Nestled on the pristine shores of Dassang in the island of Sumba, Indonesia, The Sanubari stands out as one of the Sumba Best Hotels that endorses both sustainable resort experiences and community empowerment through employment and social initiatives. Our private reserve offers the perfect balance of culture and remoteness with comfort in mind and slow luxury to reinvigorate our guests’ body, mind and soul, which is elevated with genuine service presented with warmth by our team of locally-sourced industry professionals.

Our 100-hectare property, recognized among the best hotels in Sumba, is a sanctuary for explorers and nature lovers from all over the globe searching for unique cultural experiences in one of the world's last living megalithic cultures. Our guests enjoy kilometers of private white sand beaches, some of Southeast Asia’s and arguably Indonesia’s best waves for surfing, and intentional cultural and island activities.

But beyond the magical landscape exploration and bespoke resort amenities, down to its core The Sanubari is deeply committed to this one mission: transforming lives through education and employment opportunities for the local Sumbanese community.

Discover why The Sanubari is celebrated as the Sumba Best Hotel and explore our unique blend of sustainable luxury and cultural immersion.

Our Hospitality Training Programme in a Nutshell

At The Sanubari, we truly believe that sustainable tourism starts with empowering local communities. Our hospitality training programme represents our commitment to creating employment opportunities for the locals of Sumba in the hospitality sector, setting a standard even among the best hotels in Sumba.

Through our partnership with Peninsula Bay Resort (one of our founding partners' other established properties in Bali), we offer local young Sumbanese graduates a variety of work training opportunities across multiple divisions at The Peninsula Beach and Peninsula Bay resorts. This opens the door for these students to bring back home their training experience to Sumba and work with us. This collaboration also allows these students to gain invaluable experience in a world-class hospitality setting, preparing them for successful careers within Indonesia’s growing tourism industry.

A Redefined Pathway to Success

Our Hospitality Training methodology follows a systematic approach crafted by seasoned hospitality professionals. First, we organize accommodation for our trainees and provide comprehensive training in Bali for a period of six months. Within this timeframe, trainees immerse themselves in many aspects of hospitality management, from front office operations and housekeeping to culinary arts, restaurant and bar service, and spa and wellness treatments.

Upon successful completion of the training programme, trainees will then receive a certification—a recognized credential that enables more work opportunities throughout Indonesia's tourism industry. With this qualification, select graduates can also return to Sumba and get the chance to officially join The Sanubari family, bringing their expertise back home to serve the local community and contribute to Sumba’s development.

This circular model ensures that Sumba’s tourism revenue and expertise remain within its local community, creating a cycle of sustainable economic growth and employment opportunity—one of the defining commitments that make The Sanubari a Sumba Best Hotel with a purpose.

Crafting A Legacy of Elevated Community Welfare

Our resort’s commitment to local Sumbanese empowerment runs deep. Our two original founding owners, Alan and Roger Thomas, have consistently invested in local causes and gained recognition from the Indonesian government for their commitment to support Sumba’s tourism, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced international tourism to come to a standstill, affecting many families with unprecedented hardship.

Our training programme and education efforts have created a flow-on effect that reaches thousands of people throughout Sumba, and even Bali. We recognize that Sumba is one of the most impoverished islands in Indonesia. Despite being home to welcoming locals with a culturally rich and fascinating heritage, this island continually faces significant educational and economic challenges.

The Reality of Education and Employment in Sumba

To gain a deeper understanding of the context of our work requires examining the broader educational and economic landscape of Sumba. This island has been facing significant development challenges that make initiative programmes like ours crucial for local community advancement.

Poverty rates in Sumba remain considerably higher in comparison to Indonesia's national average. While the country's national poverty rate declined to 9.03% back in 2024, Sumba remains struggling with entrenched poverty. Research has shown that less than 50% of children in Sumba complete their primary education, substantially creating a severe skills gap that threatens the island's ability to benefit from growing tourism interest.

Tourism statistics also reveal both opportunity and challenge. Approximately 25,000 tourists visit Sumba annually—a modest figure compared to neighboring Bali’s millions—but one that is growing steadily. This growth drives demand for the best hotels in Sumba that can provide authentic local experiences while uplifting the community.

The tourism sector's growth, however, presents a critical challenge. Without adequate hospitality training for the locals, investors tend to import labour from Bali or Java, which distracts tourism revenues from the communities that actually need them the most. Non-profit organizations such as the Sumba Hospitality Foundation have been addressing this gap since as early as 2016, with their own initiatives enrolling 70 students annually in vocational programmes. Similarly, our efforts at The Sanubari, one of the Sumba Best Hotels, ensure that Sumbanese youth can compete and qualify for positions at internationally recognized brands right here on their home island.

