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Nihi Sumba: On the Edge of the Wilderness in Bali

1/25/2020

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Introduction
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When you arrive on Sumba from the hustle and bustle of Bali you realize you have stepped back in time to a nature lovers paradise, an untouched island with a sense of remoteness that is now a days hard to find. Sumba has one traffic light, several stunning waterfalls, blue lagoons, empty beaches, and lush valleys. The biggest surprise is its intact castes society and ancient animist religion that uses megalithic burial sites for funerals with expensive animal sacrifices. In case you ever wondered about the tall conical thatched roofs you encounter while visiting the local villages; they are meant to provide a space for ancestral spirits to reside in them. Nihi Sumba is a wonderful home to explore Sumba from.  Bring good insect repellent and a sense of adventure and even back home you will still feel the pull from Sumba in your heart.
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Open-top Land Rovers are used for transfers and excursions on the island. Photo by Nihi Sumba
​Location
Nihi Sumba formerly known as Nihiwatu resort is situated at the 1.6-mile-long pristine tropical Nihiwatu beach with a world-famous surfing break. The resort sits on 567 acres of tropical forest, rice paddies and grassland of which only 65 acres are (and can ever be) developed, you really can’t get any closer to unspoiled nature.
​Accommodations
Nihi Sumba has only 30 unique rustic-lux villas spread out on a hillside, all with breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean and ocean breezes. Each villa has the characteristic sumbanese conical thatched roof, minibar, Nihi Sumba natural toiletries, tea and coffe making facilities, canopy beds, private gardens, outside dinning area and it’s own private pool. There are one and two bedroom Villas and three to five bedroom Estates all with their special individual charm. You may decide to stay in one of the Marangga villas right at the beach, with your own outdoor bale or you can choose a treehouse villa with an upstairs bedroom build in the style of a Subamnese house.  There is for sure the right villa for every family. 
Dining
Nihi Sumba’s gastronomical heart is the Ombak (meaning wave front) restaurant with sweeping ocean views and a sand-between-your-toe’s laid-back atmosphere. Ombak serves breakfast, and dinner and there are special dining experiences created at Ombak during the week such as an elaborate Indonesian buffet night or a spectacular BBQ.  Good to know for families; the kids menu is varied and also serves breakfast for dinner! The Ombak Bar provides a meeting point after dinner for guests and staff alike to share their adventures from the day.
Kaboku (Sumbanese for “Fish”) is the beachfront sushi bar limited to 6 people per seating for a seven-course menu of fresh caught seafood prepared Omakase style.
Lunch is either served at Nio Beach House or at the pool and everybody meets at the Boat House to watch the epic sunsets with a drink. Additionally, private bespoke dining experiences in remote and exotic spots can be arranged and room service is available from 6 am to 10 pm as well.

​Amenities
Nihu Sumba has everything you could wish for to make everyone in the family happy. Starting at the beach with water sports facilities, beach cinema, over the edge pool, spa, horse stables, yoga pavilion, gym room, pool and ping pong tables and last but not least a chocolate factory.

​Experiences
I was truly impressed by the variety of experiences offered and especially the thought that went into creating the kid’s activities.
You can easily spend the whole day at the pool or on your outdoor bale, however there is so much to explore and see and the decision of what to do is not an easy one. Nihi Sumba classifies its plethora of experiences as water, wellness, trekking, equestrian, cultural and kids experiences and you will find many different options to choose from in each of these categories. One of the experiences that stands out is Stand-Up Paddle boarding on the river and getting splashed by the local kids that jump into the water when they see you. Another great experience is horseback riding at sunrise or sunset, galloping along an empty beach.  My personal favorite was the Nihioka Spa Safari where you hike for 90 minutes to the Spa Pavilions through a local village and past splendid lookouts before you indulge in your breakfast and the spa services.

Three kids experiences are included per day and the items to choose from are fishing, kids pony club, kids yoga, visiting a local village-bringing along a soccer ball, weaving and basket making, Sumba bracelet making, releasing turtles, chocolate making, scavenger hunt, rock painting, cookie making and cup cake decorating and coconut beach games just to name a few!
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Getting There
Our adventure started at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar (DPS) with a 60 minutes flight to Sumba Island’s Tambolaka Airport (TMC). Luckily, our trip included the VIP service with an airport concierge who accompanied us to our gate before the flight. Upon arrival at Sumba airport we enjoyed a meet and greet at the gate followed by a transfer to the resort with an open-top Land Rover that provided an Africa meets Asia experience.  The 90 minute drive to the resort went by quickly, as you relish the fresh coconut milk in the car with freshly baked brownies.  We really enjoyed the drive through the Sumba villages waving back to smiling children.
Alternatively, you can also fly to Sumba island from Java connecting through Kupang. 

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Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge: The ROAAARR that will follow you back home!

