Summary
Indonesia is now well established as one of the world’s best surfing destinations. With the huge increase in popularity for islands like Bali, Java and West Sumatra over the last decades, Indonesia’s surf spots are now for the most part, way overcrowded.
However, there are still a few hidden gems in Indonesia for people willing to venture themselves off the beaten paths. Sumba is an islands just south-east of Sumbawa. Its remote location kept it well off the surfers radar for a long time but it is now slowly getting the recognition it deserves.
Sumba has incredible surf, just like the rest of the Indonesian islands, but with only a slight fraction of the crowds you will find on Bali or Lombok, for example.
While the surf in Sumba is perfect and uncrowded, the downside is a bit of a lack of tourism and healthcare infrastructure. If something bad happens, you are a couple ferries away from the nearest hospital.
Therefore, a surf trip to Sumba requires good preparation and the reward is simply astonishing.
When to surf Sumba
The best time to surf Sumba, Indonesia is from April to October, which is when swells are more consistent in the Indian Ocean. This also happens to be the dry season in Indonesia.
| January-February | March-April | May-June | July-August | September-October | November-December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suitable for: | All surfers | All surfers | All surfers | All surfers | All surfers | All surfers |
| Air temperature | 26°C 79°F | 27°C 81°F | 28°C 82°F | 29°C 84°F | 28°C 82°F | 27°C 81°F |
| Water temperature | 29°C 84°F | 29°C 84°F | 29°C 84°F | 29°C 84°F | 29°C 84°F | 29°C 84°F |
| Crowd | Empty | Empty | Few people | Few people | Few people | Empty |
| Swell Consistency | 85% | 90% | 95% | 100% | 100% | 90% |
| Swell height | 5 ft | 5 ft | 6 ft | 7 ft | 6 ft | 5 ft |
Where to stay in Sumba
As most surf spots are located on the Sumba’s south side, the best place to base yourself is probably near Nihiwatu Beach.
Surf Spots in Sumba
Nihiwatu
A bit of a controversial spot as you need to stay at Nihiwatu Resort to have access to this wave. However, it is a great left. One of the best waves in Sumba.
Wave direction : Left
Bottom : Reef
Best tide : Any
Skill level : Advanced
Optimal swell direction : SW
Optimal wind direction : N
Getting there
There are a couple airports in Sumba with domestic flights to Bali which remains the best way to get to Sumba. You can also catch a ferry from Sumbawa or Flores, the two nearest islands.
Safety/things to know
Sumba is fairly underdeveloped and lacks some good healthcare infrastructure. Surfers should bring good first aid kits and have a decent travel insurance.
Malaria is very common in Sumba, make sure to take all precautions including insect repellant and malaria tablets.