Lembaga Studi & Pelestarian Budaya Sumba

Sumba


Just 3km west of town, this Catholic-run NGO is in a working coconut plantation and has an excellent cultural museum. It was developed by Fr Robert Ramone, who noticed how, once baptised, Sumbanese frequently break clean from their old culture and develop negative associations with the marapu and other totems. There are displays of old photographs, money, pottery, ikat, stone carvings and more.

The complex also has 10 basic rooms for rent (300,000Rp to 600,000Rp). Sit on one of the private porches and let the quiet envelop you. An ikat museum opened on-site in 2018.