Sumba

 
Overview

Sumba is an island in eastern Indonesia. It is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands and is in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. Sumba has an area of 11,059.6 square kilometers, and the population was estimated to be 755,849 in 2015.

Description

There's something truly enchanting about Sumba. With its rugged, undulating savannah and low limestone hills growing maize and rice, it's nothing like Indonesia’s northern volcanic islands. Scattered throughout the countryside are hilltop villages with tall, symbolic grass roofs clustered around megalithic tombs, where nominally Protestant villagers still respect indigenous marapu (spiritual forces) with bloody sacrificial rites.