NIHI SUMBA
UNSCRIPTED. WILDLY ICONIC.
NIHI doesn’t arrive gently. She appears. One moment you are winding past roadside markets in small Sumbanese villages and through the mountains, and the next she opens up before you — an endless sweeping view of untouched coastline, bursts of bougainvillea, and the wild ocean colliding with the lush palm forest. Tropical, dramatic and just a touch majestic — the kind of reveal that takes your breath before you even realise you’ve stopped talking. Part magic, part stunning location, part clever design — entirely unforgettable.
The boathouse is where the spell truly settles over you. Live music drifting on the breeze, cold drinks materialising with suspiciously perfect timing, and that effortless barefoot energy that instantly loosens your shoulders. It’s social in the best possible way — a tribe of travellers who were strangers an hour ago and best friends by sunset. And just when you think the vibe can’t get any better, the NIHI horses thunder down the shoreline at golden hour — a goosebump moment you’ll replay for years.
Sumba itself feels like the island that time left behind. The locals live much as they have for generations — grounded, gentle and joyful. And not joyful because ‘tourism pays off’, but joyful because that’s simply who they are. Your arm genuinely gets sore from waving to the kids as you make your way from the airport, tiny hands shooting up with pure excitement, not expectation. There’s an innocence and warmth that wraps around you from the moment you arrive.
The villas, ranging from one to four bedrooms, are beautifully designed — soulful hideaways, each with their own personality and space to breathe. Private, calming, and perfectly positioned into the hillside - you settle in fast. The NIHI passage is its own kind of adventure — book a one bedroom villa and instead of settling into a single villa for your entire stay, you might find yourself moving through a collection of NIHI’s most character-filled villas, each with its own rhythm, view, and personality. Think of it as a curated journey rather than a “room category”: a chance to see, feel, and live different sides of the island in a way most guests never do.
And here’s the clever part — every transition is seamless. While you’re off riding horses at sunrise, floating in the ocean, or lingering over lunch, your things are quietly mirrored into your next villa. No fuss, no disruption, no awkward half-packed suitcase in the corner. Just a new space revealed when you return, perfectly prepared, as if it had always been yours. Your Guest Kapten orchestrates it all with the kind of ease that makes you feel both looked after and deliciously free.
Sometimes that journey means sharing a larger estate with another couple — private suites but with shared pools and lounges, the best kind of modern-day “house party.” At most resorts, this setup would feel… risky. At NIHI, it somehow becomes part of the magic. You end up meeting the kind of like-minded travellers who feel almost pre-selected for you — the “friends you haven’t met yet”. Conversations unfold naturally, stories swapped over a drink poolside, and by the end of the stay, you’ve collected memories and new people! It’s magic of a very human kind. It’s living, connecting, and discovering in a way that feels organic and unforced. A little bit luxurious, a little bit serendipitous, and entirely NIHI.
The experiences at NIHI are what set it apart. Known as the ‘Edge of Wilderness’ for a reason, it’s entirely possible you’ll come across a local farmer on your sunrise horseride, herding his water buffalo into the ocean for their morning swim - a casual reminder that life here moves to its own rhythm, as it’s always done - unscripted, wild, raw.
Swimming with horses is one of NIHI’s signature experiences and really is one of those ‘is this really happening?!?!’ moments —riding bareback in the ocean as they swim, neck-deep and weightless, is something I didn’t even know I needed to do, but it now lives firmly in my core-memory hall of fame.
The Spa Safari is it’s own brand of magic. You can hike through the fields and jungle, or bounce along in one of the NIHI open air jeeps to NIHIOKA— a clifftop sanctuary that silences a room. A half-day here includes a long lunch and three treatments of your choice —indulgent yet grounded in a way that feels almost spiritual.
My personal highlight? The Equine Connection Massage with the beautiful Hannah. It’s all about energy — your calm meeting her calm. If you’re lucky, these gentle souls will wander close, breathing beside you, offering a moment so wild, spiritual and unexpected that you can’t actually believe you’re having a full-blown soul moment with a horse. As you do.
These are the moments that make you appreciate the raw wilderness that still exists out there — just an hour’s flight from the mayhem of Bali, yet an entire world away from it.
For surfers, The Boathouse is command central. With only a limited number of surfers allowed each day, the waves stay blissfully uncrowded — one of the world’s most iconic left-handers practically all to yourself. Beginners fresh from lessons and seasoned surfers mingle easily, the day’s wins are celebrated at sunset at Occy’s Left bar, where a ‘legend of the day’ is crowned as the sun melts into the sea.
What also makes NIHI extraordinary is the heart behind it — the work the resort does with the Sumba Foundation and the Burch family’s long-standing commitment to the island and those who call it home. Each week, guests are welcomed to an intimate evening dinner, showcasing community projects in health, clean water, education and nutrition. It’s inspiring, humbling, and a beautiful reminder that luxury and purpose can live side by side.
One of only 143 hotels on the planet to be awarded 3 Michelin Keys in 2025 — and a member of Leading Hotels of the World — NIHI carries that signature blend of character, creativity, and independent spirit, wrapped in jungle-by-the-sea magic. Raw and refined, wild yet warm, luxurious with bucket loads of soul. It’s the kind of place that becomes a beautiful problem — because, somehow you''ll be planning trip number two before your plane even takes off.
If NIHI is calling your name (and trust me, she tends to) — the magic, the energy, the horses, the surf, the sunsets… all of it is waiting.
Let’s start planning your NIHI story ✨
