Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands. Yet, for many travellers, the country still begins and ends with Bali.
Bali remains one of Asia’s great destinations and a natural gateway into Indonesia. But travel here becomes more interesting as you move beyond its familiar shores. Sumba has steadily found its place on the map over the past decade. Now Rote, close to Indonesia’s southern edge, offers another reason to travel east.
This summer, we were among the first guests to stay at NIHI Rote, the new sister property to NIHI Sumba. We travelled as members of The Ultimate Travel Company’s marketing team, keen to see whether NIHI could carry the spirit of Sumba to another island without simply repeating it.
The resort is currently welcoming guests through an academy training opening, ahead of its official launch on 1 October 2026. That means NIHI Rote is still in its infancy. Some parts are being refined and the young team continues to learn, but its identity is already clear.
We came away excited by what is here now, and even more so by what it could become.
What is NIHI Rote?
NIHI Rote sits on Bo’a Beach on the southwest coast of Rote, Indonesia’s southernmost inhabited island.
There are just 21 villas and duplex estates, set between tropical gardens and the beachfront. The buildings sit low against the landscape, with thatched roofs, carved timber and Rotenese-inspired details. Every villa has a private pool. Options range from one-bedroom garden and beach villas to two-bedroom layouts and larger duplexes with lofted bunk rooms.
Although the resort is intimate, the villas are on an epic scale. There is space to live outside properly, with private gardens, pools and terraces that become as important as the rooms themselves. Paths wind through the planting towards the beach, and enough distance separates each villa to preserve a real feeling of privacy.
The familiar NIHI hallmarks are all here: adventure, informal service and a close relationship with the island. Yet the result feels quite different from Sumba.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to stay at NIHI Sumba, and what amazed me most was how all the DNA and hallmarks are here, yet NIHI Rote has its own identity. It reminds me of what Sumba must have felt like in those early days: fresh, organic and full of possibility. This isn’t a copy of NIHI Sumba; it’s the beginning of something new. Watching it grow over the years will be part of the experience.”
Matt Brazier | Head of Marketing
The Hospitality Academy at its heart
The most important part of NIHI Rote is not found beside the pool or on the beach. It is the Rote Hospitality Academy.
Founded in 2024, the non-profit school sits within the resort and trains young Rotenese people for careers in hospitality. Students gain practical experience alongside classroom learning, building the skills and confidence to welcome visitors to their own island. Guests arrive through the academy rather than a conventional reception desk, making it part of the experience from the outset.
We were fortunate to be guided during our stay by Cherish, a recent graduate of the academy who now works at NIHI Rote. Warm, thoughtful and proudly Rotenese, he gave us a more personal introduction to both the resort and the island around it.
Wahyu particularly enjoyed speaking with him in Indonesian. When he asked Cherish how he had first heard about the academy, the answer was simple. His mother introduced him to it and, as Cherish told us, that was where everything began.
He had always felt drawn to hospitality and wanted to share Rote with a wider audience. As fellow creatives, we quickly found common ground. Cherish spoke enthusiastically about digital art and graphic design, as well as his love of capturing the island by drone.
His interests extend well beyond conventional hotel service. He is learning how to look after guests while also thinking about how Rote can be seen, understood and represented.
His story made the academy feel real. It is easy to talk about training and employment in broad terms. Spending time with someone at the beginning of his career showed us what that opportunity can mean to an individual and his family.
One evening, we joined the students and teachers at the academy. We met members of the latest intake, watched performances of Rotenese song and dance, then gathered around one long table for dinner. Food was shared family-style on banana leaves while students, teachers and guests talked together.
It was one of the highlights of our stay.
Service during the opening was sometimes youthful, as you would expect from people still learning, but it was attentive and full of character. The Rotenese team never felt like part of the scenery. They were our hosts.
“What resonated with me was how quickly we stopped feeling like guests. The team welcomed us into their world, and by the end of the stay, Rote already felt familiar. As an Indonesian, there was real pride in seeing the island represented with such warmth and confidence. Every island has its own story to tell, and Rote is showing the world another side of what Indonesia can be. Hospitality like that can’t be trained from a script.”
Wahyu Kelsall | Marketing & Communications Manager
Surf, sea and life outdoors
Surfing is part of NIHI’s history.
NIHI Sumba became famous for the left-hand wave directly in front of the resort. NIHI Rote has a celebrated break of its own: Bo’a Barrel, a right-hander visible from the beachfront villas and watersports centre.
Experienced surfers can paddle out from the beach, while the team can arrange trips to other breaks around the island. Beginners are welcome too, so surfing can be the focus of the stay or simply something you try one morning.
We spent time kayaking and paddleboarding, and also went snorkelling. Boat trips open up more of the coastline, reefs and offshore islands, while mountain bikes offer a different way to explore Rote’s quiet roads.
There is a well-equipped gym on site. At the time of our visit, the spa was still being completed, another reminder that we were seeing the resort while it was taking shape.
You can fill your days here, but there is no pressure to do so. The beach, pool and scale of the villas make doing very little equally appealing.
Our Ume Bo’a Beach Villa
We stayed in an Ume Bo’a Beach Villa, positioned just behind Bo’a Beach.
