Sumbawa: The dividing between Asia and the Pacific

Sumbawa is the island to the east of Lombok. The Indonesian archipelago is a string of pearls that strech from Aceh to Papua, and are, for the most part, easy to travel across. From Bali to Lombok is 4-5 hours, on the ferry from Padangbai. From Lebuhan Lombok to Pototano harbor in W. Sumbawa is 3-4 hours.

The 2 groups of westerners who visit Sumbawa are surfers, eager to surf the breaks at Scar Reef and Lakey Peak, and backpack travelers, who enjoy island hopping. From Bali its easy to ride your rented motorbike onto the ferry and off the other side, island to island.

Sumbawa itself is 15,600 sq km, making it as large as Bali and Lombok together. The scenery is mainly rolling hills, eroded foothills, volcanic ridges. Wildlife is an interesting mix of Asian and Australasian, with soiny bush, cactus, and grasslands along with flora more similar to the western islands. The further east you travel, the drier it gets.

Sumbawa is split in 2, as far a population. In the west are the Sumbawans, a race of people descended from the Indianized ‘high-cultures’ of the islands to the west, Bali, Lombok, Sulawesi, etc. In the east of the island are the Biman’s, who are short, darker and who originate from a pagan culture, more in line with those found to the east, boardering the Pacific. Both groups are predominantly Muslim however and also speak Bahasa Indonesia.

Right now its Ramadan, and Muslim area in Indonesia will be in full celebration, with loudspeakers going on calling people to prayers. For some people being in Sumbawa during this time may not be so pleasant, but it would be an extremely interesting cultural experience.

One thing I find fascinating about Indonesia, is how the local people have dealt with the different cultural / religious influences. In Bali you have a pagan people, who adopted Hinduism. In Java, you have a Muslim people, who used to be Hindu, and still retain elements of their pagan past. Sumbawa throws up another dimension, a people in the east, the Biman’s, an earthy bunch, who were never Hindu, but are now Muslim, with close connections to pagan traditions, and ethnic connections pointing in another direction.

Would be nice to get out there sometime and learn more about Sumbawa.