NIHI Sumba

Character and identity

A 50-minute flight from Bali followed by a two-hour jeep ride through Sumba's hillscapes deposits you at what feels less like a resort than a self-contained jungle bubble on the island's southwestern coast. The 28 bamboo-and-teak villas, all with private pools, open-air bathrooms and ikat textiles, range from one-bedroom thatched cottages to multi-bedroom family estates with staffed kitchens. Two sand-floored restaurants (clifftop Ombak and beachfront Nio Beach Club) handle global comfort food, and the half-day Spa Safari, reached via a 90-minute trek to a boulder-strewn bay, is the signature wellness experience. Service is unfussy, delivered by locally trained staff with a personal Kapten per villa.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you're really paying for is the setting and the programming: ponies on the beach at sunset, the Spa Safari, the surf break out front, and a sense of remoteness Bali no longer offers. Book the Mamole Treehouse if you want the headline experience, or a multi-bedroom estate if you're travelling deep with family. Budget for spending everything on-property.