Sumbawa Island Travel Guide

Sumbawa Island, Gateway to Komodo & Flores Islands

Sumbawa is an Indonesian island, located in the middle of the Lesser Sunda Islands chain, with Lombok to the west, Flores to the east, and Sumba further to the southeast. It is in the province of West Nusa Tenggara.

Sumbawa is 15,448 km² (three times the size of Lombok) with a population of around 1.5 million. It marks the boundary between the islands to the west, which were influenced by religion and culture spreading from India, and the region to the east that was not so influenced.

Demographics
Islam was introduced via the Makassarese of Sulawesi.
Sumbawa has historically had two major linguistic groups who spoke languages that were unintelligible to each other. One group centered in the western side of the island speaks Basa Samawa (Indonesian: Bahasa Sumbawa) which is similar to the Sasak language from Lombok; the second group in the east speaks Nggahi Mbojo (Bahasa Bima). The kingdoms located in Sumbawa Besar and Bima were the two focal points of Sumbawa. This division of the island into two parts remains today; Sumbawa Besar and Bima are the two largest towns on the island, and are the centers of distinct cultural groups that share the island.

Volcanoes
Sumbawa lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire. It is a volcanic island, including Mount Tambora (8°14’41”S, 117°59’35”E) which exploded in 1815, the most destructive volcanic eruption in modern history (roughly four times larger than the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa, between Java and Sumatra, in terms of volume of magma ejected). The eruption killed as many as 92,000. It also apparently destroyed a small culture of Southeast Asian affinity, known to archaeologists as the Tamboran kingdom. It launched 100 cubic kilometers of ash into the upper atmosphere, which caused 1816 to be the "year without a summer

In a certain way Sumbawa is the most western island of eastern Indonesia. It is -travelling from west to east- the first island that isn't directly influenced by the hinduist cultures from Jawa and Bali. On this mainly islamic island, adat still is an important factor.
Sumbawa consists of two different parts: Sumbawa Besar in the west and Bima in the east. In the western part most people speak a language which looks like the language of the Sasak from Lombok. The language, spoken on Bima, looks like the one on Flores and Sumba. In the past, Sumbawa Besar has been influenced from Bali and Bima from the Makasarese from Southern Sulawesi. The name Sumbawa, which is the name of the island for those who don't live there, is only used for the western part of the island by the population itself.
Sumbawa is three times the size of Lombok, while the number of people living there is far less, about one third of that of Lombok.The island is rough and mountainous and isn't blessed with a fertile area like on Lombok. The irregular coastline consists of capes, peninsulas and deep bays. The islands is 15.600 sq.km in size and stretches over 280 km from west to east; the width varies between 15 to 90 km.
About 85 per cent of Sumbawa is too mountainous for agriculture, but the valleys of the river which are filled with vulcanic materials bring in very wealthy harvests. These valleys used to be home to many small states.

Dramatic world record
Sumbawa is part of the northern vulcanic chain of Nusa Tenggara. The island has always known vulcanic activity, but not a single eruption was as dramatic as the one of the Tambora in 1815. The Guiness Book of Records says this was the biggest eruption ever. More than 36 cubib km rocks, debris and ashes were blown into the sky. The beheaded, 2851 meter high cone now houses a vast caldera.
By estimation 10,000 people were killed during the explosion and another 30 to 40,000 (some estimations say half the population) died of starvation. A vast area was covered under a 50 cm thick layer of ash, which killed all life. The mess was that big that parents sold their child for three kilos of rice - as the story goes.
In 1845 a Dutch geologist reported big areas that were still covered under a layer of 50 cm of debris and ashes. The explosion entirely destroyed the sultanated of Sangar and Pekat, which were located at the same peninsula as Gunung Tambora. The vulcano has been resting since that eruption, but the vulcanic tradition of the island is not a thing of the past. In 1985, Gunung Api (the 'firemountain') on the island of Sangeang became active and several thousand people had to be evacuated.

Early history
It is assumed that the first Austronesians reached Sumbawa around 2000 BC and they brought with them agriculture.
However there has never been an extended archeological survey, the decorated stone sarcofaguses connect the island with other megalyth cultures which are to be found all over Indonesia. A stone with characters on it was found along the Bay of Bima not too long ago, probably with an Pallava- or Sanskrite background. They probably date from the 7th century. Bronze drums in Dongson style which have been found on the island, among them a very nice one on the island of Sangeang which was really made my Dongson-crafstmen, confirm that the northern coast of Sumbawa was located along the trade route to the spice and sandelwood-islands.

The Eastjawanese principalty of Majapahit, which was the biggest principalty of Indonesia at it's biggest, was trading with Sumbawa and probably had some political and military power as well. After the fall of Malapahit West-Sumbawa cam under the rule of the Balinese principalty of Gelgel - because of maritial relations and military expeditions. In the 15th and 16th century the principalty claimed rule over Flores, Timor, Solor, Savu and Sumba, but it's still the question whether this was more than just a one time military expedition to get some slaved and to control the trade in the region.

The Bo says that mahajara Pandu Dewata had five sons, one of them Sang Bima. The traveller and charming guy met a very beautifull girl and did what gods usually do under such circumstances. The short living affair gave them a girl.
On a later journey he met the daughter without knowing it was her and fell in love with her. But even gods aren't allowed to commit incest. When he disclosed her identity, Sang Bima told her to lay the just born twin sons on the river bank. It probably was with the hand of god that the childness ncuhi, a clan leader, found them and took care of them. One of the boys, Indra Zamrud, founded the dynasty which he named after his father: Bima. The other boy, Indra Komala, founded the Dompu principalty west of Bima. The royal texts say that the dynasty already had 17 rulers before they addoptes islam in 1630.

