Features
- Reef dropoff
- Quiet hideaway
- Good phone signal
- Coral
- Child discount
- Good house reef
- Calm beach
- Sandy Beach
- Western style toilet
- IDR 500,000 to 600,000
- Diving available
Details
Efenli Arnes Homestay lies south-west of the Gam village of Yenbeser and opposite Pulau Friwen.
Three over-water private bungalows are available.
The bungalows sleep two on a mattress on the floor. An extra mattress can be provided if needed.
Meals are served in a beachside dining room, where drinking water, tea and coffee are provided free of charge for guests.
A western style toilet and dip mandi bathroom are housed in separate rooms in the homestay’s bathroom building.
Efenli Arnes Homestay receives a good phone signal. Data connections are possible. Electricity is available from a generator that runs from sunset until around midnight.
Yenbeser village is a short boat ride away and basic supplies can be purchased there. To avoid contributing to Raja Ampat’s ever growing trash problem, please take all your inorganic trash away with you when you leave.
Very little English is spoken at Efenli Arnes. Bringing a phrasebook or translation app will make things a lot easier if you don’t speak Bahasa Indonesia.
Transport / Getting there
Transport between Efenli Arnes Homestay and Waisai is by twin-engine longboat. Transfers cost IDR 800,000 for 1 or 2 passengers, or IDR 1,000,000 for 3-4 passengers. Transfer cost is shared by passengers.
Read more about Raja Ampat boat transport prices here.
Activities
Bring your own snorkelling gear to enjoy the great snorkelling available from the beach at Efenli Arnes. The sandy shore offers easy access to the water and the house reef is rich with fish. Dolphins are also often seen passing the homestay as they cruise the deeper waters beyond the reef dropoff.
Efenli Arnes Homestay can organise longboat trips to any location you care to visit. Village and island visits, Gam and Kabui Bay explorations and trips to see nearby Bird of Paradise display sites can be arranged.
Diving
Diving is available with Efenli Arnes' neighbour Corepen Homestay. Corepen will pick up divers from Efenli Arnes. Cost is IDR 100,000 per person. See Corepen's page for dive prices.
Pulau Gam
See our Gam Island page for an overview of Gam and its attractions.
Efenli Arnes Homestay Location Map
Efenli Arnes Homestay Reviews
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48 Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Authentic and Memorable Raja Ampat Experience!
I spent 3 days and 3 nights at Efenli Arnes Homestay in January 2026. If you are looking for a luxury resort, this is not the place for you. However, if you want a true local cultural experience with absolutely stunning scenery, I highly recommend it.
The Highlights:
• Location: The homestay is secluded and much quieter than the Friwen Beach area. The ocean view is exceptional, with crystal-clear blue water right in front of your room.
• Service: The host (Arnes) and his family are incredibly kind and helpful. Although there was a language barrier (the host speaks limited English), we communicated effectively using translation apps. They put in a lot of effort to understand and meet guests’ needs.
• Food: Meals were simple but fresh and delicious (mostly grilled fish and stir-fried vegetables). They were very accommodating and adjusted the seasoning (less salty) when I gave feedback.
• Tours: I recommend talking directly to the host to arrange boat trips (Piyanemo, Cape Kri, etc.). They are very flexible about combining tours to help save time and costs. They also took great care of us during the snorkeling trips.
Things to Note:
• Facilities: Amenities are basic (wooden overwater bungalows). Electricity and fresh water are limited during certain hours.
• Essentials: Be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and insect repellent (for mosquitoes and sandflies).
• Payment: Prepare cash (Rupiah) in advance as card payments are not available.
A wonderful place to disconnect and support the local community. I will definitely be back!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Authentic and Memorable Raja Ampat Experience!
I spent 3 days and 3 nights at Efenli Arnes Homestay in January 2026. If you are looking for a luxury resort, this is not the place for you. However, if you want a true local cultural experience with absolutely stunning scenery, I highly recommend it.
The Highlights:
• Location: The homestay is secluded and much quieter than the Friwen Beach area. The ocean view is exceptional, with crystal-clear blue water right in front of your room.
• Service: The host (Arnes) and his family are incredibly kind and helpful. Although there was a language barrier (the host speaks limited English), we communicated effectively using translation apps. They put in a lot of effort to understand and meet guests’ needs.
• Food: Meals were simple but fresh and delicious (mostly grilled fish and stir-fried vegetables). They were very accommodating and adjusted the seasoning (less salty) when I gave feedback.
• Tours: I recommend talking directly to the host to arrange boat trips (Piyanemo, Cape Kri, etc.). They are very flexible about combining tours to help save time and costs. They also took great care of us during the snorkeling trips.
Things to Note:
• Facilities: Amenities are basic (wooden overwater bungalows). Electricity and fresh water are limited during certain hours.
• Essentials: Be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and insect repellent (for mosquitoes and sandflies).
