Welcome to the less known but most spectacular landscapes of Indonesia at Sumbawa and Lombok islands. This photography tour is devoted to the highlights of these 2 stunningly beautiful islands – from mighty Rinjani volcano to whale sharks and dancing trees of Sumbawa. A lot of waterfalls, donut volcanoes in the sea and even practising the seascape photography and use of filters in-fileds – this tour has the most concentration of spectacular Indonesia landscape. And all this in comfort of beautiful and comfortable hotels just at seaside or in the volcanic mountains, with all the transfers by speed boats, private cars and almost no hiking! During this trip you will also learn why princess Diana, David Beckham or Nicolas Cage enjoyed Sumbawa so much during their visit to Moyo island.
We will explore for entire week with the following itinerary.
Day 1, 14 March
Arrival to Sumbawa Besar airport on any flight before 2 p.m. (usually only morning flights around 9-10 am via Lombok are available). Our drivers will pick you up and transfer to our hotel (just 20 min transfer). You can relax after your flight to Indonesia. Lunch is also included. We photograph Ai Lemak beach beautiful trees at sunset.
In the evening after sunset we have dinner together with delicious seafood. Just after the dinner we can do night photography as there is almost no light pollution in Sumbawa!
Day 2
Today will start very early around 2 am as we head out on speed boat to reach Satonda island by sunrise! We can snorkel and also photograph birds there on this remote island so less visited than other spots in Indonesia. The main shot is from a drone here but even without it you can enjoy birds and short walk to the lake in the middle of the island.
Just after Satonda visit we head 1h to Moyo island to visit hidden paradise – Mata Jitu waterfall. Here you will surely understand why princess Diana, David Beckham, Nicolas Cage and many other celebrities visited and enjoyed this place so much. It is a true hidden paradise where you can find many angles for photography and just enjoy swimming in a place all for yourself. Lunch in a little paradise on the shore of Moyo island.
We return to Sumbawa by speed boat and enjoy sunset at Labu Sawo beach with many beautiful mangrove trees around.
Day 3
Today we start early as well because we drive to meet with whale sharks! 3 am we head out 2 hours to Saleh bay and take a boat to find local fishermen station. Usually whale sharks come there as locals feed them with small fish, it is considered to be a luck for fishing. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are ocean creatures that can grow up to 11 tons and have a length of around 12 meters. These animals reach maturity when they are about 30 years old and can live to be about 60 to 100 years of age! Though considered as the largest species of sharks, whale sharks feed off of plankton and are gentle creatures. They are very gentle and seemingly even have no teeth! 🙂
You can take photos from drone, from the boat and also snorkel with whale sharks! You can take water cover or even gopro or iphone in the water. Whale sharks swim close to the water surface so no special diving equipment needed. Just snorkel and enjoy the gentle creatures.
After this adventure we head back (waters are very calm as it is a bay) to hotel, sleep relax and visit Ai Beling waterfall at sunset.
Day 4
Just before sunrise we take a drive and then a short 15-20 min boat ride to a little island called Kenawa. This island looks like a little lost paradise. It is amazing both from the air and from the ground. With fluffy bushes forming amazing foreground. We meet sunrise, first rays of light here on Kenawa island.
After sunrise we visit Bungin island for seafood brunch and street or aerial photography.
Next destination is Lombok island. We take the ferry (2h) Sumbawa-Lombok and aim to get by sunset (depends on the ferry) to Sembalun area overlooking mighty Rinjani volcano and colorful fields patches.
Day 5
Wake up to a wonderful sunrise over colorful fields and green textured mountains of Rinjani area – Sembalun ridge. We will take the easily accessible spot with a wonderful panoramic views. Just after sunrise have a breakfast with a view and head to Tiu Kelep waterfall, the iconic waterfall located 1 h from Sembalun area. The walk to the waterfall is very easy 15-20 min on a paved path, just don’t forget rain cover for your camera. It is very powerful waterfall! Heading couple of hours to settle down at South Lombok – Kuta area, area with modern hotels and well known surf spots. But we will be mostly interested in seascape photography next few days.
Day 6
At sunrise we do seascape photography – at one of easy accessible spots: Semeti, Malimbu, Telawas, Awang beaches. We choose according to tide and weather conditions.
Just after sunset have a wonderful breakfast and head over to Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu Waterfalls – another gems of Lombok. A green wall of plants from which cascading falls go down, it feels like in a Jurassic park here!
Sunset at the sea at one of mentioned above locations.
Photos by my friends and talented photographers Chandra Chung and Gary Bhaztara.
Day 7, 21 March
Another try for Semeti, Malimbu, Telawas, or Awang beaches – we visit one of this places to practise long exposures with filters and shoot the motion of the water! After the breakfast packing and departure from Lombok airport at 2 p.m. 6 March
Pricing:
Total price: 4500 USD per person twin share
Single supplement: 750 USD
Maximum Number of Participants: 10
Difficulty: easy
Tour includes:
- Accommodation double/twin rooms sharing (singles available upon request with single supplement),
- all meals (three per day) and non-alchohol drinks,
- all transportation during the tour, including ferry
- Speed boat to Moyo, Satonda, Kenawa islands
- Tour for whale sharks
- entrance fees and all local taxes
Not included in the price:
– Airfare
– Visas (if applicable)
– Single supplement
What to bring
Gear:
– DSLR camera with tripod and remote shutter release
– A wide angle lens. For example, Nikkor 14-24 or Canon 17-40. Best lens for use in wide-angle scenes or architecture photography
– A middle-zoom lens such as a 24-70 mm
– A telephoto zoom lens, such as a 70-200 mm. Be sure to have additional tripod mount to this lens.
– Set of filters for seascape photography: ND 3, 6, 10 stop and CPL filters
Tour leaders
Daniel Kordan
Landscape and travel photographer based in Bali, Indonesia. Partner with Iceland photo tours, instagram @Danielkordan with 1.8 Million followers, Nikon and Gitzo ambassador.
