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Sumba Foundation

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The Sumba Foundation® is constantly evolving to meet the current and future needs of the Sumbanese people.

We invite you to discover what The Sumba Foundation is doing across the island.

A stay at NIHI® Sumba combines the ultimate in luxury comforts with the opportunity to authentically immerse oneself in the island’s magnificently preserved, ancient tribal culture. The spirit of Sumba imbibes a plethora of vibrant, local traditions and rituals, which embody the rich symphony of local daily life.

Group of young Sumbanese schoolchildren dressed in crisp white shirts and red uniforms, standing barefoot and in sandals on a rural path at sunrise, symbolizing the Sumba Foundation’s impact on education access in remote communities.
Joyful group of Sumbanese school children smiling and waving outside their classroom, capturing the vibrant spirit and educational impact of initiatives by the Sumba Foundation and Burch Family Foundation
Local Sumbanese man herding a group of buffalo along a sunlit jungle path, symbolizing traditional livelihoods and rural life supported by the Sumba Foundation’s community-focused initiatives.
A smiling schoolgirl in uniform enjoys her meal inside a classroom in Sumba, reflecting the educational and nutritional impact of the Sumba Foundation’s outreach programs.
Three young Sumbanese boys in school uniforms enjoying a midday meal from colorful lunchboxes, seated against a bright blue classroom wall—part of the school nourishment initiatives by the Sumba Foundation, Burch Family Foundation and NIHI Sumba.
A healthcare worker in scrubs and a face mask examines samples under a microscope at a Sumba Foundation clinic, highlighting the foundation’s ongoing efforts in malaria prevention and community health at NIHI Sumba.

Overview

During the development of Nihiwatu (1988 – 1994), our pioneering founders Claude and Petra Graves lived much the same as the villagers around them did, without running water, electricity, or clinics to go to if they were sick.

These setbacks inspired them to explore solutions for the core issues similarly affecting their neighbors: poor health, no access to water, widespread malaria and malnutrition, minimal education and no medical facilities within a day’s walk.

The philanthropic vehicle they would use to fulfill the needs of the community was their resort Nihiwatu and so they began involving guests in community efforts near the resort.

The Sumba Foundation® is constantly evolving to meet the current and future needs of the Sumbanese people.

They have built a solid foundation of better health and basic education for the community, and have evolved to tackle more of what is needed; even better education, new skills training, and creating employment and small-scale business opportunities for future generations.

The Sumba Foundation® is a small but highly effective organization that is fully committed to helping the people of Sumba prosper, and with our help, they will.

Access to potable water and establishing community-based wells and water stations.

Health Care, including but not limited to malaria control, transmission reduction and eradication, eye care, midwife assistance, and general health consultation.
Nutrition projects for infants and school lunches for primary school students to improve their diets including a health and hygiene curriculum.

Local economic opportunity projects in sustainable farming.
Learning Development, helping to provide English language skills and computer technology to the next generation

Get in touch

For reservations or more information, please contact our

Travel Designers

E. [email protected]
W. +62 811 3821 2910

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The kind of place that belongs on a bucket list. A journey worth travelling across the world for, and a dream you never quite want to wake up from.

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Open post by nihi with ID 18092781047652825
NIHI is a place that feels almost like a dream, surrounded by the raw beauty of the island, untouched nature, wild beaches and a culture that remains deeply rooted in tradition.Days are spent watching horses along the shoreline, taking in dramatic landscapes and looking out across the Indian Ocean from the privacy of your own villa.The kind of place that belongs on a bucket list. A journey worth travelling across the world for, and a dream you never quite want to wake up from.

Discover polo, the NIHI way. For a limited time, join Sebastian, a professional Argentinian polo player and coach, for an introduction to the game.

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Discover polo, the NIHI way. For a limited time, join Sebastian, a professional Argentinian polo player and coach, for an introduction to the game.Whether you’re trying polo for the first time or looking to refine your swing, balance and horsemanship, Sebastian will guide you with the ocean as your backdrop.Weight restrictions apply.

Some mornings feel as though they belong to another world.

Move with @nihi and @wearetpp to the sound of the ocean, looking out over Nihiwatu Beach as NIHI’s horses gallop along the shore.

Reformer Pilates, in a setting almost too beautiful to be real.

