Indonesia Bali-Sumba Discovery 2023 D7: Dancing Mangroves of Walakiri

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Indonesia Bali-Sumba Discovery 2023

Day D7: Dancing Mangroves of Walakiri

Sumba, Indonesia : Sunday, 4th June 2023

This is part of a non-cycling road-trip recce tour of Bali & Sumba, Indonesia:

Waingapu>Palindi Piarakuku Hills>Waimarang Waterfalls>Walakiri Dancing Mangroves>>Waingapu.

Time: 8:00 am to 8:10 pm

Time Taken: 12 hrs. (road-trip from Waingapu to/fro Tanggedu Waterfall & Tenau Hills (including breakfast, tea-time, dinner, and stops at a scenic areas, & many photo opps).

This is page 7 of a 8-page blog, Click Here To Go To Title Page.

< D6: Savana & Tenau | Go to Other Days | D8-9: Tambolaka/Kuta >

Route Recommendations, here're some tips on travelling in Bali & Sumba:

1. Traffic Directions!

Traffic in Indonesia, is right-hand drive, so drive/cycle on the left. Same thing applies when crossing the road, take note of the direction in which traffic is approaching from!

2. Getting from Bali to Sumba.

From Bali to Sumba we flew Lion Wings Air, departing from Ngurah Rai Airport and arriving at Tambolaka's Lede Kalumbang Airport. We stayed a night at Tambolaka before going by local hired vans to get to Waingapu and the surrounding area. The basic return air-fare from Denpasar to Tambolaka was around IDR2,300,000 (MYR710 or USD155) per pax without checked in luggage. Online bookings can be done via the Lion Air Website.

There are direct flights from Denpasar to Waingapu, but oddly the fares are more expensive, almost double. So it did make sense that for a big group like ours, the first option of flight-vans was cheaper.

3. Covid-19 & Customs Requirments

We applied for Covid-19 clearance through the e-forms submitted to the SatuSehat mobile app, which required uploading of vaccination details & PDF copies of vaccination certificates, and got on-line approval. Upon arrival at Bali Airport, there was a small counter for SatuSehat, but it was not manned, so perhaps this is not required for Bali.

Submission for customs e-clearance is advised for getting past the airport customs without a fuss. E-submission can be done prior to leaving for Indonesia, Click here for to access and fill up the Indonesian E-CD (Electronic Customs Declaration) forms for approval. Upon successful application, a QR Code is given, save this to your phone and show it to the customs officer upon arrival. With a quick scan, and one is cleared to enjoy one's holiday.

4. Clearing Immigration for Senior Citizens and families with infants, etc.

Prior to the pandemic, there were special counters at the Malaysian & Indonesian immigration exit points for senior citizens above 60 years old, but these are not there anymore. No worries though, if there are long queues, just asked any helpful officer for help for senior citizens, and one will be directed to a fast-track counter.

5. Route & Traffic Conditions

At Sumba, traffic is slightly heavy at the urban areas of Tambolaka and Waingapu, but there were not much jams. Roads are narrower but still pleasant to drive on. At some stretches leading to the waterfalls, some hiking was required (more details on this at the day to day blogs).
On our third full day in Sumba, and with Waingapu as our base we explore more of the eastern part of the island. Today our destinations were "archaeological" statues at the scenic Palindi Piarakuku Hills, then onwards to the secluded Waimarang Waterfalls, and ending with surrealistic sunsets with the Walakiri Dancing Mangroves.

6. Weather

In Sumba day temperature averaged 30°C, while night ones were 22°C.

The best time to visit Sumba is April-June and September, just before and just after high season. It's still dry season, it's slightly less humid, and room prices and villa rentals can be 30-50% cheaper than during high season. It's a cooler season.

Useful weather forecast sites for the Indonesia is AccuWeather. For more detailed weather, including cloud cover and wind speed, use Weatherspark and Ventusky.

7. Communicating with Each Other

When travelling in a group it's important to be able to communicate with each other, especially if one got lost from the rest. Compared to the our previous trip 5-years ago, this time round it was more difficult to get the Indonesian pre-paid phone sim card. For security reasons, there is a need to register ones's passport and phone's IMEI #1 and IMEI #2. One cannot just go to any local shops to buy the sim card as they are reluctant or not equiped to provide such a service. As such, most local phone shops sells only to locals.

It is EASIEST to get the sim cards at the airport. There are booth selling these just after getting past customs and into the arrival hall of Bali (Ngurah Rai) Airport, the local staff there are at hand to help register one's passport and IMEIs. We opted for Telkomsel's as it provides the best coverage at Bali, and even at some of the remote areas of Sumba, and got their Tourist prepaid simcard with 16+8 GB of data valid for 30 days at IRD250K (MYR77 or USD17). 3G internet is available in the more populated areas but can drop to the slower GPRS or even Edge in remote areas. Failing to get a sim card at the airport one can try to get it at some of the Telkomsel's shop, click here for Bali shops locations and click here for Sumba shop locations.

