Satonda Island in Sumbawa

No many people have heard of Satonda Island or Pulau Satonda, lying off the northern coast of the island of Sumbawa, close to Moyo Island (Pulau Moyo). Satonda Island was formed by a volcanic eruption on the seafloor at a depth of 1000 meters and thrust upwards some millions of years ago. This charming island is located in the Flores Sea and is administratively part of the Nangamiro Village area, in the district of Dompu, in the province of West Nusa Tenggara.

The volcanic island of Satonda looks especially stunning when viewed from the top of Mount Tambora, which is located approximately 30 kilometers from Satonda Island. Reportedly Satonda is more popular among foreign tourists who make it a sort of stopping point when visiting the Komodo National Park from Bali or Lombok. They usually come to see and experience first-hand the stunning white sand, and crystal clear waters for snorkeling.

In addition to the diverse tourist crowd, beginning with the exotic, natural volcanic mountains and beautiful salt water lake in the crater, Satonda also stores a wealth of coral reefs in the surrounding waters, in the living corals surrounding this island are also many species of ornamental, exotic fish and other sea creatures. Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricate) is also often seen swimming and foraging among the Satonda coral reefs.