Wild horses running the shoreline at Nihiwatu Beach is not a marketing conceit — it is simply what happens on one of the most remote stretches of coastline in the Indonesian archipelago, where Sumba's semi-feral Sandalwood ponies treat the sand as their own. NIHI Sumba, which Claude and Petra Graves transformed from a surf camp into what Travel + Leisure once ranked the world's best hotel, spreads across 567 acres of southwestern Sumbanese hillside in a loose constellation of thatched villas and pavilions that seem less designed than grown from the landscape. The vernacular architecture draws directly from uma mbatangu, the traditional high-roofed clan houses of Sumba, their steep alang-alang grass thatch and hand-hewn timber columns translating into guest structures without condescension or pastiche. Interiors shift register between categories — some villas deploy raw bamboo rafters, lime-washed walls, and antique ikat panels hung like tapestries against earth-toned plaster, while the more elevated accommodations open their teak-framed bedroom pavilions directly to the Indian Ocean through retractable walls, four-poster beds draped in white muslin catching the sea breeze above sisal rugs and blue-and-white block-print textiles that echo the indigo-dyed fabrics Sumba has produced for centuries. The beach club and sunset bar, furnished in teak with white-cushioned loose-back chairs arranged on sand, make no argument for sophistication — they simply point everything toward the horizon and let the light do the work.

5-night minimum stay requirement; 1hr domestic flight required from Bali (DPS) to Sumba airport (TMC)

NIHI Sumba redefines luxury at the Edge of Wildness™. Three Michelin Keys. Named #1 Hotel in the World by Travel + Leisure readers for two consecutive years. Recognized by The World’s 50 Best Hotels. Set across 270 hectares with 2.5 kilometers of protected beach, it offers privacy, scale, and a rare sense of freedom. Guests have exclusive access to one of the world’s most celebrated left hand waves, a world class equine wellness program, ocean swims with horses, cultural encounters, and curated land and sea adventures across the island. Wellness is central to the journey. The award winning Nihioka Spa and signature Spa Safari™ is considered among the most distinctive spa experiences in the world, rooted in nature and Sumbanese tradition. Through our long standing partnership with The Sumba Foundation, tourism directly supports clean water, healthcare, and education initiatives across the island. Opening April 2026: NIHI Rote. The Edge of Wildness™ continues.