Brief History

Flores
Flores is a Portugese name which means "flower" and ideally describes the beauty to be found here. This long island between Sumbawa and Timor is crowded with volcanoes and mountains dividing it into several distinct regions with individual languanges and traditions. Predominantly Catholic and heavily influenced by the Portugese, there are many examples of a strong European cultural heritage like Easter procession held in Larantuka, and the royal regalia of the former king in Maumere.

Sumba
Formerly known as the Sandalwood Island, Sumba is now famous for its horses and an excellent style of ikat cloth. Spirits, both ancestral and natural are worshipped. Although some exist in East Sumba, It is in West Sumba that there are a number of enormous megalithic tombs and traditional thatched and peaked huts raised on stilts. It is here where incredible rituals take place, such as "Pasola" where hundreds of horsemen fling spears at each other in an annual ritual. Many traditional ceremonies, all with a component paying homage to the spirits, take place from July to October including the building of adat or traditional houses and burials when sometimes hundreds of pigs, water buffaloes, horses, and dogs are sacrified. Other ceremonies include "Pajura" or traditional boxing, festivals for the Lunar New Year in October and November, horse races and ritual dances.

Timor
Timor is the principal island in the province in terms of population and it is here that the provincial capital of Kupang is located. Timor is rich in culture, beautiful scenery, and magnificent wildlife. Composed of mainly dry, rocky land, sheltering isolated communities, a variety of architectural styles has developed. Unlike other parts of East Nusa Tenggara, the roads in Timor are generally good and public transportation is relatively well developed. Kupang in fact, is being developed as the Gateway to Nusa Tenggara with regular, direct flights to and from Darwin in Australia as well as with the rest of the archipelago.