Bakung Cozy Cottage

The staff were incredibly kind. On our last day they surprised us with freshly made banana fritters and cups of tea. The cottages were very clean and cozy.

The owner was very nice and arranged both a scooter and our laundry. Neither was a particularly good deal ($$), but not having to go anywhere for them was worth something. Breakfast was small, though edible. This suits you if you want a quiet, out-of-the-way place and your own cottage. There isn't food or a shop within a safe walking distance, so you'll need a scooter or car. The road is extremely narrow, though that's the same across the island. A scooter is better because you can at least squeeze to the side.

It's peaceful here without feeling completely cut off, which felt like just the right balance. There are only a couple of cabins, so most of the time you nearly have the pool to yourself. I got lucky and spent time relaxing in it under a full moon and starry sky. A great place for a romantic getaway and some time together without distractions.

Stay well away. The houses don't look like the beautiful ones in the booking photos. Their real condition is poor, and they're not sealed, so lizards, frogs, and other pests get inside. Our house wasn't clean when we arrived: the bathroom and shower stall were dirty, the soap dispenser was empty, and there were blood stains on the mosquito net that badly needed freshening up. The bedding was dirty too, so we slept in our own sleeping bags because we were disgusted. Don't book the breakfast. The pancakes were really a salty omelette with banana and something papery. The toast was a dry slice of bread with packaged jam and loads of sugar. The banana smoothie was the only thing we'd recommend, though it's hard to call that breakfast. The Wi-Fi only worked from 4 to 6 a.m., and even then only in one corner of the room. If you like being offline, this is the place for you. Our own mobile network had no signal either. Don't rent a scooter from them unless you take detailed photos and write down its condition at pickup. We trusted a young girl who brought us a scooter with a broken speedometer and scratches. We rode it only 30 km, to town and back on a straight road, with no collision. We returned it Friday evening. On Saturday evening, she came with a "mechanic" who pointed out lots of supposed damage 24 hours after we'd returned it. He pointed instead of explaining because, of course, there was no way to communicate in English. They demanded 200 k. When we asked for proof they'd given us a fully working scooter, the mechanic threatened to call the police. The girl lowered the price to 100 k, and even the owner couldn't say whether the scooter had been working when we got it. If you're hoping to sleep and rest, think again. Homeless dogs barked and whimpered all night from hunger and thirst. The hotel owners and people in nearby houses wouldn't even leave them a bowl of water, let alone food. One dog had a pack stuck on its head, and we had to help it get free. It was awful. It's far from every attraction and port. After we left and posted this review, we realized we'd forgotten our jacket in the room. The owners were rude and wouldn't help us get it back, even though we offered to pay. They also insulted us with the terrible insults ss below.