Because of Sumba’s unique terrain and long equestrian traditions, horseback riding is an excellent way to see the island. From Nihiwatu Resort, one can take a ride along the beach and continue along jungle paths that meander through local villages.

Sometime between February and March of each year, Sumba hosts the exciting Pasola festival, a series of contests that originated as rituals to please the spirits of the harvest. The festivities include boxing matches, where contestants bind their hands in grass, and a battle between mounted horsemen, who use blunt spears. Because of the sheer scale of Pasola, blood and injuries are common, and deaths sometimes occur.

Visit a series of intriguing stone megaliths used in local burial practices; these monoliths are of varying age, with the most recent of them constructed in 1926. Many of these tombs are adorned with carvings of local chiefs and their families, as well as that of local animals, including horses, buffalo and cockerels.

Sumba is known for some of the best surfing in the world. There are small waves suited for novices, as well as excellent point breaks along the white sandy beaches.

Visit a traditional Sumba village and learn about their cultural practices and crafts, among them ikat weaving, traditional methods of construction, wedding customs, and funeral rites. Ikat is particularly interesting; a regional style of weaving, ikat is so elaborate that some pieces may take up to two years to complete. Visitors may commission an ikat design, which can be sent to them once completed.