Exploring Sumba on a bike...

cool..that would be wild, sad to say i haven't done a similar thing, not many roads in the places i like to go, I did see some body boarders, did a bike ride from aceh to south sumatra then across java.

I haven't actually been to Sumba, heard heaps of story's and seen lots of cool pics and vids, and always wanted to go there but always end up somewhere in Sumatra these days.

Maybe the only problem I could see is the camping bit, guys often think that just because land in indo doesn't have a fence around it and it's bush or foreshore or a small island of coconut palms that it's not owned by someone, pretty much every bit of land you see in indo all the way to the high tide line is owned by someone and mostly they live in the nearest village, although sometimes they have moved away to city to seek a better life/ job in a city, so if you just go camping anywhere chances are the owner will get told through word of mouth and depending on what there like they may not care, but they may come and try to get money from you for camping on there land, as as a westerner you are seen to be rich and this is perfect opportunity for someone that is most likely very poor to get some money and it's kind of fair.

My recommendation and it goes for anywhere in indo is when you get to an area you want to camp when possible ask to see the Kepala desa( head of village) to get permission, most likely he might say, come stay at my place or will point you in direction of someone you can stay with, most, likely many surfers have done the same before you, and most likely they may even cook for you or help you.

I guess the biggest thing is ensuring you know ahead of time if it's going to cost you and how much and I recommend even if it's free to provide a small gift of some kind just a little bit of cash or packet of cigarettes, doesn't have to be much.

The other problem may be theft when you go surfing, many places in indo you can't just leave your things alone on the beach, generally people are real good and theft is almost unheard of in some places, but often it's just young kids or just to tempting for some, you will find also, as remote as you may think the place is may think there is no one for miles, but there is always someone around, just walking through the bush looking for something, like something to use for bait for fishing, or collecting some weird fruit or wild vegetable.

I've walked for hours along beaches far from any village and I still see these people it's crazy.

Anyway I've got to go..will post some more advice latter, cheers

Oh yes the theft thing, yes that could be a problem, if you and your mate are surfing and all your stuff is on the beach or at your camp unsecured thats why sometimes its better to stay with a local family, it would be very rare for a family your staying with to steal your things and its also a very rewarding experience and good for improving your indonesian, ive made great contacts/friendships this way and if you return its so much easier and your often welcomed on your return as family especially if you bring some Aussie souvenirs or gifts like your old brand name tshirts.

Another good idea is to know the prices of things before you go, like fuel and food, but if you get prices from Bali or Java you still have to expect everything to be more expensive as it has to be transported there normally from Java, fuel is also always more expensive in more remote areas/islands and prices can go up to triple or more if fuel supply in the area gets low, so don't always think your getting ripped off.

Oh and always carry heaps of small money otherwise it may be hard to get change and you will lose out, also don't keep all your money in your wallet, stash it hidden in many different places, nothing worse than opening your wallet and there is all these big notes and your trying to get a good price on something, or worse you lose your wallet or it gets stolen.

Packs of cigarettes are also good to help seal deals or for gifts and are cheap, personally i dont smoke but seems every indonesian guy does.

Also in Indonesia as a international tourist you are also technically required to report to the police where ever you go/stay normally this is done by your hotel/losmen/surf camp, thats why sometimes you have to fill out a form with some personal details and passport details, its supposedly so they(and your embassy) know where you are if a natural disaster or something happens, i think its technically illegal to not report to police or you accommodation not to report to the police, and it is normal to pay a little (not much) to the police to process this, for me its always a hard one, because if you go report to police then your on there turf and they may try to get money out of you, but if you don't and they come across you, then they really do have legal reason to give you a hard time...all that said generally outside of Bali cops are surprisingly good and rarely hassle you for instance one pace i go i ride around no licence no helmet, past police and the local police station and never a problem.

Oh yeah the motorbike licence thing, some people say an international licence only covers you if you have a motorbike licence back home, others say it covers you for riding a motorbike in indo, i don't know whats correct there is varying views if you google the issue, at the end of the day if the police pull you over and really want money from you unless you have a proper Indonesian motorbike licence you may have no choice to pay something, but outside of Bali ive never found it to be a problem.

Also when hiring the motorbike if possible get thing in writing about what the deal is and take photos of the bike even video, sometimes guys in these places are real good and honest, but sometimes there not and on returning the bike they might try to get extra money or say you damaged the bike and try to make you pay for a repair that is already there.

Oh regarding maps, theres not many good detailed maps of Indonesia and nautical maps are even hard to get, i once got some in Jakarta but had to go see this guy who took me to a navy place at the docks.

Sorry this is a bit all over the place, im just putting it down as it comes to mind.

I went over to Sumba 20 years ago goofyfoot and it's a pretty wild place. I sailed around it in a yacht and surfed that left there(Claude's or Occys) which is the best wave on the island in my opinion.
The bay at Terembang is good too with a filthy right on the point buts it's a long paddle from the shore. A mate of mIne stayed there earlier this year. They say you can't surf the left unless you stay at Claude's resort as he employs heavies to ward off the unwanted/unwashed who can't afford the $300+ per night and helicopter transport in. The resort wasn't finished when I went there so we got lucky I guess. A mate of mine reckons he managed to surf Claude's a few years ago by staying with a nearby family as indodreaming suggests so never say never.
Theres heaps of waves around when the swell is smaller but I can't name them as I don't think they had names. Some spots we thought we could have been the first to surf them. The locals are really different with bones in their noses and crazy customs. Headhunters were still around until the 1970's and some of the old guys smiling with their rotten teeth had me wondering if they might still want a little taste of white man flesh. But 20 years later not too many of those crazies would be left! It's the road less traveled for sure-seek and he shall find!

Great tips from both goofy and yorke!

