Hotel of the week: MYAMO Beach Lodge, Sumbawa
Sunday, 05 Jan, 2017
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Travelmole’s Ray Montgomery gets off the beaten path in remote West Sumbawa.
MYAMO Beach Lodge by Private Sanctuary creates quite a first impression. A sleek modern boutique resort numbering just eight rooms, it feels very much like the secret hideaway it really is. This is very much off the beaten path territory on the wild western coast of Sumbawa in central Indonesia. For the uninitiated, Sumbawa lies just east of burgeoning tourist hotspot Lombok, and is predominantly the domain of a small but steady trickle of adventurous surfers seeking the perfect wave. And MYAMO Beach Lodge has a front row seat to one of the very best. Right in front of the resort is Scar Reef, which has gained legendary status for surfers in the know for awesome barrelling waves in the right conditions.
We were there as part of the first group of guests following a major modernisation and rebrand. The main public space has crisp white décor embellished with ocean blue soft furnishings and surf inspired artwork, with the main lobby/restaurant opening out onto a pristine white sandy beach with Lombok’s monumental Mt Rinjani volcano on the horizon. It framed an epic sunset of blazing red and orange hues as darkness fell.
There is a vintage VW combi van parked outside and a distinctive surf culture and lifestyle theme runs throughout the resort, but is much more than a one-dimensional surf-centric haven. It is a cut above in quality compared to the usual low budget surf camps the area seems to specialise in.
Rooms face directly toward the sea or garden, each featuring a subtle difference in layout, including the option of connecting rooms for families. The upper penthouse rooms come with a huge terrace to catch the salty sea breezes and make full use of the dreamy ocean views. Interiors follow a similar visual template to the main building, decorated in white with a splash of vibrant artwork. They also feature high ceilings and interesting hand crafted wooden furnishings in light colours, adding to the feeling of abundant personal space.
The restaurant and lounge functions as the resort’s main social hub and has a distinct beach club vibe with a small al fresco terrace, just steps from the water’s edge. It serves set western and Indonesian breakfast, Iight bites, pasta, pizza and classic regional dishes including beef rending, satay and spicy Ayam Taliwang.
Ocean fresh seafood is a specialty and on our visit, our dinner was being grilled over an open fire just minutes after being plucked out of the ocean.
MYAMO Beach Lodge is still a work in progress. I was told next up is the construction of a swimming pool and BBQ deck on the sandy lawn in front of the beach, while there seems to be acres of vacant land set at the back of the resort for possible future expansion.
For anyone drawn by bright lights and a party vibe, MYAMO Beach Lodge is definitely not the place. Days before our arrival a storm knocked out the resort’s Wi-Fi signal and there is no cellular service here. This is a place to (quite literally) go with the flow and unplug. I must confess I did take a five-mile trip to the nearest village by car purely to send a couple of emails before slipping right back into the chillaxing groove again. Everybody deserves a period of digital detox every once in a while. Despite it being a weekend (with gorgeous sunny tropical weather) there was virtually not a soul to be seen during my frequent walks along the beach over the two days. How’s that for a blissful beach escape?
Aside from the obvious lure of mammoth waves in summer, the resort can organise paddle boarding, kite surfing, kayaking, snorkelling and spear fishing. In the vicinity guests can go biking on hilly trails, play golf or visit hidden, Instagram-worthy waterfalls in nearby Jereweh.
Despite the relatively isolated location, it is a fairly fuss-free journey by fast ferry from East Lombok. Boats arrive at the Sumbawa harbour of Benete, which is a 30-minute scenic drive, winding through the undulating hills. Alternatively flights from Bali and Lombok call at Sumbawa Besar airport, a three-hour drive away.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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