The Best Places to Travel With Kids Who Love Nature in Indonesia


Best Places to Travel With Kids: Nature-Filled Retreats – NIHI Sumba

For many families, vacations can quickly become more of the same: crowded pools, packed schedules, and activities that never really pull kids away from their devices. The promise of adventure often fades into routine.

NIHI Sumba offers an entirely different kind of escape. Here, on a remote island in Indonesia, days open with the sound of waves and the sight of wild horses on the sand. Instead of watching the world through a window, children step outside to explore Sumba’s forests, rivers, and a coastline that feels untouched. Nature is everywhere, inviting kids to climb, paddle, ride, and ask questions. Parents find space to breathe, and families reconnect, with each moment shaped by discovery and real adventure. This is a place where children learn from the land, growing more curious and confident with every new experience.

Let’s explore how a stay at NIHI can inspire young explorers, foster quality time, and create stories you’ll remember long after the journey ends.

Why NIHI Is One of the Best Places to Travel With Kids

What sets NIHI apart is the freedom it gives families to shape their own adventures, without the confines of rigid itineraries or kids’ clubs tucked out of sight. Every experience here, from island excursions to time at the stables, is designed for families to join in together or at their own pace.

For parents seeking a moment to recharge, NIHI’s team offers nurturing childcare and engaging programs like the NIHI Wildlings Kids Club, designed to delight young explorers. Children find themselves immersed in play and exploration, while adults are invited to savor their own pursuits, whether that means lingering poolside, joining a yoga class, or retreating to the tranquil sanctuary of Nihioka Spa.

Whether you’re engaging in family time or dropping the kids off for an adventure of their own, your children’s days are guided by curiosity and nature, supported by team members who know how to make the wild safe and welcoming. Accommodations reflect this spirit, with generous spaces that invite both gathering and retreat.

NIHI offers a rare balance between genuine comfort and a sense of wonder that belongs to everyone, at every age.

Family Villas That Bring You Closer to Nature

At NIHI, villas are designed as sanctuaries that engage families with the natural world. Each space balances privacy with the invitation to gather, offering open-air living areas, sweeping views of the sea, and private pools that become a playground of their own. From sunrise to starlight, nature feels just a step away.

For families who dream of waking to birdsong and falling asleep to the sound of waves, NIHI’s villas are a home base for adventure, rest, and shared experience. 

These are a few favorites for families with a love of nature:

Mamole Tree House: This three-level villa is wrapped around a living tree, with bridges and decks threaded through the branches. Children find endless wonder here, exploring from canopy to garden, while parents enjoy moments of peace with the ocean in view.

Puncak: Spacious and elevated, this four-bedroom villa features two plunge pools and a sunken dining area. Its airy living spaces invite everyone to come together after a day outdoors, while separate bedrooms offer comfort and calm.

Raja Mandaka: This beachfront estate offers expansive living for families traveling with older children. It features a lap pool and a waterfall pool, as well as an entertaining area with a ping-pong table. Wide terraces and multiple lounging spaces provide room for both adventure and relaxation, with the coastline stretching beyond.

Each villa is its own world, designed to bring families closer to each other and to Sumba’s untamed beauty.

Wild at Heart: Nature Activities for All Ages

At NIHI Sumba, nature is the classroom, the playground, and the guide. Every guest, young or grown, finds opportunities to interact with the land, learn something new, and create long-lasting stories. Some adventures are designed just for children, while others welcome the whole family into the heart of Sumba. All are immersive, creative, and reflect the spirit of the island.

For Kids (Ages 5–12): The NIHI Wildlings Program

The NIHI Wildlings program is a complimentary, daily experience designed by early childhood experts.  Operating like a school, parents can drop children off at 9 AM and pick them up at 4 PM, giving kids hands-on outdoor adventures while parents enjoy their own experiences.

Children explore Sumba through activities like:

  • Pony care and riding at the Sandalwood Stables
  • Nature walks with magnifying glasses, discovering plants and tiny creatures
  • Chocolate-making classes with locally harvested cacao
  • Dressing in traditional Sumbanese attire for a festive parade, learning local customs and greetings, and joining a Sumbanese dance lesson.
  • Beach treasure hunts along the tide line
  • Nature crafts and story circles beneath the open sky

Each day brings new ways to learn, move, and imagine, always with joy at the center.

For Families Together

The adventure at NIHI is for the whole family. Nature experiences encourage everyone to join in and create memories together. Guests can:

These activities are open-ended and unscripted, allowing each family to shape their own moments of connection.

Family learning Sumba culture - nature travel with kids

Coming Soon: A Second Family-Friendly Destination at NIHI Rote

Opening in 2026, NIHI Rote will invite families to experience a new kind of freedom in Indonesia’s southernmost islands. The setting is spectacular; turquoise waters, untouched white sand, and one of the world’s best surf breaks await. Here, families will have space to roam, swim, and play, surrounded by nature at every turn.

This future retreat promises great adventures in a place few have seen.

Start Your Family’s Nature Journey at NIHI

A journey to NIHI is more than a family getaway. It’s an invitation to a place where children rise each morning full of anticipation, and parents can slow down, breathe deeply, and enjoy the freedom to truly unwind. Families leave carrying something different: a feeling of calm, possibility, and the rare satisfaction of time well spent together.

To begin planning, email [email protected] or contact +62 811-3821-2910.