Arrival of islam
In the 17th century a family dispute between the two brothers about the throne of Bima ended up to be a civil war. The conflict was won in the first place by Salisian, named 'the usurpator' by the royal messages. After his initial defeat the Ma Batawadu, the right one, went to Makassar in Southern Sulawesi to ask for help. He was told that he could get all military help he wanted - and a free princess if he wanted to - on the demand that he converted to islam.. Ma Batawadu agreed and returned with an army of tough Buginese and Makassarese warriors, which defeated the troops of his brother. In 1630 he became sultan under the name Abdul Kahid. Ever since the royal cronics tell about the 'connection of blood, religion and laws' with Southern Sulawesi.
The syara, the islamic book of law, was widely accepted until the Dutch rule forced the rules to be less important in 1908. However Bima is now strictly islamic, the government doesn't accept fundamentalism. (Inhabitants of Bima tried to kill President Soekarno because of his supposed anti-islamic ideas, but they only succeeded in killing several schoolgirls). To displeasure to the local population even a discotheque was opened, but just two kilometers outside the city limits.
The inheritance of the rule of the rulers of Sumbawa Besar has been less good than that of Bima. The royal line died in 1820 when an islamic adventurer from the sultanate Banjarmasin in Kalimantan got hand on the royal heirlooms and the throne. The dynasty which he founded lasted until the independence of Indonesia.

Colonial period
On the whole, the Dutch weren't very interested in Sumbawa. They tried to monopolize trade, especially the trade in sappanwood, but they didn't succeed in that. Only in the start of the 20th century the Dutch had a firm rule over the area. There was some heavy resistance, but the Dutch won the battle due to their superior weapons and organisation.
The influence of the Dutch lasted two years, when the Japanese entered. The Dutch only left behind the Dutch speaking aristocrats, the eldest still speak Dutch. The local aristocracy had the right to visit Dutch schools.

The Japanese were welcomed to the island in the first place, but they soon got hated when they killed, looted and raped people on the island. After the war, Sumbawa became a part of the Dutch instated United States of Indonesia for a short time, before being integrated in the Republic of Indonesia. The three districts of the island (Sumbawa Besar, Dompu and Bima) are related to the sultanates which had exsisted until the colonial time. In 1951, the third sultan of Bima, Salamuddin, which reigned from 1913, gave away power to the central government. Hir heirs were placed at high governmental positions in Bima and Jakarta.

Two ethnical groups
The Tua Samawa (Orang Sumbawa) in the west and Dou Mbojo (Orang Bima) in the east are the two main ethnical groups on Sumbawa. The Samawa ('Sumbawa' in fact is a deformation of this name) are related to the Sasak on Lombok and the Balinese through language. The language which is spoken in Bima - nggahi Mbojo - is closely related to the language spoken on the eastern islands. Several thousand Balinese live in the west, a few hundred in the east. Because of the contacts with Sulawesi there are also Buginese, Makasarese and Bajau colonists to be found. Some of the original inhabitants retreated in the mountains to cling to their traditions, mainly because of the arrival of the islam. In West-Sumbawa traditional communities (the Tau Tepal) can be found in the area of Tepal and Ropang. In the east you can find a traditional population, the Dou Donggo, which live on the southern flanks of Gunung Soromandi and in the region of Wavo, east of the highway between Bima and Sape.
The Dou Donggo still follow the leadership of their clan leader (the ncuhi) and maintain traditional rites which are related to the spirits of ancestors with agrarian- and live-cycles. Their 'holy three' consists of heaven, the water and the wind. Their religion is named Marafu, and looks like the Marapu religion on Sumba. The Donggo sacrifice water buffalo's, goats and chicken (depending on their social status) to favour the gods and spirits and to beg for good harvests and a good health. Around the time that planting starts, in the month November, a fertility ceremony is held in which all Bou Donggo participate.

The Donggo are separated into two groups. The Donggo Ipa ('far mountain population') consists of a few thousand people and still live the traditional way in the mountains of the peninsula west of the Bay of Bima. The Donggo Ele ('eastern mountain population') have been influenced more by islam and live in the highlands east of the airport and the bay, in the subdistrict Wavo Tengah.

Moyo Island Information - Sumbawa Island Travel Guides

Moyo is an island in Indonesia's West Nusa Tenggara province. It lies off the coast off the north coast Sumbawa Island, and has an area of 349 km2.[1]

Most of Moyo is a nature reserve, and inhabited by wild cattle, wild pigs, barking deer, and several varieties of birds. The island rises 648m, and its centre is composed mainly of savannah and some strands of forest. Its vibrant coral reefs attract divers and snorkellers.

Moyo Island, at the mouth of Saleh Bay, has a nature reserve with wild oxen, deer, wild boars and a great variety bird species. Visits are best made during the dry season from June through August. A few kilometers of the north coast of Sumbawa, the national park island of Moyo Island is probably the most rewarding destination in Sumbawa, surrounded by beautiful coral reefs and home to wild pig, monitor lizards, 21 species of bat, huge herds of native deer and hordes of crab-eating macaques. The best time to visit is in June and July, though the seas are clear and quiet from April. There are basic private rooms at the PHPA post at Tanjung Pasir on the south coast, where most boats from the mainland arrive. Renting a fishing boat from Tanjung Pasir and going fifteen minutes east to Stama reeft is very rewarding, with lots of sharks and turtles. There's nowhere on Moyo to rent masks and snorkels so bring our own; fins are advisable due to the strong currents.

To get to Moyo, take a bemo from beside Seketang Market in Sumbawa Besar to Air Bari , a small port settlement to the northeast. From Air Bari, we can charter a boat to Moyo.

