The emerging popularity of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) as a global tourist destination and the province’s wealth of natural attractions have focused attention on the potential for geotourism.
NTB geologists, including former provincial Mining and Energy head Heriyadi Rahmat, conducted an intensive study of Sumbawa’s beautiful Moyo island to create an inventory of geological features around which a geotourism industry could be developed.
“The primary purpose was to identify natural features and geological components of Moyo island that could be used as flagship attractions in saleable geotourism packages for Sumbawa regency,” said Heriyadi Rahmat of the 2005-2006 study.
According to NTB regulation 9 of 1989, the Moyo Island area is one of six tourism districts of the island of Sumbawa. The fairytale island itself covers 30,000 hectares and is 27 kilometres long and 20 kilometres wide with 88 kilometres of coastline.
In its west and north, Moyo overlooks the Flores Sea. The island’s east overlooks Saleh Bay while the south looks to Sumbawa island. Much of the island is protected from the Flores Sea by Saleh Bay whose narrow entrance ensures calm waters.
“From the results of our studies, attractions on Moyo that could form the basis for geotourism development include Mata Jitu waterfall, Air Manis cave and Tanjung Pasir cave,” said Heriyadi, who said Brang Rea waterfall also was a potential attraction.
To protect Moyo’s natural environment, the Forestry Ministry ruled in 1986 that 28,460 hectares of the island would be designated as either game park or marine park. The game park covers 22,460 hectares and the marine park covers 6000 hectares, said Heriyadi.
Landsat imagery had revealed that the Mata Jitu falls were formed by structural faults. An unusual pattern of structural faults and crushed rock on the island’s eastern coast had created strangely contrasting waterway forms – Brang Koa was straight and Arung Santek crooked. Another waterway, the Sterna, was straight.
At Air Manis and Kelelawar caves, limestone dissolution has created stalactites on the cave walls. The caves were once large holes in the face of the limestone cliffs created by sea abrasion. Then, in the Pleistocene-late Pleistocene era, tectonic processes lifted Moyo island, shifting the caves well above sea level.
Air Manis cave is about 10 metres above sea level in a limestone (ancient coral) cliff. The horizontal mouth of the cave covers about 20 metres. “A drop of water is very little, so the stalactites formed here are still only a few centimetres long,” Heriyadi explains in a report.
At Tanjung Pasir cave, visitors will find a sinkhole with depths of two to five metres. Tiny stalactites have formed in the cave.
Heriyadi has called for the preservation of Moyo’s geotourism attractions which were rare and some unique. Of intense interest to geology specialists, they also were very useful to the studies of geology students, he said.
He recommended Moyo island be designated a geological conservation area to preserve its environments, including flora and fauna, which were beneficial to human life.
With its 88 kilometres of coast, Moyo island is ideal for the development of marine tourism activities such as snorkelling, diving and surfing. The island is home to the international Amanwana resort.
source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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