2025 February – “If you are a birder and you are travelling to Flores and Komodo with a non-birding partner, then Max is the guide to book. He is not just a birding guide, but also a perfect cultural guide. We travelled with Max in February 2025 for a 13 days trip around Flores, including a 2 days trip on a private boat to Komodo. We have visited all the highlights and next to that we spent two mornings from 6:00 to 10:30 birdwatching in the Ruteng area and another two mornings near Labuan Bajo. Although it was not a 100% birding trip, I only missed 2 of the many endemic species. Max is a perfect guide and a very pleasant person. I absolutely recommend him.“
Theo Admiraal – The Netherlands
We put our tumb-finger, a highly recommended guide as Maxi Wago He is a native people of Bajawa – Flores. Maxi is an expert birding guide who has been much experiences on arranging any kind of trips through Flores, Lombok and Komodo island. We have been involved him to guide our groups during on birding trips and cultural tours on Flores and Komodo island a few years ago before covid-19 hit the economical in the world.
2016 20th – 25th August We used him a local bird guide on guiding a group of bird photographers from Taiwan who led by Arco Huang
2017 24th – 29th August We used Maxi Wago as our local bird guide to arrange a private tour for Mr. Paul Van Giersbergen from France.
2018 We had involved him to arrange culture trip, wildlife tour, and arranged birding trip for a client from Denmark.
Maxi Wago is one of Malia Tours’ team who will arrange trips through Flores, Lombok and Komodo island. He is one of the best birding guide in Indonesia as We know .
Thank you,
NurlinFounder of Malia Tours, Guide
http://www.malia-tours.com
http://www.maliabirding.com
2016 December
“I did a trip for 4 days between the 8th and 11th of December 2016 in Flores with Max Wago as guide and organiser. Flores is a beautiful island with a lot of great landscapes, but which sadly suffers, like all of Indonesia, of ongoing hunting, poaching and habitat destruction, making some of the endemic birds very difficult. I would recommend a good week on Flores and Komodo to maximise the chances to see all key birds. As I only had four days and was targeting all the endemics (some notably hard to see), there was always a risk to miss some. Max was very willing to satisfy my requests and very good at organising the whole trip (accommodation, time spent in each location, considering driving time and other contingencies), explaining the compromises he had to make to maximise my chances. Max’s guiding and knowledge of bird calls was peerless, and, despite the season being monsoon time in the mountains, we managed to see most endemics, including big targets like the Flores Jungle Flycatcher, Flores Crow or Flores Monarch, but also some localised and rare specialties like Chestnut-Capped and Chestnut-Backed Thrushes, Ornate Pitta or Leaf Lorikeet. We heard only Wallace’s and Flores Scops Owls due to poor weather and only one night spent in the mountain, and missed the very difficult Wallace’s Hanging Parrot, Flores Green Pigeon and Flores Shortwing, which was always a risk, considering the limited time spent for the trip and inability to go to the best locations for these birds. Overall, I would definitely recommend Max as a guide and go again with him to complete my list and enjoy again this beautiful island.“
– Abdel
Flores Komodo Birdwatching 