Sumba Retreat

Located in the Eastern Indonesian Archipelago, Sumba island is a hidden gem where one of the main attractions is the raw, untouched beauty of Mother Nature. Breath-taking waterfalls, jungles, rolling hills, valleys, endless white beaches and it’s a best-kept secret location for great surfing. There are endless opportunities to re-connect to nature and the elements.  

Sumba is a place where the ancient indigenous culture is largely intact. The locals practice an animistic faith called Marapu, centered on honoring ancestral lineage. The traditional villages of thatched, pointy-roofed homes with their megalithic stone tombs, are where visitors can experience some of the ancient traditions firsthand. The women of Sumba are skilled artisans, crafting elaborate hand woven ikat textiles in traditional Sumbanese patterns hand-dyed with natural pigments. Other renowned traditional local crafts include beautifully hand-carved statues in stone, wood and bone.

Sumba is home to largely subsistence lifestyle, driving around past lush jungles, valleys and villages, locals can be observed tilling rice fields, gathering taro root for their animals and selling fresh fruit and vegetables along the road-side markets while smiling groups of school children in crisp and tidy uniforms walk to school. It’s an island of striking contrasts that arouses an unforgettable soul-stirring light, the first visit to Sumba is sure to make you want to return again.