NIHI Sumba
Sumba Island
NIHI Sumba is one of Ampersand's Top 10 Beach Hotels and Top 10 Romantic Retreats.
NIHI Sumba is 567 acres of tropical forest, rice terraces and grasslands wrapped around the stunning two-and-a-half kilometre-long Nihiwatu beach. This world-class beach, often named among the most beautiful in Asia, is protected on both ends by rugged cliffs and headlands, ensuring total exclusivity and an atmosphere of understated luxury.
Tucked discreetly among the trees of this remote island are 27 thatched-roof villas ranging from one to five bedrooms, offering complete solitude in air-conditioned comfort. These expansive bungalows and villas are inspired by traditional Sumbanese architecture and enjoy sweeping balcony panoramas of the beach, the sea and the headlands beyond. Each features its own private pool and serene outdoor spaces, seamlessly blending indoor luxury with the surrounding wild beauty.
A short stroll away, you’ll find the open-air living and dining pavilions and an atmospheric cliff-top bar with views stretching over the Indian Ocean. On the beach below, the jungle spa offers treatments to the sound of crashing waves and nearby, the water sports hut stands ready for days filled with adventure. A stunning swimming pool area, perched above the beach, invites you to surrender to the views.
There is a multitude of wonderful experiences to enjoy at NIHI Sumba. The resort is home to one of the world’s best left-hand break waves, ‘Occy’s Left’, reserved for just ten surfers per day, ensuring a blissfully uncrowded experience. For non-surfers, the resort offers world-class fishing, paddle boarding, snorkelling and unforgettable horseback rides along the beach.
Signature experiences include the Spa Safari, a morning hike through rolling hills, rice fields and local villages to a secluded clifftop retreat where you can enjoy a full day of unlimited treatments, breakfast and utter tranquility. NIHI is also the first resort in the world to offer a dedicated equine therapy programme, blending wellness with the gentle companionship of horses in breathtaking surroundings.
Beyond the indulgence, NIHI offers a deep connection to the culture and community of Sumba. Guests are invited to visit local villages, observe time-honoured rituals and learn about the extraordinary work of the Sumba Foundation, which the resort supports through a range of education, health and clean water initiatives. Sustainability is woven into every aspect of the resort, from its organic gardens to water conservation and recycling systems.
From starlit dining under the palms to sunrise yoga and spa rituals that lull you into timelessness, your stay at NIHI is crafted around your pleasures rather than a set programme. Whether you come to escape, surf, reconnect, or explore, you’ll find that NIHI Sumba doesn’t just promise paradise, it delivers something rarer - a place to return to yourself.
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There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign.
Robert Louis Stevenson