people had visited that week, so hardly an overwhelmed attraction!
Written 18 April 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OttersTrotters
At my desk792 contributions
Jan 2014 • Couples
Bena is great, the people are warm and welcoming and the architecture is fantastic. The whole village is immaculately cared for.
We walked from Bena down hill to Tololela village, the onto Gurusina village. It was a stunning walk through the forest and Tololela and Gurusina were beautiful, a little different and far less crowded with tourists. You can then walk back up to Bena or (if you're hired a driver to take you to Bena) ask them to pick you up at Gurusina.
We hired a local to walk with us, the path isn't that difficult to follow but it felt like the respectful thing to do.
We walked from Bena down hill to Tololela village, the onto Gurusina village. It was a stunning walk through the forest and Tololela and Gurusina were beautiful, a little different and far less crowded with tourists. You can then walk back up to Bena or (if you're hired a driver to take you to Bena) ask them to pick you up at Gurusina.
We hired a local to walk with us, the path isn't that difficult to follow but it felt like the respectful thing to do.
Written 26 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anyone stayed overnight in Belaraghi village?
I'd like to know how much donation we should pay for staying overnight.
Thanks.
Written 17 September 2018
Hello,
Do you have any suggestion when it's best to visit Bena, to avoid the crowds? We prefer to enjoy it when there are less to no other tourists.
Written 3 March 2017
For sure the best time in the year is off peak so before june or after mid september. In peak season go as early as possible because tour buses will be there around 10/11. There are also some villages in the area that are nice and less visited that can be an alternative.
Written 4 March 2017
Hi I would like to ask for suggestion on whether wae rebo or bena village is more authentic? I have seen some mentioned wae rebo and some mentioned bena. Could anyone who had been to both gave me the pros and cons?
Written 6 February 2017
Bena and wae rebo are 2 traditional villages belong to different region. Bena is in Bajawa region and easy access from the main street. while Wae Rebo is more authentic in it's architecture and life style, one need to be physically fit to visit Wae Rebo as it will require around 2 hours hike through the forest pathway from the nearest village. I personally like Wae Rebo more than Bena.
Written 3 March 2017
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