Kanawa Beach Resort, Labuan Bajo, Flores

If you haven't heard about Kanawa Island then you really are missing out on one of Indonesia's hidden gems. It's a small island located one hour by boat from Labuan Bajo. There is one resort on the island that has a choice of bungalows, bales or tents for accommodation. The accommodation is nicely spaced out so you don't ever feel too close to anyone else. 

We opted for a bungalow for our four night stay. At a price of 460,000 per night I must say that I was expecting a little more luxury. I was a little disappointed at the sparsely furnished bungalow (bed and shelf) and the pretty basic toilet. However, whatever might have been lacking in the accommodation department was more than made up for by the beautiful white sand beach, the crystal clear waters and the amazing snorkelling. During the four days stay I swam with turtles, stingray and even sharks! I also saw an amazing array of brightly coloured fish like clown fish, angel fish and trumpet fish. The reef was breathtaking. I really just didn't want to get out of the water.

There is one restaurant on the island that serves mainly pizza and pasta. However, there are also a selection of daily specials that include local dishes. Service is not the fastest. Staff are pretty laid back with orders and we rarely got our food at the same time. However, tables are situated close together and there are plenty of opportunities to get to know fellow travellers visiting the island and exchange stories.

The resort also offers day trips to surrounding islands Rinca and Komodo and also has a dive centre where you can organise dives. We didn't do very much. I've been to Komodo and Rinca before and was just excited about unplugging from the grid (there's no internet connection and limited phone service). I was able to switch off and completely relax. That was my aim and Kanawa Island was the perfect location. Whatever the resort might have been lacking one can completely overlook as you fall asleep to the sound of the waves and wake up to pristine surroundings. We'll definitely be back...