As one of the three big islands of East Nusa Tenggara, Sumba island has an eerie charm that attracts as well as repels you with its pristine purity and untouched beauty. Here time stops right in its tracks, as you can discover megalithic tombs scattered all over the area.
See an authentic, ancient culture not found elsewhere in the country.
Although it’s so isolated, which makes it a bit more expensive and harder to get to, it’s even more worth doing so.
Sumba island is divided into four regencies, East Sumba, West Sumba, Central Sumba and Southwest Sumba. The most popular and developed regencies for tourism are the southwest and west Sumba. Hotels in East and central Sumba are more limited, and the transport infrastructure is less developed.
Sumba Island is not for everyone.
Neither the food nor accommodations are up to international standards; it’s very basic. Phone reception and internet are not good in some areas as well. If you are traveling to Sumba, and you want to stay connected while on the go, there are a few things to consider before you leave.
First, make sure that your phone is unlocked. This means that the phone is not tied to a carrier and can use SIM cards from other providers. Second, buy a local SIM card with an internet plan from the provider. Mobile signal on the island either does not exist or is very limited.
Additionally, there are many roads on the island, but some of them are bumpy. If you go into the island, you will find that there is a lot of dirt and gravel roads.
How to get to Sumba island
There are two ways to step your feet on this island. By airplanes, Sumba has two airports: Umbu Mehang Kunda in Waingapu, East Sumba, and Tambolaka airport in Southwest Sumba. Both airports serve domestic flights only. The trip duration is only about 1 hour from Bali, and they have daily flights. By sea, you can get there by ferry to Waikelo harbour in Southwest Sumba and Waingapu port in East Sumba.
Direct flights to Sumba are available from two Cities, Denpasar (Bali) and Kupang (Timor). If you want to visit Sumba from anywhere else in Indonesia, you must first transit through one of these.
Traveling around Sumba Island
Transportation in Sumba is limited. You can travel by local buses between the major urban centers, which is cheap, and if you’re lucky you get two buses a day.
Alternatively, you can arrange a private car or motorbike rental, but driving yourself in a new country can be a daunting task. You don’t know the roads, you don’t know the language, you don’t know the culture, and more often than not, there is no signal, meaning google maps won’t be of much help.
It’s best to hire a car with driver to help you explore Sumba. This way, you can sit back and enjoy your time in Sumba as your driver does all of the work for you. You will be able to explore more of this beautiful island with less stress on your shoulders.
Society in Sumba Island
The traditional social structure in the clan is a hierarchical, patriarchal system divided into clans called “Kabihu”. Each clan has a leader called “Rato”, and the dominant ones are called “Maramba”. They regard themselves as aristocrats. Ordinary folks are called “Kabisu”.
There is a lot of wisdom about life cycle ceremonies, especially the ones associated with mortality and fertility.
Sumba has seen many people converting to Christianity and Islam, but still, they are bound to the original belief called Marapu Humba. According to Marapu, ancestral spirits can protect living families while living families always remember their ancestors with prayers and offerings. There is also a well known reggae band called Marapu, which we had the chance to do an interview with. Read the full interview here.
Experience the magnificent island with your own eyes.
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