Sumbawa Besar Travel Guide

Sumbawa Besar is capital of Sumbawa Island in West Nusa Tenggara. It resides on the northwest coast and is a bit short on sights yet provides a gateway to Sumbawa's best attractions.

Worth It?: Only really for a stop-off point when visiting elsewhere in Sumbawa.
What to Do: see the old palace, visit Moyo Island, trips to Tambora.
Best Time to Go: April through October.
How Long?: A day at most in Sumbawa Besar.
Trivia: the name Besar comes from: 'b' bersih (clean), 'e' elok (beautiful),'s' sehat (healthy), 'a' aman (safe), and 'r' rapi (proper).

Sumbawa Besar is generally known as Sumbawa and is not touristy in the slightest. This fact intrigues many travelers to Sumbawa, who can have nearby beaches to themselves and enjoy the uncrowded surf of the south. Apart from the old palace and the town's horses and carts, there is no real appeal to Sumbawa Besar.

There are several beaches with that untouched look near to town, however, as well as several half-decent guest houses. It's a good idea to spend the night in Sumbawa Besar before heading off to Mount Tambora or the beaches of Maluk and Sekongkang. Nearby Moyo Island is also quite popular, along with the sleepy old port of Labuhan Sumbawa.

Travel to Sumbawa Besar - Getting There

Sumbawa Besar has a small airport - Bandar Udara Brangbiji - although it receives limited Jakarta flights out of season. Mataram in Lombok is the main nearby airport. It is possible to get a bus and ferry combination from Denpasar in Bali to Sumbawa Besar. Journey time is 12 hours from Bali or 7 hours when coming from Mataram. It is also a 7-hour bus journey from Bima in East Sumbawa.

Sumbawa Besar Things to Do

Sumbawa Besar Attractions

Sumbawa Besar facilities

there are no real attractions; more that the town is a good stop-off point with hotels, restaurants and banks.

Side trips from Sumbawa Besar

Mount Tambora: this huge volcano is a day's bus ride from town and has superior trekking and vistas up on its gigantic rim.
Moyo Island: located a few kilometers offshore from Sumbawa Besar, this island is a wildlife retreat and national park. It is an hour from nearby Labuhan Sumbawa by boat.