Located in Nusa Tengera, Sumba stands as one of the last pristine undeveloped islands in the Indonesia Archipelago. Its raw natural beauty and magnificent coastline is a perfect backdrop for the unique culture that permeates the island and makes Sumba one of the most fascinating places to visit in Indonesia. After a long search across the island, Nihiwatu’s founders chose the beach at God’s Left because it was one of the most extraordinary, untouched places that they have ever encountered and its remote location would allow for a truly private experience. The original hotel was built on the hillside with dramatic views of the world class wave, God’s Left. Twenty years later, the hotel has gone through an extensive renovation that transformed this small boutique surf retreat into a one-of-a kind luxury travel experience with exquisite villas, unsurpassed service and an island setting that is entirely unique.

In all of our travels, we have not found a location that rivals this one for beauty and quality of experience.

Nihiwatu resort has a very diverse collections of villas to choose from. From couples to families to large groups, these villas have all been thoughtfully and carefully planned to offer privacy, luxury and a sense of tropical escape. With over fifteen years at this resort,  we know which villas offer the most romantic setting and which villas are best suited to families with children under ten who want the best pool to swim in. We know most of you want the best view possible of God’s Left, allowing you to roll out of bed, grab your coffee and watch the magic from your deck. Let us guide you through all of the incredible villa offerings. We have many favorites that we want to share with you below is just quick taste.

One-bedroom villa rates start at $895 (in the green season) and $1645 in the high season. There are many amazing options for 2-4 bedroom villas. Prices ranging from $2245 (Green Season) – $7695 (High Season) for these larger villas. Please get in touch and we can help you select the best option and guide you to find the ideal time of year to visit Nihiwatu for surfing.

“God’s Left was founded by my great friend and founder of Nihiwatu, Claude Graves, who I met on my first trip in 2002. This single wave is appropriately named. But God might be a female. All waves have a form, a feel, a personality. God’s Left is feminine in behavior. She will embrace you with love and peace in one wave; on the next, she rattles your cage so that you never forget who is boss and the supreme being.

What I look for in a perfect wave is consistency, smooth ocean surface conditions, dry hair paddle out, safety, warmth, and a ”happy ending” with only a few friends or no one out at all.  This is what we find every day at Nihiwatu. Waves can range anywhere from 1-12 feet. The trade wind is favorable and tides are best around the mid-period, making this one of the few places on Earth that have such a wide range of surfable conditions, tides and sizes. This is the number one surf spot for a first day person (my youngest client 4, my oldest 70), to life time surfers. This quality of inclusion is why I rank it at the top.

It’s easy to say this wave is heart throb to heaven, but If you want more out of surf adventures than walking 100 feet from your room to paddling out, the boat and safari trips are off the charts. Local traditions and curses prevent me from telling you where to go. I have to show you. There are at least a dozen other dream waves within close proximity. ”  –  Terry Simms

The remote island of Sumba is one of the poorest islands in the Indonesian Archipelago, yet culturally it is one of the richest, with very strong, ancient traditions. The island is sparsely populated with approximately 450,000 inhabitants and covers an area of 11,150 square kilometers, roughly the size of Massachusetts. Sumba is home to one of the world’s last intact Animist cultures. Relatively little is known about the history of the island. Colonized by the Dutch in the late 1890’s and known as Sandalwood Island because of the vast quantity of native sandalwood trees, the land was populated by fierce warriors of differing tribes. As a result, the Dutch colonial administration was not able to establish an administrative post on the island until 1933 – deeming it finally safe enough to replace its only garrison with a police force.

Since Indonesian Independence in 1945, Sumba has been part of Nusa Tenggara Timor, the “Southeastern Islands,” with its administrative capital in Kupang on the island of Timor. In recent times, the government has greatly improved airport access to the island and the road network, linking administrative capitals of Waingapu and Waikabubak. However, little has changed in the more isolated reaches of the island. Life continues like it has for many thousands of years.

Excerpt from http://www.sumbafoundation.org.