Cap Karoso is the Sumba hideaway you need to know about

Three islands east of Bali lies a magical Indonesian destination at once steeped in tradition and forward-thinking when it comes to resorts. Not least, one going by the name Cap Karoso, as Cathy Wagstaff discovers.

There are only two main roads on Sumba, a dreamy tropical island of fabled surf breaks and wild limestone hills. Though 2.5 times the size of Bali, its Indonesian sister 500km to the west, it has less than a fifth the population of the ever-frenetic holiday isle so loved by Australian travellers. You won’t find any shopping malls or multi-storey resorts here – just jungle-clad volcanic cliffs, thundering waterfalls, thatch-roofed villages and blonde beaches studded with palms. It feels like the archipelago took a deep exhale when creating this slice of paradise – and indeed, that’s the first thing I do when I arrive at Cap Karoso

Owners Evguenia and Fabrice Ivara were – like more than 6.3 million other tourists annually – on holiday in Bali when they decided to look at some real estate and an agent recommended Sumba. It was love at first sight. The grandeur of nature embraced them, and they knew this was home. They packed up their life in Paris with a vision of crafting a resort that was in sync with the Jurassic landscapes, as rugged as they are ravishing. Jakarta-based Bitte Design Studio worked with the Ivaras to conceptualise Cap Karoso on the west coast, uniting Brutalist buildings of local limestone with glazed tiles inspired by Sumbanese wicker alongside swathes of reclaimed timber and glass

Luxury accommodation

The 44 rooms and 20 villas tier down toward the waves and white shoreline of Karoso Beach, creeping into landscaped gardens punctuated with topaz infinity pools and fan-like palms. My villa is a few steps from the sand, offering an outlook perfectly framing the hypnotic Indian Ocean sunsets. Every evening, wild Sumbanese sandalwood horses visit the water’s edge – guests can arrange to meet them or go for a ride along the coast.

Inside, creamy terrazzo floors, Sumbanese and Timorese artworks, wicker furniture and ikat-inspired wooden carvings are at once grounding and sustainable. Each space has a ‘green roof’, minimising the need for air-conditioning, despite the fact we’re just a few clicks from the Equator. This is just one of many environmental initiatives: water is filtered on-site, plastic is nowhere to be seen, there’s a three-hectare permaculture farm with free-range chickens, and most power is solar generated. Most of the 220 staff are locals, and many are underprivileged youths hired through NGO the Sumba Hospitality Foundation. The general manager and guest services manager both worked with Aman, and food and beverage manager, Guillame Mantis, at Cheval Blanc. A stellar line-up.

Dining at Cap Karoso

Given the Ivaras’ gourmand roots (Fabrice runs a well-respected food blog, and Evguenia possesses an enviable knowledge of fine champagnes), it’s no surprise that the culinary experiences at Cap Karoso are highlights.

Guest chefs are invited to curate menus during residencies at 20-seat fine-diner Julang, where organic produce from the farm is turned into a masterful set-course meal. More casual is The Beach Club, where I order prawn crumpets with tobiko eggs, the day’s catch with coconut rice and tamarind, and a farm-to-table poke bowl loaded with just-picked vegetables and house-made tempeh. Jutting out from the main building is Apicine, where guests gather for inspired cocktails from local bounty – a cocktail with coconut-infused gin, perhaps, or papaya spritz, alongside a small roster of Basque-inspired bites.

Culture, authenticity, sustainability

Given that Eve has a professional history working in marketing for brands such as Louis Vuitton and Dom Perignon, and Fabrice’s background is in finance and is currently a successful entrepreneur, it’s no surprise that the design of Cap Karoso is exquisite. The deep dive into Sumbanese culture starts within Cap Karoso, where each room and space is furnished and decorated using art, textiles and objects that not only reflect local heritage but were made by local artisans, too. To further expand the developing cultural dialogue between Sumba and Cap Karoso, the resort hosts an artist-in-residence program that aims to build connections between multi-disciplinary international artists and local artisans. Alexander Sebastianus, Ines Katamso, Yuki Nakayama are currently involved with the initiative.

Things to do at Cap Karoso

Malala Spa is laid out in the style of a traditional village with dramatic peaked alang-alang roofs. Healing rituals are inspired by the island’s rich ancestral traditions and Marapu religion, reinterpreted using indigenous plants like turmeric, moringa, noni and white sandalwood – the Moro Ndahaka massage uses a healing oil made using fermented bark and roots from a tree only found on Sumba.

Sumba is home to a unique religion that dates back to the Bronze Age. Here you’ll find indigenous art, megalithic tombs, and traditional houses with soaring 25-metre-high roofs thought to form a bridge to the spirit world. Reconnect with nature by swimming, snorkelling or surfing in the lagoons. Or get to know the inner island by hiking, biking or taking off in one of Cap Karoso’s electric cars. Personal introspection is also possible, as Cap Karoso hosts meditation and yoga sessions.