Indonesia is a immense nation that I come again to over and over. Sumbawa Island used to be by no means on my record as I had at all times visited extra vacationer pushed islands like Lombok or Flores however now it used to be year to fill the space I had within the lesser Sunda islands. Sumbawa is known for its gorgeous terrains, seashores, browsing, diving, and whale sharks. It’s for sure off the crushed trail particularly given how related Lombok, Bali, and Flores (house to Komodo Nationwide Landscape) are however I feel this can be a topic of year ahead of Sumbawa has its pace.
I spent a year diving and exploring the island of Sumbawa and completely cherished it. The island is de facto large so certainly not did I discover even a modest little bit of the parks which can be to be had.
The place is Sumbawa Island?
Sumbawa is situated in the course of the lesser Sunda island chain. It’s sandwiched between Lombok and Flores, which is house to the Komodo Nationwide Landscape. It’s a immense island that spans 15,000km or about 3x the scale of Bali.
Sumbawa is lesser referred to as a vacationer vacation spot than its neighbors Lombok and Flores however that would briefly be converting as extra of the Indonesian islands get advanced. I got here right here nearest a shuttle to Lombok to discover dive websites that I had now not visited ahead of.
The place are the vacationer hotspots of Sumbawa?
Sumbawa is a splendid island this is in its infancy levels of tourism as I scribble this in 2024. It’s nonetheless pristine by way of aggregate tourism like close by islands of Bali, Lombok, and Komodo however the infrastructure is for sure being laid ill for a growth. Till upcoming, this island left-overs tough to get to however a fund to people who assemble the progress.
Future the island could be very heavy (3x the scale of Bali), there are just a few grounds that has been advanced for tourism. Even the grounds which can be advanced for tourism left-overs far flung and undeveloped.
West coast of Sumbawa
The west coast of Sumbawa is a surfer paradise. This branch can also be reached by way of ferry from Lombok moderately briefly and there are a selection of other dive motels and surf camps alongside the coast. The seashores and terrains are extremely gorgeous and take me back to the fact of a lot of the terrains in Lombok.
I had debated coming to this a part of Sumbawa because it used to be more uncomplicated to succeed in from Lombok however in the end made up our minds on Moyo island.
I had dived prior to now in Lombok with Blue Marlin and so they solely dive the strait between Lombok and Sumbawa. The diving there’s reasonably magnificent however I sought after to attempt one thing brandnew. Browsing additionally wasn’t prime on my precedence record as there’s such a lot browsing to be carried out in Lombok.
Moyo Island
Moyo island is a far flung island simply north of Sumbawa Besar, one of the most major cities of the island. Sumbawa Besar could also be house to the primary airport of the island which means that it’s “easier” to succeed in Moyo island. From the airport, this can be a 1h speedboat ferry trip away to Moyo island.
Moyo island is house to an improbable underwater ground this is nonetheless pristine by way of the aggregate diving crowds. The diving and the island itself are each impressive. Next chatting with alternative vacationers, all of them most well-liked the diving in Moyo island to that of West Sumbawa which means that I made the appropriate selection!
Attending to Moyo Island
Moyo island isn’t a very easy playground to get to. As with every excellent issues, they arrive to those that wait (or are keen to attend).
By means of flying from Bali and Lombok + Ferry
The principle option to get to Moyo island is by way of flying from Bali or Lombok to Sumbawa Besar (the primary town on Sumbawa), and upcoming a ferry to Moyo island.
There are two day-to-day flights that loose from Bali and assemble a stopover in Lombok to pick out up extra passengers (you aren’t getting off) ahead of finishing in Sumbawa. Those flights loose within the morning and takes more or less 2h to get to Sumbawa nearest factoring within the layover in Lombok. The go back flying to Bali purposes at the identical time table.
From Sumbawa Besar, you’ll be able to whip a ten modest taxi to the tiny pier at Pantai Goa which can price 100k IDR. That is very dear for Indonesian requirements however given how far flung Sumbawa is, there’s no Gojek but so the cost is about by way of the taxi mafia.
Ferry from Sumbawa Besar to Moyo
From the pier at Pantai Goa, you could have two choices to get to Moyo, the non-public speedboat and the society ferry.
The society ferry is 100k IDR and leaves each and every time round 1pm. Give or whip 1h as a result of they loose when the boat is crammed up with plethora population. The society boat takes quite over 2h and isn’t an actual ferry however extra of an area passenger boat. The locals switch all their provides in this boat together with farm animals. My Wingsair flying from Lombok/Bali landed in Sumbawa round 10:45am and I used to be on the pier by way of 11:15. This implies you’ll wish to wait on the pier for more or less 2 hours to deliver for the ferry to resignation.
The personal speedboat will whip part as lengthy and can loose each time you need. The price of this boat is any place between 1.5m IDR and a couple of.5m IDR relying for your negotiation talents. I used to be with just one extra particular person and I mentioned 1.5m is my ultimate value which they authorized. We didn’t wish to wait two hours on the pier given there used to be in reality not anything across the playground so we ended up paying the non-public ferry value. Sadly on my time of arrival, there have been disagree alternative vacationers another way the price of this boat would had been less expensive on a according to particular person foundation.
When we arrived on the major the town on Moyo Island, it used to be some other 15 modest power by way of scooter to the dive hotel at Blu EmOcean. Roads on Moyo are very bumpy however it is a far flung island village nearest all!
By means of ferry from Lombok
Otherwise that many population do that shuttle is by means of ferry from Lombok. I don’t suggest this mode as it’ll whip all of the time and price the same quantity as merely gliding to Sumbawa. From Lombok Labuan Kayangan port on its north east coast, you’ll be able to whip a ferry to the west coast of Sumbawa.
