Laiwangi Wanggameti

Laiwangi Wanggameti National Park protects 47,014 hectares of tropical dry forest and savanna on Sumba Island in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The park encompasses two separate blocks - Laiwangi in the east and Wanggameti in the west - protecting representative examples of Sumba's unique ecosystems. This landscape of rolling hills covered with deciduous forest transitions to grassland during the pronounced dry season, creating dramatic seasonal changes in vegetation. The park harbors exceptional endemic biodiversity, with numerous bird species found nowhere else on Earth including the critically endangered Sumba hornbill and several endemic parrot species. Mammals include the endemic Sumba flying fox and Sumba tree boa. The forest-savanna mosaic reflects both natural dynamics and centuries of human influence including traditional burning practices. Waterfalls including the scenic Lapopu Falls attract visitors during the wet season when rivers flow strongly.