A Great Place to Retire or Start Anew: Sumba Island, Indonesia

By Gyscha Rendy

“Welcome back to Sumba…” my local guide greets me just outside the arrival hall at Tambolaka airport.

I smile back at him. A part of me still can’t believe I managed to return to Sumba after a few months of quarantining in Bali. I mean, who would have thought it’d be so hard to travel these days?

Travel is something we probably all take for granted. While so many of us can’t travel due to the global pandemic and it feels as if life forces us to press the pause button, I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to be able to visit Sumba again.

There’s something so special about this island. More than just my favorite home away from home, Sumba reminds me of what truly important in life; the art of enough and appreciating the little things in life.

I find the smile of Sumbanese people, the taste of grilled fish with sambal or chili paste, the lush green nature and pristine beaches truly comforting. It’s the kind of special place that makes you humble, happy, and give you peace of mind.

One-Hour Flight from Bali

Located in Eastern Indonesia or only one hour flight from Bali, Sumba is the perfect place to be if you’re looking for unexplored wonders and reconnect with nature.

Sumba has two airports; Tambolaka airport located in  Southwest Sumba and Waingapu airport at East Sumba.

You can catch a flight to Sumba from Jakarta and Bali. Flights available every day with flight ticket costs around USD80/one way.

While the best and easiest way to explore the island is to join local travel company, you can also rent a car and experience the magic of Eastern Indonesia.

Get ready to fall in love with Sumba luscious green hills,  crystal clear Weekuri Lake, bright orange sunset, waterfalls and so much more.

Sumba also has the warmest people and beautiful culture. When my guide asks me what do I want to do that day as we drive along the dusty road, I reply to him that on this trip, I’d love to reconnect with local people and take pictures again.

Warm People of Sumba

It’s been a very long time since I picked up my camera and I just want to create. I can’t wait to tell a story through photography and hear how the local people have been dealing with the pandemic and uncertainty.

Real connection, I guess that’s one thing I truly miss most since the pandemic hit last February.

Our first stop was the Ratenggaro village on the southwestern corner of Sumba island. The mystical village full of megalithic tombs is not only great for photography but an excellent place to meet local people.

Just like how my guide told me how the pandemic affecting his business, most people in this village are struggling to make ends meet too.

Tourism and agriculture are the main sources of income here so we can only imagine what would happen when tourists can’t visit the island due to the pandemic.

Akerina, a middle-aged Sumbanese asked if I’m interested to see Sumba’s tenun ikat traditional handwoven fabric that her family made.

I enthusiastically say yes and followed her to the backyard. There you could see not only her beautiful handwoven fabric displayed at the terrace but also young kids feeding the family pig and men playing with horses.

Later on Akerina offered me a drink and cookies. She said it’s always good to have someone visit her village, somehow it gives her hope that things would return to normal again and tourists would visit Sumba.

Bwana Beach

We left Ratenggaro and continue driving to Bwana beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Sumba to catch the sunset. The raw beauty makes the exquisite Sumba island a hidden paradise with so many opportunities.

More than just a paradise, Sumba – an island in the province of  East Nusa Tenggara is a perfect place to retire and start your new life.

The island offers not only beautiful nature but also endless opportunities to those who always dreaming to run their own business, especially in tourism and hospitality industry.

With a population of around 750,000, more and more tourists have been coming to visit this island in the last five years.

Nearby Islands

While the neighboring island Lombok has always well-known as a surfer’s paradise and of course Komodo Islands is great for diving and outdoor adventure, people come to Sumba to experience beautiful nature, culture, and culinary.

The living cost is very affordable, starting from USD500/month. With a bunch of local restaurants and few hotels in the city center ( room rate starting from USD 15/night ), Sumba offers endless business opportunities.

To this day, it’s still very difficult to find a café with a modern coffee machine and fast internet connection or luxury coworking spaces.

So perhaps this is your chance to build your dream café, restaurant, travel company, or even a small bed and breakfast. You can also give back and help others by providing education and teaching English in Sumba. Just like what the luxury resort Nihi Sumba has been doing for a long time now.

Through the Sumba Foundation, they’ve been helping not only children but also educating the local communities. With many countries start to reopen and hopefully very soon we can travel overseas again, it’s never too early to start planning your next vacation or even retirement in a foreign country.

If you always dream about retiring to an exotic island and run your little business, perhaps you can start considering to build your dream in Sumba, Indonesia.

What to do in Sumba?

You can visit Weekuri Lagoon, Nihiwatu beach, Walakiri beach, Tanggedu, and Lapopu waterfall. Be sure to hike up Bukit Wairinding and Bukit Tanarara to catch the sunset.

You can also visit the neighboring island like Lombok, Komodo Islands, and Sumbawa.

Indonesian author, life enthusiast, and content creator Gysha Rendy fell in love with photography, people, culture, and nature when she was traveling around South East Asia in 2011 then decided to start her own travel page and podcast Flirty and Fabulous.