Tarung Village in West Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province

In East Nusa Tenggara Province, Sumba Island becomes a nice destination especially due to its interesting culture. Well, it is because tourists may find a nice place like Tarung Village to visit. The location is in West Sumba Regency and it is part of the capital, which is Waikabukak City. One thing that makes it unique is none other than the locals’ traditional way of living and their distinct houses! That means tourists are able to witness such kind of unspoiled culture directly and interact with the locals comfortably. It gives them the chance to learn some local traditions during the visit, as well.

The Nuance
Tarung Village is located next to Waikabukak City, after all. That means everyone can get to the site easily once they arrive at the capital of West Sumba Regency. Even though it resides near to the modern civilization, the village remains unaffected by it. No wonder, tourists may see many traditional houses there called “Menara”. There are about 100 of them! Not to mention the village is surrounded by big trees and other lush plants, which make the site comfy and shady. As for villagers, they look friendly and approachable so do not get hesitated to interact with them.

Exploring Tarung Village
One of the reasons for visiting Tarung Village is to watch Menara Traditional House directly. In terms of design, such structure is indeed unique. The most noticeable feature is the levels of the house actually. It consists of 3 levels and each of them functions differently. The first level is meant for livestock like buffalo, pigs, and others. Next, the second level is meant for living or dwelling. As for the third level, the residents use it for storing paddy or as storage. In fact, the storage is able to accommodate about 1 ton of paddy!

It is true tourists are allowed to explore the village and take pictures of any available objects including the traditional house itself. However, it is important to ask permission from villagers before carelessly explore the site. It is because some sites are considered sacred and no strangers are allowed to trespass without the locals’ consent. The truth is that villagers may give sanctions to any violators there!

As for the tip, visitors should come with a local guide for the sake of easy communication and a more efficient direction. Despite the fee, the service is considerably useful for tourists and first-timers for sure. Another important consideration is that visitors should carry some cash in order to pay the donation for the sake of village’s improvement and management.

Nearby Attractions

• Waikelo Dam
• Ngadulara Waterfall
• Lahi Kaninu Dam
• Lapopu Waterfall
• Wora Djawa Village

How to Get There
From the capital of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Kupang City, tourists need to take a flight from El Tari International Airport to Tambolaka Airport of West Sumba Regency. The flight may take about 55 minutes actually. Once arriving at Tambolaka, they can simply head to Waikabukak City and reach Tarung Village right away, which takes about 1 hour and 7 minutes as the distance is 43.1 km. They should make sure to take Raja Yohanes Ngongo Bani Street for a faster trip, though.

Where to Stay

• Manandang Hotel
• Pelita Hotel
• Aloha Hotel
• Karanu Hotel