Sumba

Note: For the village on Faroe Islands, see Sumba (Faroe Islands)

Sumba is an island in the eastern half of Nusa Tenggara, south of Flores — and not be confused with Sumbawa to the west.

Cities

• Waikabubak — second largest city, in the west and home of the spectacular pasolas
• Waingapu — largest city and main gateway to the island in the East

More Destinations

• Laiwangi Wanggameti National Park
• Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park

Sumba Halal Travel Guide

Rarely visited by Westerners, Sumba has an interior not unlike Texas hill country, only hotter, containing fewer people, bigger hills and more rugged roads. It is a sparsely populated island with just 700,000 people spread across its 11,000 km².

Sumba is famous for having one of the expensive resorts in the world (Nihi Watu Resort, where a night's stay costs about USD 1,000). Aside from a few resorts, tourism infrastructure is very basic and it is not an easy destination for independent travel except for the most hardy of traveler. If you do make the effort, though, you will be rewarded by experiencing a unique culture and some stunning beaches.

Sumba is probably ten years (or fifteen) behind Flores (the neighboring Nusa Tenggara island) in tourism maturity. If you haven't visited Flores, you should visit it first before you check Sumba. West Sumba opened to tourism recently (as of 2022), so the local residents there still have tendency to cheat and sell hard, compared to the eastern part.

History of Sumba

Sumba always seems to have been a sparsely populated island and pre-colonial perioid records are few and far between. The first European ship arrived in 1522 and the Dutch East India Company slowly took control of the island. It was never a major colonial consideration, though, and it was not until well into the 20th century that the island was truly part of the Dutch Indonesian administration. The Japanese arrival in World War II also brought some hard times.

Local Language in Sumba

The Sumbanese speak several closely related and localised Austronesian languages. Not much English is spoken around these parts, but if you can speak Indonesian, generally the people in Sumba will understand you.

Travel to Sumba

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Sumba

Regional carriers Garuda Indonesia and Lion Air with its low cost branch Wings Air operate direct connecting Flights to Tambolaka and Waingapu from many several cities in eastern Indonesia, with less frequent flights also offered by Batavia Air and Pelita Air Services. There are a little over 20 Flights from Bali to Tambolaka airport every week.

By ferry

The passenger ship Awu calls in at Waingapu twice on its 14 day round trip of Nusa Tenggara. This allows access from Kupang and several other cities in the region. The Awu is by far the safest and best way to reach Sumba by sea.

Independent travel to and within Sumba has its challenges, and many visitors do so by joining an organised tour starting in Bali or Lombok. Once a rarity and these are now increasing and the quality of experience improving.

How to get around in Sumba

Transportation is expensive in Sumba due to the limited availability of vehicles for tourism. In general you can expect (as of Dec 2018):

• Motorbike rental for a day: IDR 100,000 - IDR 150,000
• Car rental (with driver) for a day: IDR 500,000 - IDR 700,000
• Bus ride: IDR 15,000 - IDR 50,000 (depending on route)
• "Travel" (similar to Flores, a shared vehicle that you pick up on the road side or booked through your accommodation), rate varies on route
• There is no official taxi in Sumba
• Ride-hailing app such as Grab and Go-Jek has not reached Sumba yet.
  

What to see in Sumba

Sumba is one of the very few places globally where the neolithic/bronze age training of burial in megaliths remains intact. Stone megaliths (and other standing stone stuctures) are widespread on the island.

A number of pasolas are held each year in western Sumba near Waikabubak, usually sometime in either February or March (or both). These are ritual horseback jousting trials which including a ritual battle where mounted riders attempt to dismount other riders using blunt-tipped spears (sometimes there are fatalities). The pasola is an important annual ceremony and a key, unique attraction in Sumba.

What to do in Sumba

If you receive an invitation to attend a wedding, birth, or funeral, never miss it. Those are the best way to learn about the culture. Ask for the norm (what to bring along, what not to do) and behave (e.g. avoid taking excessive photos during sensitive time).

Sumba is getting famous for surfers due to its big waves. For the same reason, it is not well-known for snorkeling (or maybe not discovered yet).

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Sumba

Sumba is probably most well-known for its handicrafts such as necklace, carvings, and woven cloths.

Halal Restaurants in Sumba

If you visit Sumba, be sure to try goat.

Connect

Since Sumba is far from other major cities, it is recommended to have Telkomsel. Other operators have limited coverage in this island.

Stay Safe

Many Sumbanese are still adapting to tourism. Most local residents would assume that all Muslims are rich, so you are potentially offending them if you are too stingy with voluntary entrance fees to tourist sites or bargain too hard for souvenirs (as of Dec 2018).

The most notorious area for violence and banditry to local residents or foreigners alike, is in West Sumba, especially near Kodi. Do not travel alone in the evening there.

Explore more Halal friendly Destinations from Sumba

• Ende in Flores island, by ferry
• Kupang in Timor Island
• Bali by plane

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