Discover the isolated ancient pyramid-shaped village in the mountains and forests of Indonesia

Indonesia Tai spent a night in the 100-year-old village of Wae Rebo, the only place with traditional Indonesian pyramid-shaped houses remaining.

The traditional village of Wae Rebo in Manggarai district on Flores island, east of Nusatenggara, received the UNESCO Top Excellence Award in the 2012 UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards. The village recreates traditional Mbaru Niang houses and is currently the only village that still retains this architecture in Indonesia.

Wae Rebo village is the only place in Indonesia where traditional pyramid-shaped houses still exist.

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism website, the village was built by a man named Empu Maro more than 100 years ago. Today, the residents are his descendants.

Arriving at the village on September 13, travel blogger Tai Pham (28 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) was impressed by the "difference, uniqueness and tranquility of the village". Although he had seen pictures sent by an Indonesian friend, he was still surprised to witness and experience life here for two days.

A small village located at an altitude of about 1,100 m above sea level, Wae Rebo is surrounded by mountains and dense Todo forests, completely isolated from outside life. The village has no phone signal or wifi and electricity is only available from 6 pm to 10 pm. In return, Tai can enjoy the fresh air, listen to the birds singing and immerse himself in the slow, simple life of the local people.

The first thing tourists like Tai have to do is to pay their respects to the village elder so that he can perform a welcoming ceremony and receive his blessings. After that, he can enjoy a cup of coffee made from coffee beans grown by the villagers around the village. After the ceremony, he is free to go sightseeing and take pictures.

Tai was welcomed into the main and largest house in the village. This was the communal house where villagers gathered to perform rituals and festivals. Inside the house were kept family heirlooms such as gongs and drums. Most of the villagers were Catholic but still followed the old beliefs.

Tai walked around the village after greeting the village elders and performing the welcoming ceremony.

The houses of Wae Rebo are called Mbaru Niang, conical in shape, with high peaks and covered with lontar leaves, a palm species common in Indonesia. The houses have five floors, each designed for a specific purpose. The first floor, called the lutur or hut, is where the extended family lives. The second floor, called the lobo, or attic, is used for storing food and goods. The third floor is the lentar, for storing seeds for the next harvest. The fourth floor is the lempa rae, used for storing food in case of drought. The fifth floor is the hekang kode, considered the most sacred place, where offerings are made to ancestors.

Looking around, the pyramid-shaped houses are arranged in a V shape, with the space in the middle being a common yard for people to live in. "At dawn, the sun slowly rises behind the cliff and shines its first rays, covering the village in a golden color," Tai described as "the most beautiful moment" here.

Locals say that there used to be more than 1,000 people living in the village, but now there are only about 100. Young people have gone down the mountain to make a living, leaving the village mostly with only children and the elderly.

There are 8 households living in the communal house, each in a room. "Like other areas, the people are friendly, welcoming and warm to tourists," Tai commented.

The villagers grow coffee, vanilla, cinnamon, and some fruits, which they sell at a market about 15 kilometers away. About 20 years ago, the local government supported the development of Wae Rebo as a tourist destination, and tourism is now the main source of income for the villagers.

Because it is isolated and surrounded by mountains and forests, Wae Rebo has a colder climate than outside, so visitors should bring warm clothes because the temperature drops sharply at night. Most of the food of the locals is just rice and eggs, so visitors should prepare some snacks such as chocolate, cakes, and candies to eat on the road or in case they do not like the food, Tai shared. He especially noted that near the village elder's house there is a rock that has a sacred meaning to the villagers, visitors absolutely should not climb or sit on it.

To reach the village, Tai travels from Bali to LaBuan Bajo airport. From here, visitors can go by motorbike or car, but it is recommended to travel by motorbike for convenience, which takes about 15 - 20 minutes more. After the motorbike road ends, Tai continues trekking for about 2 - 2.5 hours to reach the village. "The mountain climbing is not too difficult, just prepare suitable clothes and wear shoes with good grip," Tai said.

Because of the village’s isolation, visitors must stay overnight. This limits the number of tourists, but “the sunrise at Wae Rebo will not disappoint,” Tai said. Tai’s trip cost about 2,700,000 VND, which included transportation from Labuan Bajo to Wae Rebo village, meals and accommodation throughout the journey. If you travel on your own, the entrance fee, overnight accommodation, dinner and breakfast would cost 300 IDR (about 470,000 VND).

Tourists should visit Wae Rebo village during the dry season, around April - October to enjoy the lush green landscape of the Manggarai highlands and avoid the heavy thunderstorms that often occur in the mountainous areas around the end of the year.

During the day, visitors can explore the valley and interact with the villagers at Wae Rebo. At night, "the starry sky makes the scene even more magical," Tai said.

Quynh Mai
Photo: Tai Pham
Source: Website of the Ministry of Tourism, Republic of Indonesia

Source link