Apui on Alor Island
Apui is a mountain village in central Alor. It is not that remote but after hearing a local guy talk about it I thought it was going to be a hard trip but it turned out to be a basic 5-6 hour round trip from Kalabahi.
Panzir or old Toyota Landcruiser 4×4’s and motorbikes bring in supplies. Rice, corn, potatoes and other staples are grown on the steep hillsides.
During the rainy season rice will grow in small clumps on the hillsides without having to be in flooded paddys. These farmers are really a tough people, growing corn on slopes so steep it is difficult to keep from sliding downhill. In the picture on the left there is a stalk of corn, a potato plant and a clump of rice (looks like grass).
There were a few hunters with bows and arrows walking alongside the road that indicated there were a few deer and wild pigs but most have been hunted out anywhere near Kalabahi. Some of these hunters weapons were real works of art.
The views were nice but nothing exceptional but it was interesting to stop and talk to some of the people. Yohannes speaks the local language so that made the people at ease and very welcoming. He was from east Alor and this was only his second time in Apui
I landed up paying 6.00 dollars to him for the day and we stopped for fried rice at the night market near the harbor when we got back.
The warrung in the back corner next to the karaoke booth was where I got my evening meals because their food was always freshly fried and was still warm. I really don’t care for Padang food on display behind glass because it is usually cold and soggy. Serious tourists often rave about the Padang food but I have not yet figured out if it is just fashionable to do that or if they have found some really good places to eat.
Apui Alor
Indonesia
I like your blog. Short and sweet. Good travel info on remote places in Indonesia.