Weekuri Lagoon

Weekuri is on the far west coast of Sumba, a lagoon of clear turquoise water separated from the Indian Ocean by a wall of raised coral rock: waves break on the outer side and wash over and through the barrier, so the lagoon is salt, refreshed by every set, and calm enough to swim in while the ocean pounds a few metres away. A wooden walkway runs round part of it and there are platforms to jump from. The colour comes from the white sand floor and the depth. The surrounding country is dry savanna - west Sumba is much drier than the tourist image of Indonesia - and the road out is rough. Sumba as a whole holds Marapu, an indigenous religion still practised, and the megalithic tombs that go with it stand in villages nearby.

What's there

• A wave-fed salt lagoon - refreshed over a raised coral barrier by the ocean.
• Turquoise over white sand - the colour the lagoon is known for.
• A walkway and jump platforms - the built access round part of the water.
• Dry savanna country - west Sumba's landscape, not tropical rainforest.

When to go

May to October; midday sun for the colour. Half a day.

Practical notes

The road in is rough and slow. There is little shade and it is very hot. Facilities are minimal. The ocean side of the barrier is dangerous - stay in the lagoon.

Nearby

Ratenggaro and the Kodi megalithic villages are close; Tambolaka is north-east.