It is possible to get these Tourist prepaid simcard on-line, but registration of passport & IMEIs are still required and one will have to select an official pick-up point, which are only available in the Bali and Mandalika Lombok areas.

Most hotels, motels, home-stays, restaurants, and airports have free Wifi; but do note that public free wifi may not be secure and registration could be required. But one can safe on one's mobile data by using these especially for uploading or downloading videos.

8. Communicating with Locals

As Bali, is a favorite tourist destinations, many locals speak fairly good English. At the smaller towns, locals speak some rudimentary English. The older generation speak very little English, so knowing some basic Bahasa Indonesia (or even better - Balinese language) will come in handy and also warm one up to the locals.

At Sumba, except at hotels and up-market restaurant, very few locals speak English, so some basic Bahasa Indonesia will come in handy. The older Sumbese speak Sumba languages which are a subgroup of the Austronesian language family, that is closely related to the Hawu–Dhao languages.

9. Getting Around

We were on a recce tour group and paid MYR1,700 per pax for ground arrangements that include hotels, breakfast and van transportation, other meals & tips for guide and drivers were not include - all in cost came to around MYR4,000 including some minimum shopping. They were 13 of us including the two tour guides. At Bali, a large 15-seater van with driver took us around. In Sumba, 3 smaller Toyota Avanza took us from Tambolaka to Waingapu and around these cities.

Those interested in joining the guided tour can contact Nik at +6017-4881917. Those who are keen in having their own free and easy tour, contact Bali van driver Made at +6281-5580-02922 or Sumba van drivers Rian Djara at +6281-2387-26367 & Lih Man at +62 82-3398-64280 Sumba Driver.

In Sumba 3-4 star hotels can be found at around MYR150 (USD35) per room per night even for those beach hotels; click here for range of hotels in Sumba.

8. Places & Things of Interests

There were many scenic and interesting places of interest; but one should not miss the following (Note: click on the GPS coordinates for directional map to the respective places):

- Sumban tribal sculptures at Palindi Piarakuku Hills (GPS: -9.89926, 120.3256) at Katikuluku.

- Red Savana of Watumbaka (GPS: -9.65687, 120.3729) at Watumbaka.

- Waimarang Waterfalls (GPS: -9.96880, 120.60294), (Entry point GPS: -9.96320, 120.60174) at Umalulu

- Kampung Adat Praiyawang (GPS: -9.93574, 120.67011) at Rindi.

- Walakiri Dancing Mangroves (GPS: -9.62861, 120.42640) at Watumbaka.

- Sumba Ikat Weaving - a manually weaved cotton-fabric Sumbanese textile art form that uses natural dyes.

9. Food

Breakfast: Inclusive buffet breakfast at Tanto Hotel Waingapu (GPS: -9.65819, 120.27023) in Waingapu.

Lunch: at Waimarang Waterfalls, pre-packed lunch boxes from Rumah Makanan Prima Donna (GPS: -9.64601, 120.25916) in Waingapu.

Tea: Fresh coconuts from stalls at Waimarang Waterfalls entry point GPS: -9.96320, 120.60174) in Umalulu.

Dinner: Rice set with smoked pork (Se'i babi), stir fried tapioca leaf and papaya flowers at 35 IRD pax. at Kedai Se,i Babi Karunia (GPS: -9.64538, 120.25518) in Waingapu.

10. Accommodations

Our stay for the night was at Tanto Hotel Waingapu (GPS: -9.65819, 120.27023) in Waingapu, Sumba. (Tip: request for rooms further away from the reception as it's quite near the main road and can be noisy). Cost was included in our tour package, online booking shows cost as MYR90 / USD19 per double/twin room per night.

11. Navigation

I used MapMyRide to track our routes and stops. Geo-tagging of places of interest was via FaceBook or Google Maps.

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PRELUDE

The day earlier with, Waingapu as our base, we have drove out to explore Sumba Island, and were intrigued that one island could have such a diversity of landscape scenes - from beautiful sandy beaches with a sea stretching out in layers of clear blue to the horizon; to brownish, dry savanna land reminisce of the African Savana, then to a waterfall with clear blue sparkling water and ending with corrugated green hills rolling into the sunset!

Today we continue our adventures with visit to an abandoned traditional village filled stone sculptures, a hidden waterfall, and then to see some dancing mangrove trees ..... YES! Dancing trees!

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THE TRIP

Small Group (Non-cycling) Recce Tour of Sumba, Indonesia:

Waingapu>Palindi Piarakuku Hills>Waimarang Waterfalls>Walakiri Dancing Mangroves>>Waingapu.