National Parks of Indonesia: Moyo Island Reserve
Further along Nusa Tenggara to the east of Lombok lies Moyo Island and its Reserve. A fantastic place to visit and is a place of adventure.
Moyo Island is an attractive island three kilometres off the north coast of Sumbawa, lying to the east of Lombok. Two thirds of Pulau Moyo is actually a game reserve. The central plateau with its grassy savannah land and intermittent forested areas is ideal for Deer as well as the feral cattle released there.

The coastline has some beautiful beaches of fine coral sand and not the black volcanic sand like we find on a lot of islands in the archipelago. There are beautiful coral reefs, which make it excellent for scuba diving or just snorkeling. The reef at the southern end of the island is probably the best of all.

There are a few inhabitants on the island and this consists of around 21 villages concentrated in the northern end. From Moyo there are splendid views of Mount Tambora (2,821m) to the east, the highest mountain in Sumbawa, which erupted quite violently in 1815 but now has amazingly beautiful forests on its western slopes.

Tambora can be climbed from the side in three days and is well worth a visit. It has an enormous crater and within, a two-colored lake. From the crater there are also spectacular views over Saleh Bay and the rest of Sumbawa to the east, and to the west, Moyo Island to Lombok and Mount Rinjani.

The wildlife on the reserve has adapted to the fairly dry habitat and these include Deer, feral cattle, and numerous birds such as Orioles, Sunbirds, Coequals, Koels and Drongos. Of course there are several species of shore birds along the coastline.

SATONDA ISLAND
Satonda is also situated off Sumbawa 's northwest coast. The island has a volcanic origin and has a spectacular crater lake. Every evening at sunset an evasion of fruit bats takes place as they leave to look for food on Sumbawa . The island is part of a National Nature Park reserve.

The coral reef in front of the beach is stunning with something to offer for every underwater photographer and videographer. On my dives I found here ribbon eel ( Rhinomuraena quaesita ), robust ghost pipefish ( Solenostomus cyanopterus ), yellownose partner goby ( Stonogobiops xanthorhinica ), Shaded batfish juvenile ( Platax pinnatus ), leaf scorpion fish ( Taenianotus triacanthus ), many jawfish, several nice nudibranchs and a cleaning station with three different kinds of shrimp. In the shallow area I also found Pyjama cardinalfish ( Sphaeramia nematoptera ).
This spot is definitely one of my favourites. Mostly dive conditions are very good allowing taking nice pictures and shooting good video footage.

Aman Wana Resort Moyo Island

Under parasols of tropical canopy, beside a luminous sapphire and turquoise sea, rests Moyo’s peaceful tented haven, Amanwana. Primal desires are fulfilled in comfort, leaving nature’s complexion to frame its privileged setting. Milky, pastel hued dawns give rise to azure, cirrus-streaked skies, dipping into blazonry sunsets towards Crocodile Head, all crowned at night by a brilliantly clear constellation. Home to many wild species, both aquatic and land, ensures that Amanwana is a slice of Indonesian island paradise.

Part of the incredible Aman Resort family, Amanwana Resort is located on Moyo Island, a small forested wildlife reserve ten miles off the coast of Sumbawa. This tented resort is a perfect blend of nature and luxury living. The "nature camp" (certainly like no camping you have ever experienced before!) has twenty spacious tented accommodations all exquisitely appointed in local teak and splendid other native features such as island art work.

Comfort is guaranteed with a king-size bed, two divans, writing desk and a large bathroom with two vanities. Each tent has a solid walls and foundation, and a double canvas roof. A hardwood deck, perfect for relaxing and taking in the green surroundings, completes the interesting structure.

Amanwana Resort`s open-air dining room and bar have beautiful sea views and serve a fresh Asian and Western food. For a romantic dinner for two, let one of the chefs prepare a campfire barbecue in front of your tent! You can relax with a professional massage, enjoy CDs in the music pavilion, sunbathe on the sundeck complete with a refreshing dipping pool, or choose from many of the more active pursuits.

Amanwana Resort`s PADI scuba diving facility has a great variety of dive trips, including night diving, deep diving and specialized underwater photography dives, and you can also dive right from the resort pier. The dive facility has a full range of equipped for rent, and offers many different dive courses.

This is a romantic, exclusive hideaway with each tent hidden away in fragrant gardens and tropical forest. Island cruises and sunset cruises are a great way to see more of the area. Take excursions to inland waterfalls and wildlife trails.

The island is blessed with abundance of flora and fauna and wonderful views to volcanic peaks in nearby islands. Hike among macaque monkeys, deer, wild ox and, if you are lucky, spot a boar. You cannot find a more perfect escape for ultra-discerning travelers than Amanwana.

The resort

In 1993 Amanwana based itself, stealing prime position, on the Indonesian island of Moyo, off the coast of Sumbawa to the east of Bali. The air of camp life is skillfully incorporated into luxuriant tents, designed with style and subtlety on a coral-stone deck. The tents are sided by walls of windows framed in teak with polished hardwood flooring and dreamy soft hues such as creams, beige, wheat and honey.

This is a wilderness hideaway, secluded in a cove overlooking Amanwana Bay and the Flores Sea. Diving and snorkeling, from the jetty and the camp’s vessels, is readily accessible, proffering a spectacular array of magical, iridescent and fascinating sea life: hawksbill and giant turtles, soft red coral, barrel sponges flaying green and yellow tips, enormous blue sea stars floating over the magenta tips of hard coral all surrounded by a myriad of tropical fish. The island is inhabited by a unique mix of jungle animals, from deer to wild boar to macaque monkeys, and a variety of spectacular bird life, including eagles and osprey. Walks into the wonders of Moyo’s jungle world begin at base.

