Prepare the best so that you can enjoy the best out of this remote island.
1. Where is Rote Island located?
Rote Island is located in West Timur, Indonesia and is the closest island to Australia; 500 km northeast of Western Australia. To the west side of Rote you will find Savu and Sumba island. It lies just off the southern tip of Timor Island and consists of rolling hills, terraced plantations, acacia palms and untouched white sandy beaches.
2. How to get to get to Rote Island?
In recent years the transport infrastructure to Rote has improved considerably. To get to Seed Resort in Rote you will need to fly from Kupang. Garuda Indonesia and other airlines fly from Jakarta and Bali to Kupang. From Bali, the flight takes around two hours.
There are two ways to access Rote island from Kupang, via turbo-prop aeroplane, or by fast ferry. If you chose to fly, please be aware that there is a current surfboard bag length restriction of 170 cm. If your surfboard bag exceeds this, it will be sent via fast ferry the next day at a transfer cost of around $20. Our surf camp will arrange a pickup for your board bag on arrival at the ferry port.
If you choose to take the fast ferry with your board bag (or without), the ferry departs Kupang for Rote at 08.30 am, arriving in Rote at approximately 10.30 am.
3. What is near Rote Island?
The uninhabited Ndana Island is located just south of Rote Island and only 14km2 in size and this is the southernmost tip of the entirety of Indonesia – you can see Ndana from the shores of Nembrala beach right in front of Seed Resort. Along with other neighboring small islands such as Nado Island, Rote Island makes up the Regency of Rote Nda. Also nearby is the island of Kupang which is the capital of the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara, with estimated population of 434,972 in 2019. It is the biggest city and port on the island of Timor.
4. How is the weather?
Rote has two distinct seasons: wet and dry. During the dry season, usually in May until September, the sky is nearly always clear with regular trade winds coming from the southeast with cooler temperatures. The wet season around November to February, Rote sees some rainfall, especially during December and January, and temperatures start to rise. In between the seasons, there are light variable winds and very pleasant temperatures. Mosquitoes are a rare occurrence due to its arid climate.
Overall, Rote is a very safe destination to visit. Whether you’re travelling solo, as a couple, with friends or family, you will never feel unsafe or threatened on this island. This island is still new to tourism, so locals are very eager and curious about new travellers.
Put your best smile and you will instantly feel welcome here. The most important thing is to be respectful to the locals and the surrounding environment. The rest, you will have a great time in Rote.