Aroko Bungalows

We stayed at Aroko bungalows for 5 nights recently, and found them run down, with messy bungalows in terrible condition. Ours was full of mold, and after spendend 3 nights there my husband couldn't breath and had to go to hospital. The kayaks were broken and extremely dirty, as were the bungalows, and we couldn't use them because the lagoon was too shallow. There were lots of cockroaches and rats on the property. Housekeeping was terrible, and the staff were drunk all day. The owner Sonny Daniel is a strange guy who drinks alcohol every night with his uncle, who runs the place next door. There is no laundry, no beach, and no mosquito screenshot. We were overcharged after departure, like many other guests.

On our third trip to Raro, we found this easily the best location we've stayed in. From the Muri waterfront, you look across the lagoon to the beautiful motus opposite. At low tide you can wade out to them and then to the outer reef, with spectacular views back toward Raro. One day we even saw turtles swimming past. The bungalows are clean, spacious, cool, and airy, and the setting is calm and quiet, which was a welcome change from the resorts. Muri's restaurants and scooter hire places are just a 10 minute walk away. Sonny was a lovely, helpful host and a pleasure to deal with. Thanks for a great stay, from Maria & Martin.

The morning view over the lagoon was beautiful, and our host was friendly. We arrived late at night, but Sonny had sent clear instructions and checking in was easy. The bungalow was tidy, had everything we needed to cook, a good pressured hot shower, a roof fan, a useful guide from the host, and a small book collection. We walked to Muri Beach and the night market several times, and caught the bus to other parts of the island, which you can wave down right outside. We kayaked and snorkeled in the lagoon, heading toward the harbor where the water is deeper and easier to swim in, and even saw turtles. Kayaking is best at high tide because it gets quite shallow at low tide, though it's easy to walk across to the motus and explore. We loved our stay and would 100% recommend it.

We loved how close this place is to town and everything you need, while the bungalows sit right by the gorgeous lagoon. The bungalows were beautiful and really clean. You can walk straight out to snorkel or kayak, and all the gear is available for free. The staff were kind and helpful. We'd definitely recommend staying here!