Paradise Cove: Discover Koka Beach

The beach guys

Koka Beach is truly lovely; the beach itself is clean (regularly maintained by the local food and accommodation provider—something that deserves a big thumbs-up, especially in Indonesia) and—likely due to the poor access road—uncrowded. Unfortunately, the experience is marred by attempts from *several* locals to collect an entry fee. We encountered two such individuals: the owner of "Ricky Cowboy's Homestay," located right at the top of the access road, was particularly unpleasant, aggressively demanding 20,000 IDR per motorbike (he was easily the most aggressive Indonesian I’ve met—everyone else was incredibly kind and friendly). Further down, an elderly man operates a semi-open barrier and demands another 10,000 IDR per bike. I later learned from a local woman that these residents feel they own the land (inherited from ancestors) and have the right to charge a passage fee, yet they refuse to lease the land to the government so the access road could be repaired. Regardless of the details, this really SPOILS the impression and the overall experience of the location!

Probably the most beautiful beach in Flores

The place is beautiful... a fun holiday spot

As a tourism operator in Ende, I am deeply concerned about the recent harassment incident experienced by my guest at Koka Beach. While we support tourism in the area, the safety and security of travelers, especially female tourists, must be the top priority. I urge local authorities and site management to increase security surveillance to prevent such incidents and ensure a safe environment for everyone. Travelers, please exercise caution when visiting this area. When you saw kids ask for drive don’t do that! They just want to do something weird!