• Payment: Prepare cash (Rupiah) in advance as card payments are not available.
A wonderful place to disconnect and support the local community. I will definitely be back!
This homestay is absolutely beautiful and very well maintained. The family takes excellent care of everything and makes you feel truly welcome. The house reef right in front is incredible for snorkeling, and without a doubt, this was the best food we had in Raja Ampat by far.
You can organize all kinds of excursions from here, and if you want to go farther away, they can arrange a faster, more powerful boat.
We would come back without hesitation and highly recommend this place.
This homestay is absolutely beautiful and very well maintained. The family takes excellent care of everything and makes you feel truly welcome. The house reef right in front is incredible for snorkeling, and without a doubt, this was the best food we had in Raja Ampat by far.
You can organize all kinds of excursions from here, and if you want to go farther away, they can arrange a faster, more powerful boat.
We would come back without hesitation and highly recommend this place.
We spent 3 nights with Arnes and Lina’s family. The homestay and the bungalows have been decorated with love and detail. The mosquito net is intact. The bungalows are simple but have everything we needed. Lina is a very good cook, the food was very varied, and there was fruit for dessert. The family speaks little English but is very open-minded and you can communicate without much difficulty using a translation app. On our departure day, Arnes showed us the village of Yenbeser. He also drove with us a little further up the coast and showed us various bays. The internet connection is not that good, but we took a trip to Friwen Wall. There you can snorkel well and get an excellent internet signal on a small beach. The house reef looks good and is also suitable for a night snorkel. We saw various crabs, crocodile fish, and two bamboo sharks. Directly from the jetty, we were able to observe cuttlefish, small blacktip reef sharks, and blue-spotted stingrays. We went diving with Corepen Divers, who are based in the neighboring bay.
We spent 3 nights with Arnes and Lina’s family. The homestay and the bungalows have been decorated with love and detail. The mosquito net is intact. The bungalows are simple but have everything we needed. Lina is a very good cook, the food was very varied, and there was fruit for dessert. The family speaks little English but is very open-minded and you can communicate without much difficulty using a translation app. On our departure day, Arnes showed us the village of Yenbeser. He also drove with us a little further up the coast and showed us various bays. The internet connection is not that good, but we took a trip to Friwen Wall. There you can snorkel well and get an excellent internet signal on a small beach. The house reef looks good and is also suitable for a night snorkel. We saw various crabs, crocodile fish, and two bamboo sharks. Directly from the jetty, we were able to observe cuttlefish, small blacktip reef sharks, and blue-spotted stingrays. We went diving with Corepen Divers, who are based in the neighboring bay.
Efenli Arnes was my first homestay in Raja Ampat and definitely one of the best! Arnes and Lina live in a beautiful spot on Pulau Gam, opposite Friwen, with wonderful snorkelling on the house reef. My accommodation was very comfortable and private, with everything I needed. Lina is an excellent cook, and her meals were the most delicious food I had during my two weeks in RA. I did a nice snorkelling trip one day with Arnes to Friwen Wall and Batu Lima, with a stop in nearby Yenbeser Village to walk around and see where his daughter goes to school. Otherwise it was just beautiful and relaxing to read my book on the verandah, or watch the water below and the sunsets. Thanks Arnes and Lina for a great stay!
Efenli Arnes was my first homestay in Raja Ampat and definitely one of the best! Arnes and Lina live in a beautiful spot on Pulau Gam, opposite Friwen, with wonderful snorkelling on the house reef. My accommodation was very comfortable and private, with everything I needed. Lina is an excellent cook, and her meals were the most delicious food I had during my two weeks in RA. I did a nice snorkelling trip one day with Arnes to Friwen Wall and Batu Lima, with a stop in nearby Yenbeser Village to walk around and see where his daughter goes to school. Otherwise it was just beautiful and relaxing to read my book on the verandah, or watch the water below and the sunsets. Thanks Arnes and Lina for a great stay!
We had an amazing time with pak Arnes and his family from the moment he picked us up in Waisai to the moment he dropped us off at our next accomodation!!
The location is just stunningly beautiful, isolated and peaceful, the jungle behind was teeming with BirdLife while the water under the hut was just heaving with marine life. Being a bird lover I felt privileged to spot palm cockatoos, eclectus parrots, lorikeets, radjah shell ducks and so many others just by sitting in the hut and underwater we spotted baby black tip reef sharks, squids, sea cucumbers and giant clams etc.
We had exciting conversations with pak Arnes and his wife ibu Lina about their struggles to make a living during COVID, their kids education, the local wildlife, the weird & wonderful guests they’ve had previously and even where they first met and fell in love! They made us feel so welcomed and part of the family, It helped a lot that we speak Indonesian so we really got to know them very well.
pak Arnes even took us for a walk through the jungle and beaches far beyond the homestay to go spotting for birds and dugong because he found out how much of a bird geek I was 😂 and we went swimming with his children and took lots of videos and drone footage with them too!
