Indonesia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 297

couple, this modern take on a homestay has cheerful a/c
rooms, guest kitchens, and two swi mming pools . Ideal if
you're looking for a bit more comfort. Rp450,000

Sumbawa
Most travellers crossing the scorched,
mountainous island of SUMBAWA , east of
Lombok, experience it solely through the
window of a long-distance bus. But
transit travel doesn't do justice to this
friendly, laidback island, with its fine
beaches and surfing, offshore islands and
traditional villages.
Historically, Sumbawa was divided
between east and west, with the western
Sumbawans influenced by the Balinese
and Sasaks of Lombok, while the eastern
Bimans share linguistic and cultural
similarities with the Makarese of Sulawesi
and the peoples of Flores and Sumba. he
whole island is Muslim, however, and
conservative dress is recommended.
Sumbawa has been a bit unsettled in
recent years, with riots in Sape in 2012
and Sumbawa Besar in 2013, so check
the security situation before your trip.

EATING AND NIGHTLIFE
The village has plenty of pizza joints and traveller cafés
to choose from. The beach road is lined with candlelit
warungs that have nightly barbecues and inexpensive
seafood; all serve until about 10pm.
★

Ashtari W ashtarilombok.com. At the top of the hill on
the road west from Kuta - a bit of a trek but a great place
to stop if you're biking around. The views are spectacular,
and the superb food - a small vegetarian menu of sand-
wiches, salads and Indonesian, Indian and Mediterranean
dishes (from Rp25,000) - is great value. Save space for the
home-made cakes. Daily 8.30am-8pm.
Dwiki's Cuisine Western end of the village. Decent wood-
fired oven pizzas (around Rp70,000) and Westernized
versions of Indonesian dishes served on white tablecloths
by friendly staff. Daily 8am-10/11pm.
Full Moon Café Eastern end of the beach. Choose
between cushions on the floor at low tables, bamboo
furniture on the sand, or the lofty terrace with lovely
views, to enjoy great grilled chicken with spicy Sasak
sauce and barbecued seafood (around Rp50,000-70,000).
Daily 8am-10/11pm.
The Shore Bar T 0370 653144. Regular live music in
the high season at this ramshackle, laidback shack with a
huge dancefloor at the far eastern end of the road that
runs along the beach. Free pick-ups if you call ahead. Sun-
Tues 11am-11pm, Wed 11am-12.30am, Thurs 1.15-11pm
& Sat 11am-2.30am.
★

4

SUMBAWA BESAR
SUMBAWA BESAR , usually referred to
simply as Sumbawa, is the largest town
on the island, although it sprawls without
a real centre. he main streets run on a
one-way loop, forming a convenient
racetrack for ojek drivers in the evenings,
although the side streets are quiet and
leafy. he area around the Sultan's Palace,
to the south of town, is a particularly
pleasant place to wander, where luxurious
modern mansions sit side by side with
old wooden huts on tiny, colourful alleys.
You're welcome to walk through the
palace itself, an elaborate stilted wooden

Sonya's It's not just the heart-shaped portions of
rice that set this beach warung apart from the rest on
this strip; their chicken satay, fish curry and nasi campur
(all around Rp25,000-30,000) have customers returning
night after night. They also refill water bottles and have
an all-you-can-eat seafood barbecue every Friday night.
Daily 8am-10pm.

DIRECTORY
Banks and exchange There's an ATM at the eastern
end of the beach road, close to the village. Surfer's Inn
changes money.
Bicycle rental From Rp30,000/day from the internet café
beside Dwiki's Cuisine .
Bus tickets Segare Anak (see p.299) are Perama agents.
Internet There's an internet café next door to Dwiki's
Cuisine .
Motorcycle rental From Rp50,000/day from most
guesthouses.
Post Segare Anak (see p.299) is a postal agent. The nearest
post o ce is in Praya.
Yoga Ashtari has daily 6.30am sessions on its terrace.

GETTING TO SUMBAWA
Ferries to and from Lombok (every 45min;
1hr 45min-2hr) dock at Poto Tano; buses
meet all incoming ferries and run south
from the harbour to Sumbawa Besar
(2hr 30min), and sometimes all the way to
Bima (9hr); it's easy to change at Sumbawa
Besar if not. Ferries to and from Flores
(daily; 6-9hr) and Sumba (2 weekly;
9-12hr) use the port at Sape. Pelni ferries
dock at Bima.