Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park, Sumba: visitor guide

Dawn on the edge of the forest south of Waikabubak. The grassland is silver with dew, the trees ahead are still dark, and the first sounds are birds: the harsh call of cockatoos, the whoosh of a hornbill's wings as it crosses a valley, a chorus of smaller voices you cannot name. Somewhere below, a river runs through limestone towards the sea. This is one of the last places where you can still see what much of Sumba looked like before the forests were cleared for grazing and fields.

What the park is and why go

Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park was established in 1998 to protect the largest remaining block of lowland forest on Sumba, on steep slopes that rise from near sea level to roughly 600-900 m. Its official size differs between sources: Wikipedia gives about 88,000 ha, while Indonesian reporting gives about 50,000 ha for Manupeu Tanah Daru and about 92,000 ha for the combined Matalawa park (Manupeu Tanah Daru plus Laiwangi Wanggameti in East Sumba). Either way, it is a large and largely roadless area across West and Central Sumba.

The park is above all a bird reserve. Sumba has several endemic species, among them the Sumba hornbill (julang sumba), the Sumba yellow-crested cockatoo, the Sumba green pigeon, the Sumba flycatcher, the Sumba cicadabird and the apricot-breasted sunbird. The hornbill and the cockatoo are the park's two priority endangered species. Matalawa has recorded more than 150 bird species, along with long-tailed macaques, Timor deer and dozens of butterfly species. For most travellers, though, the park means waterfalls: Lapopu and Matayangu.

How to get there

• From Tambolaka airport (TMC): about 42 km to Waikabubak (roughly 1 hour), then 16-25 km more to the Lapopu or Matayangu entrances (about 40 minutes to 1.5 hours).
• From Waingapu (WGP): about 130-150 km, realistically 3.5-5 hours by car via Waibakul and Waikabubak.
• Inside the park: there are few roads. Access is via the waterfall entrances, villages on the park edge, and a birdwatching area near the main road; a car with a driver who knows the area is the practical choice.

When to go and the best time of day

The dry season, roughly May to October, brings safer trails, clearer water at the waterfalls and easier driving. Some local operators recommend roughly March-June and October-December for the greenest forest and birding, and September has been highlighted for seeing hornbills. Whatever the month, go early: birds are most active from first light until about 9 am, and the forest is cooler. Afternoons in the rainy season (roughly December-March) often bring storms that make trails slippery.

Tips and etiquette

• Fees: pay at the ranger post of each site and ask for a ticket. At Lapopu foreigners have paid around IDR 150,000 per person in recent years (roughly EUR 8 or USD 9), Indonesians much less; fees change.
• Guides: hire a local or park guide for any walk beyond the waterfall paths, and a specialist guide for birding. Bring binoculars.
• Gear: shoes with grip, long trousers, insect repellent, leech socks in the wet season, at least 1.5 litres of water per person.
• Respect: many springs, caves and waterfalls are sacred Marapu sites. Ask before entering caves or photographing ritual places, keep noise down and take all rubbish out.
• Do not feed macaques or buy wild birds: the cockatoo trade is one of the reasons the species is endangered.

Nearby

• Waikabubak town, the gateway and the best base for the park.
• Tarung village and Praijing village for Marapu culture.
• Laiwangi Wanggameti National Park, the eastern half of Matalawa, in East Sumba.