Kenawa Island

Kenawa is a small uninhabited island a short boat ride off Poto Tano at the western end of Sumbawa, where the ferries from Lombok arrive, and it is almost entirely open grassland with a single conical hill in the middle, a fringe of white sand and reef offshore. The hill takes fifteen minutes to climb and gives a full circle over the strait, the other islets and back to Lombok and Rinjani, which is what people come for - at sunset and sunrise particularly. There are no facilities beyond a jetty and some shelters, so visiting means either a few hours from a boat or camping overnight with everything carried in, which is the common arrangement among Indonesian travellers. Rubbish left by campers is a recurring problem and clean-ups are organised periodically.

Highlights

• An open grass island - almost no trees, one conical hill in the middle.
• A fifteen-minute climb - the summit view over the strait to Rinjani.
• Camping with everything carried - no facilities beyond a jetty and shelters.
• Reef and white sand - the fringe around the grassland.

When to go

May to September; sunrise and sunset are the point. A day, or camping overnight.

Things to know

There is no water, no shade and no shop - carry everything, and carry rubbish out. It is exposed and very hot in the middle of the day. Boats are negotiated at Poto Tano.

Nearby

Poto Tano is the harbour; the Lombok ferry crosses from here.

Key facts