Sumbawa is a large island in West Nusa Tenggara, east of Lombok and larger than Bali and Lombok combined. It is divided into three administrative regencies — Sumbawa Regency in the west, Dompu in the centre, and Bima in the east — roughly corresponding to the three former sultanates that once ruled the island. The main town, Sumbawa Besar, sits on the north coast about halfway along the island's length.
The island is mountainous and hilly, with fertile plains near the northern beaches and a rugged volcanic interior. Sumbawa sees far fewer tourists than Lombok and almost none compared to Bali, which gives it a genuinely unvisited quality. The culture is predominantly Sumbawan and Bimanese, both Islamic, with distinct traditions in weaving, music, and horsemanship — Sumbawa is famous across Indonesia for its horses and for traditional buffalo racing.
In Sumbawa Besar, the wooden Dalam Loka Palace is the most impressive heritage sight — a 19th-century sultanate palace raised on 99 carved columns. Offshore, Pulau Moyo offers excellent diving and snorkelling in a protected marine area. Lakey Beach in the Dompu district is one of eastern Indonesia's best surf spots, with consistent reef breaks that draw surfers from around the world. Bungin Island, near the north coast, is home to a community of Bajo people — built literally on top of a reef, one of the most unusual settlements in the Indonesian archipelago.
Sumbawa sits on the Trans-Nusa Tenggara route between Lombok and Flores; ferries from Sape on the eastern tip pass through Komodo National Park waters on the way to Flores. Most travellers pass through — those who stop find an island that rewards patience.