The indoor space was generous, but outside was where the villa really came into its own. A large private pool sat within its own garden, with plenty of room to read, swim and spend most of the day outdoors. At the end of the garden, a small wooden gate opened directly onto the sand.
That gate summed up much of what makes Rote feel different.
In busier parts of Bali, direct access to such a quiet stretch of coast would be difficult to find. Here, we could leave our garden and walk along an almost empty beach. Surfers waited beyond the reef for the next set, but there were few other signs of life on the sand.
The Ume Bo’a Beach Villa works particularly well for couples and surfers who want the sea immediately in front of them. Garden villas offer more shelter among the planting, while two-bedroom villas suit families or friends travelling together. Larger duplexes provide further space for multigenerational groups.
Eating at NIHI Rote
Most meals during the opening centred around Nammo, the relaxed beach club beside the watersports centre.
It is an easy place to spend time after a morning in the water, with Bo’a Barrel directly in front of you. The menu combines Indonesian food with familiar favourites, making it flexible enough for a longer stay and for families travelling together.
The academy dinner was the meal that stayed with us most. The food mattered, of course, but it was the shared table and the conversations around it that gave the evening its character.
Further dining options are due to develop as the resort moves beyond its opening phase, so this part of the experience will continue to evolve.
How to get to NIHI Rote
We travelled from Bali to Kupang in West Timor, then took the short domestic flight to Rote.
Kupang can be reached from Bali, Jakarta or Sumba. From there, the flight to Rote takes around 30 minutes, followed by an approximately one-hour drive to NIHI. Flight schedules are limited and should always be reconfirmed. A ferry from Kupang may also be possible, depending on timings and sea conditions.
This is where arranging the journey properly makes a difference.
At The Ultimate Travel Company, every itinerary is tailor-made. We will discuss the available airlines, connection times and possible overnight stops with you, then shape the route around the wider trip. We can also advise on luggage restrictions, which are particularly important for anyone travelling with a surfboard.
The journey takes thought, but it should not feel difficult once the arrangements are in place.
How to include Rote in a wider Indonesia itinerary
Bali remains the most practical starting point for many journeys.
Spending a few nights there before travelling east allows time to recover after the international flight and gives you some flexibility before the domestic connections. You could return to Bali after Rote or continue through another part of Indonesia.
We travelled back via Sumba and stayed at Cap Karoso, which gave us another perspective on an island whose profile has grown considerably in recent years.
Explore our Indonesia Itineraries
Should you combine NIHI Rote and NIHI Sumba?
Absolutely.
They share a philosophy, but they offer very different experiences. NIHI Sumba is an established icon with years of stories and returning guests behind it. Its horses, landscape and long-standing foundation work belong specifically to Sumba.
NIHI Rote feels younger and more open-ended. The academy is the focal point, the beach has a different character and the island around it remains lightly developed.
Together, the two resorts show how the NIHI approach can adapt to separate islands without making one a copy of the other.
We would allow at least five nights at each and avoid rushing the connection. Flight schedules should dictate the final order of the journey, and an overnight stop may make the route more comfortable.
When to visit
Rote’s drier season generally runs from May to October, bringing good conditions for days on the beach and exploring the island. This is also when the surf tends to be most consistent.
The right month depends on what you want to do. Serious surfers may prioritise particular swells, while families and less experienced swimmers may prefer calmer conditions. We will discuss that before recommending dates.
There is also a decision to make about the stage at which you visit.
Travelling during NIHI Rote’s first chapter means seeing the team learn and the resort develop. Those who want everything fully finished may prefer to wait. Those who enjoy discovering somewhere early may find this the most interesting time to go.
NIHI Rote at a glance
Best for: Adventurous travellers, surfers, active families and couples who value space and privacy
Stay for: Five to seven nights
When to go: May to October
Combine with: Bali, Sumba or both
Standout experience: Dinner with the students and teachers of the Rote Hospitality Academy
Worth knowing: The resort is still evolving during its opening phase
Our recommendation
Allow at least five nights at NIHI Rote, ideally a full week. Combine it with Bali, Sumba or both, and let the domestic flight schedule shape the route rather than trying to force the connections.
Go with an open mind and a willingness to engage with the island. Spend time with the academy, leave the resort to see more of Rote and accept that some aspects of a new hotel will continue to change.
NIHI Rote is best suited to adventurous travellers, surfers and active families who value space, privacy and honest hospitality. Those looking for a quick beach stop or a completely finished resort may prefer to wait until after the official launch.
Our first impressions
We left NIHI Rote feeling privileged to have experienced it at such an early stage.
There are still details being completed, and the resort will undoubtedly change over the coming years. Yet the foundations already feel strong. The scale of the villas, the beach and the surf may bring people here, but the academy and its young Rotenese hosts give the place its character.
We also fell in love with Rote itself. Village life continues beyond the resort, the roads remain quiet and the coastline still feels remarkably open. Tourism is beginning to bring more attention to the island, but for now there is still a sense of being let into a world rather than passing through one designed for visitors.
NIHI Rote will not suit every traveller. It asks more of the journey and deserves more of your time when you arrive.
For those ready to look beyond Bali, it should be firmly on the radar.
We cannot wait to return.
Image credits: NIHI Rote photography by Wahyu Kelsall. NIHI Sumba imagery courtesy of NIHI Sumba.