Indonesia | May 6-9 2023 |
Last stop in Sumbawa was Yoyo Beach, a noted surf mecca, a key element of the "Sumbawa is the new Bali" narrative. I had a hiccup getting there though: I first stopped at Maluk Beach, was shocked at how full all the accommodation was (there's a huge open-pit mine nearby, many workers stay in Maluk). I checked into Kiwi Guesthouse - a place"well-flogged", as an Aussie long-time resident later referred to it - and then started to look around a bit, surprised that the town didn't exactly blare "global surf hot-spot". I asked an expat where is a good place to eat and she referred me to Yoyo Beach, so I rode 15 minutes there. Took one look around, realised this was where I wanted to be, found a room at Villa Surga, went back to Kiwi, packed up and left without staying overnight.
I stayed 3-nights at Surga, and gotta say, this guesthouse, and nearby Lisa's Garden restaurant are truly "old-Bali" quality. I didn't attempt to surf, as an Aussie told me "I would be dead immediately". The place is awesome and I can see myself heading back there at some point in future.
Side note: one thing struck me on the road between Yoyo and Maluk - that there were large amounts of garbage dumped on the side of the road. This was a shock after having just spend 2 week in spotless Flores.
Ride: 260 km / 6 hrs ride
Stay: Villa Surga $20 / 4/5
