Perhaps Your Place in Sumba Begins Here
A personal letter from Carlos de Ory, founder of Eco Beach City
Updated 26 September 2026, after the court rulings in Indonesia and Spain
A few years ago, I stood in front of a vast stretch of land in Sumba and imagined something that did not yet have a name.
I imagined people from different countries waking up beside the ocean.
Entrepreneurs building companies from a beachfront coworking. Families spending more time together. Creators finding inspiration far from the noise of the cities. Children playing outside. Friends meeting for dinner. People organizing events, practising sport, sharing knowledge and returning every year to a place that felt increasingly like home.
I imagined a community where owning land would mean more than holding a contract.
It would mean belonging somewhere.
That idea became Eco Beach City.
What I did not imagine was how hard the road would be. Or how much we would learn walking it.
Today, there are 24 constructed units, a beachfront coworking, a restaurant, tennis and padel courts, solar energy, water systems, internet, more than 100 guests welcomed since 2025 who rate us 9.5 out of 10, and a team of more than 20 people, almost all from Sumba, working on site every day.
And since September 2026 there is something more: the courts of two countries have ruled in favour of Eco Beach City.
But the most important part of Eco Beach City is not a building, a number or a court ruling.
It is the people who chose to stay when leaving would have been easier. And the possibility of continuing to create this place with people who want to contribute something to it.
The Hardest Chapter, and What It Taught Us
Before telling you more, I want to speak to you openly, from the heart, about what we have been through.
If you searched for my name or Eco Beach City, you may have found very serious allegations. Headlines describing fake villas, missing infrastructure or a project that, according to them, did not even exist.
I will not pretend it did not hurt. It hurt my family, our team in Sumba and hundreds of owners who suddenly had to explain to their friends why they had trusted us.
I was tempted to answer every article. I did not. I decided to do only two things: keep building, and wait for the courts to speak.
The courts have spoken. And they have spoken clearly.
Both the Surabaya Court in Indonesia and Spain's Audiencia Nacional have ruled in favour of PT Eco Beach City and of me. Eco Beach City is a legal, legitimate project, and we have acted in good faith at all times.
I do not share this as a victory over anyone. I share it because for months many people asked legitimate questions, and today those questions have an answer from those who have the final word.
Meanwhile, construction did not stop for a single day. It moved more slowly, yes: because of global instability, the cost of shipping and materials and, above all, because the media campaign froze new investment overnight and led some buyers to suspend their payments. Slower never meant giving up.
And something happened that I will never forget. In the worst moment, most of our owners did not leave. They asked questions, came to Sumba to see it with their own eyes, and stayed. Today many of them rent out their villas and glamping units to guests who rate them among the best on the island.
That taught me more than any success: a project is not measured by how it starts, but by how it holds when everything pushes against it. And we did not just hold. We grew.
Even so, I am not asking you to believe me, or even a court ruling. I am asking what I have always asked: do not let a headline be the end of your investigation.
Eco Beach City can be visited. The land, constructed properties and operating facilities can be seen. The agreements and documentation can be reviewed. Our team works there every day.
And every case deserves to be looked at through its own contract, payment history and circumstances, because not every participant purchased the same product.
Some acquired rights to land. Some later contracted construction. Some contracted everything and today enjoy their homes and rent them out. These are separate stages, and a person who paid for land should not be described as someone who paid for a completed, furnished home.
That is why we want the process for every new owner to be exceptionally clear from day one.
First the Land. Then the Home, Step by Step.
Becoming an owner at Eco Beach City does not require paying for everything at once.
First, you pay for the land and receive the documented rights established in your agreement.
Construction is separate and is paid progressively through clearly defined, interest-free stages as the corresponding work is carried out on your property.
Furnishing is also separate and can be added when you are ready to prepare the home for personal use or rental.
You can follow the progress taking place on your land and understand what every instalment covers.
You do not pay the complete price of a finished and furnished home at the beginning.