Sumbawa

Sumbawa is one of the 13,000 plus islands in the Indonesian archipelago. It is a large island to the east of Bali and Lombok. Sumbawa, along with Lombok, is part of West Nusa Tenggara. There a hundreds of small islands in this area in addition to the two major islands. Sumbawa is known to some tourists for its great waves and sandy white beaches. Due to the somewhat trying process of getting there and the scarcity of cheap tourist facilities, the island is not visited much by non-surfing tourists which is unfortunate as parts of the island are quite beautiful. Regions Cities Sumbawa Besar, the capital, is on the western side of the island. Bima is on the eastern side of the island. Dompu is on the eastern side of the island. Other destinations Sekongkang - the surfing spots of Yoyo and Scar Reef. Benete Maluk- Supersucks surfing spot is located here. Mount Tambora - a mighty volcano which is remote, rarely visited and even more rarely climbed. Moyo - national marine park with superb diving and home to a remarkable Aman resort. Understand Sumbawa really belongs more to Eastern Indonesia than to to the West. The effects of Hindu and Buddhist cultures are minimal in Sumbawa; the majority of the population are Muslims. During the dry season (April to November) a lot of dust is blown up and around. Strong winds blow in off the ocean, and the lush green hills, mountains and valleys turn a dusty brown. When the rainy season begins an amazing transformation takes place and the island becomes a lush jungle once again. Because of dryness, Sumbawa is frequented with crop failures, and even more so than Lombok, is subject to extreme poverty and starvation is not uncommon, robberies due to extreme desperation do occur. In October 2012, 20 children died in a single month on Sumbawa from malnutrition. As most of the island is still developing, there is a very rural feel to just about everything, including Sumbawa Besar, the capital of the western side of the island. The mining company, Newmont, has a gold and copper mine down in the southwestern corner of the island around the villages of Sekongkang, Maluk and Benete. Their presence has speeded up the development process in this side of the island, though the vast majority are in abject poverty and claims of environmental destruction have been charged against the company, which has had to suspend operations due to mass rioting. Bahasa Indonesia is spoken widely in Sumbawa. Get in Sumbawa is considered somewhat remote even by Indonesian standards, and an overland-and-sea journey from Bali takes 15 hours beginning in Singaraja, Bali, and ending up in Poto Tano, the port on the western side of Sumbawa. By plane Only the cities of Sumbawa Besar on the western side of the island and Bima on the eastern side of the island have regular air service. Merpati [1] and Transnusa [2] fly to both cities from Denpasar (Bali) and Lombok on Western-made ATR-42 turboprops about four times a week. Sekongkan also has an airport, but flights have been stopped for an indefinite period after a small airline called Tropical Air ceased operating. By ferry To get to Sumbawa from Bali most people take the ferry from Bali to Lombok, travel overland to the eastern seaport in Lombok (Labuhan Lombok) and then take another ferry to Sumbawa, ending up in Poto Tano. In the other directions, ferries from Labuanbajo, Flores travel to Sape. These do not leave every day and you may face a several day wait for the next one. Get around Transportation on Sumbawa is problematic, and it's best to book ferries and buses as combined tickets, or you may get stranded in port for an indefinite time trying to get onward. See Do Eat Ikan Bakar (barbequed fish) at the sole warung located at Telok Santong on the road between Sumbawa Besar and Bima In Maluk the Ikan Bakar at Warung Cotok Lamongan is equally good. Choose your own fish from the cool case, sit and have a drink and 15 minutes later you'll be in seventh heaven! In Taliwang try Ayam Taliwang, a dish now famous in other parts of Indonesia but beware - it's pedas! (spicy) Drink Rantung Beach Hotel, Jalan Lingkar Selatan Sekongkang Sekongkang Bawah, Kab. Sumbawa Barat Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB) INDONESIA, ☎ +6287861975666, [3]. Rantung Beach Hotel sits right on the edge of the beach just outside Sekongkang Village on the west coast of Sumbawa close to some of the best waves Eastern Indonesia has to offer: Yoyo's, Supersuck, Scar Reef and others. Our staff pride themselves on their superb hospitality, creating a relaxed atmosphere where everybody is treated as part of the family. Offering affordable, clean and comfortable rooms, and a beachfront cafe where the sunset view is sublime while relaxing after long sessions in the surf, Rantung Beach Hotel is the perfect base for exploring the waves up and down the coast, or just to get away for a while.Their chef provides great food from only the freshest fish.Indonesian as well as western.  edit Santai Beach Bungalows, Jalan Lingkar Selatan Sekongkang, Sekongkang Bawah (In the hotel strip about half a kilometer east of Yo Yo's surf break), [4]. One of the several options for cheap accommodation right near Yo Yo's, on Rantung beach, facing the ocean. Staff are friendly and fun; has a good atmosphere. Rooms come with mosquito nets and fans. Cheaper rooms are shared bathroom, higher end rooms have private bathrooms. Restaurant on site with Indo and Western dishes, ping pong and pool tables. Motorbike rental possible; ask staff. 80,000 - 150,000.  edit Stay safe Get out Lombok Flores This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!