Dompu Travel Guide

Dompu is a small town in the central part of East Sumbawa on Sumbawa Island, a large island between Flores and Lombok (east to west). Dompu is unremarkable but is a good base for exploring nearby Mount Tambora and Hu'u for surfing.

Worth It?: Yes, for visits to Mount Tambora.
What to Do: exploring Doro Bata, trekking Tambora.
Best Time to Go: April through to October for the driest weather.
How Long?: A day at most is enough in Dompu.
Trivia: Sumbawa is the largest of the West Nusa Tenggara islands.

Dompu lies amid a region of fertile plains and is the third largest town on Sumbawa Island. It is also the capital of Dompu Regency and home to many ethnic peoples from Bima, along with guest houses, eateries, and banks. Sights worth seeing in Dompu include nearby Doro Bata - the site of an ancient kingdom with the remains of the vaunted Dompu Palace that was covered by ash from the Tambora eruption.

Slightly farther afield is the forested area of Bara, which used to be famed for its pleasant spring-fed pool. The main reason for visiting Dompu, however, is Mount Tambora to the northwest. It's Sumbawa's highest mountain and has some fantastic trekking and views. To the southwest of Dompu is the famous surf destination of Hu'u.

Travel to Dompu - Getting There

Bima's airport - Mohammad Salahuddin Airport - is the most convenient gateway to Dompu. It receives daily flights from the international airport in Denpasar, Bali, 500kms to the west. Dompu is then 100kms or 2 or 3 hours by bus from Bima. There is also an airport in Sumbawa Besar, the capital, but the overland journey to Dompu is much longer. Ferries come in via Port Tano (West Sumbawa) from Lombok.

Dompu Things to Do

Dompu Attractions

Doro Bata

the main attraction in Dompu is a massive archaeological dig, which has revealed the ruins of Dompu Palace under tons of Tambora volcanic ash.

Side trips from Dompu

Mount Tambora: located a fair way northwest of Dompu, this huge volcano, which last erupted in 1815, has excellent trekking and is one of the main attractions in Sumbawa.
Hu'u and Lakey Beach: surfers will find good waves at this beach, which is southwest of Dompu and goes off from December.

Events

Lepadi: a traditional horse race in an area a few kilometers south of Dompu sees youngsters racing large beasts.