Features
- Sorong transfers available
- Sleeps 10 or more
- Seagrass
- Quiet hideaway
- Has family bungalows
- Calm beach
- Sandy Beach
- IDR 600,000 to 700,000
- Near village
Details
Ayau Homestay is in a very remote location. There two requirements to be aware of before booking a stay there:
- Bookings must be confirmed at least two weeks before arrival. (To allow time for preparation of the homestay and food supplies.)
- Minimum booking is 3 nights. (Because the investment required to prepare for guests makes shorter stays unprofitable.)
Ayau Homestay lies above the equator in far northern Raja Ampat.
Three beach bungalows are available. There is a private bungalow that sleeps two, and two family bungalows that sleep four.
Bedding is mattresses on the floor. Mosquito nets, pillows, bolsters, sheets and a blanket are provided. bath towels are also provided for guests.
The bungalows are situated on the edge of the beach, and have covered verandahs with sea views. A table, chairs and a hammock are provided..
Meals are served in Ayau Homestay’s beachside dining room. Free drinking water and tea and coffee making supplies are provided there for guests.
A two-room bathroom building provides dip mandi (bucket) bathing in one room and a squat toilet in the other.
Electricity is provided by generator and is available from sunset to around midnight.
In 2023, Ayau Homestay guests reported that a good 4G signal was available, but it seems things have changed: On our visit in May 2024, only a weak 4G phone signal and unreliable internet connection was available. This may be a temporary issue waiting a fix by the network provider, or it could be the new normal.
Only a little English is spoken at Ayau Homestay, so bringing a phrasebook or translation app will make communication a lot easier.
Ayau Homestay lies between two villages where basic supplies can be found, but do be sure to bring all essential items with you. Please also take away all your inorganic trash – especially plastic and dead batteries: There’s no safe waste disposal in these remote islands. Anything left there (or anywhere else in Raja Ampat) will eventually find its way to the sea.
For more information and a couple of detailed trip reports from earlier visitors to Ayau Homestay, see our Ayau and Asia Islands page.
Transport / Getting there
Transfers between Waisai and Ayau Homestay cost IDR 13,000,000. Depending on sea conditions, it's a five hour trip by twin engined longboat. The cost is shared by passengers. (Maximum of six.)
Alternatively, you can fly Susi Air from Sorong or Waisai to Kabare, and have Pak Risyard pick you up from there.
Transfers between Kabare and Ayau cost IDR 3,000,000. Cost is shared by up to six passengers.
Sorong transfers are also available. The cost is IDR 16,000,000 shared by up to six passengers.
Please note that Kabare and Ayau often suffer from fuel shortages. Because of this, Risyard may contact you to ask for an early payment that will allow him to secure the fuel needed for your transfer.
If you have plenty of time, and want to minimise costs, you might want to consider the fortnightly supply vessel Sabuk Nusantara. See the January 2026 schedule here.
See this Google doc for May 2024 prices and details about the above methods. (Thanks Yusril! 🙏)
Activities
Be sure to bring snorkelling gear, because there is great snorkelling both inside and outside the atoll's central lagoon.
Ayau Tours
See this March 2025 pricelist (PDF 45KB) for some of the tours available from Ayau Homestay
Island exploration
Long walks are possible on Ayau's beaches, and along the path that joins the island's three villages. Dorekar is Ayau's largest village, and is built around a sheltered lagoon near the island's western end. Carry on to the island's south-western point where, at low tide, wide sand banks emerge from the sea.
Hunt Insonem for dinner!
If you want to try a local delicacy, you can hunt for Insonem at low tide. Insonem are a large (~30cm) marine worm that can be found in the sand at low tide. Your hosts will prepare them for you. Pictures of Insonem can be found in the photo gallery above.
The Ayau and Asia Islands
See our Ayau and Asia Islands page for an overview of these remote atolls and some detailed trip reports from earlier visitors.
Ayau Homestay Location Map
Ayau Homestay Reviews
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13 Reviews
Our stay at Ayau Homestay was a truly special experience and one that we will remember for a very long time. From the very beginning, Richard and the entire team made us feel genuinely welcome and at home. Their warmth, kindness, and dedication were present in everything they did, and you could really feel how much effort they put into making our stay unforgettable.
Communication was never a problem thanks to a pre-downloaded Google Translate language package. This made it easy to connect, share many great moments, laughter, and enjoy meaningful interactions.
The food was outstanding throughout our stay. Every meal was freshly prepared, delicious, and full of care. As a special highlight, Richard and his team even organized amazing fresh lobster for us, which was an unforgettable experience and showed once again how much they go the extra mile for their guests.
