Between the islands of Lombok and Flores is the island of Sumbawa. It is not a small island, but nevertheless, it only has around 1 million inhabitants. This is mainly due to the landscape, which consists of huge mountains and impressive volcanoes.
Sumbawa is an Indonesian island rarely visited by foreign tourism and mainly surfers come to the island in search of waves. Although the island of Sumbawa offers many things to see and do, places surrounded by nature, beautiful landscapes that you should know.
In this post I tell you what to see and do in Sumbawa, how to get there, how to get around, and where to stay.
HOW TO GET TO SUMBAWA, INDONESIA
Bima has a small airport, with regular connections to Denpasar (Bali) and Makassar (Sulawesi). You can also fly to Sumbawa Besar from Bali or Lombok to land in West Sumbawa.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN SUMBAWA, INDONESIA
In Sumbawa do not expect to find large temples or many cultural places to visit. On this island the inhabitants are quite poor if we compare it with other islands, and here you will mainly find spectacular natural places. The Sumbawa population is also more conservative, so keep this in mind. However, you will certainly be received in a friendly manner. Its main cities are Bima and Sumbawa Besar. Although if you are going to choose Sumbawa to include it in your Indonesia itinerary, you will surely arrive here looking for a natural environment and you will find it in every corner.
Here you will find beautiful beaches, rice terraces, waterfalls, the long coastline and the mountainous landscape.
Its cities are chaotic, something that we love and really, whenever I have visited Sumbawa it has been to explore its natural landscapes and to surf. So if your intention is to make cultural visits and enjoy the beach, perhaps I would recommend other places in Indonesia, because in Sumbawa beach you will find lots and lots of them, but on a historical and cultural level there are islands like Java, Bali and Sumatra (among others). where there are many more things to see and do.
Gunung Tambora is a huge volcano in the north of the island. You can do trekking to enjoy the natural environment and the views it offers once you get to the top. It is not an easy trek so I recommend it only for experienced or in good physical condition. There are tours that offer trekking for two or three days.
You can tour the towns of Sumbawa on a scooter, it is the best option to explore the area at your leisure. (Although Sumbawa is not small and I'll tell you about it below). For long distances you can take taxis or public transport.
In Sumbawa you will find great places to surf. Some experts say even better than Lombok and Bali. Personally I think it is being at the exact moment and place and sometimes you are lucky and sometimes not so much. But without a doubt Sumbawa is one of my favorite islands to go surfing, not only do you find great waves but there are also VERY few people. Sometimes in Bali you almost have to ask for permission to catch the wave of the people there. not to mention accidents because newbies get in the way. Here you will be practically alone and this already makes this island a great option.
Lakey Peak, near Hu'u, is without a doubt the best place. This is also the place that is visited by the most surfers and tourists, so it is easy to get to and there are enough facilities available.
On the west coast of Sumbawa you will also find good surf spots, here tourism is much less developed than at Lakey Peak. In West Sumbawa there are several places: Supersucks, Yo Yos, Tropicals and Scar Reef.
Depending on whether your interest is surfing, look for accommodation according to the area you want to travel or visit. Although Sumbawa may seem small, it is quite large. To give you an idea, from Bima (airport) to Sumbawa Besar (airport) there are 250km.
There are also beautiful beaches everywhere, with calm waters ideal for enjoying a swim.
WHERE TO STAY IN SUMBAWA, INDONESIA
I have been to Sumbawa several times and I have been trying out some options. Sometimes I repeat the same place and here are my recommendations:
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Indonesia a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!