Nihiwatu.Sumba, .Indonesia.Thursday 29th June, 2017.©Jason Childs.Photo Jason Childs.
Widely recognised as one of the world’s finest hotels, the luxury barefoot retreat of NIHI Sumba not only lives up to the hype, it goes one step further: defying every expectation with a pitch-perfect blend of the luxuriant and the down-to-earth, where surf-shack chic is complimented by a warm-as-the-tropics welcome, all set in a spectacularly wild location on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
NIHI Sumba is situated on rugged Sumba, one of Indonesia’s more than 17,500 islands. It is reached by an hour’s flight from Denpasar, Bali, to Tambolaka airport (resort representatives smooth proceedings for guests at both ends), followed by a 90-minute transfer in open-air safari vehicle.
Twice the size of Bali, the island of Sumba remains largely untouched by the tourist trail, and the blissful bolthole of NIHI Sumba enjoys a wonderfully remote, never-want-to-leave location within 567 acres of jungle-swathed coast above Nihiwatu Beach, a private 2.5km-long stretch of golden sand which is home to the legendary Occy’s Left, one of the finest surfing waves in the world.
NIHI Sumba excels in sand-between-the-toes, laid-back luxury. The boutique but unfussy vibe is first noticeable in the somewhat unconventional layout of the property – which is spread out in an easy-breezy fashion along the coastline in what feels a very organic way, with private villas dotted amidst the magnificent grounds that mix the manicured with the purposefully untamed.
After being greeted on arrival with a chorus of ‘welcome!’ by staff, each villa is then assigned its own professional-but-informal butler (or Guest Kapten in NIHI-speak.) They are just a WhatsApp away from attending to your every need, whether it’s arranging a beach picnic, a hot-stone massage or a visit to a local market.
Elsewhere, the service is universally courteous, caring, characterful, smiling, attentive, and almost familial in its warmth. Most of the staff members are local Sumbanese who show great pleasure and pride in being part of the NIHI team (many come from the local Sumba Hospitality Foundation and are given on-the-job training here), and they’re undoubtedly one of the many highlights of a stay here.
NIHI Sumba’s 27 villas come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of which harmoniously blend in with the local landscape and reflect Sumbanese culture and architecture with their grass-thatched, hat-shaped menara roofs and widespread use of traditional handicrafts such as basketwares and ikat textiles. All come with ocean views, four-poster beds and private plunge pools and are set in colourful gardens blooming with red hibiscus, and pink, white and orange bougainvillea.
I stayed in a Kanatar Sumba House, a mansion-sized duplex tastefully designed in earthy tones of cream, honey, oatmeal and burnt orange. At ground level, I particularly loved the outdoor shower in a clearing of tropical greenery, also the well-stocked mini bar with delicious slivers of dried mango and homemade brownies. The upstairs bedroom and terrace were equally impressive, and featured an indulgent outdoor bathtub with IMAX-wide views of the ocean. The Kanatar Sumba House was also particularly beautiful at night, with the outdoor garden spaces gently illuminated to a gentle soundtrack of chattering frogs.
NIHI Sumba has two sand-floored dining areas. The more informal Nio Beach Club is located by the water’s edge and the resort’s lap pool, and serves lunch with the focus on fresh and light (think tasty fish tacos, green papaya salad and poke bowls.) The clifftop Ombak restaurant overlooks the bay and serves breakfast (with great views of the early morning paddle boarders and surfers), as well as dinner.
On the breakfast menu the coffee is – importantly – very good, as is the baked shakshuka with spicy tomato sauce, poached egg, halloumi cheese, labneh, sumac and toasted sourdough. Dinner (accompanied by an acoustic music set), consists of Indonesian and Western-style dishes with fresh fish caught locally, and fruits, vegetables and salad ingredients coming from the resort’s organic garden. The likes of beef rendang and sate campur (mixed sate skewers with peanut sauce), might not be the absolute best you’ll taste on your Indonesian travels, but given the resort’s remoteness, they more than fit the bill, and there’s a very good wine list to boot.
There’s little pressure to do anything but relax at NIHI Sumba, but for those who can bear to peel themselves away from their sun loungers, there is an impressive choice of activities to keep guests occupied. On the water, there is kitesurfing, fishing, snorkelling, jet skiing, paddleboarding and a surf school. On dry land, there are waterfall treks, a yoga pavilion, cooking classes, a chocolate factory with cocoa-making courses, and an equestrian centre that offers bush and beach rides, sea-swimming with horses and a dedicated equine wellness programme guaranteed to fast-track guests to deeper levels of mindfulness and relaxation.
A particular highlight is a trip to the secluded Nihioka Spa, a one-to-two-hour hike or horse ride away, also reachable in a jeep in 15 minutes. Here, guests can choose a selection of indulgent treatments – I plumped for over two hours combining reflexology, a facial, with deep tissue and head massages – all excellent. They are given in open-air bamboo pavilions with glorious views of the crashing surf below. All in all, the spa experience is just one aspect of a superlative stay at NIHI Sumba that leaves you reluctant to leave, and eager to return as soon as humanly possible.
Rooms: from £1,500 per night (including all meals). Minimum 3-night stay.
Website: nihi.com/
Address: Hoba Wawi, Wanokaka, West Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
