Liang Bua

One of the most famous prehistoric relics, Liang Bua cave is one of Indonesia’s limestone (karst) caves. It is located in the Manggarai districts on Flores Island in Indonesia. It is an important excavation site and world-renowned archaeological site. It is allegedly the discovery site of a new species called the ‘homo floresiensis’, popularly known as the ‘hobbit’ in media.

The cave also has a history of being a place of worship and of being a school due to its massive size. The cave is 50 metres deep, 40 metres wide and 15 metres high. The cave would also be an ideal spot for history, botany and anthropology enthusiasts. The excavations in the cave also included stone tools and fossil fuels of Komodo dragons and small stegodons. The floor of the cave has volcanic ash and mud, like other places in Indonesia due to the belt of volcanoes present in the country.

Liang Bua also translates to ‘cold cave’ or ‘cool hole’ in the local Manggarai language. The cave has a half opening that faces a river valley. In recent years, the place has gained the attention of travellers looking to explore beyond the regular beaches that Indonesia has to offer. This has also led to an increase in guided tours around the caves, for anyone looking for an adventure.