Villas in Tapokreng

This place was such a hidden gem. The family running this place is so lovely and caring (thank you Arnes, Lena, & Anna). They were so sweet & even took our laundry inside when it was raining / tidied our bed one day. They also came out and helped look for our sandal that fell into the water at night (miraculously recovered in the morning). For a simple Papuan housing structure, it was decorated beautifully with seashell curtains on the patio as well as shells lining the entire dock. There was a sand path to the toilet / dining area which was raked clean everyday. The food was incredible and they were able to cater to my vegetarian diet while still providing excellent fish-centered meals for my partner. Massive portions. A little spicy for me but doable …but I also do not have much tolerance for spice. Going in, I was concerned about the toilet and “dip Mandi” shower but they ended up having a real shower head & European style toilet. The location is very lovely - we were alone in a bay that was clean, had beautiful turquoise water, and a lovely reef. We were also within 3 km of Tarzan Diving so they were able to pick us up in the mornings for dives. The host does not speak English but we were able to translate with google & their daughter, Anna.

It felt like a family. We all sat together every night and talked about our days, our dives, and future plans. I made lifelong friendships. The dive center is everything I wanted, small groups, lots of dive sites.

To start, the villa is gorgeous. Set back in the mangroves, it is truly private and secluded. Everything in the villa has high standards, from the bedding to the shower, air conditioning, etc. It was spotless and everything is very well maintained. The kitchen/living room are open to nature, allowing me to enjoying laying in the jungle on the hammock. Fast internet, hot showers and 24 hr electricity are difficult to find in Raja Ampat and the villa has it all! You can also buy beer/whiskey, etc at the villa for a nice end-of-the-day drink. Food: I had home cooked Indonesian meals every evening. The chef, Dorce, was not only excellent, but gave me her recipes and let me help cook! The breakfasts were European with extra touches such as the cappuccino machine. They also accommodated my food requests as I’m a rather picky eater;) Tours: I booked snorkeling tours every day of my stay. The boat operators and snorkel guide were outstanding! Helpful, good eyes for spotting the difficult fish, and very punctual!! (Rare in Indonesia). Every tour was truly a full day with up to 5 snorkels. I saw everything on my list, plus a lot more! There is also the possibility to snorkel the home reef in fronting the villa. Things I loved: absolute comfort, privacy and luxury. 100% transparency about prices with NO hidden charges. Excellent communication and flexibility when planning tours. Thank you Remko, Caressa, and the entire staff at Luzo for making my trip absolutely unforgettable!!! I’ll be back!

The Homestay was amazing. The Owner, Paulus, and his Family made us feel at home from the start. The food was great and diverse. Paulus organized daytrips to go snorkeling and see many different sites. The house reef was great for snorkeling and just breathtaking. Paulus even organized the drop off the the next homestay for us.