Rusa Island in Alor Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province

Being the part of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Alor Regency has attracted tourists’ attention over time. One of the reasons is none other than its pristine nature. It is because the region consists of lots of islands for tourists to explore. Alor Island is the prime one, but visitors can also find others including Rusa Island. This one is part of Northwest Pantar Sub-District, actually. In terms of name, “Rusa” means deer. The island got the name due to the presence of thousands of deer living on it, after all. Plus, people are interested in the unspoiled environment of the site, which is suitable for relaxation.

The Nuance
In term of nuance, as mentioned earlier, the island has a pristine environment due to the lack of inhabitants. What tourists may find are only a group of deer and the stunning panorama of nature. Also, some parts of the island feature a vast meadow where the deer often conduct grassing. The view of such exotic animals looks more interesting when they are eating, in fact. The only thing to consider is only the location of the island, which is considered far if tourists come from Kalabahi City.

Exploring Rusa Island
Even though Rusa Island is not as popular as Labuan Bajo and Komodo, it has a distinct beauty as compared to those two. The most recognizable feature of the island is none other than the group of deer itself. No wonder, tourists may find hundreds of them once arriving at the island. Have no worries. These animals are not dangerous and they have been used to the presence of a human. That means tourists can approach them safely and take pictures of these exotic mammals freely.

It is true photography becomes the prime activity that tourists can do in Rusa Island. However, more fun activities can be done there including natural exploration. What tourists need to do is to explore the island thoroughly during a good weather. The different types of landscapes of the island would astonish them, after all. That means they won’t get bored during the exploration. When it comes to the most popular landscape, it is definitely the meadow. Not only it has a beautiful appearance, the meadow emits a unique fragrance as well.

As for the tip, the best time to visit Rusa Island is during summer. The reason is the meadow looks the best at the time, so tourists can see the deer easily there. On the other hand, no animals are seen at all during rain or bad weather. Even tourists won’t come at such uncomfortable situation, no?

Nearby Attractions

• Lembata Island
• Pantar Island
• Alor Island

How to Get There
From Kupang City, tourists can directly head to Alor Island by airplane. In this case, the best place to get the plane is El Tari International Airport and the destination is Alor Island Airport. For the information, this flight takes about 40 minutes. Once arriving at Alor Regency, they can directly head to Alor Kecil Port and get a boat to get to Rusa Island right away.

Where to Stay

• No nearby hotels are available