Making the most of Kodi Sumba
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Because cruise vessels cannot dock here, passengers are carried ashore by tender close to Bondokodi.
Bring the available printable map.
Sumba island has an area of 11,150 square km and a population of around 350,000.
Sumba is renowned for sandalwood, horses, imposing megalithic tombs, characteristic hand-woven textile known as "ikat", and beautiful unspoilt beaches.
Nearby places
Passengers disembark at Waigapu, Sumba's largest town. Prailiu village, an Ikat-weaving centre, is 3 km away, while Kwandu village and its megalith tombs are 10 km distant.
Food and shopping
Eating with the hand rather than forks or spoons is common in Indonesia. Use four fingers to shape a small rice ball, dip it into sauce and push it into your mouth with the thumb. Etiquette requires using only the right hand because the left is used for cleaning in the bathroom. Do not place either hand into shared serving dishes; instead, serve yourself with utensils held in the left hand before eating. Wash thoroughly before and afterwards. Hand-eating is frowned upon in some circumstances...
Money
ATMs are common in Indonesia's major cities.
Use credit cards carefully because fraud and cloning are significant Indonesian problems. Mastercard and Visa are accepted widely, whereas American Express may be difficult to use. Small businesses commonly add a 2-5% surcharge over the cash price.
Staying connected
Indonesia's only official language is Indonesian, or Bahasa Indonesia.
Internet prices differ considerably and quality often reflects the amount paid, but around Rp 5,000 per hour is usual. In large cities, selected shopping centres, McDonald's restaurants and Starbucks cafés provide free hotspots, as do some hotel lobbies.
The emergency number for mobile phones is 112.