Moyo
Island, at the mouth of Saleh Bay, has a nature reserve with wild
oxen, deer, wild boars and a great variety bird species. Visits
are best made during the dry season from June through August. A
few kilometers of the north coast of Sumbawa, the national park
island of Moyo Island is probably the most rewarding destination
in Sumbawa, surrounded by beautiful coral reefs and home to wild
pig, monitor lizards, 21 species of bat, huge herds of native deer
and hordes of crab-eating macaques. The best time to visit is in
June and July, though the seas are clear and quiet from April. There
are basic private rooms at the PHPA post at Tanjung Pasir on the
south coast, where most boats from the mainland arrive. Renting
a fishing boat from Tanjung Pasir and going fifteen minutes east
to Stama reeft is very rewarding, with lots of sharks and turtles.
There's nowhere on Moyo to rent masks and snorkels so bring our
own; fins are advisable due to the strong currents.
MOYO
ISLAND
To get to Moyo, take a bemo from beside Seketang
Market in Sumbawa Besar to Air Bari , a small port settlement to
the northeast. From Air Bari, we can charter a boat to Moyo.
Further along Nusa Tenggara to the east of Lombok lies Moyo Island
and its Reserve. A fantastic place to visit and is a place of adventure.
Moyo Island is an attractive island three kilometres
off the north coast of Sumbawa, lying to the east of Lombok. Two
thirds of Pulau Moyo is actually a game reserve. The central plateau
with its grassy savannah land and intermittent forested areas is
ideal for Deer as well as the feral cattle released there.
The coastline has some beautiful beaches of fine
coral sand and not the black volcanic sand like we find on a lot
of islands in the archipelago. There are beautiful coral reefs,
which make it excellent for scuba diving or just snorkeling. The
reef at the southern end of the island is probably the best of all.
There are a few inhabitants on the island and this
consists of around 21 villages concentrated in the northern end.
From Moyo there are splendid views of Mount Tambora (2,821m) to
the east, the highest mountain in Sumbawa, which erupted quite violently
in 1815 but now has amazingly beautiful forests on its western slopes.
Tambora can be climbed from the side in three days
and is well worth a visit. It has an enormous crater and within,
a two-colored lake. From the crater there are also spectacular views
over Saleh Bay and the rest of Sumbawa to the east, and to the west,
Moyo Island to Lombok and Mount Rinjani.
The wildlife on the reserve has adapted to the
fairly dry habitat and these include Deer, feral cattle, and numerous
birds such as Orioles, Sunbirds, Coequals, Koels and Drongos. Of
course there are several species of shore birds along the coastline.
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