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Saleh Bay, Sumbawa
Whale Shark Snorkeling, Saleh Bay
1 DaySmall groups
island · Sumbawa
Pulau Kenawa
A tiny uninhabited island off Poto Tano with a 15-minute hike to a 360-degree hilltop.
At a glance
- Entry fee
- Entry to the island is free. Your costs are the boat from Poto Tano and whatever you bring with you. There is no natural fresh water, and warungs open intermittently when the island is busy, so do not count on buying anything.
- Opening hours
- No gate and no hours. Camping is still allowed and remains popular for the sunset and the night sky, with no permit system and no ban in place, though open fires are prohibited.
- Time needed
- Half a day, or overnight if you camp.
About Pulau Kenawa
Kenawa is a small, treeless island of around 13 to 14 hectares just off Poto Tano on Sumbawa's western tip, essentially a grassy hump fringed by white sand and reef. There is no village and no permanent shop, which is precisely the appeal: on a weekday you can have the beach and the hill largely to yourself.
The walk to the top takes fifteen to twenty minutes on a clear path and opens onto a full circle of view over the Alas Strait, the ferries grinding across to Lombok, and the scatter of neighbouring islets. Sources disagree on the hill's height, giving anything from under 50 to around 80 metres, so treat it as a low savanna hill rather than a climb. Snorkelling off the jetty is decent when the water is calm, with coral and fish close in.
Be realistic about facilities, because published accounts contradict each other flatly. One 2026 source says there is no fresh water and no warung. Two others describe gazebos, basic toilets, a small warung, a jetty and a prayer room, with drinking water sold by the jerrycan. The likeliest reading is that there is no natural fresh water and that warungs open intermittently when the island is busy. Plan for the pessimistic version and carry everything in.
Rubbish has been a recurring problem. In October 2025 the Poto Tano village government, the local tourism group and the marine police ran a joint clean up across Poto Tano and Kenawa, and a small number of bins were installed through a university project in 2023. There is no permanent waste collection, so whatever you bring in, you take out.
Getting there
Kenawa sits a short hop from Poto Tano, the main ferry port on Sumbawa's west coast, around 80 to 90 kilometres and two to two and a half hours by road from Sumbawa Besar, or right off the ferry from Lombok. The Kayangan to Poto Tano ferry runs around the clock at roughly hourly intervals, with the adult foot passenger fare still standing at IDR 18,800 as of late 2025, and crossing times variously reported between one and three hours. From a small dock near the port you charter a local wooden boat for the 15 to 20 minute crossing. Prices quoted in 2026 sit at around IDR 250,000 to 300,000 for the return trip per boat carrying up to ten people, not per person, with a multi island run taking in Paserang and Kambing at around IDR 500,000 to 600,000. Agree your pick up time before you are dropped off.
Best time
April to October, the dry season, brings calm seas, clear snorkelling and reliable sunsets. The island is completely exposed, with no trees and no natural shade, so strong sun and wind are a factor in every month. Weekdays are far quieter than weekends, when domestic day trippers and campers arrive and the rubbish situation becomes more obvious.
Good to know
Carry in all your water, food and shade. Sources disagree on whether warungs operate, and the safe assumption is that they do not on the day you visit. There is no natural fresh water on the island and no mains electricity. Camping is still allowed and remains popular for the sunset and the night sky, with no permit system found and no ban in place, though open fires are prohibited. If you camp, bring a tent, water and food, and pack every scrap of rubbish back out. There is no permanent waste collection here despite the clean up drives, and the state of the island depends entirely on visitors doing this. Entry to the island itself is free.
Sumbawa
Things to do at Pulau Kenawa
01
Walk up to the 360-degree hilltop
Fifteen to twenty minutes on a clear path, opening onto a full circle of view over the Alas Strait, the ferries grinding across to Lombok, and the scatter of neighbouring islands.
02
Camp for the sunset and the night sky
Still permitted and still popular. No permit is needed, but open fires are prohibited and you carry in everything including water.
03
Bring your own water and food
There is no natural fresh water on the island and the warungs only open when it is busy.
04
Come between April and October
The dry season brings calm seas, clear snorkelling and reliable sunsets.
Sumbawa
Tours that include this
Good to know
Pulau Kenawa FAQs
How long is the hike up the hill?+
Fifteen to twenty minutes on a clear, fairly easy path. The reward is an unobstructed view over the Alas Strait and the surrounding islands. Sources give the hill's height as anything from under 50 to around 80 metres, so treat it as a low savanna rise rather than a climb.
How much does the boat cost?+
Around IDR 250,000 to 300,000 for a return trip in 2026, quoted per boat for up to ten people rather than per person. A multi island run including Paserang and Kambing runs to about IDR 500,000 to 600,000. Ignore the low per person figures on undated aggregator sites, which appear to confuse the ferry fare.
Can you stay overnight on Kenawa?+
Yes. Camping is still allowed, there is no permit system and no ban, and it is popular for the sunset and night sky. Open fires are prohibited. You will need to bring a tent, water and food, and take all your rubbish away with you.
Are there facilities on the island?+
Accounts conflict. One 2026 source says there is no fresh water and no warung at all, while others describe gazebos, basic toilets, a jetty, a prayer room and a small warung with water sold by the jerrycan. The safe assumption is no fresh water, no electricity and no guaranteed food, so carry everything in.
Is there an entrance fee?+
No. Multiple sources from 2023 through 2026 agree that entry to the island is free, and the cost of a visit is the boat charter. A single undated aggregator claim of a IDR 50,000 fee is not supported anywhere else.
How do I get to Poto Tano?+
From Lombok, take the Kayangan to Poto Tano ferry, which runs around the clock at roughly hourly intervals with an adult foot passenger fare of IDR 18,800 as of late 2025. From Sumbawa Besar it is around 80 to 90 kilometres and two to two and a half hours by road.
Sumbawa
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