Top 3 Most Visited Tourist Destinations in East Sumba Throughout 2025

At the eastern tip of Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), savanna landscapes, beaches, and waterfalls combine to attract Domestic Tourists and international visitors. Throughout 2025, the three most visited destinations by tourists in East Sumba were Walakiri Beach, the Tanarara Hill range, and Tanggedu Waterfall.

The East Sumba Regency Government recorded total Tourist Visits reaching 41,524 people. In detail, 36,242 were Domestic Tourists and 5,282 were International Tourists. 

Post the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an increase in visits by international tourists, including from the UK, with an average stay duration of three nights. 

This duration gives travelers ample time to explore Sumba's dry landscapes, enjoy the quiet coastlines, and visit traditional villages.

Head of the Tourism and Culture Office (Disparbud) of East Sumba Regency, Marolop Simanjuntak, stated that his office is balancing the increased tourism interest with efforts to preserve the destinations' authentic character.

“We continue to strive to maintain the authenticity and naturalness of our destinations, and most importantly, we are continuously working to improve the quality of human resource development and community-based tourism development,” he said on Monday, 12 January 2026.

Visitor trends also show interesting dynamics. East Sumba Disparbud data recorded tourist visits totaling 16,539 people in 2021, increasing to 46,298 people in 2022. In 2023, visits numbered 38,854 people, then rose again to 41,812 people in 2024.

Beyond these numbers, Marolop emphasized the importance of government commitment and collaboration in building and improving human resource quality, both among the creative community, indigenous communities, and the general public.

The East Sumba Regency Government also continues to encourage collaboration and innovation across government agencies, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations to realize sustainable and environmentally friendly community-based tourism.

“We want to ensure tourism development is safe and friendly for tourists, while also anticipating mass tourism due to the community's readiness not yet being fully uniform. Therefore, we are focusing more on enhancing the quality of the tourist experience,” he said.

In East Sumba, tourism is not just about bringing in more people, but about maintaining balance. (ANTARA)