Location and Map

Just east of Bali lies the nature reserve of Moyo Island that plays host to Amanwana. Fifteen kilometres off the coast of Sumbawa, Moyo is at the western end of the Nusa Tenggara islands, a grouping that begins with Lombok and stretches some 1,300km east to Timor. Bali is the international gateway. It is one of the most accessible destinations in South-east Asia with daily flights from most major cities in Asia and Australia. Travelers from the United States or Europe tend to fly via Singapore or Hong Kong. There are also domestic flights from the surrounding islands and ferry connections.

Guests may fly from Bali to Moyo Island in a turboprop jet engine floatplane which lands in the bay directly in front of Amanwana, weather permitting. Scheduled flights are available three times a week. Flying time is approximately 65 minutes and guests need to check-in at Denpasar airport only 45 minutes before the flight. The eight-seater Cessna Caravan amphibian floatplane has a strict baggage allowance of 15kg per person. The cost of the round-trip transfer between Bali and Moyo Island is US$650 nett (US$800 nett from 1 October, 2007) per person.

Guests may also charter the Cessna Caravan at a one-way cost of US$2,900 including taxes, weather permitting. Flights are subject to availability and rates quoted are subject to change without notice.

Guests may also choose to fly by helicopter. A helicopter landing area near the camp allows for direct access to Amanwana from Bali and helicopter pads are conveniently located close to the Bali resorts Amanusa, Amandari and Amankila. Bali Helicopters operates a Bell 206B Jetranger that accommodates four persons.

Rooms
Twenty luxury tents lie scattered beneath a canopy of tropical forest on a secluded jungle beach. Paths link the tents to each other. Each spacious air-conditioned tent is open plan containing three distinct areas. A sitting area at the entrance has two large divans built into the front corners of the tent that can be made into comfortable sleeping beds for children, or, an additional adult. Positioned in the center is the king-size bed, behind which is a large writing desk. The bathroom area includes a shower, toilet and two separate vanity units. Ocean Front tents have fabulous ocean views whereas the Jungle Tent are set slightly behind and have jungle and ocean views.

Room Facilities
The camp’s 20 luxury tents are set down under a canopy of tropical forest. Each 58-square-meter tent starts with a solid-wall foundation, followed by a waterproof exterior roof and an interior one of canvas. A hardwood deck rimmed by coral stone surrounds each tent. Inside, the air-conditioned tents feature banks of windows, Indonesian island artwork, hardwood flooring, a sitting area with two corner divans, a king-size bed, a writing desk and a large bathroom with twin vanities. Sand paths link the tents to one another and to the dining room and reception.

Hotel Facilities
Facilities include a library, a gift shop and the Jungle Cove Massage area located by the sea under a roof of shady tamarind trees. There's also the bamboo-roofed music pavilion, a cozy and private nook for those musical moment. A fresh-water dipping pool is set in a forested grotto of coral-rock cliffs.

Cuisine

The Dining Room and Bar are located in an open-air pavilion facing the sea. Indonesian hardwood flooring and solid coconut pillars support the tropical structure. A selection of Asian and Western food is served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. In season, a regular alfresco barbecue is available as are campfire dinners on the beach or jetty. Starlight dinner cruises can also be arranged. Drinks can be taken at the teak-top bar or in the comfy loungers adjacent to the dining area.

Music pavilion

Located at the far end of the camp, a few metres from the shoreline, the Music Pavilion is a forest sanctuary. Here, you can listen to music, order picnic lunch and a bottle of wine, enjoy afternoon tea or a sunset cocktail.

Library

The Library specialises in Indonesian art and culture, with a wide range of books on marine life. A laptop is available for Internet access.

Boardwalk

Snorkeling equipment, windsurfers, kayaks and Hobie cats are available from the thatched-roof bale close to the boardwalk. The boardwalk itself is furnished with beach chairs and shade umbrellas. A freshwater dipping pool is set against a wall of coral rock.

Dive centre

A variety of superb dive spots are easily accessible from Amanwana. Guests can organise their underwater program at the Dive Centre, which also offers a range of equipment.

Jungle cove spa

The Jungle Cove Spa is just off the beach and under shady tamarind trees. Simple coral-stone walls divide the outdoor centre into three treatment areas, each including a recessed soaking tub and a shower. All face out to Amanwana Bay. Enjoy a massage, a fresh-fruit facial or a Borneo body scrub while watching the clouds gather about distant Mount Rinjani.

Gift shop

A variety of Indonesian crafts and antiques can be found in the Gift Shop. A few Moyo-made offerings are also available.

Nature excursions

Moyo is a haven for hikers and nature enthusiasts. The hilly island’s forests are filled with a variety of animal life, from deer and macaque monkeys to wild boar. Sea eagles, kite and osprey claim the island shores.

A variety of walking trails radiate out from the camp. Guides for trekking are available.

The waterfall excursion is a memorable, half-day tour that begins with a speedboat run north followed by a walk through a village to a waiting Land cruiser. The road eventually melts into a jungle path covered in leaves and vines before revealing a series of waterfalls that cascade into terraced, limestone pools.

Amanwana ridge

This track starts from the helicopter pad above the camp’s boardwalk, and follows the ridgeline above the camp. The ridge walk offers picturesque views and the possibility of observing Moyo’s animal and bird species.

Crocodile head

Following the road uphill to the ridgeline, the track leads down to the headland. Crocodile Head presents a panoramic view of the Flores Sea and shell collectors will enjoy the adjacent coral beach. It is an ideal venue for sunset cocktails.

