Kupang was not originally a destination where we planned to spend a lot of time. We came to the city mainly as a transit stop after travelling from Bajawa, with a Pelni ship to Alor booked for 2 days later.
However, as we had two nights in Kupang and a full day between our journeys, we decided to spend some time exploring the city.
Kupang is quite spread out, so we used ride-hailing services such as Maxim and Grab to get around. With a little planning, even a short stay gives you the chance to experience a local market, learn about the history and culture of East Nusa Tenggara, and try some inexpensive local food.
🇯🇵 この記事を日本語で読む：Kupang観光｜2泊のトランジット滞在で訪れた市場・博物館・ローカルグルメ
Getting Around Kupang
Kupang is a large and fairly spread-out city, so walking between attractions is not always practical.
For our sightseeing, we used Maxim for several journeys. Grab is another option if you need a car or motorbike to get around.
Our Maxim ride from the hotel to Naikoten Traditional Market cost IDR 41,000, while the journey to the NTT Regional Museum cost IDR 23,000.
For a short stay, ride-hailing services make it much easier to fit several places into one day.
Naikoten Traditional Market
Our first stop was Naikoten Traditional Market.
We took a Maxim from our hotel, which cost IDR 41,000.
We were heading to Alor by Pelni ship the following day, so one of our reasons for visiting the market was to buy some bananas and other food for the journey, as well as ghd fact that it’s always interesting looking around markets
The market felt was busy, lively, and the people we met were friendly and welcoming. Absolutely not a tourist market.
We only spent an hourcir so there, but it was a good introduction to everyday life in Kupang.
For us, visiting a traditional market is always more interesting than simply ticking off tourist attractions. It gives you a chance to see how people actually shop, eat and go about their daily lives.
Lunch at Sei BiTuKu Babi Asap
After visiting the market, I went for a 15,000 IDR haircut before we stopped for a delicious lunch at Sei BiTuKu Babi Asap.
Kupang and the wider East Nusa Tenggara region are known for se’i, a type of smoked pork.
Trying local food was an important part of our short stay in Kupang. Rather than spending the whole day visiting major attractions, we wanted to experience a little of the city itself.
Visiting the NTT Regional Museum
After lunch, we took another Maxim to the NTT Regional Museum. The ride cost IDR 23,000.
Admission for foreign visitors was IDR 10,000 per person.
The museum is surprisingly large, with a substantial collection covering the history and culture of East Nusa Tenggara.
There are numerous displays and artefacts relating to the region, making it a useful place to visit if you want to understand more about the area before travelling on to other islands.
One of the highlights for us was meeting a group of students who gave us a free guided tour in English. This is part of their school placement.
They explained the exhibits and helped us understand more about what we were seeing. Having English-speaking student guides made the visit much more engaging, especially as we were only beginning to learn about the history and cultures of the region.
If you are interested in history and culture, the NTT Regional Museum is well worth considering during a stay in Kupang. The guides were good and we were also able to do a language exchange with them.
Dinner at ISTANA Resto
In the evening, we walked from Sahid T More Hotel to ISTANA Resto for dinner.
We ordered nasi goreng, which came with iced tea for just IDR 25,000.
That was, so far, the best value meal we had found on this trip.
After travelling around Indonesia, it is always satisfying to find a local restaurant where you can have a filling meal and a drink without spending very much.
ISTANA Resto was a particularly good example of that during our time in Kupang.
Staying at Sahid T More Hotel
We stayed at Sahid T More Hotel for two nights.
Our stay was primarily about breaking up the journey rather than spending several days sightseeing in Kupang. We had travelled from Bajawa to Kupang and were due to take a Pelni ship to Alor the following day.
The hotel therefore worked as a convenient base while we waited for our next journey.
➡ Sahid T-More Hotel Kupang Review: Free Airport Transfer and Spacious Rooms
Is Kupang Worth Visiting?
Our time in Kupang was relatively short, and the city was not originally a major destination on our itinerary.
However, having two nights gave us enough time to get out and explore a little.
We visited Naikoten Traditional Market, tried local food, explored the NTT Regional Museum and experienced some everyday life in the city.
Kupang is also an important transport hub for travelling onwards to other parts of East Nusa Tenggara, including Alor. If you are passing through on your way to another island, it is worth considering adding an extra day rather than simply staying at your hotel between connections.
For us, Kupang was mainly a stepping stone to Alor, but the short stop gave us a chance to see another part of Indonesia before continuing our journey by Pelni ship.
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