Nihiwatu – An unparalleled resort experience
updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:58
Sumba’s intimate and secluded island retreat relaunches this month…
If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and transport yourself to an island getaway that’s nearby, isn’t a typical option and certainly won’t be nearly as crowded? Then you can put all your fussing away because Nihiwatu offers you all that, seclusion, peace and a whole lot more.
Located 400km West of Bali, on the island of Sumba in Eastern Indonesia, Nihiwatu resort is a tranquil island escape like no other. Upon being regaled by stories about Nihiwatu’s pristine beauty and its ‘heart and soul’, American brand-building entrepreneur Chris Burch and South-African-born hotelier James McBride, who are long-time friends, came together to acquire the hotel in 2012. Renovations and restorations took place for about two years and this July, Nihiwatu reopens, with an entire plethora of new things to offer its visitors.
The ideal location for surfing, sport-fishing, bird-watching, hiking through stunning nature trails and waterfalls and paddle-boarding, the vastness of Sumba’s natural beauty is truly astounding. Nihiwatu pays homage to Sumba’s flora, fauna and heritage by preserving its unique culture as well as empowering the local communities to fend for themselves and support their families through what the original owners created – The Sumba Foundation, which are a philanthropic vehicle dedicated to fostering successful community-based projects for the past fifteen years. According to Chris Burch, “Our investment in Nihiwatu goes beyond tourism – it’s just as much about community investment and how both can symbiotically co-exist to great mutual benefit. We’re excited about evolving Nihiwatu into one of the best resorts in the world, where preservation and sustainability are intrinsic and celebrated.”
Apart from its luxurious accommodation options and world-class facilities, this eco-resort of sorts, set within 580 acres of land, has been left entirely in its wild natural state.
The new and improved Nihiwatu has a thing or two to offer every kind of visitor that decides to make the island resort his or her home for a few days. Food enthusiasts can look forward to eating out on the magnificent terrace, flanked by majestic coconut trees, swaying in the breeze, as they breathe in the ocean air and enjoy fantastic food and drinks at the Wavefront Restaurant and Bar Lounge. For a cabana-style setting, one can feel fancy but fancy-free whilst enjoying some lobster and champagne at Nio Beach Bar and sinking their feet into the soft sand. The food’s rave reviews can be owed to none other than New Executive Chef Bernard Prim, who leads the culinary team responsible for creating the delectable meals.
For the sporty, outdoorsy holidayer, the Boathouse is the ideal place to spend the day at. Home to Healey Water Operations, ‘Big Wave Surf Champion’, Mark Healey and his team of specialist watermen add to the resorts’ exclusivity by offering the adventurous the chance to learn private surfing, scuba-diving, free diving, sustainable spear-fishing, deep-sea fishing, stand-up paddle boarding and private charters, to name a few activities. In addition to water activities, Nihiwatu invites Visiting Gurus to share their field of expertise – whether it’s surfing, hiking, spear-fishing or art.
In addition to all these amazing facilities, Nihiwatu will be adding nine new villas to the existing twelve villas in the Estates this July & September 2014. All the villas are hand-built by local craftsmen with indigenous Indonesian materials like alang alang, teak and rattan, to keep with the authenticity. The villas, that overlook the Indian Ocean, also feature private pools and open-air, open-plan living to reflect the beauty and simplicity of Sumbanese architecture, whilst highlighting the important role of nature. The other stunning villas visitors can look forward to are the Marangga Wave Front Villas, two-storey Kanatar Sumba House, Lulu Amahu Villas for families and the Lamba Wave Front Villas which offer panoramic views of the Indian Ocean.
Another truly unique facet of the resort is its upcoming Tree House Jungle Spa, which we can look forward to in April 2015, and features a spa set admist wooden walkways through sacred sweet spring waters and megalithic rocks. The rooms are nest-inspired and through the spa experience, visitors will be implored to invite soulful reflection and rejuvenation, through the interaction with mind and nature and their bodies.
The five-bedroom Mendaka Villa and forest-inspired three-bedroom Mamole Villa will also be launched in 2015.
So if you still haven’t booked tickets to that dream island getaway and you feel convinced you’ve found the right destination, why wait?
Diya-Maya Tsering Bhalla
