On an island hopping journey from Flores to Lombok in 2017, we learned about Moyo Island and set out to visit this little island paradise. With little research and no idea what we would find on the other end, the journey to Moyo Island became the highlight of my Indonesia backpacking trip.
For anyone planning to take the 4-day Lombok to Flores boat trip tours, you’ll likely have heard of Moyo Island. It’s usually a day-stop to break up the boat ride, and travelers can visit the local waterfalls or do some snorkeling.
Moyo Island is famous in some circles for its internationally renowned luxury resort, Amanwana, which has hosted the likes of Bill Gates and Mick Jagger. A night in one of its beachfront luxury tents will set you back $700-$1000! It’s also rumored that Princess Diana visited Moyo Island and the famous waterfall just a month before her tragedy. With all of this mystery and promise of adventure, we just had to see the island for ourselves!
Getting to Moyo Island
We started our journey from Lombok after doing the 2-day Mt. Rinjani trek. From Kuta, Lombok, we purchased a ticket to Sumbawa Besar (located on Sumbawa Island) for 250,000rp per person. There are many travel agencies in Kuta where you can buy this ticket. A private car picked us up from Kuta and brought us to Mataram, where we transferred to a coach bus – there were only two other foreigners on the whole bus besides us.
Two hours later we arrived at the harbor of Labuan Lombok. The bus boarded a giant ferry along with trucks and scooters, and we enjoyed some fresh sea air on the steady 2-hour ferry ride to Sumbawa. We got back on the same bus, which followed us on the ferry, and it took another 3 hours to get to Sumbawa Besar. We checked into a shady hotel and walked around the city. Don’t expect the comforts of Bali or Lombok here – there are no restaurants catering to tourists and few accommodation choices. It’s also quite a busy city, with scooters zooming by as you make your way down a narrow and run-down sidewalk. We managed to find some cheap street food, but nothing filling or satisfying.
We had already made a booking for our homestay on Moyo Island – Sunset Bungalows. We gave them a call and the wife of the property helped us arrange a driver to pick us up from our hotel and take us to the harbor to catch the local boat to Moyo Island the next day. You can also get a local taxi from your hotel and ask to be dropped off at Ai Bari Harbor, then ask around for the boat to Moyo Island.
Things get tricky from here – there is only one boat that goes to Moyo Island and that’s a public boat that is very loosely scheduled to leave at 12pm from Ai Bari harbor. We got there at 11:30am just in case, but they were still loading bricks and supplies and waiting for prayers at the mosque finish. While we waited, the kids at the local shop were very curious and kept looking at us and giggling. One man who spoke English was telling us about his life, while the elders looked on suspiciously. We had some nasi campur from the local restaurant. In the end, we didn’t leave the harbor till 2pm!
The boat ride itself was an experience. There are no seats, so everyone sits or sleeps on the wooden, shaded deck. The motor is deafeningly loud, and the seas are choppy. It’s a 2-hour ride, so I would recommend taking motion sickness pills if you’re prone. Some of the locals even brought pillows and blankets to make the ride more comfortable.
The public boat only costs 50,000rph per person, but we met a couple who missed it and had to charter a private boat for 750,000rph between the two of them!
Finally we arrived at the small pier in Aji village of Moyo Island and settled into island time.
Where to Stay
At the time we visited, there were only a handful of newly built accommodations just steps from the pier, and one guesthouse in the village itself. That is, unless you had the means to stay at Amanwana Resort!
We stayed at Sunset Moyo, a bungalow style accommodation hand-built with natural materials and decorated with found and recycled objects. It’s run by Jeff from France and his Indonesian wife. The whole place has exactly the kind of natural vibes you’d want when living on an island – outdoor shower surrounded by papaya trees, waves lapping just steps from the entrance, beanbags to enjoy the sunset, rustic wooden accents, and a comfortable bed with mosquito net.
Don’t expect homely comforts on the island – there is no hot water, and electricity only runs between 6pm-6am. And due to the need to transport most food and beverages from Sumbawa, beer and snacks are a lot pricier.
While some of the other guesthouses may be slightly cheaper, don’t expect Lombok or Bali hostel prices. You are paying a premium to be in a less touristy place after all.
Things to Do
Visit the waterfalls
There are two waterfalls on Moyo Island. Diwu Mbai is the first and smallest. This is the one the Lombok-Flores boat trips stop at for an hour. It’s a short, half hour trek from the pier and there’s a rope swing but it’s not the most spectacular waterfall out there.
The famous waterfall is Mata Tjitu. You’ll see the sign from the pier directing you to go through town, and it’ll take about 2 hours trekking to reach. It’s not a tough hike, but leave early as parts are unshaded and the sun is unforgiving.
Mata Tjitu Waterfall
We had the whole waterfall to ourselves for the first hour, before an Indonesian tour group showed up. Although we heard you weren’t supposed to swim in the first few sections closest to the falls to keep the place clean, the guides seemed to be okay with this as the tourists were happily splashing around under the falls.
Snorkel and Dive
You can rent snorkeling equipment from your guesthouse and explore the reef just steps away! Unfortunately the sea was quite choppy with poor visibility when we were there so we didn’t see much. I hear it’s amazing when conditions are right!
Moyo Island is also famous for a dive site called Angel Reef, which is so huge that the reefs can be seen poking up during low tide.
The owner of Blue emOcean owns his own boat and diving equipment so you can pop over and get a private diving trip. He is highly experienced and certified. We met some Germans who were going on a one-day trip with him the next day, and I wished we had more time on the island to do it as well!
Watch the Sunset
One of the best sunsets of our whole trip was from Moyo Island! In front of Sunset Moyo there is a swing in the water (not unlike the ones you’ll find on the Gilis). If you’re lucky, the sky will be clear and you can see the sun setting right behind Mount Rinjani! We were lucky enough to see this, and it was unlike any sunset I’d ever seen before.
Where to Eat
Our host recommended us a local warung just a few minutes walk from the bungalows. From the beach you walk into the village, and just before the mosque turn right and walk 100 meters. There’s nothing spectacular here, just your basic bakso soup, nasi campur, and some convenience store items. The rice is fresh, the soup hot, and the lady who runs it is super sweet. If you’re there during dinner time, expect to be bombarded by curious locals, playful kids, and some wandering goats.
he second night, our host arranged for us to have a family dinner at Davi Homestay with a few other travelers who had arrived on the island that day. They must have brought out about a dozen dishes from fish to chicken to vegetables. Although more expensive compared to the local warung, it was nice to have homemade dinner with a group of new friends by candlelight.
To leave the island, you can arrange private transport with a local fisherman or take the public boat, which leaves at 8am every morning. If you plan to take the morning boat, get there early! It fills up fast and they may run out of room.
Moyo Island was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Though the island itself is small and there’s not much to do, you get a truly local experience and learn to appreciate the slow hours and quiet details. It feels like what the Gili Islands used to be before they turned into such popular destinations. I feel nostalgic writing this right now and wondering if the island has changed much over the years – if not my tourism, then maybe by climate change. I can only hope the remoteness will help sustain its beauty.
