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Sumba · Indonesia

NIHI Sumba

Thatched villas, a legendary left-hand wave and horses ridden bareback into the surf

Coastal Villa ★★★★★ Watukarere, Sumba
The setting of NIHI Sumba
Location image, not the property. kallerna / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sumba lies east of Bali and Lombok, well off the usual Indonesian route, and NIHI occupies a long stretch of its southwestern coast. The resort grew out of a surf camp built around Occy's Left, a powerful reef break that is still limited to a small number of surfers a day.

Accommodation is 27 thatched villas, most with private pools, scattered along the beach and up into the hillside. Everything is built in local materials — alang-alang thatch, timber, stone — and there are no televisions in the villas.

The resort's horses are as much a draw as the wave: guests ride them along the sand and into the shallows at dawn. The spa safari, a guided trek to a clifftop treatment site, has become a signature. NIHI also funds a foundation working on health, water and education in the surrounding villages, and guests are encouraged to visit its projects.

At a glance

What to expect

  • Private pool villas
  • Exclusive surf break access
  • Horses and beach riding
  • Clifftop spa safari
  • Yoga and pilates
  • Private butlers
  • Village and foundation visits
  • Beachfront dining