Brang sedo

Starting from the helicopter pad above the camp’s boardwalk, the 2km walk finishes on the beach just beyond the small fishing village of Brang Sedo. A variety of beautiful trees, native teak, tamarind, fig, coral and banyan are plentiful, both in the forest and along the beach. The children in the village make this experience and love to be photographed.

Bat cave trek

Only available when accompanied by a guide, this trek is a continuation of the Brang Sedo path and is quite a physically demanding trek. The cave is inhabited by seven species of bat. Monitor lizards and, occasionally, pythons may be sighted in the cave. There is a good opportunity to observe a variety of bird life and wildlife during the trek.

Mount Kerinci Trekking - West Sumatra Travel Guides

Mount Tambora Adventure Trekking

Route	Duration	What We'll Found There
Pancasila Village - Pos I	1 Hours	At Pos I, there are basecamp and spring water
Pos I - Pos II	1 Hours	Pos II, there we'll found a small river
Pos II - Pos III	3 Hours	Accross tropical forest straight to Pos II, there we'll found spring water
Pos III - Pos IV	1 Hours	Tropical Forest
Pos IV - Pos V	30 minutes	Tropical Forest
Pos V - Crater Rim	2 Hours	Accros tropical forest to Edelweis vegetation and desert.
Crater Rim - Peak	1,5 Hours	Accross desert

A big Volcano that erupted in the 19th century

The paroxysmal eruption of Mt. Tambora on the island of Sumbawa in April 1815 – despite having triggered a world wide historic event – is astonishingly neglected in studies of volcanic activity. The world wide event referred to was the so-called "Year without a Summer" - the exceptionally cold months of 1816. In addition to this, Mt. Tambora's eruption far-eclipsed in violence and ejecta the more famous eruption of Krakatau (Krakatoa) in 1883, which also had an impact on the world's weather.
Though disappointing, the reason for part of this neglect is not hard to find. There exist few contemporary records of the eruption and what there is has seen little reprinting in modern works. Nonetheless, enough data is now available that a more definitive study can and should be undertaken. The intent of this posting is to synthesize and integrate what is available and hopefully inspire further investigation.

Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, later founder of Singapore, was at the time of the eruption serving as Lt. Governor of Java, based at his capital in Batavia. He had occupied this post since September 1911, a month after the British had wrested Batavia from control of Napoleon's France. Having heard of the great human distress and disastrous phenomena accompanying the outbreak, he gave orders that British residents gather information and report if possible to him on the effects of the eruption On April 18, Lt. Owen Phillips was dispatched with a shipload of rice for relief to the disaster zone. It is from Phillips' findings, and Raffles subsequent submission of his report to the Natural Historical Society of Batavia in September 1815 that we learn after-the-fact of the details of the eruption. It is important to note that no native accounts save one are known to survive, and the character and form of the eruption must be reconstructed "retroactively" working backwards from the Raffles report and the physical aftermath on the islands. With this challenge in mind, we proceed.

The eruption
Even allowing for the scant documention, the characteristic about the eruption that immediately jumps out at the researcher is its terrifying speed and brevity. When this is contrasted with its stupendous scale and effects, the event becomes a singularly sobering and daunting one. Perhaps only the Mt. Tarawera eruption of 1886 in New Zealand compares in modern times for sheer suddenness and destructive force of eruption. A word of explanation is in order here. Though such celebrated eruptions as Krakatau, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Pelee, and more recently El Chichon and Pinatubo, capture the public eye and respect, all of those powerful eruptions had fairly lengthy eruptive sequences. In short, for those with mind to do so, there was ample time if not always means to vacate the danger zone. With Tarawera it was different---in 1886 in the space of one night a triple peak mountain range near Lake Rotomahana suddenly split open and erupted. Literally some 4,000 people who had gone to their beds that evening would never again wake up. Such a disastrous and only slightly less deadly suddenness accompanied the Tambora eruption.

The Setting
Almost nothing is reliably known about the form and history of Mt. Tambora prior to the 1815 eruption. (Some indication of the lack of exploration of the region is gained by noting that the famous Komodo Dragons on the adjacent island of Komodos were only discovered in 1911!). However, mountains being what they are, the remnants tell a great deal to the expert eye. Although the top of the mountain collapsed in 1815, what still stands is unusual and provocative in its features. According to the best available evidence, before the eruption Mt. Tambora was a volcanic cone 4,000 meters high and 60 kilometers in diameter at sea level; densely blanketed in forest. It is reported to have originally had two summits, and there were several parasitic cones on the east and northeast slopes. What is unusual is that studies indicate that in its first phase of activity Tambora was a shield volcano, not unlike those of Iceland or Hawaii. Later, a bedded cone was built up on top of this, possibly the result of a change in the composition of the magma. The mountain, which may well have begun life as an island separate from Sumbawa, in time rose to dominate a peninsula joining it to Sumbawa on the southwest flank. By the time the Europeans came to occupy Sumbawa in the 18th century Mt. Tambora had lapsed into a deep dormancy. This state of affairs continued for a decade more into the 19th century. Then the volcanic energies once again burst forth.

At the time of the Tambora eruption, some 140,000 natives were reported to be living on Sumbawa. Sumbawa is long vaguely rectangular island running nearly from west to east. About a third the way from the eastern end, on the north side, a large peninsula projects northwestward like the trigger of a gun. But this trigger belonged to a cannon capable of force like no general of the age could ever have imagined. For it is on this penninsula, the Sanggar Peninsula, that Mt. Tambora stands. Scattered around in 1815 some 12, 000 people lived in a handful of villages and towns clustered on the peninsula of Tambora. Forty miles to the eastward, a small British contingent headed by a Resident resided at the village port of Bima, the capital of the European colonists. Bima was located beside Bima Bay, a deep indentation in the northern side of the east end of Sumbawa, and about 40 miles east of Tambora's peninsula.