The Importance of Our Hospitality Training Programme

Our hospitality training programme endorses a truly holistic approach to community development. Unlike other educational or vocational programmes that simply provide jobs, we’re investing in long-term career development and professional growth for the locals of Sumba.

Our trainees learn the importance of expressing authentic confidence and ownership to their responsibilities, on top of also practicing technical skills, English proficiency, customer service excellence, and international hospitality standards that will position them for quick growth throughout their careers.

What’s more, our training programme also creates a multiplier effect. When certified graduates return to their villages, they are able to share this knowledge with their communities. Naturally, they become ambassadors for education, demonstrating that investment in learning creates tangible improvements in quality of life. This cultural shift, to value education as a pathway to prosperity—something that is still foreign in local villages—may prove to become our programme's most lasting impact, and one of the reasons why The Sanubari is considered among the best hotels in Sumba for responsible tourism.

The Sumba Experience: What To Expect

Guests of our resort visiting Sumba will discover a cultural experience unlike anywhere else in Indonesia. Sumba’s relative remoteness has uniquely preserved both its natural environment and living culture in ways that neighboring islands cannot match.

Travelers can expect untouched beaches stretching for kilometers without mass crowds. The surf breaks rival any other in the world, with consistent swells and uncrowded lineups. Beyond the coast, rolling savannas studded with megalithic tombs create landscapes that will make you feel transported into another world—a hallmark experience when staying at a Sumba Best Hotel as The Sanubari.

Authentic Sumbanese Hospitality

The kind of hospitality our guests receive from the locals is genuinely extraordinary. Our team delivers by international standards, yet their service is deeply rooted in traditional values of warmth and generosity, which allows our guests to receive a very personal service rather than transactional. Our guests have consistently remarked on the genuine smiles of our staff and their eagerness to exchange local and cultural knowledge and fascinating stories—one of the many reasons why The Sanubari continues to be recognized as one of the best hotels in Sumba.

Sumba's Living Culture: A Tourism Asset

What really distinguishes Sumba as a travel destination is its unique megalithic culture. The Marapu belief system, the locals’ indigenous animist religion centered on ancestor worship, remains integral to shaping tradition and routine in villages throughout the island.

Visitors can witness ceremonies unchanged for centuries, where priests communicate with ancestral spirits through complex rituals. The famous Pasola festival, held annually between February and March, also features horseback riders engaging in ritualistic spear-throwing battles to ensure bountiful harvests. This event has drawn travelers from around the world while remaining important to local communities.

Heritage architecture offers another window into authentic Sumbanese culture. The distinctive Uma Mbatangu houses, with their towering thatched roofs reaching toward the skies, represent the cosmological connection between earth and spirit realms. These structures, often standing beside intricately carved megalithic tombs, create village landscapes that transport travellers across centuries.

The island's renowned ikat textiles represent another cultural treasure. These handwoven fabrics, created using natural dyes and traditional techniques passed through generations, tell stories through their patterns and symbols. Watching local weavers work, visitors gain appreciation for the skill, patience, and cultural knowledge embedded in each piece—making your stay at a Sumba Best Hotel like The Sanubari even more meaningful.

Continuing Our Commitment

As tourism in Sumba continues to grow, The Sanubari remains committed to ensuring this growth will benefit local communities the most. We will continue to expand our educational and vocational programmes, increasing employment opportunities, and endorsing social initiatives throughout the island.

Our vision extends beyond operating a resort. We strive to demonstrate that slow luxury and community empowerment are more than able to coexist—in fact, they complement and enhance each other. It’s what truly defines us among the best hotels in Sumba today.

Plan Your Sumba Experience with Us

We invite you to be part of this positive story. With your stay with us, you will experience mindful travel while supporting a community-centric approach to tourism that creates a lasting and positive impact.

Experience two kilometers of pristine beachfront, world-class waves, and immersion in one of the world's last living megalithic cultures. Stay in one of our villas that blend barefoot luxury with environmental sustainability at the Sumba Best Hotel, The Sanubari. Enjoy service from our professionally trained team who take pride in sharing their island home with visitors from around the world.

Most importantly, be assured that your trip here directly supports education, employment, and opportunity for the Sumbanese people who make this magical island so special.

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