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The internet has great things to say about Flores Island, but I haven’t found a single article warning about the bad things about the island. However, I think it’s best to be well informed about this island before you decide to visit it.
So, here is my article about Flores Island: 10 things you NEED to know.
In this article I will cover:
– 10 serious problems I encountered on the island
– My verdict on whether or not it is worth visiting Flores
– My recommendations, in case you decide to go to Flores anyway.
Let’s go then!
10 things you NEED to know about Flores
1. On Flores island there is a shortage of fresh produce
Flores Island is one of the most remote islands in the Azores. It is an island that is supplied monthly by a boat, which brings all the products that its inhabitants need to survive. During the summer, the frequency of the boat that supplies the island increases. However, throughout the year these boats can be delayed due to bad weather.
When this happens, there is a shortage of EVERYTHING. It’s scary. The times I was there, there was no fresh fruit, and I couldn’t even find any eggs. The supermarket shelves were practically empty , except for ultra-processed products (chips, cookies, etc. ).
Therefore, if you come to the island of Flores you will have difficulty cooking and you have two options: eat frozen and ultra-processed food , or always eat out, which is very expensive.
2. There is no fresh meat or fish for sale
This was one of the things that surprised me the most. So, on an island in the Azores, an archipelago known for the excellence of its meat and fish, there is no meat or fish for sale?!
Yes, it is true. There is only one butcher’s shop on the island, in the town of Santa Cruz, and it only stocks up on Thursdays. After that, you can only find frozen meat, and there isn’t even much variety available.
Fish, then, is not even seen : neither fresh nor frozen. The thing is that all the fish is sent to the auction house, to be exported.
3. On Flores Island, it rains 80% of the time
Flores is the most western point of the European continent. Because it is so far west, it is the rainiest island and has the mildest climate of the entire archipelago, and is therefore the greenest.
This makes it quite risky to book a trip to Flores Island. Even if it’s summer, no one can guarantee that it won’t rain every day. To give you an idea, the first time I went there was in the first week of September, and it rained the whole time. A friend of mine went there at Easter, and the same thing happened to him. Another friend went in August, and the same thing happened…
And being such a small and remote island, there are very few things to do when the weather is bad (rain or fog), so there is a strong chance that you will spend a week cooped up in your room or knee-deep in mud.
If it’s raining, read my article on what to do on Flores Island on a rainy day.
4. Visibility is often ZERO
In addition to the rain, Flores Island has a lot of fog. If this happens, it is not worth visiting the viewpoints on the eastern part of the island, much less exploring its famous lagoons.
If it is foggy, the best thing to do is:
- First, check the Azores webcams to see if there is any place on the island where visibility is better.
- Secondly, check the weather conditions on WindGuru, one of the best apps to use in the Azores.
Don’t hit the road without taking these two steps and, if the weather is bad, read my article on what to do on Flores Island on a rainy day.
5. There are no hospitals on the island
In fact, there are no hospitals on most of the Azorean islands. There are only hospitals on the two largest islands, São Miguel and Terceira. All the other islands, including Flores, have only health centres.
Flores is so small that it only has one small health center and two pharmacies. Both the health center and the pharmacies are in Santa Cruz das Flores, which is why it ranks high in my guide to Best places to stay in Flores island.
And what happens if you have a car accident, or if you hurt yourself while hiking, or if you have a heart attack? Well, in those situations, you will have to be evacuated from Flores by military helicopter. But what I was told at the tourist office at the Flores airport is that, even in those cases, there are protocols to follow and that, therefore, it can often take HOURS for assistance to be provided.
6. The Network coverage is terrible
One thing that surprised me is that the island has poor network coverage, even on the coast. The worst areas are, naturally, those at higher altitudes. So, in the lagoon and crater areas, there is practically no network coverage.
This has important practical implications: if you have a problem, for example a mechanical breakdown in your car or if you hurt yourself while hiking, you will have great difficulty asking for help.
7. On Flores island there is practically no commerce or restaurants
Another thing that really surprised me, in a negative way, is that the island has a huge lack of services. There are very few restaurants (and not even half a dozen of them are quality ones…) and cafes. There are no souvenir shops. There are no “normal” businesses, like vets, local grocery stores, hairdressers, nothing.
8. It is difficult and expensive to rent a car
As it is a small island but with a lot of visitors, there are few rental cars and those that do exist are very expensive. Very expensive!
To give you an idea, I rented a car for 15 days in Terceira, in September, and paid €370. On Flores, for 7 days of rental, also in September, I paid €900. A real fortune!
This is why I recommend you to book your car with AutoEurope, a price aggregator that will give you the best prices on the market. It also allows you to cancel your reservation 48 hours in advance without penalty.
9. It is very likely that your trip will be postponed
Precisely because the weather on the island is so bad, flights (both arrivals and departures) are often delayed or even cancelled. This happened to me twice and it was awful, especially if you have connecting flights to other islands, accommodations booked, etc.
On one of my trips, I checked out of my accommodation and returned the rental car, and when I was already at the airport I received a notice that the flight had been cancelled for the following day. It was terrible!
10. For all these reasons, Flores Island is NOT a good destination for solo travellers.
Because it is an expensive island, difficult to access, with very limited access to health care, no doctors, low network coverage, etc., I sincerely do not recommend Flores Island AT ALL to solo travelers. If anything happens, you will be completely alone on a small rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Is Flores Island worth visiting?
In my opinion, NO. Yes, the island is beautiful, but there are other islands that are equally beautiful (São Miguel, São Jorge) and they are:
- Much more affordable (in terms of flights)
- Much cheaper (in terms of car rental)
- Much safer (in terms of access to healthcare, network coverage, weather, etc.).
I have visited all the islands of the Azores and I can tell you that the hype around Flores Island is completely unjustified and that you can have a much better, more accessible, economical and safe experience on other islands.
If you still decide to go to Flores, follow these recommendations:
If I had to go back to Flores Island, here’s what I would do in terms of planning:
- When you book your flights to Flores Island, pay an extra fee to be able to reschedule your trip without penalty. This way, a few weeks before you travel, you can check the weather on the island and, if bad weather is forecast, cancel your trip without breaking the bank.
- Book your car MONTHS in advance. There are very few cars available on the island and the closer you get to your trip, the more expensive they will be. So book your car with AutoEurope, which, in addition to giving you the best prices on the market, allows you to cancel your reservation 48 hours in advance without penalty.
- Also, book your accommodation well in advance. Read my article on the best places to stay in Flores Island to find out where to stay. And I recommend booking accommodation with a flexible cancellation policy.
- Whenever you go hiking or simply exploring the island, let a close friend know a) where you’re going and what you’re doing, and b) what time you’ll be back. That way, if something happens and you’re in an area without coverage, your friend can alert the authorities if you need help.
- Don’t forget, before going on a trail or venturing into the higher parts of the island, to check the weather conditions on one of the best apps to use in the Azores, to avoid getting into trouble.
- Leave a list of contacts (from your accommodation, car rental contract, etc.) with a trusted friend.
- Finally, don’t forget to reserve a table at restaurants, especially during high season.
Personally, I have no intention of ever returning to Flores Island. I absolutely love the Azores, I spend half the year there, but I never want to feel alone and helpless like I did in Flores. However, I hope your experience is better than mine! :)