From the ferry station in Sumbawa, you are going to upcoming whip a lecturer bus 4h to Sumbawa Besar the town. From town, you’ll be able to whip the ferry to Moyo (identical because the division above).
What to do in Moyo Island?
Moyo island is a good-looking immense island that’s not really well attached. There are likely many fantastic attractions to peer on Moyo Island however realistically there are just a few which can be out there for the typical particular person. Apart from diving which is for sure the primary spotlight for me, the primary waterfall on Moyo island is a should seek advice from enchantment.
Labuan Aji Village
All journeys will get started in the primary village. Folk nonetheless reside within the conventional method right here. Homes are easy and future is gradual. The principle earnings supply of the native population are sesame farming and maximum maintain themselves off of fishing. There aren’t even any correct warungs in the primary the town which is how you understand you’re in a far flung playground.
I might principally center of attention on renting a scooter or a scooter with a motive force to advance to the nearest a part of this division.
Mata Jitu Waterfalls
The Mata Jitu waterfalls are a completely splendid show of nature and a should seek advice from optic when visiting Moyo island. Future I got here right here for diving, maximum population in fact come right here solely to peer this waterfall. Even Princess Diana has visited this waterfall. Future chances are you’ll appear to be this might draw in the loads, that couldn’t be farther from the reality.
I went right here on a morning the place I wasn’t diving from the Blu EmOcean hotel. You’ll be able to both rent an area to power you with a scooter, or you’ll be able to power your self with a scooter. Each choices will price round 100-150k relying at the time. I elected to power with my very own scooter as a result of I dislike sitting at the again of 1.
The street as much as the waterfall is bumpy and now not simple so I don’t suggest this for those who aren’t happy with scooters. It’s a more or less 30 modest motorbike trip from the primary the town to the waterfalls.
When we arrived, it used to be an absolute factor of attractiveness. I in truth used to be left breathless at how gorgeous this waterfall used to be. Everybody undersold this playground and it for sure defied any expectancies I had. Mata Jitu is house to limestone swimming pools that mirror a stupendous turquoise inexperienced H2O from its white sandy base. There are more than one terraced swimming pools which can be fed from a immense waterfall firstly. It jogs my memory of the Krka waterfalls in Croatia however with none population. I in reality can’t describe it and provides it any justice so simply have a look at those footage.
Essentially the most wonderful phase? We have been utterly rejected on this waterfall with no unmarried alternative vacationer any place related. The H2O used to be refreshing and now not chilly and I finished up swimming in more than one ranges of the waterfalls. On account of the limestone formations, strolling alongside the perimeters of the swimming pools used to be now not slippery which made it stunning for taking footage.
All in all, don’t come to Moyo with out visiting this waterfall because it in reality is a kind of particular parks.
Diving in Moyo Island
Diving in Moyo island is a should. The underwater marine future is improbable and the corals are nonetheless very wholesome. I might say the diving right here may well be related to one of the crucial dive websites in Komodo and even Raja Ampat. Future you received’t see the same quantity of immense pelagic fish like mantas, the tuition fish and diversity will certainly conserve you busy.
Perfect of all? There are most effective two dive retail outlets in the entire island so you are going to virtually at all times dive those websites to your self time in Komodo, you are going to be diving with more than one boats on the identical year (Komodo continues to be wonderful regardless that).
The place to stick on Moyo Island?
There are just a few parks to stick on Moyo Island and on Sumbawa Besar (the mainland). I finished up staying at Blu EmOcean for my keep on Moyo Island. Listed here are the choices:
Blue EmOcean is a gorgeous ecolodge situated a couple of kilometers north of the primary port the town in Labuan Aji. There are just a handful of parks to stick at the island and the attribute at Blu EmOcean seemed like a different playground. The hotel has modified homeowners in recent times as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and is now run by way of a tender and passionate Brit who has elegant optical for the hotel.
There’s additionally a dive store situated at the premise which operates day-to-day dives round Moyo reminding me of the Scuba Junkies Komodo hotel that I did my divemaster path in. The hotel could also be going through due west which means that you’ll see one of the crucial maximum wonderful sunsets of your future at this playground. Moreover, given its far flung location on a far flung island, each and every night you’re greeted with probably the most gorgeous show of stars above you, reminding me of my year spent in Zanzibar at the seashore.
Whale Shark shuttle in Sumbawa
With no indecision, probably the most fantastic issues you’ll be able to do in Sumbawa is the whale shark excursion. The branch round Saleh Bay is house to resident whale sharks that pervasive the bay life spherical. This bay has was a sanctuary of types and has probably the most resident whale sharks out of any place else on the planet.
You’ll be able to do whale shark excursions from Lombok on a multi evening tour, a time shuttle from Moyo island or from the motels similar Sumbawa Besar. It’s a 2.5h boat trip from Moyo island to Saleh Bay and the time journeys will loose round 3-4am within the morning as the most productive year for the whale sharks is within the morning.
The original factor about Sumbawa is that you’re allowed to dive with the whale sharks and it’s virtually a word of honour to peer whale sharks. That is matching to my revel in on my Maldives liveaboard however I used to be by no means in a position to dive with the sharks.
Sadly, we couldn’t in reality get it in combination at Blu EmOcean to assemble this shuttle occur as there merely weren’t plethora population to assemble the shuttle economical. For that topic, in case you are intent on doing this tour, I might suggest staying at a larger hotel at the mainland of Sumbawa.
