Sumba: A forgotten land within easy reach

Sumba is located 400km to the east of Bali. That doesn’t sound far away but culturally its a world away. If you look at a
map of Indonesia, it runs along in a chain. Sumba is the island that sticks out in the middle. Although vitually unvisited by tourists, Sumba has its own interesting culture and some great surf. Its angle suggests it is a wave machine and a few hardy surfers gets out there.

My friend Mike Hillis was telling me about a guy with an upmarket hotel there. Its called Nihiwatu, and would be a piece of paradise if you’ve got the cash. I’d love to get out to Sumba, just to experience an island that hasn’t changed much from tourism or industry. The eastern islands are drier than Bali and the people are a mixture of Malay and Pacific Islander. Adam Majendie talks about his recent visit attending the sometimes violent Pasola festival.