The Story The story of Nihiwatu is a rare and fascinating tale that began as far back as when Sumba’s ancestors, the ‘marapu’ landed on its secluded beach centuries ago. Whilst beliefs relating to their powers may vary, their spirit has remained a benevolent force, protecting the way of Sumba life and in attracting significant custodians to ensure the spirit and stories of the Sumbanese people – past and present – carry on.
The same Nihiwatu beach attracted Claude and Petra Graves in 1988, who came in search of a perfect wave, and that would lead to their vision to create a resort, taking its namesake, that would preserve and share the breathtaking beauty with those who would truly appreciate it.
Stories of the unregulated freedom and beauty of Nihiwatu reached renowned brand-building American entrepreneur, Christopher Burch, who was told Claude was looking for help to develop the resort and vision further. Chris called on a friend from The Carlyle; South African-born hotelier James McBride, who was President of YTL Hotels in Singapore at that time; to take a visit which resulted in a deep-rooted passion and commitment to help Nihiwatu and help the work of the Foundation.
The Resort Stretching across 560 acres of unspoiled natural land including a two and half-kilometer private beach, this spectacular all-villa resort offers secluded privacy and the ultimate exclusivity.
The 21 villasof exceptional design are built on private terraces with large verandahs that sift through the trees with an impressive use of living space, imbued by natural materials to make the most of the dramatic views.
Guest facilities include the iconic Boathouse, Ombak restaurant, Nio Beach Club, Menara Bale, private dining pavilions and the Beach Spa.
The Experience Nihiwatu offers a rare sense of discovery, where ancient tribal culture and unspoiled natural beauty form a backdrop to a boundless experience of unregulated freedom, understated luxury and unforgettable memories.
From exhilarating experiences including access to privately surf one of the world’s best left-hand break waves, to world-class sport fishing and diving to the purest shores of our 2.5 kilometre private beach, sunset gazing or star-lit dining; each stay is expertly crafted through a personalized approach shaped by pleasure not design.
Location Sumbais located 400km west of Bali, one hour by air from Darwin and is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands. Located on the edge of Sumba, Nihiwatu offers breathtaking landscapes, exquisite sanctuary and reveals an ancient and fascinating culture.
The property consists of 567 acres of land whilst only committing 65 acres to development. The pinnacle of privacy is afforded by the surrounding tropical forest, rice terraces and grasslands, while its stunning two and half kilometres of beachfront are protected by headlands.
Getting Here Sumba is 300km to the East of Bali and an hour by air. For international flights, you will need to travel via Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar. There are regular flights with domestic airlines although most of them depart in the morning, thus an overnight stay in Bali is often required for international travellers.
Nihiwatu organise charter flights for guests that can be booked via our Bali office. The charter flight is every Thursday to Tambolaka Airport in West Sumba.
Nearest Airport: Private airstrip
LeisureVoyage is a joint venture of miniServe and OneVoyage. Through our unique industry relationships, we are able to create a luxury hotel portfolio that encompasses hotels from both Virtuoso and Signature Travel Network, two leading luxury travel consortiums in the world.
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