RedDoorz Resort @ Taman Wisata Mangrove

Walking the park was the highlight. Over kilometers of paths, there are quiet lagoons, bigger bays, treetops, undergrowth, and plenty in between. As a birder, I added 8 lifers in just a few hours. It felt intimate, with only a couple of student groups in the main areas and stretches where my wife and I were alone in nature. The cafe food was excellent, and the park staff were welcoming and enthusiastic. It’s a hidden gem in Jakarta that deserves much more attention from tourists. We stayed one night in the Mangrove forest for our honeymoon. My wife had visited with colleagues on a work trip to Jakarta and insisted we come together. Arriving late, I wasn’t sure a beautiful nature experience could exist amid the city’s noise, bustle, and skyscrapers. But the room was nice, with AC, a comfortable bed, and lots of space. In the morning I watched for birds from the deck before we explored on foot.

We paid 311,000 IDR per night for the biggest room, and the value for the price was very good. In the middle of urban Jakarta, you can sleep above the swamps in a mangrove forest. There’s kayaking and a playground for children, too. I’d happily pay 500,000 IDR/night if management improved a few things. In Bruguiera 1, the bathroom was cracked and leaning, some window shutters didn’t work properly, and the towels could be better. Instead of increasing water pressure, changing to a rainfall shower head could make a big difference to how it feels. There are a few ways to build on the resort feel and sustainability: 1. Use glass bottles in the room instead of small plastic ones. 2. Put a water refill station in a common area, perhaps by the greenhouse, so guests don’t have to go outside the resort to refill at the front office. 3. Offer breakfast at Mangrove House, so guests can eat by the mangroves. I’d happily pay 100k more per night for that. 4. Add an electric kettle to the room for hot water, coffee, tea, and sugar. 5. Serve drinks in glasses at Mangrove House and at the food cart by the Water Sports area, instead of paper or plastic cups. 6. Add a table and chair in the room for families, especially for a working husband or wife. A table overlooking the swamps would make a beautiful IG photo. 7. Service the playground, since the seesaw and roundabout were very rusty. Keep up the good work! with Serenity Krishna

The rooms are spacious, though dark, and the bamboo walkways winding through the mangroves make for lovely peaceful walks. It’s a distinctive place where you really feel surrounded by nature, with great birdwatching and even plane spotting. A good stop before flying out of the city, and excellent value: we paid cad$22 for a private suite. Food choices are limited, the bathroom was poorly maintained, and it’s a 20min walk to town. Watch out for the monkeys, too, since they may snatch belongings left outside the room.

We checked out early, around 9 AM, because the night had been unsettling. In the morning the view felt completely different, warm and pleasant, though at night it had felt cold in a way that wasn’t about the temperature. We’d arrived around 10 PM, and the place seemed creepy, with a dark vibe and dim lighting. A staff member showed us to the family room I’d booked. Once inside the house I felt unwell. One room wasn’t opened for us, and through the gap above its door we could see it was completely dark inside. Netflix didn’t work, but the water heater worked well. We couldn’t sleep properly, probably because of the atmosphere and the house itself, and heard lots of sounds through the night, maybe frogs or other nocturnal animals.