The snorkeling and island trips are an absolute must and were among the highlights of our time in Ayau. Exploring the surrounding islands and walking to different parts of the community allowed us to interact with locals and experience everyday island life up close. It quickly became clear that very few tourists make it this far, and all encounters felt genuine, friendly, and full of joy.
Getting there was much easier than expected. We flew with Susi Air from Sorong to Kabare, which worked very well and was surprisingly economical. From there, all transfers and logistics were perfectly organized by the hosts, making the entire journey stress-free.
Our stay at Ayau Homestay also combined perfectly with Mnuway Homestay, with seamless transfers arranged between both locations. Together, they form the perfect itinerary for anyone wanting to explore the remote side of Raja Ampat.
What makes Ayau Homestay truly exceptional is the combination of breathtaking nature, authentic cultural immersion, and outstanding hospitality. Richard and his entire team welcome you not just as guests, but as part of their community. Special thanks also go to Ferry and Eddie, whose attentiveness and genuine care in tailoring each experience to our interests made our stay even more memorable.
If you are looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure, unforgettable snorkeling, and genuine human connections, Ayau Homestay is the perfect choice. For us, it was a deeply enriching experience and an easy 10 out of 10.
We stayed a week in Ayau to share life with the locals in this incredible and wild paradise. This experience was truly the experience of a lifetime. We didn’t really know what to expect before coming as it is really challenging to find any piece of information about Ayau but it couldn’t have been any better. Hengky was the best host we could’ve asked for and the whole family is so so caring, you can only feel at peace while staying there. We discovered untouched nature, raw beauty, natural wonders from pristine water, to mesmerizing sandbanks and unreal postcard-looking islands. Not to forget to mention, we were completely ALONE for kilometers around of course. There are many different small islands, villages, snorkeling spots and beaches to visit around the whole atoll so don’t worry, you won’t get bored because it’s remote. It’s genuinly the most beautiful place we’ve ever seen on earth so don’t hesitate a second to go there before this secret paradise gets more crowded ! We ate plenty of delicious fish cooked on the grill and had the chance to fish and taste sand worms – very unique and typical here, it’s a must-do activity and a must-try ! The accommodation is basic but they’ll improve it within the next few months, you can receive 4G at the village (no wifi) and the trip to get there is long and epic but that’s what make it even more worth it. Hope to come back one day, thanks again to everyone for this memorable stay <33
We stayed a week in Ayau to share life with the locals in this incredible and wild paradise. This experience was truly the experience of a lifetime. We didn’t really know what to expect before coming as it is really challenging to find any piece of information about Ayau but it couldn’t have been any better. Hengky was the best host we could’ve asked for and the whole family is so so caring, you can only feel at peace while staying there. We discovered untouched nature, raw beauty, natural wonders from pristine water, to mesmerizing sandbanks and unreal postcard-looking islands. Not to forget to mention, we were completely ALONE for kilometers around of course. There are many different small islands, villages, snorkeling spots and beaches to visit around the whole atoll so don’t worry, you won’t get bored because it’s remote. It’s genuinly the most beautiful place we’ve ever seen on earth so don’t hesitate a second to go there before this secret paradise gets more crowded ! We ate plenty of delicious fish cooked on the grill and had the chance to fish and taste sand worms – very unique and typical here, it’s a must-do activity and a must-try ! The accommodation is basic but they’ll improve it within the next few months, you can receive 4G at the village (no wifi) and the trip to get there is long and epic but that’s what make it even more worth it. Hope to come back one day, thanks again to everyone for this memorable stay <33
Nous avons passé une semaine à Ayau. Cela n’a pas été facile pour y arriver, on a pu avoir l’horaire du ferry seulement 2 jours avant, et il n’y a plus que deux vols Susi Air par semaine et qui peuvent être complet. Risyard est arrangeant et connaît bien ces difficultés. Ayau est très isolé.
C’est une expérience exceptionnelle de pouvoir partager des moments de vie dans un lieu éloigné de tout. La famille est authentique et discrète mais à l’écoute pour toutes nos demandes et remplie de gaieté. Hengki s’est particulièrement occupé de nous et on a pu avoir des cocos et du poisson quand la pêche était bonne.
Devant le bungalow il y a un peu de corail au milieu du sable. Sinon il faut aller assez loin à droite, après le village, pour trouver le récif. Il y a aussi un récif à gauche où on peut vous amener en bateau. Par contre, il y a beaucoup de possibilités de sorties possible, avec une eau plus claire que dans le lagon. Chaque site est différent, beaucoup de poissons aussi et des gros, des paysages coralliens magnifiques et variés. Nous avons apprécié la température de l’eau, 31-32°C qui nous a permis de rester longtemps dans l’eau. Nous n’avons pas retrouvé d’aussi bonnes températures ailleurs à Raja Ampat.
