Mata Jitu waterfall from a liveaboard: how the visit works

By Sumbawa Liveaboard Editorial Desk

Sourced figures: prices in the table are published by the operators and guides named, with source and check month. They are not our offers, and they change. Nothing here is legal or medical advice.

To visit Mata Jitu from a liveaboard, you go ashore on Moyo, then, by one local operator's account, take a motorbike taxi from Labuan Aji and walk about five minutes to the pools. The Langkah says it flows strongest at the end of the rains, in April and May. A listing that names Moyo may not mean the waterfall, so confirm the stop in writing.

Where is Mata Jitu?

Mata Jitu is on Moyo, an island off the north coast of Sumbawa with an area of 349 square kilometres according to Wikipedia. The island has two administrative villages: Labuhan Aji in the south and Sebotok in the north. Wikipedia puts the waterfall about 4 km from Labuhan Aji and links it to a royal visit.

A note on spelling, because it will trip you up in messages. Wikipedia writes Labuhan Aji and The Langkah, a local operator, writes Labuan Aji. Those look like the same village, and you may see either on a day plan.

Wikipedia's map reference, about 8.250 S, 117.567 E, is for the island and not the waterfall, so do not expect it to guide you to the pools. Moyo sits within the Moyo Satonda National Park designation, which matters for the fee question below.

How do you get there from the boat or village?

The Langkah describes the last leg clearly, and the earlier part depends on where your boat stops. Expect something like this:

1. Boat to landing. The crew take you ashore by tender. Ask which landing they use. The route described here starts at Labuan Aji, in the south of the island. If your boat anchors off Sebotok in the north, the 4 km figure no longer applies.
2. Motorbike taxi. The Langkah says guests ride from Labuan Aji by motorbike taxi. The price table on this page shows the round-trip fare that the operator reports.
3. Short walk. The same operator gives about five minutes on foot from the end of the ride.
4. Pools. It describes multiple natural pools at the falls. Ask your guide on the day whether swimming is allowed.

Some practical points follow from a motorbike ride and a walk. Komodo Resort suggests hiking shoes for Moyo, so pack something better than deck sandals. If a motorbike ride bothers you, say so before you book, and ask whether there is any other way up. Check your insurance too: some policies treat motorbikes differently, and the wording is yours to read.

Moyo itself holds more than the falls: Wikipedia lists long-tail macaques, wild bovines, wild pigs, deer and 21 bat species on the island, so ask whether the guide knows the path and what you might meet on it.

Four questions tell you whether a boat has really planned this stop:

• How long are guests ashore at Moyo, in hours?
• Who arranges the motorbikes, and are there enough for the whole group at once?
• Is a crew member or guide with you the entire way?
• What happens if the sea makes the landing awkward that morning?

Travellers not on a liveaboard reach the island differently. The Langkah says public boats leave from Muara Kali near Sumbawa Besar airport on an unreliable schedule, tending to depart only when enough passengers are aboard. That is not a dependable way to meet a boat, so do not plan a connection around it.

When does it flow strongest?

The Langkah says at the end of the rainy season, April to May. That timing sits right after the published rainy months. The table below shows what can be said and who says it.

Those rain figures are for the town of Sumbawa Besar on the main island, not Moyo itself, so read them as a guide to the season and nothing finer. The practical point is that many liveaboard departures named on this site fall in the dry months. A waterfall stop in August may show less water than the photographs suggest. If the falls are a main reason for your trip, ask the crew what the pools looked like on their most recent visit, and aim for a trip nearer to April or May if the dates allow.

Is there a fee?

Two charges come up, and both are reported by The Langkah. The first is national park entry, which the operator says follows standard Indonesian national park rates and is collected at the entrance post. The second is the motorbike taxi fare. The price table on this page shows each one. Treat these as one operator's report.

Sources differ on how the park fee reaches the collector. The Langkah describes a charge taken at the entrance post, while La Galigo says marine park and conservation fees are usually paid onboard and handled by the operator. Both may be true in different situations. So ask your seller three things: whether park entry is in your fare, whether it is paid to the crew or at a post, and whether the motorbike fare is covered or is cash on the day. If it is cash, bring it ashore with you: Komodo Resort advises carrying cash for remote areas.

Which routes include the waterfall?

Green Rinjani's itinerary says so directly. Several others name Moyo and leave the waterfall to you to ask about.

Coralia's sample describes Moyo by its reefs, so a diver can visit the island without setting foot ashore. If you want both, say so early, because a land visit may take the place of a dive. The Moyo liveaboard guide sets out what else the island offers, and our Moyo and Satonda comparison helps if you have time for only one.

What do guests ask about Mata Jitu?

How far is Mata Jitu from the village?

About 4 km from Labuhan Aji, according to Wikipedia. The Langkah adds a motorbike taxi ride and then about a five-minute walk.

Does every liveaboard that stops at Moyo visit the waterfall?

No. Some listings describe Moyo through its reefs or simply name the island. Ask whether Mata Jitu itself is on your departure, and how long guests stay ashore.

Will the waterfall be flowing in August?

Probably less strongly, if The Langkah is right: it puts the strongest flow in April and May, and August falls in the dry season. No measured flow record has turned up.

Is there a separate ticket for the waterfall?

None that we have found. The two charges reported by The Langkah are national park entry and the motorbike taxi, and your seller should confirm whether either one is in your fare.

Which sources support this page?

• Wikipedia: Moyo Island
• The Langkah: Moyo Island guide
• Komodo Resort: Sumbawa liveaboard page
• Climates to Travel: Sumbawa
• La Galigo: Sumbawa liveaboard cost guide
• Green Rinjani: Komodo to Lombok, 4 days
• Sumbawa Tour: 4-day, 3-night liveaboard programme
• Coralia: Komodo-Sumbawa sample itinerary (PDF)

How do I reach the desk?

If the waterfall matters to your trip, say so in your first message, with your dates and whether anyone in your group would rather not ride a motorbike. The desk can answer that, and only a written offer settles it. WhatsApp +62 811-3941-4563 or email bd@juaraholding.com.