Happy Homestay Arborek

It’s so quiet at night that you can read under the stars with the ocean in the background. Snorkeling is right there from the caban, and Eggy and his family are very welcoming. They can arrange whatever long boat trip you need. Starlink WiFi is pretty good, though it sometimes goes down.

We really liked the location for setting off on different trips, and the house reef was good for snorkeling. We even spotted a little walking shark tucked under a coral. From the bungalow we could watch a small school of dolphins pass by almost every day, and the bungalows themselves were pretty and modern. The family running the place were lovely and always smiling. Their son handled WhatsApp messages, spoke very good English, and checked in several times to see if everything was okay. The rest of the family spoke little English. Food was simple, like elsewhere in Raja Ampat, but good. The shared bathroom had western toilets, showers, and bucket showers, which we ended up using more often. A few things could be better: sometimes the forks, spoons, and plates could have been cleaner, and raised beds would be an upgrade. We were fine with the comfortable mattress, though. We think it was the best homestay at Arborek, with a little room for improvement.

We felt unsafe during our stay and didn’t receive meaningful support from management. We later learned that the property had recently changed its name from Sunset Homestay, and that the former owner had been expelled from the local homestay association over guest harassment. None of this had been disclosed when we booked. Search for Sunset Homestay for more information.

The owner UTAMI and her family were very kind, and the local food they served was delicious. Each room had a hammock and a beach bed, which made it easy to relax. The water bungalow was comfortable, with a great ocean view and especially gorgeous sunsets. The house reef was really nice too. It’s a small island, but there’s electricity for 12 hours a day, from 6 to 6. The location gives easy access to every dive site. We’d definitely return, and highly recommend it to guests staying in Raja Ampat. For us, it’s the number one choice.