Waimarang Waterfall, Sumba: the turquoise pool in the forest

The path drops steeply from the car park into the trees, the heat of the savanna giving way to shade, birdsong and the smell of damp earth. You cross a stream, scramble down the last rocks, and then the forest opens around a pool so blue it looks lit from below. A thin curtain of water slides down a limestone wall into it. Walls of pale rock and hanging roots close the pool in on three sides, and the only sounds are falling water and the splash of someone jumping in.

Waimarang is small, but it is one of the most beautiful swimming spots in East Sumba, and a perfect break on a day of villages in the south-east.

What it is and why go

Air Terjun Waimarang is a modest waterfall feeding a wide natural pool of clear turquoise water, surrounded by limestone walls and forest. It is not tall or powerful. The colour and the setting are the reason to come. There is a ledge on one side and a smaller pool beside the main one. It sits in Tamburi village, Rindi district, in the hills inland from the south-east coast.

Part of the magic is the contrast. The drive there crosses golden, open meadows where cattle, pigs and goats wander, especially in the dry months around August and September, and then the path drops into a pocket of green forest that stays cool and shaded. Allow at least an hour or two at the pool; most people swim, rest on the rocks and picnic before facing the climb back.

How to get there

From Waingapu, take the coastal road south-east towards Melolo, then head inland on the road towards Kananggar; the waterfall turn-off is roughly 10 km inland, with about 3 km more on a rough side road to the car park. The main road is smooth, but the last stretch is bumpy. Sources put the drive at about 90 minutes to 2 hours.

• The walk: from the car park it is roughly 1 km, about 20-45 minutes, with a descent of around 150 m on narrow paths and a stream crossing near the end. The climb back up is the hard part.
• From Waingapu airport (WGP): about 1.5-2 hours.
• From Tambolaka (TMC): about 4-5 hours to Waingapu first; visit from an East Sumba base.

When to go and best time of day

• Time of day: arrive early in the morning. The pool is calmest and the light through the trees is softest, and you beat the groups.
• Day of week: avoid weekends and holidays if you can.
• Season: the dry season (roughly May-November in the east) usually gives the clearest water and easier roads. After heavy rain the water can turn cloudy and the path slippery.

Tips and etiquette

• Fees: a 2020 report gave free entry with parking around IDR 10,000 for cars and IDR 5,000 for motorbikes; amounts may have changed, so carry small notes.
• Bring: water, food, a change of clothes and shoes or sandals with grip. There are no changing rooms at the pool, only simple ones by the car park.
• Swimming safety: check the depth before jumping and do not dive into unknown water.
• Respect: the falls are on village land. Keep noise down, ask before photographing people and take all your rubbish back up the hill.
• Fitness: the descent is short but steep, and the return climb in the heat is tiring. Take it slowly.

Nearby

• Rende, the royal village with megalithic tombs south of Melolo.
• Pau, the weaving village of the Melolo river delta.
• Laiwangi Wanggameti National Park, further inland via Kananggar.

See more in our guide to beaches, lagoons and waterfalls.