​​Inside NIHI Sumba, Where You’ll Find Barefoot Luxury On an Island Far, Far Away

Stay Here For

An ultra-private but gloriously untamed sanctuary, when Bali’s started to feel too tame.

One of the most spectacular luxury resorts on the planet started not with a search for the perfect place to stay, but for the perfect wave. After combing Indonesia’s coastline, American surfer Claude Graves and his wife, Petra, stumbled upon Sumba’s remote Nihiwatu Beach in the late ’80s. Here, on the southwestern fringe of Sumba, they pitched up a humble surf lodge.

The resort, now called NIHI Sumba, has evolved since then. The thatched-roof villas, which fan out across the hills that cradle the beach, all have private pools and butlers, called kaptens. But you can still spot sandalwood ponies galloping through the waves at sunrise and aimlessly stroll through lush gardens exploding with frangipani and bougainvillea. Not a single other building lines the 1.5-mile beach, which gives the whole place a private-island vibe.

And for all the extravagant trappings, the freewheeling spirit of the Graveses’ original ramshackle beach camp still lives on. A wooden sign at the resort’s gates reads, “Welcome to the Edge of Wildness.” Here, in this barefoot-luxe bubble, guests can let down their hair in nothing but flip-flops and designer bathing suits while still having every whim and fancy fulfilled. It’s like checking in to an alternate reality—one where you really can have it all.

You can bob along on a surfboard at Occy’s Left—one of Asia’s most coveted wave breaks—as your partner looks on from beneath a candy-colored umbrella by the pool and your kids frolic on the beach. Or you might join a seasoned pro on a spearfishing trip before taking a deep dive into New Age wellness (think: underwater meditation). At sunset, everyone gathers for the Happiest Hour, a daily get-together with free-flowing Bintang beers and wine, likely hatching plans with newfound friends to all return at the same time next summer.

For now, NIHI is the only resort of its kind—a time capsule on a virtually untouched beach. But with its second property opening in early 2026 on an isolated corner of Rote Island in West Timor, the fledgling brand hopes to replicate the blueprint of its singularity across Indonesia and, in the years to come, beyond.

The Essentials

The Location

Cradled between jungle and ocean, the resort sits on the southwestern fringe of still-wild Sumba, less than a two-hour flight from Bali’s tourist throngs. 

NIHI Sumba’s remote location means you’re not likely venturing out on your own. Your kapten can arrange jeep tours to nearby waterfalls and highland villages, but Sumba’s postcard sights, like the crystalline Waikuri Lagoon and otherworldly mangrove trees of Walakiri Beach, are a full day trip away (and therefore rarely recommended). Still, getting here is easy: Singapore Airlines, for example, offers convenient connecting flights, via Singapore to Bali, from multiple U.S. cities.

The Room

NIHI’s 28 villas vary in size and are scattered across the jungled hillside. There’s a villa to match every travel style, too: snug one-bedroom cottages and a breezy three-bedroom compound emulating plush tree houses. They all come with private pools and lots of outdoor space, but each gives a different interpretation of NIHI’s style. Some give Sumba’s trademark ikat tapestries and teakwood furnishings a sleek, midcentury modern spin, while others riff on the island’s ancient crafts tradition with hand-carved wooden pillars, tribal basketry and roofs woven from alang-alang grass.

The single-story Lulu Amahu one-bedroom villa, which has a separate living room that can transform into a kids’ bedroom, is a great option for families with younger children, while honeymooners will appreciate the dreamy bathtubs and privacy of a Marangga Villa (your kapten can cover the cliffside bale with a mosquito net, so you can sleep under a star-spangled sky).

The Bars and Restaurants 

Two toes-in-the-sand restaurants, Ombak and Nio Beach Club, pair everything from wood-fired pizzas to family-style Sumbanese meals with tip-top wine lists, while Kaboku, the elegant omakase sushi counter, sits low to the ground, so diners can view the beach at eye-level.

The Standout Feature 

Need a stronger dose of rest and relaxation? Your property credit can be applied to most spa treatments offered by the resort.

The Spa Safari is NIHI Sumba’s showpiece for good reason. Bookable as a half-day, full-day or overnight adventure, your trip kicks off with a two-hour hike through Sumba’s undulating rice fields and past grazing water buffalo. Upon arrival at Nihioka Beach, a private cove some three miles east of the main resort, you’re welcomed with either breakfast or lunch and cold coconuts, after which you can choose as many herbal body wraps, sea-salt face scrubs and reflexology rubdowns as you can fit within the duration of your visit.

The Time to Go

If you’re a surfer, book now for a trip in July or August, when Occy’s Left sees swells of up to 12 feet. If you’re here for more leisurely pursuits, plot a trip during the dry season, from May to October.

The Vibe

Hop on one of NIHI’s sandalwood ponies and gallop through the surf of the Indian Ocean.

What’s everyone wearing? The best part about NIHI Sumba’s dress code is that there isn’t one. Pack your favorite sun-bleached tees and let loose with mussed-up, salt-frizzled hair.

The table to book: Reserve The Nest—a circular table teetering over the edge of Ombak’s wooden deck—for a front-row view of the horses roaming the beach at sunset.

The surprising wellness fix that works wonders: The Equine Connection session at the Sandalwood Stables, which involves breathwork exercises, grooming and learning to lead one of NIHI Sumba’s horses.

Everything Else