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Ini adalah sebuah tulisan perjalanan dari Phoebe Lee, seorang penulis berkebangsaan Australia yang sempat berkunjung dan menikmati alam Sumbawa. Phoebe Lee is a writer, award-winning blogger and travel lover sharing helpful travel tips, insight and reviews for regular people
Indonesia is the perfect
holiday destination, especially if you live in Australia. The flight isn’t long
and budget airlines like Jetstar have sales throughout the year, making it
affordable and easy to get there. Indonesian people are incredibly friendly,
hospitable and welcoming, the food is delicious, the weather is perfect and
it’s budget-friendly. Like I said, it’s the perfect holiday destination.
When you think of
Indonesia the first place that springs to mind is Bali. The word itself
conjures up images of beautiful beaches, lush green scenery, massages and
cocktails in coconuts. Bali is beautiful, lately though I’ve found myself
wanting to visit a more remote part of Indonesia and escape the hustle and
bustle of busy streets and a sea of Bintang singlets.
While Bali is probably
the most well-known Indonesian Island, there are 13,465 others to choose from!
A few weeks ago I headed to Sumbawa with Matt and three friends. If you haven’t
heard of it, Sumbawa is an island to the east of Bali and it’s huge. Best of
all, it’s remote and feels nothing like the crazy tourist covered streets of
Kuta.
To get there we took a
very short domestic flight from Bali to Lombok then drove 2 hours by car to the
coastline, followed by a 2 hour ferry ride and another short drive to the west
coast of Sumbawa. It was worth every second it took to get there.
Tourists are far and few
between, the majority of travellers are surfers keen to take advantage of
famous surf breaks like Lakey Peak, Yo-Yo’s, SuperSucks and Scar Reef. Even if
you don’t surf, like me, there are loads of things to do and see in west
Sumbawa, though you’re going to need a local with a car to show you around.
Sumbawa is a beautiful
part of the world and, thankfully, unspoiled by tourism. If you’re looking for
a relaxing holiday with an adventurous edge, set among stunning scenery, then
Sumbawa could just be the spot for you!
1.
Climb a mountain
Next to Nomad Tropical
Surf Resort, where we stayed, is a decent size mountain. It took two relatively
fit men 30 minutes to climb to the top and the view of the coastline, ocean and
surrounding areas made it more than worthwhile.
2.
Visit Scar Reef
Clear water, white sandy
beaches and local boats make Scar Reef look like something from your dreams or
a series of Survivor. You can wade in the shallow water close to shore or walk
further out, toward the surf break. Don’t be turned off by the name, the reef won’t
get ya unless you paddle out to the surf break.
3.
Visit a local market
The local markets aren’t
just a place to buy food, they’re extremely social and buzzing with friendly
chatter and laughter. There’s no refrigeration and an abundance of flies crawling
on meat, fish and chicken laid out in the heat. That’s how the locals live and
it’s not set up for the benefit of outsiders, it’s a cool experience and
a great way to see how other people in the world live. The locals are more than
happy to say hello and smile and pose for photos, of course it’s important to
always be respectful and polite when you’re visiting
4.
Stand up paddle boarding
Grab a stand up paddle
board and head out into the beautiful cool water. Make sure you check the area
is safe in terms of swell and you aren’t paddling out onto a razor sharp reef
if you don’t have the experience to handle it.
5. Go
snorkelling
Visit a spot known as
Secret Beach, a secluded little cove with nobody else in sight, don some
snorkel gear and head out for a swim. Again, it’s best to have a local with you
to help navigate the reef and waves.
6.
Visit a waterfall
Follow a bumpy dirt road
next to the local Police Station, along a river and into the jungle and hike 25
minutes to a beautiful hidden waterfall. There’s a rope swing and you can slide
down the rocks into the main pool of the waterfall too, if you’re particularly
brave, and have the guidance of a local, you can jump off one of the big rocks
into the water.
7. Let
off fireworks
Fireworks are readily
available at supply shops in town and they’re dirt cheap. Stock up on a car
load of fireworks, wait for the sun to set and have you very own amateur
fireworks display on the beach.
8. Take
a walk
Stroll along the
beautiful, unspoiled beaches and take in the picture-perfect scenery around
you. It would be rare to see many, if any, tourists laying along the beach. Dip
in for a swim, wander along the water’s edge and take photos of this unspoiled
location.
9.
Visit a village
Drive through the local
villages and don’t be afraid to ask your guide to stop. Walk along the streets
and take in the way the locals live, say hello to friendly little children and
step around the goats, chickens, cows, monkeys and horses wandering the
streets. The people are so happy and welcoming, they’ll happily say hello to
you and maybe pose for a photo if you’re polite and respectful.
10.
Feast on local fare
Enjoy delicious fresh
seafood and local dishes like Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng, Martabak and lovely
tropical fruit that tastes better than any you can buy from a chain
supermarket.
11.
Relax and reconnect
There’s nothing but time
in Sumbawa, so allow yourself to settle into the slow island pace and reconnect
with yourself. The days are lovely and long, the sun is warm and the beaches
are perfect.
One last piece of
advice, don’t do what I did and forget to pack a decent shampoo and
conditioner. All that time spent out in the sun and in the water left my hair
looking like a bird’s nest! My advice, buy some of those bulk bottles from TRESemmé Australia. Trust me, you’ll be thanking
yourself later.
Where to stay in Sumbawa
We stayed at Nomad Tropical Resort in
West Sumbawa. The resort was absolutely fantastic! It’s simple, humble and the
perfect place for an Island escape. It’s all-inclusive which means your meals,
snacks, some drinks and some activities are all included in the price. The
resort can have as many as 41 people stay at once, though we had the resort to ourselves
most of the time.
The staff at Tropical
are fantastic, they are helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating.
They made our stay relaxing, fun, adventurous and easy. Food prepared by the
kitchen is delicious and they cater to those with food allergies too. I definitely recommend
Tropical as a great place to stay for a no-fuss holiday in a beautiful part of
Indonesia.
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