"There was only one real restaurant in town (five years ago)," says restaurateur Marco Bertini. "Now there are probably 20 good places to eat."
Labuan Bajo has a "Wild West" feel to it -- with an Islamic twist.
The roads are broken, dust gets churned up in the air and the Islamic call to prayer resounds from tinny loudspeakers in the still of the night.
But it's worlds away from how it looked and felt when Italian chef Marco Bertini, owner of Made in Italy -- an al fresco restaurant that serves lobster bisque and handmade ravioli -- moved to Labuan Bajo in 2010.
"Flores is moving so fast -- the development I've seen in the past five years is the equivalent of 20 years' development in other parts of Indonesia," Bertini says.
"There weren't any roads back then -- just rocks and mud. There was only one real restaurant in town. Now there are probably 20 good places to eat."
In addition to a rising dining scene, this part of the island has started to attract investors and hoteliers.
A raft of new hotels has opened in Labuan Bajo, ranging from basic backpacker haunts like theGardena Hotel to four-star properties like Bintang Flores Hotel.
The best places are located on the picturesque hillsides like Selini on the Hill (a suite for $53, per night) and Bayview Gardens Hotel -- with lush tropical surroundings and sweeping views of the portside district and island-studded waters of the Flores Sea.