1/14/2020

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 If you dream of seeing the Big Five at least once in your lifetime without all the crowds, then the only place you’ll need to visit is the Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa where game sightings are so common they’re relatively guaranteed in an intimate setting. It is one of the few places in Africa where you have the chance to see the Big Five within 2 to 3 safari days. The Sabi Sabi private game reserve is situated in Sabi Sands and includes the Earth Lodge, Selati Camp, Little Bush Lodge, and the Bush Lodge which is a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World.

 Sabi Sands is a private wildlife reserve where only permitted rangers are allowed to drive and tourists are not allowed to drive their own vehicles.  This will give you the opportunity to be driven so close to the wildlife that no binoculars will be needed for viewing.  While you enjoy your game drives at Sabi Sands you will soon forget about the outside world since you will rarely come across another vehicle with tourists on your game dives.
When not on game drives, the Sabi Sands Bush Bush Lodge has been creatively designed to allow ample space to play, relax, unwind and experience the tranquility of the nature around you. The exquisitely furnished lounge, atrium, bar and deck area are perfect places to read a book, play a game, sketch an animal, have a friendly chat or to be on the lookout for animals visiting the waterhole. The lodge décor has been collected from all over the African continent that provides a vibrant and eclectic mix of safari style throughout.

Accommodations
For privacy and intimacy the lodge only has 25 suits, including 2 luxury villas and the Mandleve Deluxe Suite. Each suite has two outdoor patios, a bedroom, living room, and large bathroom. The suites are so spacious it feels as if you never left home and provides ample space for the entire family.
 
Dining
We truly relished every one of the seven daily meals that were served either in the open buffet style dining area, on the viewing deck or during the game drives outside in the bush. Sabi Sabi has a world-wide reputation for serving mouth-watering gourmet meals and this is unquestionably true!
Executive Chef Wilfred Mtshali runs a truly exquisite and creative kitchen which provides delicious and beautifully prepared food throughout the day.  He not only gives each guest an unforgettable African dining experience when visiting but also gives back to the local community through his yearlong culinary teaching program to train a new generation of chefs. While managing a 45-person kitchen team that prepares all the meals for the guests and employees Wilfred has also found time to write three cookbooks so you can recreate the memories back in your own kitchen.


Activities
Sabi’s once-in-a-lifetime experiences include exhiliarating early morning and evening safaris with close up animal encounters and bush walks with trained trackers and rangers.
Our ranger Kyle and tracker Crimson share their knoweldge and love for Africa with us during our adventurous private game drives. They scan the ground and bush relentlessly with eagle eyes and find an incredibly well hidden lion pride. It is unbelievable how well an elephant herd can hide behind a spindly bush!
We learned so much about the native wildlife and had so much fun during our game drives that the time flies by and before you know it it is time for the next meal.
A bush walk is another very exciting undertaking and highly recommended  after breakfast while the kids are in the EleFun Center. You will learn a lot about the vegetation and how to behave when you are walking instead of driving in the bush. Exploring the bush on foot is certainly a very different hike than any other hike you have been on.
The Sabi Sand Reserve cares about the communities and runs several community projects such as education and care centers, teach the teachers programs, and a sports program. Guests of the lodge can partake in a visit to a local village and learn about the day to day life of the locals.
 
Amenities
The Hotel has a small boutique, two outdoor pools, a gym, and the Armani Spa that offers the ultimate African Spa experience. Unfortunately, our time was too short to experience the spa ourselves (reason # 99 to come back). The Kids Bush Babies Treatment menu lists fun relaxing offerings such as the Elephant Foot Print Massage, the Busy Bee, or the Paw Mani/Pedi.
 
EleFun Center (age 4-12)
The EleFun Center is a full-fledged indoor and outdoor child facility designed by childcare professionals who envisioned creating a space that is fun, safe and educational. The Center is filled with age appropriate learning opportunities developed and supervised by qualified staff and includes fascinating bush craft subjects such as animals, bugs, birds, tracking, map-reading, and arts.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? So, we tested it. At this point I have to let you in on a little secret. My daughter Anika (6) does not like child centers, no matter where we go and how wonderful the hotel is. She does not like them, period. Therefore, I had to inform her that she is my assistant and I need her help writing this article. Needless to say, she accepted her duty and I was allowed to drop her off. Two hours later I picked up a beaming, smiling happy girl that was almost upset that I came so early! She absolutely loved the ELeFun Center. She could not stop talking about the amazing outdoor play structure with a zip line, the obstacle course where kids can try to beat the course record, the animal craft she made and that she will leave her handprint behind in Africa. She was also fascinated by the fact that she met local children, Louis and Sophia, who shared stories with her about living in Africa. I was told that the lodge employees’ kids go to school at the lodge and use the EleFun Center for their breaks to interact with the visiting children so they all learn from each other.  Talking about raising global citizens!
The center is open twice a day after the morning game drive and breakfast and before the afternoon game drive letting the kids burn some energy after/before the game drives. You can also ask for a trained babysitter, if you wish.
 
Getting There
Flight to Skukuza Airport (inside Krueger National Park), from there private one-hour transfer to the Bush Lodge. You can also drive yourself with a rental car.


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    Certified family travel consultant and writer.  On the go and in the know with first-hand experience.

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