Understated luxury on island twice the size of Bali (without the crowds)

The place

Cap Karoso Beach Resort and Farm, Sumba, Indonesia

Cap Karoso Beach Resort and Farm, Sumba.

Check-in

Roughly twice the size of Bali but with one-fifth of the population, Sumba has until recently been largely overlooked by travellers, despite being just a 90-minute flight east from Denpasar. Happily, you’ll see nothing much but a smattering of grass-roofed houses, rice paddies and thick groves of coconut and papaya trees on the one-hour drive from Tambolaka airport to Cap Karoso, on the island’s west coast – even less travelled than further south. Arriving in the sweeping outdoor lobby, set next to a field-sized infinity pool, you’ll be greeted by a bar cart and the offer of a Karusotju Indonesian arak and rosella iced tea cocktail.

The look

Created by French couple Evguenia and Fabrice Ivara – respectively a former brand manager for a luxury goods company and one of France’s first food bloggers - Cap Karoso blends local design and craftsmanship with the impeccable taste of the owners. The 47 guest rooms and 20 villas are spread over three hectares that roll down to Karoso Beach, while the fitness centre and six-room Malala Spa are in the traditional peak-roofed houses in the middle of the resort. The aesthetic is minimal and natural, with exterior walls made from stacked local limestone, native grasses covering the rooftops, and lemongrass bushes lining the sandy pathways to deter mozzies.

The room

Opening onto a deck fringed by a tropical garden, our generous 52-square-metre terrace studio, one of 24, has an elevated island feel. Local statues, bespoke textured ceramics and a hand-carved wooden panel inspired by Sumbanese ikat behind the super-king bed provide thoughtful decoration.

A hand-carved wooden panel inspired by Sumbanese ikat sits behind the bed.

There are also 16 studios on the upper and ground floors of the main building overlooking the main pool and the Indian Ocean beyond, and seven beachfront suites with separate living rooms and bathtubs opening onto private gardens. Twenty villas with private pools are under construction during my stay.

Food + drink

There aren’t any restaurants nearby, so thankfully the food is outstanding. Much of the produce is from Cap Karoso’s three-hectare farm a few minutes up the road, where guests are encouraged to visit and where farming training programs will soon be introduced for locals.

Relaxed outdoor dining.

The open-air Beach Club restaurant and bar, set on the beachfront and headed up by French executive chef Antoine LeVacon, offers shared Mediterranean-style dishes – whole grilled fish caught that day, platters of handmade pasta, pizzas cooked in their Acunto pizza oven - and Indonesian classics. This is also the perfect place to topple onto a lounge chair, post-ocean swim, with one of their elegantly crafted cocktails – perhaps the sandalwood negroni with coconut oil gin. At their fine-dining long table restaurant Julang, set at the top of the property, guest chefs from around the world stay for three to six-week residencies and create innovative menus with ingredients from the farm.

Out + about

A 10-minute drive away is Weekuri Lagoon, where an unforgettable morning can be spent diving into turquoise waters. A kampung village visit is a must, where the island’s traditional pointed houses gather around monolithic stone graves, and where you can learn about Sumba’s indigenous Marapu belief system.

Turquoise waters.

Also on offer are tours to a local ikat weaving village, waterfall visits, hikes, picnics and cooking classes, while stand-up paddleboards, surfboards, kayaks, snorkels and electric bikes can be borrowed from the activities centre. A kids club and babysitting service are also available.

The verdict

While Cap Karoso’s French beach club vibe may seem slightly out of step with where Sumba is currently, it offers understated luxury and a light-footed approach that will hopefully set the bar for thoughtful, sustainability-focused development to come.

Essentials

Rooms from $US300 ($469) a night in low season (Feb 15 to April 5, and October 1 to December 20) and $US400 a night in high season. Rates include breakfast, but beware the additional 10 per cent service charge and 10 per cent tax. Karoso Beach, Southwest Sumba, ph: [phone]. See capkaroso.com

Our score out of five

★★★★½

Highlight

Cap Karoso’s engagement with local culture, including the weekly talks on Sumbanese culture and education-focused outings.

Lowlight

The music in the public spaces was mostly deep house, which can be disconcerting over muesli at 8am.

Nina Karnikowski stayed with assistance from Cap Karoso.