Though some mild spewings of ash were alleged to have occurred at the summit in the spring of 1814, the first real and almost only warnings were a rolling succession of deep shocks through the Dutch East Indies on the evening of April 5. In Dutch Macassar the warship Benares of the East India Company lay at anchor, the officers and crew perturbed by what seemed to be a naval battle taking place just over the horizon to the south. As dusk neared, the barrage seemed closer, with heavy artillery seemingly sprinkled with intermitent rifle volleys; just then a detachment of troops arrived aboard, and the Benares was ordered to put to sea to investigate. But they found nothing nor the source of the "cannonade", although they remained at sea for three days. In the words of a modern author, "that was just as well. For if they had, there was nothing they, nor all the troops and ships in the world, could have done about it." Indeed, for their quarry was no pirate over the horizon: but more than 200 miles south, and what was fast becoming the most explosive eruption of recorded history.

With sunrise on April 6 light ashes began falling on Batavia. The sun became obscured in the skies over Java, "having the appearance of being enveloped in a fog. The weather was sultry and the atmosphere close, and still the sun seemed shorn of its rays, and the general stillness and pressure of the atmosphere seemed to forebode an earthquake. This lasted several days." Oddly enough, the rumblings and explosions – though they continued – now seemed to come less frequently and with less noise. The Europeans were perplexed and concerned, but some of the Java natives, however, were delighted: priests declared with confidence and satisfaction that the thunder and dark was the sign that the gods of the mountains were coming forth to free the island from foreign rule. However as the ash fall grew and persisted, while the rumblings and explosions continued, all those in-the-know now realized it must be a volcanic outbreak, and the speculation was that Merapi, Kelut, or Bromo was the likely culprit. With the cause if not the source of the disturbance identified, the Europeans at least became less concerned and ceased to pay much attention to it, for this volcanic outbreak was not yet "considered of greater importance than those which have occasionally burst forth in Java".

This educated complacency abruptly shattered on April 10. As if rebuking their hubris, as the afternoon came, suddenly the roar and detonations like blasting gravel and cannon renwed, even stronger than before, and this time a truly menacing and darkened cloud of ash billowed over from the east. This time it was even greater than before, so that the sun was almost blotted out. In the eastern part of Java, the situation was even more severe. At Solo and Rembang some reported small and continuous earthquakes, and the explosions were tremendous, booming frequently through the 11th with such violence as to shake the houses noticeably. And still the might of the detonations only increased, and the . Once again the priests sang with joy that liberation was at hand, and even some of the Europeans now felt fear and concern. What was happening? None of the suspected volcanoes were known to be in eruption, and yet almost 2,500 miles of island chain was being rocked by cataclysmic quakes. Not a few must have contemplated the fate of Pompeii and Herculaneum---buried by Vesuvius in AD. 79 – but there was little anyone could do but wait. These were the conditions on Java and neighboring islands as dusk approached on April 10. But for those living on the peninsula upon which Tambora stood, matters would grow much worse this night. For in the late afternoon of the 10th Mt. Tambora in fact entered paroxysmal eruption and would inflict a devastation that would leave precious few survivors to tell the tale.

Fortunately, despite the primitive conditions prevailing on the island, via Lt. Phillips, we do indeed possess one eyewitness account from the Rajah of Sangir. Sangir was on the north shore of Sumbawa, just to the east of Tambora's peninsula, less than twenty-five miles from the summit. The Rajah was in his village at the time of the eruption, he told Phillips, and in fact witnessed its climatic acceleration and effect. As such, his report is incredibly valuable. Moreover, allowing for the inexperience and comprehension of the witness, the Rajah of Sangir's words show – to the volcanologist – a remarkable and likely trustworthy immediacy and clarity. He stated that "about 7pm on the 10th of April, three distinct columns of flame burst forth near the top of Tomboro mountain (all of them apparently within the verge of the crater), and after ascending to a very great height, their tops united in the air in a troubled and confused manner." The words "troubled and confused manner" are a singularly vivid and accurate description of the volcanic ash clouds that boil upward from paroxysmal eruptions. He next says "In a short time, the whole mountain next to Sangir appeared like a body of liquid fire, extending itself in every direction. The fire and columns of flame continued to rage with unabated fury, until the darkness caused by the quantity of falling matter obscured it at about 8pm." Hence, within an hour of the primary outbreak, the falling ash has obscured the summit from view. This too is consistent with such eruptions, and vouches for its reliability. The "liquid fire" is almost certainly pyroclastic surges rather than true lava flows, but this point cannot be proven.

As the Rajah and his people watched in consternation, "stones" (volcanic bombs and lapilli) began to fall on Sangir, "some of them as large as two fists, but generally not larger than walnuts". Between 9 and 10pm ashes began to fall, and "and soon after a violent whirlwind ensued which blew down nearly every house in the village of Sangir, carrying the ataps, or roofs, and light parts away with it. In the part of Sangir adjoining [facing] Tomboro its effects were much more violent, tearing up the roots of the largest trees and carrying them into the air, together with men, horses, cattle, and whatever else came within its influence. The sea rose nearly twelve feet higher than it had ever been known to do before, and completely spoiled the the only small spots of rice land at Sangir, sweeping away houses and everything within its reach. The whirlwind lasted about an hour. No explosions were heard till the whirlwind had ceased, at about 11pm."

