For generations, Sumbanese horses have been guided into the ocean — a ritual both practical and poetic. At NIHI, you are invited to honour this tradition.
Ride bareback along Nihiwatu Beach, then together enter the crystal-clear Indian Ocean just in front of the resort. Feel the horse’s calm strength beneath you, the pull of the tide around you.
An encounter you’ll long remember.
Meet your Sumba pony on Nihiwatu® Beach as the tide recedes. Bareback and guided, your horseman leads you gently into the Indian Ocean by the Boathouse — where cool water meets warm light, and both horse and rider find their ease.
DURATION
30 min
NOTES
Weight Limit: 85kg.
Additional fee required for photographer
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.
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.
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.
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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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Our heartfelt thanks to our incredible team for their dedication, passion, and spirit.
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.
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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.
A very special night for NIHI.
We are incredibly proud to celebrate two incredible honours at The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026.
James McBride @bapakjames has been named the 2026 SevenRooms Icon Award winner, recognising more than three decades spent reimagining hospitality and shaping NIHI into what it is today.
And NIHI Sumba has been named No. 35 in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026, once again standing among the very best hotels in the world.
A huge thank you to our incredible team in Sumba, our community, and everyone who has visited, supported and been part of NIHI’s story over the years.
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.
At NIHI’s Ride & Racquet Club, it’s not uncommon to see a few familiar faces wandering past the tennis court as they make their way to the stables. Just another morning at NIHI.
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#nihigram by @alifeiimagined
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