Despite being only an hour’s flight from Bali, the island of Sumba is little visited by tourists and remains blissfully rooted in traditional customs – a wild and rugged place that feels like Bali might have done 100 years ago.
Visit traditional villages like Ratenggaro and Praiyawang to see towering thatch-roof houses, megalithic tombs, local rituals and active weaving traditions.
Trek through pristine jungle to giant tumbling waterfalls or canoe or paddleboard down the winding Wanukaka River, passing riverbank villages and bathing buffalo.
Time your visit to watch the annual Pasola festival in February or March, where bareback horsemen celebrate the start of the planting season by battling each other with hand-carved spears.
Horses are integral to life on Sumba and riding them – perhaps even swimming with them – is a wonderful way to explore the island’s beaches, grasslands, forests and rice paddies.
Sumbanese ikat (woven textiles) is among the best in Indonesia. Observe the ancient art in local villages, support families by buying their products directly or perhaps learn to weave yourself.
Sumba remains somewhat of a mystery. This is a place where buffalo are still traded as currency, where people worship animal spirits and joust annually on horseback. It’s an island of two distinct halves: the east hot, arid and barren, the west mountainous with areas of dense forest and wide-open grassland, with hilltop villages of thatched clan houses clustered around megalithic tombs.
Surfers were the first visitors to camp out on Sumba's spectacular wild beaches, having discovered a mesmerising left-hand break that barrels onto the island’s pristine shores. Today this same stretch of beach is home to one of Indonesia’s most extraordinary eco-resorts, NIHI Sumba. Other hotels have followed in NIHI’s wake, allowing modern-day travellers to experience the island’s culture and traditions for themselves, while also enjoying horse riding, diving, surfing, hiking, paddleboarding, village visits and more.
Set on the enchanting, off-the-beaten-path island of Sumba, Cap Karoso is fringed by coral reefs, sparkling lagoons and quiet villages. Ideally positioned to face the ocean, it offers truly breathtaking views.
Located on the edge of wildness on culturally distinct Sumba Island, NIHI Sumba stretches along two kilometres of dramatically secluded beach. Its 31 villas, each with a private pool, blend natural elegance with distinctive luxury. This is a base for adventure, activity, wellness and reconnecting in a spectacular, remote place.