Le réseau ne fonctionnait pas pour nous alors on nous a amené à un village pour se connecter.
Merci à toute la famille, à Risyard et à Hengki.
Nous avons passé une semaine à Ayau. Cela n’a pas été facile pour y arriver, on a pu avoir l’horaire du ferry seulement 2 jours avant, et il n’y a plus que deux vols Susi Air par semaine et qui peuvent être complet. Risyard est arrangeant et connaît bien ces difficultés. Ayau est très isolé.
C’est une expérience exceptionnelle de pouvoir partager des moments de vie dans un lieu éloigné de tout. La famille est authentique et discrète mais à l’écoute pour toutes nos demandes et remplie de gaieté. Hengki s’est particulièrement occupé de nous et on a pu avoir des cocos et du poisson quand la pêche était bonne.
Devant le bungalow il y a un peu de corail au milieu du sable. Sinon il faut aller assez loin à droite, après le village, pour trouver le récif. Il y a aussi un récif à gauche où on peut vous amener en bateau. Par contre, il y a beaucoup de possibilités de sorties possible, avec une eau plus claire que dans le lagon. Chaque site est différent, beaucoup de poissons aussi et des gros, des paysages coralliens magnifiques et variés. Nous avons apprécié la température de l’eau, 31-32°C qui nous a permis de rester longtemps dans l’eau. Nous n’avons pas retrouvé d’aussi bonnes températures ailleurs à Raja Ampat.
Le réseau ne fonctionnait pas pour nous alors on nous a amené à un village pour se connecter.
Merci à toute la famille, à Risyard et à Hengki.
Riyard and Hengky are very attentive and accommodating, we stayed 3 days in May 2024 and really enjoyed our time there. Weather in Ayau could be sometimes scorching especially before rain pours. We asked for lobster and got a very good deal, much cheaper than Waisai price.
Riyard and Hengky are very attentive and accommodating, we stayed 3 days in May 2024 and really enjoyed our time there. Weather in Ayau could be sometimes scorching especially before rain pours. We asked for lobster and got a very good deal, much cheaper than Waisai price.
I stayed a week with Richard and his big family in Ayau. The place was fantastic. Ayau is truly beautiful. The journey there can be quite challenging as Susi air isn’t reliable and always changes its schedule unannounced. Luckily Richard’s family member, Hengky helped me a lot with that and as he spoke English it was very easy to communicate with the rest of the family in Ayau. Diving in Ayau is exceptional, visibility is often exceeding 30 meters.. Coral life is entirely healthy without any signs of damage and fish life is equally abundant. There are plenty of reef fish and in the bluewater, lots of marlin, sailfish and tuna. You can also find huge coconut crabs in the forest interior.
This is a very remote destination far away from civilization, but for those willing to make the effort, it’ll easily be a lifetime experience!
I stayed a week with Richard and his big family in Ayau. The place was fantastic. Ayau is truly beautiful. The journey there can be quite challenging as Susi air isn’t reliable and always changes its schedule unannounced. Luckily Richard’s family member, Hengky helped me a lot with that and as he spoke English it was very easy to communicate with the rest of the family in Ayau. Diving in Ayau is exceptional, visibility is often exceeding 30 meters.. Coral life is entirely healthy without any signs of damage and fish life is equally abundant. There are plenty of reef fish and in the bluewater, lots of marlin, sailfish and tuna. You can also find huge coconut crabs in the forest interior.
This is a very remote destination far away from civilization, but for those willing to make the effort, it’ll easily be a lifetime experience!
My friend and I stayed at Ayau homestay for 3 days. Ayau is a stunning location with beautiful remote white sand beaches and turquoise blue water. Richard and his family have been very kind and attentive to all of our wishes. One evening Richard’s son Hengky caught two lobsters which were a culinary highlight for us. Thank you Richard, Hengky and family for this experience!
My friend and I stayed at Ayau homestay for 3 days. Ayau is a stunning location with beautiful remote white sand beaches and turquoise blue water. Richard and his family have been very kind and attentive to all of our wishes. One evening Richard’s son Hengky caught two lobsters which were a culinary highlight for us. Thank you Richard, Hengky and family for this experience!
Ayau Homestay only joined Stay Raja Ampat in May 2024, so there are no reviews yet. But you can read previous guests experiences here.
Hopefully there will be some new ones soon! 🤞
Ayau Homestay only joined Stay Raja Ampat in May 2024, so there are no reviews yet. But you can read previous guests experiences here.
Hopefully there will be some new ones soon! 🤞