Waterfall
Lapopu Waterfall
A multi-tier jungle waterfall near Nihi Sumba, a well-documented trekking destination.
Ultra-Luxury Region · West Sumba
Wanokaka: Nihi Sumba & the Lapopu Waterfall
Wanokaka is a district of Sumba Barat Regency in West Sumba, home to Nihi Sumba, Travel + Leisure's World's Best Hotel in 2016 and 2017, plus Lapopu and Matayangu waterfalls. This page lists only verified, sourced facts about the area and the visitwanokaka.com domain.
2016-17
Travel+Leisure World's Best Hotel
Nihi Sumba
#10
World's 50 Best Hotels, 2024
Nihi Sumba
2
Named Waterfalls
Lapopu & Matayangu
Jul '26
Last Verified
2026-07-27
Verified Facts
What Is Verified About Wanokaka
- Wanokaka is a district (kecamatan) of Sumba Barat (West Sumba) Regency, about 13km southeast of Waikabubak, the regency capital. Source: official Kecamatan Wanukaka government portal
- Travel + Leisure named Nihi Sumba the World's Best Hotel in 2016 and 2017. Source: NIHI Sumba official site
- Nihi Sumba was ranked #10 on The World's 50 Best Hotels list in 2024, and Indonesia's Best Hotel by Condé Nast Traveler in 2024 (secondary reporting, not independently re-verified against the awarding body).
- Lapopu Waterfall is a multi-tier jungle waterfall in Wanokaka, near Nihi Sumba, a well-documented trekking destination.
- Matayangu Waterfall is a smaller, less-visited waterfall in the same jungle area as Lapopu.
- The resort was acquired by US entrepreneur Chris Burch, who has invested in expanding the property since 2021 (secondary media reporting; not verified against a company filing).
Not verified and therefore not published here: specific nightly-rate figures, land or property prices, and annual growth percentages previously associated with this region. These were removed after an independent fact-check found no citable primary source.
Sources checked
- NIHI Sumba — official site — checked 2026-07-27
- Pemerintah Kabupaten Sumba Barat — Kecamatan Wanukaka — checked 2026-07-27
- Marie Claire Australia — Nihi Sumba feature — checked 2026-07-27 (secondary)
Wanokaka, West Sumba
Fact-Checked
Reported Visitors to Nihi Sumba
According to media reports, David and Victoria Beckham and their children stayed at Nihi Sumba during a 2018 family holiday, taking part in local cooking classes and community activities with the Sumba Foundation.
Public reporting also documents a 2019 honeymoon stay at Nihi Sumba by Jennifer Lawrence and her husband Cooke Maroney, following their wedding in Rhode Island.
Other celebrity names circulate online in connection with this resort. Where no independent, reputable source could confirm a visit, that name is not listed here.
Landmarks
Wanokaka's Natural Landmarks
Waterfall
Matayangu Waterfall
A smaller, less-visited waterfall in the same jungle area as Lapopu.
Domain Acquisition
Who visitwanokaka.com Is Built For
Luxury Resorts
Resort & Villa Operators
Luxury resort groups and private villa operators building brand presence alongside Nihi Sumba.
Wellness
Wellness Retreats
Wellness and retreat brands targeting the ultra-luxury West Sumba hospitality corridor.
Travel Agencies
Luxury Travel Agencies
Agencies and tour curators selling high-end Sumba itineraries anchored on Nihi Sumba.
Regional Partners & Operators
Featured Developers & Luxury Hospitality
Wanokaka · Ultra-Luxury Resort
Nihi Sumba
Named World's Best Hotel by Travel + Leisure in 2016 and 2017, and ranked #10 on the World's 50 Best Hotels list in 2024. The island's ultra-luxury hospitality anchor in the Wanokaka region.
Kodi · Design Hotel & Eco-Resort
Cap Karoso
A Design Hotels-member beach resort near Ate Dalo in Kodi, West Sumba, part of the region's growing surf and eco-hospitality corridor.
Kodi · Regional Property Developer
Arya Properties
Bali-based developer building Arya Sumba, a villa project on a 120,800 sqm site in the Kodi area (source: aryaproperties.com, accessed 2026-08-03). Listed here for reference only; no specific investment return is confirmed or endorsed by this site.
These are independent, publicly sourced mentions of hospitality and development activity in Sumba Island's regions. None of the operators listed are confirmed commercial partners of this site, and no placement here is paid or guaranteed. Verify current details directly with each operator before making any decision.
Frequently Asked
Wanokaka: Frequently Asked Questions
What is Wanokaka in Sumba?
Wanokaka is a district (kecamatan) in Sumba Barat (West Sumba) Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, about 13km southeast of Waikabubak, the regency capital. It is home to Nihi Sumba resort, Lapopu Waterfall and Matayangu Waterfall.
When was Nihi Sumba named World's Best Hotel?
Travel + Leisure named Nihi Sumba the World's Best Hotel in 2016 and 2017. The resort was also ranked #10 on the World's 50 Best Hotels list in 2024.
What waterfalls are in Wanokaka?
Lapopu Waterfall and Matayangu Waterfall are both located in the Wanokaka area of West Sumba, within a jungle setting near Nihi Sumba.
Which public figures have been reported visiting Nihi Sumba?
Media reports document a Beckham family holiday at Nihi Sumba in 2018, and a honeymoon stay by Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney in 2019. Other names are sometimes mentioned online but could not be independently confirmed and are not listed here.
Who is visitwanokaka.com suited for?
visitwanokaka.com is best suited to luxury resorts, wellness retreats and villa operators building a presence in West Sumba's ultra-luxury hospitality corridor.
Why should a luxury resort or wellness brand buy visitwanokaka.com?
It places a luxury resort or wellness brand directly on the name of West Sumba's ultra-luxury hospitality region, next to existing search demand around Nihi Sumba, without competing for a generic keyword against aggregator sites.
This Domain
visitwanokaka.com
Exact-match .com domain for the Wanokaka region, West Sumba. Acquired via private transfer through Escrow.com.
Gold Grade
visitwanokaka.com
Ultra-Luxury Niche
Anchored by Nihi Sumba (World's 50 Best Hotels, #10 in 2024) and Lapopu Waterfall.
Best fit: luxury resorts, wellness retreats, villa operators
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