The Edge of Wildness — Nihi Sumba Resort, Indonesia

The Edge of Wildness — Nihi Sumba — Indonesia’s Nihi Sumba Resort at the Edge of the World

Nihi Sumba’s nickname is The Edge of Wildness. The name comes from its location at the far edge of Sumba, an island about an hour’s flight from Bali. Sumba is more than twice the size of Bali, but unlike lush Bali, with its forests, mountains, and rice paddies, it is a rugged, arid island with a savanna climate. Even from Sumba’s Tambolaka Airport, it takes another hour and a half by private car to reach Nihi Sumba Resort.
Travel + Leisure named Nihi Sumba Resort the “Best Hotel in the World” in 2016, 2017, and 2019, and publications such as the Telegraph and Condé Nast Traveler have been equally generous with their praise.
Yet have you ever heard the name “Nihi Sumba” in an advertisement or on a TV program? What makes the title of “world’s best” all the more remarkable is that Nihi Sumba has never partnered with, or been managed by, a global hotel chain. It rose to the top with its own little-known brand, run on a philosophy of sustainability and coexistence.

Words Park Jaea blog.naver.com/daisyparkkorea
Photos Nihi Sumba nihi.com

A Journey Rooted in Care and Connection
A journey that begins with sincerity and sympathy

It is hard to sum up in a sentence or two why Nihi Sumba is the best resort in the world. Eco-friendly facilities, devoted service, overwhelming scenery… and that is not all. Nihi Sumba has a philosophy that other luxury resorts lack.

Your connection with Nihi Sumba begins two weeks before departure. Your butler sends an email with meticulous details on your arrival and departure routes, things to enjoy at the resort, and points to keep in mind. When you land at the airport, a staff member who has been waiting for you guides you onto an open safari vehicle. In effect, your trip begins with a kind of mini tour of Sumba, with the island’s distinctive landscape rolling past. After about an hour and a half on the road, you arrive at Nihiwatu Beach, a vast 2.5-kilometer stretch of coastline. Past the homelands of the Sumba people, who live in a harsh environment, and the parched grasslands where not a drop of rain has fallen for months, you come upon this breathtaking sight, and everyone in the vehicle bursts into cheers.

A Journey That Changes Lives
Life-changing journey

Of the roughly 18,000 islands that make up Indonesia, Sumba is among the poorest, with the lowest Human Development Index (HDI). Nihi Sumba Resort began as an unremarkable three-star lodging of just three villas, started by a local notable in West Sumba. Then the “irrational investment” of Christopher Burch, an American businessman and fashion industry giant, brought irreversible change to the island.

Nihi Sumba, the Sumba government, and the Sumba Foundation have joined hands to pursue talent development and tourism development at the same time. Their first question is how children born in this region can receive a proper education, get good nutrition, and escape disease and poverty.

The Sumba Foundation runs its programs solely on donations from the public, and it separated its finances from the start to keep them transparent. Because Nihi Sumba covers the foundation’s administrative and operating costs, every donation goes entirely to helping the local community. The foundation currently has more than 80 projects underway, with a focus on clean water supply, malaria eradication, and education. Children who are educated and raised healthy by the Sumba Foundation will grow into capable adults who save their families and villages and help others in turn. About 90 percent of the staff at Nihi Sumba are locals educated by the Sumba Foundation.

The Sustainability of Nihi Sumba
Sustainability of Nihi Sumba

“How does my trip affect the planet I live on, the environment and people of the place I visit, and me?” Nihi Sumba offers the right answer to that question. To put it a little grandly, it feels as if the future of sustainable travel, which humanity should strive for, is already unfolding here. Yet the resort does not present itself as all earnest purpose. Sustainability is a given, and it also considers how to add luxury on top. Guests stay in just 27 accommodations and enjoy complete privacy. A rich variety of activities creates unforgettable experiences. Be sure to try these two activities that only Nihi Sumba can offer: the “safari spa,” a two-hour treatment to the sound of waves crashing against vast cliffs, and “swim with horse,” in which you ride a horse into the sea and feel nature up close.