Sumba 2018 1/4 - Bwana Beach, Ratenggaro Village and Weekuri Lagoon

The more you travel to the East, 

it's way moreeee beautiful to see in Indonesia, 

this journey proves it and how proud I am! 

#traveldiariesbymj

'Azure Window' at Sumba Island, Bwana Beach :D

I still have my annual leaves in 2018 like 8 days so I decided to join my friends to Sumba Island, we join open trip and the trip itself took 5 days 4 nights. Sumba Island is part of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT-Nusa Tenggara Timur) province in Indonesia. It's my first time exploring East Indonesia, the east that I ever been maybe Makassar. This time trip to Sumba Island from Thursday 11th - Tuesday 16th of October, 2018 (6D/5N). Start from Tambolaka Airport and end up at Waingapu Airport so from West Sumba to East Sumba, transit at Bali. At first I was a bit worry because there were earthquake at Lombok (next to Bali), and the aftershock were happened so many times like hundred times, and there were also earthquake and also Tsunami at Palu (Center Sulawesi). And few days before we go to Sumba, there were earthquake near Sumba so I have my doubt to continue this journey or not, I tried to not overthink that and keep going.

Day 1 - Thursday, 11 October 2018

We decided to go earlier than schedule, the flight from Jakarta to Bali (transit) then to Sumba Island, Tambolaka Airport. My flight was at 7.45 AM from Jakarta (CGK) to Denpasar, Bali (DPS) about 2 hours then at 12.50 fly to Waikabubak, Sumba Island at Tambolaka Airport (TMC) flight took an hour and 10 minutes. The airplanes from DPS was small and it was my first time using Garuda Indonesia in small version, anyway we took Garuda Indonesia, I bought the flight for Rp 1,031,500 such a good deal.

Once we arrived at Sumba Island, we realized the airport is soo small, I think our airplane is the only one that landing at that airport. We stay at Ella Hotel, not really far from the airport. We try to find 'taxi' to go to the hotel, some man offering us and finally after some bargain we get into the car, Rp 250,000 for 6 persons to our hotel.

inside Garuda from CGK - DPS

Our airplane from DPS to Tambolaka

Welcome to Sumba Island!

once you get in from that left door you will see this baggage  and that's it :)

Ella Hotel is really nice and clean, it's still quite new and we booked already by phone for deluxe room Rp 400,000/room/nights. It was very hot, and we just chilling in our room until we decided to take motortaxi "ojek" to explore some area, Rp 60,000/ojek. They too us to some hills, at first they will take us to visit 3 spots but it's kinda dark already like we just left around 5 PM. So we just went to one spot, going to some hills until sunset. Going back to our hotel and find something to eat, take a rest and ready for the trip tomorrow. The organizer will pick us up at the hotel even though the meeting point actually at the airport.

Ella Hotel

the lobby

our room Rp 400,000/night/room

Our first spot at that day, we took motortaxi to get there

waiting until sunset and I love the sky :)

Dinner time! bit hard to find something to eat nearby hotel but we found this restaurant

our hotel at night :) nice!

Day 2 - Friday, 12 October 2018

They picked us up around 12 PM then we heading to Rumah Budaya to put our bags there since we will stay at that place. We had lunch too at Rumah Budaya before we go to our first destination on that day, Bwana Beach, located at Kodi and the journey took around 2 hours from Tambolaka. Bwana Beach is one of icon of Sumba Island, especially the coral reef where looks like a gate and kinda remind me with one of scene locations in Game of Thrones series (read : Azure Window at Malta even though it's collapsed already since 2017).

inside the room 

our room :D

Before we left to the beach, we had a brief from the guide. They just telling us like if we need something or want to ask some help, just ask the guide that they already paid for, because if you ask another people which is local, eventually they will ask money because they thought they already helping you even if they only touching you, so at that time I just feel like okay I need to be extra careful. Luckily for us, when we arrived there, we are just the only one group that going to the beach and no one else there. 

We need to do trekking a bit to go down, it's not that far but pretty challenging with the track especially when you almost reach the beach. No need to worry and the beach looks like our private beach at that time, even though we need to take our turn for taking photos in front of the gate, the icon of this beach. It's very hot for sure, but it's beautiful and thinking that not so many people at there was surely a good thing. Climbing up was soooo tiring for me, so steep and I do remember I sweat, a lot, during going down and especially going up to go back, phew, I need to do some exercise again lol

sooo tiring hosh hosh

The iconic Bwana Beach at West Sumba

nobody in there but us :D

From Bwana Beach, we went to Ratenggaro Traditional Village, the characteristic of Traditional House at Sumba Island is with their high tower (roof). There are so many stone tombs at Ratenggaro Village, with the shape like big stone flat table. I heard the higher the roof of the house is, meaning the status level of the owner of the house also high. Along the way at West Sumba, sometimes we can see the graveyard in front of their house, mostly the flat big stone tombs shape.

that left side is Ratenggaro Village

Heading to our next location is Weekuri Lagoon, no worries, no trekking to reach this lagoon, once I arrived in this lake, well, the water color was captivating my eyes and can't stop starring at it. Sooo crystal clear and you can swim if you want. We enjoy our day there until sunset, you can see how mesmerizing when at that point when you see the left side it's actually the ocean and on the right side is this pretty lagoon. After sunset we went back to our guest house at Rumah Budaya and having dinner nearby.

the lagoon

Weekuri Lagoon

sunset

Sumba's night sky is beautiful :D

Thank you for reading my blog, Happy New Year 2019, enjoy the ride this year! Do what you love! and I will see you soon on my next travel diaries, still at Sumba Island.

Cheers,

MJ