Whatever atmospheric phenomena caused the absence of explosion sounds during the whirlwind, it ended with it. Starting about an hour before midnight, stupendously loud explosions were heard, "from midnight to the evening of the 11th, they continued without intermission"! Given the conditions prevailing in Sangir, the plight of the villages actually on Tambora's flanks and the peninsula could only be imagined. In fact, they were scenes out of the end of the world, with "great tracts of land being covered by lava, several streams of which", issuing from the summit of the disintegrating mountain "reached the sea." In several places, whole portions of land suddenly subsided, and were swallowed by the inrushing sea.
The blanket of ashes was so heavy that they collapsed the roofs of the Resident's and many other dwellings in Bima and rendered them uninhabitable. The Dompu Palace at Dora Bata was also buried with ash. At Bima the thickness of ash was later found to be one and a half feet deep, but at Sangir much nearer to the volcano it was three feet deep. "Although the wind at Bima was queerly still during the whole time, the sea rolled in upon the shore, and filled the lower parts of the houses with water a foot deep. Every boat was forced from the anchorage and driven on shore." All around Sumbawa the neighboring islands reported similar odd pheonmena, as "the sea rose suddenly to the height of from two to twelve feet, a great wave rushing upon the estuaries, and then suddenly subsiding." On the adjacent island of Bali, the ash lay a foot deep as well.
Throughout the night of the 10th and through the day of the 11th the mountain raged with an incredible fury and violence. As if sending a warning to the growing confidence and pride of western man, Mt. Tambora roared with an unbridled and unmatched defiance that rocked the entire East Indies. An eruption column of ash and dust boiled an incredible 28 miles into the sky, as lightning danced with the fury of dervishes amidst it.

The enigmatic detonations began again on the afternoon of April 11, and this time houses and buildings in Macassar began to actually shake. The warship Benares put to sea, heading southward to investigate. However, by noon on the 12th the sky had become almost opaque and almost filled with fine ash. Daylight was scarcely visible, as a stygian darkness descended. Native village shamans proudly and confidently declared that the old gods had burst forth and were about to drive the Europeans from Indonesia. As it happened, nothing of the sort occurred, and after three days the skies gradually brightened again. The thundering ceased abruptly.
Finally the eruption's fury began to wane late on the 11th, the sharp and loud detonations moderating and "heard only at intervals". But on the 12th far to the west of Sumbawa, floating pumice still formed a mass two feet thick and miles in extent! So thick was it that ships had difficulty breaking through the drifting mass.
In Java, the "haziness and heat of the atmosphere, and occasional fall of volcanic ashes, continued until the 14th, and in some parts of the island until the 17th of April". However, the Javanese were lucky: heavy and timely falls of rain ensued, helping to wash away the ash and clear the sky so that severe injury to crops and outbreaks of epidemic were avoided. Alas for the Sumbawans, there would be no such reprieve.. At last, on July 15, 1815, the last explosions ceased. The skies cleared, and revealed was a Dantesque panorama of destruction and ruin.
On Mt. Tambora, the once irregular and lofty summit had been lopped off, as if with a knife, forming a flat-topped massif capped by a stupendous caldera. Given the low-order of eruptions since 1815, modern figures are probably very close to those of 1815, with little change to the mountain since: The eruption had formed a caldera 6 kilometers in diameter and 1,110 meters deep. The highest point was (and is now) 2,850 meters above sea level.

The loss of life and destruction was appalling. Of the thriving village-towns in the province of Tomboro near the mountain, comprising some 12,000 inhabitants, only small Tempo and its forty inhabitants remained. All the others had been obliterated by whirlwinds or engulfed as frightening subsidences of land occurred. No trace remained of the villages of Tomboro and Pekate, and "no vestige of a house" was left. During the eruption, the town of Tomboro on the west side of Sumbawa had been "overflowed by the sea, which encroached upon the shore so that water remained permanently 18 feet deep in places where there was land before." Only five or six from both towns were known to have even survived. Of the others only twenty-six badly burned people of a party out from Pekate managed to paddle their canoes away from the peninsula and survive. The devastation was concentrated on the north and west sides of the peninsula of the mountain, the "trees and herbage of every description, along the whole of the north and west sides…" had been "completely destroyed, with the exception of a high point of land near the spot where the village of Tomboro once stood." Out at sea, there was huge mass of floating trees littering the surface of the water for miles around the peninsula.

Nor were conditions much better in the eastern part of the island around Bima. Famine of extraordinary and severe intensity broke out, taking the lives of thousands. Having arrived on Sumbawa and writing from Bima about August 3, Lt. Phillips reported: "The extreme misery to which the inhabitants have been reduced is shocking to behold. There were still on the road side the remains of several corpses, and the marks of where many others had been interred; the villages almost entirely deserted and the houses fallen down, the surviving inhabitants having dispersed in search of food." The famine was so severe in Sangir, Phillips reported, that even one of the Rajah of Sangir's [the learned eyewitness who described the eruption above] own daughters had died from hunger. Phillips gave the man three coyangs of rice, for which he was most thankful, but such help paled before the disaster engulfing the Dutch East Indies.

The nature of the eruption
From the foregoing it is immediately seen that the Tambora eruption is exceptional for its ferocity and rapid acceleration to full climax. Despite the over-use of the example by popular literature, in this case it is indeed useful to compare it to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The outbreaks share notable similarities: [1] a fairly short-term series of pre-monitory quakes, [ 2] a heavily wooded and long dormant volcano that like Vesuvius, seems to have a hybrid basaltic and andesitic charcter---possibly having like Vesuvius risen originally from under shallow waters and joined to the island by peninsula. [3] a paroxysmal "clearing of the vent" eruption cloud that sent a large cauliflower skyward, [4] a rapid descent of darkness from a falling ash cloud, [5] the appearance of localized, possibly identical "base surges" fanning out from the disintegrating cone, [6] and an accleration through paroxysmal eruption and climax in the space of less than 72 hours, followed by a rapid tapering off of activity.

