West Manggarai aligns Fasmadewi and PEKA IKLIM in Warloka Pesisir

Labuan Bajo — Local government and community groups in West Manggarai are moving to formalize Warloka Pesisir as a coastal village tourism destination, linking climate-resilience work with new visitor packages outside Komodo National Park.

The district Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture Office has placed Warloka Pesisir among two villages targeted in 2025 under the Fasilitasi Masyarakat Desa Wisata (Fasmadewi) program, alongside Watu Tiri in Lembor Selatan. Officials describe Fasmadewi as an innovation program focused on strengthening human resources, village tourism institutions and local creative businesses.

Under the scheme, facilitators are expected to spend around ten months identifying and mentoring village tourism actors, including tourism awareness groups (Pokdarwis), micro and small enterprises, creative economy players, women’s groups and youth organizations. The program is designed to develop cultural and natural attractions, digital marketing, guiding and homestay skills so that villages can capture more value from existing visitor flows.

Climate-resilience work and ecotourism ambitions

Warloka Pesisir has been a focus of the PEKA IKLIM program run by Yayasan Bintari, with support from ASB Indonesia–Filipina and referenced in the district’s climate adaptation action plan. Since 2022, the program has assisted the village with coastal ecosystem protection, WASH infrastructure, waste management and alternative livelihoods, including mangrove planting and training in mangrove crab cultivation.

Bintari documents describe ecotourism as one of the alternative livelihoods under consideration in Warloka Pesisir, alongside other climate-friendly income sources. Activities have included capacity-building for the local Pokdarwis through homestay and hospitality training, as well as workshops to finalize village tour packages and improve guiding skills. These steps are intended to help residents turn natural and cultural assets into inclusive, community-based tourism products.

The regional climate adaptation action plan notes that PEKA IKLIM supports “pesisir ecotourism development” in Warloka Pesisir, positioning tourism as part of a broader strategy to manage coastal resources and diversify livelihoods in the face of climate risks. Local waste-management initiatives such as a village “waste bank” have also been linked to improving environmental quality around emerging tourism sites.

Emerging attractions near Labuan Bajo

Warloka Pesisir lies in Komodo subdistrict of West Manggarai, within day-trip distance of Labuan Bajo and along coastal routes serving Komodo National Park. Regional media and tourism promotion materials highlight historical and coastal attractions in and around Warloka, including megalithic remains such as Batu Meja, mangrove areas and viewpoints over the surrounding bay.

The district tourism office has identified Warloka and Warloka Pesisir as having potential for village tourism based on a mix of natural scenery, coastal livelihoods and cultural heritage. Fasmadewi is expected to help the community clarify and package these attractions, from mangrove walks to historical sites, while strengthening local institutions to manage visitor services.

Recent capacity-building activities have brought together village residents, Pokdarwis members and tourism stakeholders from other parts of West Manggarai, allowing Warloka Pesisir to learn from established village tourism models such as Wae Lolos. The aim, according to Bintari and district officials, is to ensure that tourism benefits extend beyond a few operators and contribute to wider community resilience.

Next steps for village tourism governance

The district’s Fasmadewi guidelines state that a formal Pokdarwis structure is a key output of the innovation program, with tourism awareness groups expected to be backed by village decrees and connected to district-level tourism planning. In Warloka Pesisir, PEKA IKLIM activities around participatory planning and the preparation of a village ecotourism master plan (RIPEDes) are meant to align community-led tourism development with public programs and market demand.

Officials and civil society actors frame Warloka Pesisir’s tourism push as part of Labuan Bajo’s wider status as a super-priority destination, but with an emphasis on coastal resilience, waste management and inclusive livelihoods. As the Fasmadewi cycle advances in 2025, the village’s ability to organize its Pokdarwis, refine tour products and safeguard mangrove and cultural sites will be critical to turning Warloka Pesisir into a durable supporting destination.

Sources

• Banera.id
• TIMES Jakarta
• Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK) NTT – interview PDF with West Manggarai tourism head
• Yayasan Bintari – Mangrove monitoring article
• Bappeda West Manggarai – Regional Climate Adaptation Action Plan (RAD API)
• Okebajo.com
• Labuan Bajo Voice