Cap Karoso: Sumba's new holiday destination for true travel explorers

Where the wild things are: Sumba’s new holiday destination for true travel explorers
Opening autumn 2022, Cap Karoso combines Indonesian bliss and Parisian joie de vivre`

Set in captivating, off-the-radar Sumba, Cap Karoso is a pioneering island holiday getaway with meaningful community engagement and sustainability at its heart. Launching in September 2022, this eco-conscious holiday haven will comprise 47 rooms and 20 villas, also available for private buyers, and a three-hectare organic farm.

Cap Karoso occupies eponymous Karoso beach (one of the world’s most spectacular stretches of sand), in Indonesia’s pristine southwest Sumba: where megalithic tombs rub shoulders with uma mbatangu, peaked houses with soaring, 25-metre-high roofs. Inspired by great explorers and dedicated to modern conscious hedonists who want to truly immerse themselves in Sumba’s rich heritage and wild topography, Cap Karoso is shaped by three core pillars: sustainability, culture and community.

Cap Karoso grew from the love of two globe-trotting, ethically-minded French adventurers, Fabrice and Evguenia Ivara, who fell for Sumba when they first holidayed there in 2017. Captivated by the island’s magnetic allure and unique Marapu culture, the couple’s mission became clear: to protect Sumba’s natural treasures, and respectfully share them with like-minded explorers. Passionately committed to working in harmony with the indigenous community, Fabrice and Evguenia sought local advice and involvement from the start. Along with the village heads, the couple hosted a ceremony for 600 locals to request ancestral approval for the project (luckily for future visitors, this permission was granted). As Cap Karoso evolved from dream to reality, the community focus strengthened. Guests can expect complete immersion in Sumba’s magic and culture – with an added dash of Parisian flair, reflecting the owners’ European roots.

Cap Karoso’s architecture comes courtesy of multi-award-winning architect, Gary Fell, and his lauded practice, GFAB Architects. Designed to blend harmoniously into the surrounding landscape, behind every element of the build is an unwavering commitment to sustainability and minimising environmental impact, including operating on 50% solar panel energy with an aim to reach 80% by 2025.

Inside, the stylish interiors designed by Jakarta-based Bitte Design Studio comprise studios, suites, and a variety of villas (two-bedroom, three-bedroom and beachfront). A modern French influence informs the chic, serene interiors fused gleefully with Sumbanese antiques, contemporary Indonesian art and open communal spaces that bring the outdoors in.

Social spaces including Julang restaurant and Explorer’s Beach Club, are designed to foster a sense of community and connection, and spark conversation. Guests will be encouraged to take a pew at intimate common tables, meet in inviting communal spaces and attend inspiring events and workshops, all designed to create a likeminded community of travellers, visiting masters, and local experts.  A constellation of international talent will bring their creativity to Sumba, from mixologists and leading chefs, to an ongoing programme of visiting artists in residency, agricultural experts, DJs and more. On a mission to harness creative and passionate talent, Cap Karoso will become a community for free spirits and true explorers.

Intrinsic to the guest experience is the Cap Karoso organic farm where almost all the vegetables, eggs and dairy required in the hotel will be produced. Set up by French organic agriculturalist, Philippe Guiglionda, and now run by a local Sumbanese team, the farm will also be home to a school of agriculture for the local community to have access and education to eco-farming techniques

Facilities for guests will include artist ateliers, a creative Kid’s Club, an open-air cinema, spa, gym and yoga platform, as well as an activity centre where guests can book heartfelt cultural excursions and unforgettable adventures by land and sea. All experiences are conceived to consciously explore the island’s nature and culture, connecting with – and giving back to – the local community.

Cap Karoso: a sneak preview

Sustainability

Every detail of Cap Karoso has been meticulously considered to minimise its environmental footprint and to maximise its positive impact on the local community. At the property, plastic packaging is banned; 80% of staff will be hired locally; and waste waters will be purified with a sophisticated water treatment system. The on-site farm supplies much of the produce for the restaurant and bar, while the development’s landscape design cleverly uses vegetation to reduce the need for air-conditioning. Plans for a coral conservation programme and eco-minded community initiatives are in the works.

Activities

Unlike its well-trodden neighbours, Sumba still eludes the crowds, offering wild-at-heart explorers the stuff of dreams: from ancestral rituals and astonishing landscapes to wild animals roaming freely and an insight into a carefully preserved indigenous culture.

Nature-lovers are spoilt for choice, thanks to rolling savanna, lush rainforests, peaceful lagoons, hurtling waterfalls, epic surf spots and secluded beaches. Guests are invited to interact with the island and its inhabitants in a meaningful way, experiencing its incredible Bronze Age tribal traditions and encountering a rich diversity of wildlife.

There will also be an Explorer’s beach club, an open-air cinema, a main pool with pool bar and a spa, gym and yoga platform. Drawing upon its Sumbanese setting, the spa will celebrate local shamanic healing traditions and champion indigenous natural resources such as hibiscus, island herbs and sea salt in its treatments.

Family focus

Cap Karoso is a getaway for explorers of all sizes. Inspired by their own experiences as young parents, the owners have developed an innovative Kids Club set in a traditional Sumbanese house. Little adventurers can expect to get a true flavour of the local culture and the island’s lifestyle via an array of outdoor and indoor activities.

Villas

Designed for those who want to put their own stamp on their Sumba experience, Cap Karoso’s villa development programme combines hotel perks with optimum privacy. Each of the 20 villas has a pool, terrace with a lounge area, open-air kitchen and a barbecue deck.

Accessibility

Despite its remote allure, Sumba is easily accessed via a 50-minute flight from Bali. Currently, two daily flights connect Denpasar with Tambolaka, Sumba; while new air routes directly connecting Sumba with Jakarta and Perth are in the works.

Cap Karoso will open in September 2022. Rates start from USD $300 per night for a studio based on two sharing, and from USD $650 per night for a two-bedroom villa, based on four sharing. Prices include breakfast. 

For more information, visit www.capkaroso.com / follow @cap_karoso