It is just possible that Tambora triggered a partial collapse of itself early in the eruption, unleashing an eruption plume of sudden and horrific force, not unlike Mt. St. Helens in 1980. The reason for suggesting this is in the sheer power and velocity of the eruption column, as well as its fairly short duration. It appears to point to a fairly sudden, preciptous rather than a steadily mounting release. But this is merely informed speculation, and though interesting, is impossible to verify at present.
No later than April 5, but possibly earlier, Tambora was shaken by a "throat-clearing" eruption that punched a new vent in the summit and cast forth a volley of ash over the Flores Sea. Though the eyewitness accounts describe only the climatic phase of the eruption and not the preliminaries, it seems impossible to assume that the Sumbawans were unaware that Tambora was now active. Possibly being experienced with neighboring Bali andLombok's eruptions, they did not think it too serious at first. Or possibly evacuating was not a particularly practical option for most. In any case, most inhabitants of Tambora's peninsula remained where they were as the eruption grumbled on into April 6. By sunset of the next day, the activity apparently faded, nearly to a halt, though the rumblings continued. Perhaps this lulled any doubts the people may have had. The eruption appeared to be waning, and few sought to flee the mountain's fertile environs. Whatever circumstances prompted this choice, it sealed the fate of 90% of the inhabitants.

Sumbawa Surfing Information - Sumbawa Island Travel Guide

WEST SUMBAWA
This island measures about 280 kilometers long from east to west and varies in width from 15 to 90 kilometers. Compared to Bali and Lombok, Sumbawa is relatively uncrowded being about three times the size of Bali with less than a fourth the population. The people of Sumbawa are mostly farmers and ranchers by trade. In times they prospered through the sale of fine horses and fragrant woods (sapan and sandalwood), but now they live a much rougher life than do their Lombok and Bali neighbours to the west. Sumbawa's distinctly Australasian climate, flora and fauna lend a thorny, dry and scrub-cutting edge to day-to-day life and survival. The three main and most famous spots surfed on the west coast of Sumbawa are Scar Reef, Super Suck and Yo-Yo's.

Scar Reef, just south of the Jelinggah Beach headland, is a great left-hander and hollow wave that is best at lower tides. Either side of low tide will cause this wave to break further down the line towards the jutting headland. Higher tides bring the wave closer to the inside and cause it to section considerably. Scar reef picks up plenty of swell depending on direction, but it is particularly good-and waves are hollow and superb-on a big south swell.

Super Suck , off the village of Malok about a half hour past the town of Taliwang, is the most famous and sought after wave on this rugged coast. When Super Suck is working, it is really working and will make your trip to Sumbawa more than worthwhile. Big walls of water break off a boil rock on the outside of the bay and suck up into a thick and heavy left that bowls and winds down the reef for a few hundred meters. The inside section of this reef gets really shallow.

Yo-Yo's, just south of Super Suck at Sekongkang Bay, is your best West Sumbawa bet when everything else is small. This beautiful bay offers two different spots. The best is about 400 meters from a towering cliff. It is a right, sometimes called The Hook, which gets really good and holds up to six feet of swell. This wave is fast and hollow and features shifting peaks. It breaks and is rideable on all tides except a dead-low one. The second wave here, located right up against the cliff is called The Wedge and can handle six to eight feet of swell before closing out. It consists of a shifty and mushy outside peak that winds into a fast and bowling inside section. April to October, tradewinds can blow Yo-Yo's out, so mornings are best.

EAST SUMBAWA ( LAKEY BEACH )

There are 5 world class surfing waves situated in the same bay directly in front of LAKEY BEACH

The main wave 'The peak' has a left and a right hand take off.

Lakey Peak - An intense hollow right & lefthand peak, with the left generally being longer, the right can fire on the proper swell direction. A frame with a guaranteed backdoor for those with the balls to pull in. Best at 5-8 foot that holds all sizes and goes off at mid-tides, and the left can provide some deep barrels to surfed at low tides if the swell is big enough.

Lakey Pipe is on either side of 'The peak' a popular wave amongst the body boarders and 'Nomans' which is suitable for the more extreme surfer. 'The beachy' only breaks in the lagoon with the big swells and is more suitable for the less experienced surfer.

Lakey Left - Across the channel from the peak. With right size swell and direction this normally sectiony wave can line up and provide deep, lined-up barrels.

Lakey Right - A few hundred meters down the beach. A short, bowling righthander that breaks into a deep water dent in the reef. Some fun barrels. Holds only to about 8’.

Cobblestones is another popular wave within walking distance of the hotels.

Nungas - The big left across from Periscopes. Under 8’ the wave breaks down into several sections of 50 meters or so, one or all may be surfable. But at 8’ the sections start to connect offering rides of 200 meters or more, with flat spots, hot-dog walls, full-on barrels all thrown into one ride. Best take-off spot is determined on an hourly basis. Can handle a crowd and swells as big as they come.

Periscopes - A fun Righthander wave at the eastern end of a long reef that sticks way out into the bay, Periscopes can offer a high, tight barrel over a relatively safe reef platform, and a clean exit into a channel. A short paddle out . Better at high tides with glassy or N (offshore) winds. Blown out by dry season trades. Holds only to about 8’. About a mile walk up the beach from the surf camp.

SURF ALL YEAR ROUND
The Peak Swell period is from April to September.
Late and Early season October to March can offer perfect clean conditions with light winds.