Visit Sumba Island, Indonesia

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One of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands, Sumba was known as the “Sandalwood Island” for its prodigious exports of the fragrant wood. Visitors to the picturesque island in the Indian Ocean find white sand beaches and remote bays where swimming, horse riding, diving, fishing, surfing, hiking and sunbathing will consume their days. The island is full of birdlife with a number of endemic species including a secretive owl and the large, black-horned Sumba Hornbill that are found in the 2 National Parks on the island. Visitors to Sumba are also attracted to a rich tribal culture displayed in the inhabitant’s lifestyle, massive ceremonial carved stone tombs and thatched homes. The “Pasola” ceremonies that take place during the months of February and March at select locations along the west coast of the island entertain visitors looking for a unique, cultural experience. The Pasolas involve hundreds of charging horsemen armed with spears engaging on a large field. Injuries are common and a Pasola is not considered successful without a proper amount of bloodletting. In the culture of the people of Sumba, blood on the ground is necessary to make it fertile, and among its goals, the Pasola is held to create the proper conditions for the rice harvests that take place later in the year and to appease the spirits of the native’s ancestors. Visitors to Sumba typically board a charter flight from Bali or fly into the town of Waingapu, the capital of Sumba, from a number of other cities in eastern Indonesia including Jakarta or from Timor. Accommodations on the island range from a boutique luxury resort with access to a first class surfing spot to hotels and cottages dotted about the island. Visiting Sumba Island in Indonesia could be the fulfillment of your dream to spend time on an isolated island with a rich cultural heritage that is engrained into the daily lives of its inhabitants. Add this adventure to your list and start working on the best way to fulfill this fantasy.

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