Mbawana Beach is an iconic tourist destination in Sumba. It is well-known for the half-ring giant stone —the big hole formed from the rock on the coastline—. Unfortunately, sad news, in November 2020, the giant ring collapsed. The frequent earthquake and big waves crashing against the stone become the reason for its disrepair.
But do not worry! Even though the iconic giant stone ring is gone, you can still take some picturesque photos on the shoreline or on the hill to capture the wonderful view of the blue sea water, the giant rocks, and the greenery of the hills.
Let’s Take a Brief Introduction to Sumba
Sumba is located in East Nusa Tenggara province. Eastern region of Indonesia. This place mostly consists of the prairies, beaches, waterfalls, and traditional villages. Unlike the crowded developing city, Sumba will give you a sense of adventure and composure as you look around at the beauty of their nature.
How to get to Sumba?
You can go from I Gusti Ngurah Rai airport in Bali to the Waikabubak airport in Tambolaka, Soutwest Sumba.
Or you can choose Umbu Mehang Kumba airport in Waingapu, East Sumba, if you prefer to start your journey from the east.
For airlines, there are Garuda Indonesia, Wings Air, and Nam Air which are ready to get you to your destination.
How to get to Mbawana Beach?
From the airport, Tambolaka, you can choose the transportation, a self-drive vehicle or a car with a driver. A complete package, a car, and an experienced driver who is in charge as a tour guide are more expensive. It costs around Rp.600,000 to 1,000,000 (USD 45 to 75) per day. The price also depends on the type of car that you choose, Avanza is cheaper than Fortuner.
If you prefer a cheaper price and you can go for a self-drive motorbike, Rp.75,000 to 150,000 (USD 6 – 11) per day.
Mbawana beach is located in Kodi region, Southwestern Sumba. The distance from the Tambolaka airport is 59 km, and the estimated time travel is around 1 hour and 22 minutes. It is open 24 hours all day.
From some visitor reviews, you have to come early in the morning or around 4-5 pm when the tide is not high and covers the shoreline.
If you do not speak Bahasa Indonesia, it is best to bring your native Indonesian friends or friends who understand the language. It helps you to communicate easily with locals, such as negotiation; they will help you to translate back and forth between Indonesian and your native language.
However, if you want convenient and secure travel, you can just hire a tour guide company. Suggestion to have a native Sumbanese to be your tour guide. The native must know better about the environment.
Best time to travel
You can consider what kind of scenery and atmosphere you want to see and feel during your holiday to Sumba. Do you prefer to come in the dry season and have a view of the brown expanse of meadows and the hills? You can come from April – to October. Even when the weather is hot but it makes it easier for your journey to the destination that has a challenging path. Such as rocky or slippery roads.
However, if you prefer monsoon and greenery, you can come from October to March. For a surfer, you can visit Sumba after the monsoon, from May-September. Only a professional surfer allows or is recommended to do the surfing since the tides are strong enough.
Reasons Why Mbawana Beach Should be Added to Your List
Even though the half-ring giant stone is now gone, it left only the pile of rocks on the shoreline. You can still enjoy the scenery up above the hills. There are many pictures taken by tourists that show the beauty of the beach and the cliffs from the hills.
When you come at sunset, you can still see the goldish color of the rocks surrounding the beach. Moreover, the beach is clean, and it has beautiful white sand. You can take a lot of pictures to be uploaded to your social media.
Things to Note Before Going to the Beach
- You must note that before visiting the place, you need to be physically fit because to arrive at the beach, you have to do a little trekking from the parking lot.
- You need to be very careful since the path to the beach is rocky and slippery.
- You may need to bring some cash. It has become a concern for the tourist that usually they will encounter locals who ask for extra money for their guide service.
Why Mbawana Beach? What does this tourist destination offer you? The reason for your trip, aside from creating memories and experiences for yourself and your companion, is also to have many beautiful pictures. The beach provides the best view during sunset when the ray of orange light touches the rocks and turns them into a goldish color.