Today we head to the nearby a deserted tribal village, then a secluded waterfall and finally ending the day with dusk views of dancing mangrove trees.

(Click here for D7: Palindi-Waimarang-Walakiri route map)

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TRIBAL SCULTURES OF PALINDI PIARAKUKU HILLS

Kicking of from Waingapu, we headed for our first destination, Palindi Piarakuku Hills an "archaeological' site an hour's drive (forty-plus kilometres). Enroute we made a short detour to collect prepacked food from Rumah Makanan Prima Donna (now know as D Santuy Caffe).

Enroute we passed by several churches, the one above, with it's neo-modern design caught my eye. It's the Payeti Christian Church (GPS:-9.65807, 120.2689).

As we were leaving town, saw traditional, tribal Sumba Ikat cloth drying out in front of a house; probably these were made at a weaving area at the back.

After an hour's drive & forty kilometres or so, we arrived at Palindi Piarakuku.

This village is situated at the Palindi Piarakuku Hills, hills that are similar to the Wairinding Hills. But instead of a range of corrugated hills; the ones here seems to be horizontally layered! I wonder what ecological events caused them to be so different. Or perhaps once there were padi terraces here... I am just speculating.

Wow factor 10!

Interestingly, there are sandstone sculpture here that looks old, like those from archaeological digs!

The above is that of a horse that looks like ancient style artwork.

And this one, a rather funny one of a seated old lady with here feet planted on the head of an old man. I wonder what's the significance of this?

Anyway, these sculpture may look old. They are actually quite new, but done in Sumbanese old tribal style artwork. and they were carved out by a local artist called Jeferson Ama.

Village lady pounding out spices with a traditional mortar & pestle.

A man with his pet monkey?

This site is the open-air natural studio of Jeferson Ama.

Unfortunately, some of the sculptures are damage (uncertain due to vandalism or weathering); like this headless on which seems to be a good prop for photos!

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WAIMARANG WATERFALLS

After half-an-hour of admiring the sculptures & a few nice group photos, we left to head for out next destination, the W. En-route, we passed by several fields of red reed grass. These are the Savana of Watumbaka, which were looking red when we drove by. We wondered whether these look red the whole year round!

1:00 pm - We arrive at the entry point/car-park to the Waimarang Waterfalls, from here we will hike down to the waterfall. But first ........ time to sate our tummies, it's lunch time! There aren't any shops here selling food here! So out came the lunch packs that we had brought along with us. and soon we were wolfing them down. There are some fresh coconuts available though, at 5,000 IRD each.

From the entry point it's a one kilometer hike down to the waterfall, but no worries for most of the trail, there are concrete steps with railings ..... and the scenery around is just so beautiful!

The final approach was a slippery, steep rocky wall, but it was worth it. Like most waterfalls in Sumba, the water was a clear blue; it's not a very impressive waterfall but it's location in a grotto with the sun shining int through a small opening at the stop, makes it unique.

My friends and me happy in the pool. The water from the deep blue pool drains out through a narrow shallow channel with a solid sandstone base.

The narrow channel leads to a wider, and deeper channel with chest-deep water. It's here that we lingered and played .....

..... and laid on our backs on a flat outcrop, letting the cooling water waft through our back.

A satisfied Fenn hiking back up the trail ..... and later strike out a pose of enjoying a joint. No, she's not a smoker, just a photo poser 😆.

Wow factor 10!

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WALAKIRI DANCING MANGROVES

5:00pm - One hour and sixty kilometers later, we are at Walakiri. At the beach the sun has begun to set, and the coconut trees stretch towards it in respect, and it's .....

Wow factor 10 again!

To the left a cape sticks out and Mr. Sun cast a lovely sunset .....

Lovely sunset silhouettes, lovely girls dancing; but where are the dancing mangroves?

They are there just round the corner from the cape, a couple of them could now be seen.

Rounding the cape, we see them. Away from the silhouetting sun, they make a pretty picture - bowing to welcome us to play with them!

Nice, yah?

These mangrove trees seems to be planted by locals. Mangroves usually clump together, but these seems to be standing separated and individually. By a combo of human pruning and Nature's tidal action, they seem bonsai-like.

And they are great for Instagram-able photos!

And with the setting pinkish skies .....

..... they form a surrealistic landscape!

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7:30pm - We are at Kedai Se,i Babi Karunia which serves very good Se'i babi; an Indonesian delicacy of smoked pork. But here at Sumba it was served with a twist, it was served with stir-fried young tapioca leaves and papaya flowers! Unfortunately we were so caught up with the dancing trees that we arrived late and most of the good cuts were gone. Still it's a first for many of us to try the tapioca leaves and papaya flowers which tasted uniquely good.