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Some mornings feel as though they belong to another world.Move with @nihi and @wearetpp to the sound of the ocean, looking out over Nihiwatu Beach as NIHI’s horses gallop along the shore.Reformer Pilates, in a setting almost too beautiful to be real.

Today, we bid a heartfelt farewell to one of our original Sumba sea horses, Hanna.

Hanna was our very first healing horse, the one who showed us the way. She spent her days at Nihioka Spa Safari, living peacefully beneath the palm trees and grazing on the hillside.

Through her gentle nature and intuitive energy, she brought comfort, connection and healing to so many. She touched the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her. Today, her herd honoured her in the water with a final farewell.

Her spirit will forever run free along the shores of Nihiwatu Beach. Thank you, Hanna, for the healing, love and cherished memories. You will always be a treasured part of the NIHI herd.

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Today, we bid a heartfelt farewell to one of our original Sumba sea horses, Hanna.Hanna was our very first healing horse, the one who showed us the way. She spent her days at Nihioka Spa Safari, living peacefully beneath the palm trees and grazing on the hillside.Through her gentle nature and intuitive energy, she brought comfort, connection and healing to so many. She touched the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her. Today, her herd honoured her in the water with a final farewell.Her spirit will forever run free along the shores of Nihiwatu Beach. Thank you, Hanna, for the healing, love and cherished memories. You will always be a treasured part of the NIHI herd.

Start your day with a friendly game of tennis at NIHI’s new Ride & Racquet Club. Listen to the sound of the ocean as you play, while horses wander freely past the court, a morning that could only happen at NIHI Sumba.

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Open post by nihi with ID 17941383156093343
Start your day with a friendly game of tennis at NIHI’s new Ride & Racquet Club. Listen to the sound of the ocean as you play, while horses wander freely past the court, a morning that could only happen at NIHI Sumba.

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We are proud to be one of only three hotels in Indonesia to receive this prestigious accolade.
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Open post by nihi with ID 18115447600772480
We are deeply honoured to share that NIHI Sumba has been awarded the prestigious Michelin Three Keys for the second year in a row, recognising NIHI as an extraordinary trip of a lifetime stay, the ultimate in comfort, service, style, and elegance..We are proud to be one of only three hotels in Indonesia to receive this prestigious accolade..Our heartfelt thanks to our incredible team for their dedication, passion, and spirit.

No, this is not AI. This is NIHI.

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Across the island, local Sumbanese people bring their horses to the sea to bathe and swim. At NIHI, our horses also enter the ocean daily, swimming or simply standing in the shallows as the cool water washes over them.

One of the comments we receive most often is that these scenes must be AI. But no, everything you see on this page is real, authentic and unmistakably Sumba.
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Open post by nihi with ID 18010406015970045
No, this is not AI. This is NIHI.Here, horses are at the heart of the culture, carrying generations of tradition, ceremony and an enduring sense of freedom.Across the island, local Sumbanese people bring their horses to the sea to bathe and swim. At NIHI, our horses also enter the ocean daily, swimming or simply standing in the shallows as the cool water washes over them.One of the comments we receive most often is that these scenes must be AI. But no, everything you see on this page is real, authentic and unmistakably Sumba..

Arrive at NIHI by helicopter, just 17 minutes from Tambolaka Airport. Take in the beauty of Sumba from the air and see the island from an entirely new perspective. Soar above rugged coastlines, rolling savannahs and untouched landscapes on the way to NIHI.

To explore even further, private helicopter tours and picnics in some of the island’s most remote and beautiful locations can also be arranged on request.

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Arrive at NIHI by helicopter, just 17 minutes from Tambolaka Airport. Take in the beauty of Sumba from the air and see the island from an entirely new perspective. Soar above rugged coastlines, rolling savannahs and untouched landscapes on the way to NIHI.To explore even further, private helicopter tours and picnics in some of the island’s most remote and beautiful locations can also be arranged on request.

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Open post by nihi with ID 17946292254331244
Reformer Pilates has arrived at @nihi with The Pilates Project.Move to the sound of the ocean, overlooking Nihiwatu Beach as NIHI’s horses gallop along the shore. A morning that feels almost too magical to be real.Probably the most beautiful place in the world for Reformer Pilates.

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