VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The beauty of Indonesian nature becomes benchmark for domestic and foreign tourists to explore it.  Indonesia has a lot of small islands that are unknown by tourists. One of them is Bungin Island in Sumbawa regency. The island is located at 70 kilometers to the West of Sumbawa Besar district. Bungin island can be accessed by speedboat. Village of Bungin Island is mentioned as the most populous in the world. This small island is occupied by Bajo tribe that comes from South Sulawesi. There is almost no empty land of the island. Every year, the island continues to get wider because there is reclamation to accommodate the newly married family. Averagely, there are 100 new houses every year on this island. The island which has 8.5 hectares wide is occupied by around 3,400 people. Most of the Bungin people are descent of Bajo tribe, South Sulawesi. They are well-known as sea nomads and skillful divers. Since baby, Bungin children have been introduced to maritime through Toyah ceremony. In Toyah ritual, a baby is seated on 7 women’s thigh alternately by swinging. The swing is alluded as sea to be faced by the child when he/she grows up and becomes a sailor. The origin of Bajo tribe to occupy the island is when the first settlement was pioneered by Palema Mayu, a son of six children of King Selayar at the19th century. According to folk story, Palema Mayo came to Sumbawa before Mt. Tambora erupted in 1812. At that time, Bungin island which has white sand was still empty and only overgrown by mangroves. Although the island is relatively small, there are 2 piers at the West and South of the island. Alas- Bungin as crossover is quite crowded. 8 Jonson boats cross Bungin-Alas since morning until night. Because of its uniqueness, Bungin Island becomes one of tourism objects of Sumbawa regency.