I wish I still had the wherewithal to do a 'semi-feral' scooter trip in Sumba, Lombok, or Sumatra.

Getting too old for the lack of A/C.

Take photos and post 'em when you get back!

@ goofy foot, done about 15 trips longest six months as surf guide, favorite area would have to be offshore islands of Sumatra not just for the waves but just the beauty, despite all the surf charters and resorts popping up, it's still mostly untouched jungle or islands of coconuts, white sand beaches, clear blue water, good fishing, and if you time it right or stay away from big name breaks you can still get uncrowded waves.

I went over to Sumba 20 years ago goofyfoot and it's a pretty wild place. I sailed around it in a yacht and surfed that left there(Claude's or Occys) which is the best wave on the island in my opinion.
The bay at Terembang is good too with a filthy right on the point buts it's a long paddle from the shore. A mate of mIne stayed there earlier this year. They say you can't surf the left unless you stay at Claude's resort as he employs heavies to ward off the unwanted/unwashed who can't afford the $300+ per night and helicopter transport in. The resort wasn't finished when I went there so we got lucky I guess. A mate of mine reckons he managed to surf Claude's a few years ago by staying with a nearby family as indodreaming suggests so never say never.
Theres heaps of waves around when the swell is smaller but I can't name them as I don't think they had names. Some spots we thought we could have been the first to surf them. The locals are really different with bones in their noses and crazy customs. Headhunters were still around until the 1970's and some of the old guys smiling with their rotten teeth had me wondering if they might still want a little taste of white man flesh. But 20 years later not too many of those crazies would be left! It's the road less traveled for sure-seek and he shall find!

By: "yorkessurfer"

Would have been amazing to have gone there back then, very sad about that resort and what they get away with I came across a great website once from a guy and his mates who went there for years before Claude knew about it, even though he claims to have been the first, I will try to dig it up great read with photos from the day.

How did the trip go Goofyfoot? Indo- D, I found that website too. Ill try dig it up.

http://www.projectaquatic.com/sumba/ found it.

I found that website too. Ill try dig it up.

http://www.projectaquatic.com/sumba/ found it.

By: "groundswell"

Yeah thats it nice find!

Man it must have sucked for those guys to have found a perfect wave then for claude to have come along and not only build a resort but then claim exclusive rights and also claim to have discovered the place.

Yeah what a knob. James Cameron or whatever his name is was trying to get the ments like that too. I bet you have run into him a bit, didn't he own the maccas resort? I hear hes an asshole aswell. Looks like Cameron got banned from indo aswell. He offered me work there but said I have to pay for first two weeksaccom and food! yeah right ill stay somewhere else with locals thanks.

Rick Cameron. It wasn't maccas it was ht resort or one of the ones he ran.
I wonder what happened to him?

Rick Cameron, yeah that was years ago, Yes I have met him and he is exactly what you expect and an old arrogant money hungry prick who doesn't even surf despite saying he rides a bodyboard, i have heard a 100 stories about him and his dodgy scheming.

I think its very ironic that all the places he had planned to build resorts at one stage others now have built resorts/camps E-bay/Pitstops, Scarecrows and there was the HT,s thing, i don't know what happened to him but he hasn't been on the scene for quite a few years now, I did hear rumours he got deported but don't think there true and believe he still lives in Padang.

No he has nothing to do with Macaronis resort, Mark Loughran started Maccas resort, but the resort itself is funded by many many investor's, I actually grew up surfing with Mark and he is a good mate, and even though i think there is way to many charter boats in the mentawais and there should be some control or cap on number of charter boats, i don't agree with systems to control/restrict who or how many people surf any wave including maccas.

Hi everyone,
I go to Sumba very often for business and find it very difficult to book accommodations online until recently.
There is a website that have almost all of the hotels available there: http://www.bedforest.com
I thought it was worth sharing the good news.
If anyone needs infos on Sumba, feel free to ask of course :-)
Cheers

Tried that link, blocked by my internet security.

udo wrote:

Tried that link, blocked by my internet security.

Really?? How can it be? It works fine from my computer...

actually here is the direct link I found: http://www.bedforest.com/s/sumba/indonesia

Interesting website…it's kind of related in a way to the topic i started here…http://www.swellnet.com/forums/wax/306146

With their "We donate 1% of the total booking amount to a non-profit of your choice
No booking fees for the guest!"

I've spent some time in Sumba. My tips would be this, not in particular order.

1. Learn Indonesian. You'll get to the known spots without it, but have a pretty shitty time getting anywhere else without it. Few people outside the cities speak any English at all, and I met more people in Sumba who didn't speak Indonesian than I have anywhere in the country.

2. Learn to ride a bike properly. Sumba's hospitals are terrible, which is why you regularly board a plane to Bali with a couple of hospital beds up the back.

3. Be prepared to walk/get a boat. Roads are few and far between along the coastline of Sumba and most of the productive nooks and crannies are far from roads. Walking is a very nice way to get about in the countryside though - the light is just something to behold.

4. Don't blog about it, don't make Vimeo videos, don't instagram the waves, etc. etc. etc. Fact: waves that were once empty and "remote" are now crowded and have lattes and wifi. We can all do our bit to preserve some of the quiet corners, even if it does come at the expense of our ego.

Sumba is a special place, and the people in Sumba are as lovely as I have met anywhere. They also speak Indonesian with a lovely sing-song sway to it that I love. People in East Sumba always to be careful of violent thugs in West Sumba, so I suppose be aware. I've never been so I can't tell you.

Recommended reading (though nothing to do with surfing, but will enrich your trip ten fold):

Sumba: An Ethnographic Study of Traditional Domain by Greg Forth
Between the Folds: Stories of cloth, lives and travels from Sumba by Jill Forshee.

Have fun!