Nihi Sumba Island

NIHI Sumba is definitely a unique destination. It is tucked away in the south of Sumba island, a one hour away by plane from Denpasar. Once landed on the island, the resorts picked us up for a 1.5 hour car ride to the hotel. The resort guaranteed us a very smooth and easy transfer. The environnement is breathtaking, with incredibly blue waters. It is very organic and feels quite wild, from the fierce ocean waves crashing into the sand to the famous NIHI horses walking on the beach. The villa is lovely, the view on the sea is beautiful and we were able to perfectly witness the sunset. It was a shame that during our stay the direct access to the beach from our villa was under maintenance. We chose the villa for this feature and were sort of disappointed. The bathroom was quite large and comfortable. One of the resort’s strengths is the effort put into the planned activities. Over the 5 days stay, I haven’t left a single time the resort and haven’t felt even a little bit bored. Each day the resort has planned events for the guests. The most memorable one was the horses race on the beach at sunset with the nearby village kids. The staff also released baby turtles into the ocean at the same time. Food options are a little bit more restricted, with one restaurant opened at a time, although the menu is quite varied. Buffet nights happen on Saturdays; we also enjoyed a barbecue evening. Breakfast was quite enjoyable and healthy. I especially loved the banana pancakes. Service was very kind, attentive and friendly. We had two butlers attending us during the whole stay, they were very nice and helpful . The resort spa is located 15mins away by car (or 2 hours away through a trail). The property feels quite lush, you get to walk up to the spa lobby by crossing rice fields. However, the treatment quality varies from therapist to therapist. You can also ask for spa massages in-villa - this time the therapist that I had was absolutely wonderful. Overall a very wonderful stay. The experience was very unique, I left with a lot of memories.

Our captains were Debbie and Ayu, they were absolutely incredible!! We loved all the different dinners and events, especially the final night with the children singing. It blew us away how integrated with the community Nihi is, we can’t imagine staying at a resort from now on that doesn’t give back the way this place does!! Visiting the Sumba Foundation and feeding the children was every bit as much a highlight as the luxurious Spa Safari. Just an absolute trip of a lifetime from top to bottom!! 🙌🏻❤️🫶🏼

This was one of the best hotel experiences we’ve ever had! We came here for 4 days for our honeymoon and felt fully taken care of by Upi, Putri and the entire NIHI staff. The surf was incredible and good, drinks and massages were even better! Will definitely be coming back as soon as we can.

Nihi is an amazing place and sits in a beautiful area of Sumba. The resort is definitely easy on the eye. The views are amazing as well as the sunsets. The service from the time we arrived at Bali airport to the time we arrived at Nihi was incredible. We were met at the airport, our luggage taken care of and we were guided through and escorted to plane. When we landed in Sumba we were met at arrival, escorted to a lounge then taken by open car to Nihi. Our luggage met us in our villa. on arrival at Nihi we were give a beautiful lunch and a quick massage before heading to our stunning villa. We’ve never encountered service of this calibre. A little overwhelming but we enjoyed it. Our villa was incredible, the gardens, the view, the pool just fantastic. The service from Putri and Doris our Kaptains was first class nothing was too hard for them. A few communication issues but easily sorted. The food was good, plenty of it and delicious. We did encounter several issues with items on the menu not being available. Personally I find it unprofessional to have items listed on menu and told after you’ve ordered that it’s not available, happened to us 4 times. We raised this with management post our visit just as feed back and they’ve said they will address it. The property is located on a remote beach and famous surf break. The waves can get big and the currents can be dangerous. Not a safe swimming destination. If you’re a good surfer you’re in luck, Nihi is home to Occys Left a great surf break, a bit above my level but I gave it a crack. They manage the break and have guides to assist and a jet ski tow out / in service. They can set you up with a board and even offer lessons. The reef is dangerous as I got smashed up pretty good a few times and got a few cuts. Caught a few good waves though so I’m very happy I gave it a go. They have a foundation there to assist the local community, it’s a great cause. They do a foundation dinner, that my wife and I felt was a bit off putting. It felt like it was a select group of people and we just didn’t feel comfortable. We ended up leaving early and chose to eat most of our dinners in our villa via room service. We did celebrate an anniversary there and the staff were amazing. Lots of steps to negotiate but it is on a cliff, so buyer beware. The horses running on the beach is a highlight, definitely a must do. For the price you pay It’s not hassle free and it has a few flaws but the pros outweigh the cons. Nihi is a great destination and well worth the effort.

We stayed at NIHI Sumba from September 5–9 and had such a wonderful and memorable experience. From the stunning surroundings to the incredible activities, delicious food, and warm hospitality, everything made our stay truly special. A special thank you to our housekeeping team — Ayu, Indah, and Simson — who took such great care of us throughout the entire stay. Their service was thoughtful, attentive, and always delivered with so much warmth. They also helped arrange our daily itineraries, and even when there were changes along the way, they coordinated everything smoothly and efficiently. We really appreciated how flexible and accommodating they were. We loved all the activities we participated in. Visiting the Sumba Foundation was especially meaningful and gave us a deeper understanding of the local community. The sunset horse riding was another unforgettable highlight, and the Spa Safari was such an unexpected and unique experience. By the end of the trip, we felt completely recharged and refreshed. The dining was also fantastic. We had amazing dinners at Ombak and NIO, and the food was consistently delicious. Every staff member we met was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and genuinely made us feel well taken care of. Overall, NIHI Sumba was the perfect combination of adventure, relaxation, great food, and exceptional service. Thank you to the entire team for making our stay so memorable.