Hotelupwell.com – Sumatra is the sixth largest island in the world, located in the western region of Indonesia. This island is also a tourist attraction that offers a lot of natural beauty, one of which is Nias Island.
Nias is one of the true gems of the Indonesian archipelago that is still waiting to be fully explored. Being off the beaten path means few buffers and adventurous travelers come here.
Located just north of the equator, Nias Island is 120 kilometers from the mainland, between Simeulue Island to the north and the Mentawai Islands to the south. So this island has beaches with beautiful waves and well-maintained seas.
Nias highlights include a world-class surfing paradise, unique culture, and a coastline dotted with picturesque shores and small paradise islands. Nestled among the green hills in the interior of Nias there are also waterfalls, caves and traditional villages.
Following are 7 destinations highlighted on Nias Island:
1. Lagundri Bay
Lagundri Bay is a horseshoe-shaped bay in the southwest corner of Nias Island. Inside the bay there are world-class surfing waves and the majority of visitors to Nias are surfers.
The wave, known as The Point, Sorake or Lagundri, is usually included in the list of the top ten best waves in the world. Lagundri Beach inside the bay has a surf school staffed by experienced local surfers who are willing and able to help beginners.
2. Asu Island
Asu Island is located at the westernmost tip of Nias Island. It takes a long time to get here, but when you arrive your tiredness will be replaced by a view of a very clear beach with grains of white sand. On Asu Island you can also do various activities such as snorkeling, fishing and of course surfing.
3. Telo Island
Like Nias, Telos was ‘discovered’ and explored by adventurous surfers looking for new waves. For a long time surfers came here on surf rental boats because there was no accommodation.
Another name for Telos used by local residents is 101 islands. Surfing is still the main attraction here, but there are lots of other things to do. On this island there are beautiful coral rocks for your eyes to enjoy by surfing.
4. Gomo Village
Gomo is considered the spiritual and cultural heart of Nias. According to legend, this is where the ancestors of the Nias people descended to earth from heaven.
Many Nias families trace their origins to this region. Research shows that the first Nias settlers to arrive on the island settled on Gomo and spread from there.
Until now visitors can only reach Gomo on foot. Even the journey to Gomo takes several hours and the roads can be difficult.
Gomo is not a special place, but an area where there are many traditional houses and megalithic sites clustered together. The megaliths are very interesting here and are more numerous and more intricate than anywhere else on Nias.
5. Bowomataluo Village
Bawömataluo is the largest and best-preserved traditional village on Nias Island. Sometimes referred to as the King’s Village.
Many researchers agree that Nias traditional houses (Omo Hada) are some of the finest examples of vernacular architecture in Asia. This village is also famous for its stone jumping (Fahombo) which was previously carried out as a ceremonial cultural practice for young people to be accepted by adults as soldiers.
6. Gawu Beach
Who doesn’t know the pink beach? It turns out this is not in Lombok but in Sumatra, aka Nias.
Different from beach tourism in general, Gawu Soyo Beach is famous for its stretch of sand which has an unusual color, namely pink. The combination of pink and blue sea water provides a very beautiful panorama.
This tourist attraction in Nias is also full of legendary stories about a young man named Laowomaru who succeeded in killing a dragon on this beach. It is the blood of the dragon that ultimately gives the sand of this beach its reddish color.
7. Mandarowe Waterfall
Mondrowe waterfall is the highest and most beautiful of the many waterfalls on Nias. The height of this waterfall is around 18 meters and there is a cool lake at the foot of the waterfall.
This waterfall is located in Mondrowe Village, Siduaori District, South Nias Regency. Access to this waterfall location is very easy, because it only takes 2 hours to travel from Gunungsitoli City or 1.5 hours from Teluk Dalam.
The challenge for tourists when they want to visit this Nias waterfall is that the stairs that are 10 meters high with a slope of around 45 degrees must be traversed to be able to enjoy the Mondrowe waterfall.