Ibu Lina’s cooking was really good, She worked as a cook before when she travelled to Brunei and Malaysia and we were really impressed with her cooking skills ! We had grilled fish and sweet sour fish and plenty of Veges, spicy sambal and massive Indonesian portion of rice for every meal!
They are really so kind and generous giving us the sweetest coconuts we’ve ever had in the whole of Indonesia and plenty of sweet bananas. Before our arrival we ordered some crayfish with pak Arnes but unfortunately our stay coincided with the Eid holidays so the fishermen at Waisai didn’t have any crayfish for sale, it was totally ok with us and we understood and thought that was the end of it. But that night pak Arnes and his son went out night fishing and actually caught us a massive crayfish which ibu Lina grilled for us! He didn’t want any money for it he just wanted to make us happy -**we were so touched and left them with a big tip!
We highly recommend staying here at Efenli Arnes, the service the food the location and the wildlife are all outstanding!
We only have 2 small complaints, they’re not major and it would probably be the same at other homestays in raja Ampat but they are :
1. The room has no fan – it’s ok we don’t get 24 hour power or wifi but sleeping at night without a fan with the high humidity wasn’t a pleasant experience. Thats why on our next trip back here we plan to bring some rechargeable usb fans haha that would improve our sleep here by 110%
2. The toilet is very basic and we came in the rainy season so it was constantly wet and dark. It’s not a huge deal but that’s the reality so be prepared. On the other hand where else in the world would I be able to do number 2 while a hermit crab was crawling on the floor and the a pair of palm cockatoos were above me cracking open Ketapang nuts! It’s an experience I will cherish forever! No regrets only wonderful memories!
We had an amazing time with pak Arnes and his family from the moment he picked us up in Waisai to the moment he dropped us off at our next accomodation!!
The location is just stunningly beautiful, isolated and peaceful, the jungle behind was teeming with BirdLife while the water under the hut was just heaving with marine life. Being a bird lover I felt privileged to spot palm cockatoos, eclectus parrots, lorikeets, radjah shell ducks and so many others just by sitting in the hut and underwater we spotted baby black tip reef sharks, squids, sea cucumbers and giant clams etc.
We had exciting conversations with pak Arnes and his wife ibu Lina about their struggles to make a living during COVID, their kids education, the local wildlife, the weird & wonderful guests they’ve had previously and even where they first met and fell in love! They made us feel so welcomed and part of the family, It helped a lot that we speak Indonesian so we really got to know them very well.
pak Arnes even took us for a walk through the jungle and beaches far beyond the homestay to go spotting for birds and dugong because he found out how much of a bird geek I was 😂 and we went swimming with his children and took lots of videos and drone footage with them too!
Ibu Lina’s cooking was really good, She worked as a cook before when she travelled to Brunei and Malaysia and we were really impressed with her cooking skills ! We had grilled fish and sweet sour fish and plenty of Veges, spicy sambal and massive Indonesian portion of rice for every meal!
They are really so kind and generous giving us the sweetest coconuts we’ve ever had in the whole of Indonesia and plenty of sweet bananas. Before our arrival we ordered some crayfish with pak Arnes but unfortunately our stay coincided with the Eid holidays so the fishermen at Waisai didn’t have any crayfish for sale, it was totally ok with us and we understood and thought that was the end of it. But that night pak Arnes and his son went out night fishing and actually caught us a massive crayfish which ibu Lina grilled for us! He didn’t want any money for it he just wanted to make us happy -**we were so touched and left them with a big tip!
We highly recommend staying here at Efenli Arnes, the service the food the location and the wildlife are all outstanding!
We only have 2 small complaints, they’re not major and it would probably be the same at other homestays in raja Ampat but they are :
1. The room has no fan – it’s ok we don’t get 24 hour power or wifi but sleeping at night without a fan with the high humidity wasn’t a pleasant experience. Thats why on our next trip back here we plan to bring some rechargeable usb fans haha that would improve our sleep here by 110%
2. The toilet is very basic and we came in the rainy season so it was constantly wet and dark. It’s not a huge deal but that’s the reality so be prepared. On the other hand where else in the world would I be able to do number 2 while a hermit crab was crawling on the floor and the a pair of palm cockatoos were above me cracking open Ketapang nuts! It’s an experience I will cherish forever! No regrets only wonderful memories!
We had an incredible stay at Efenli Arnes. We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived and saw they they have built a new over the water cabin and removed the land one. There are now 4 over the water cabins available. They are all very cutely decorated with shells. The cabins were basic but spacious and clean – we found our stay to be very peaceful and relaxing. It is super quiet at night.
The house reef was great, we went out and snorkelled everyday and everyday we got to see at least 1 turtle, as well as all sorts of fish. A pod of dolphins also came by when we were in the water. We were able to easily organise dives with Corepen Homestay who are nearby and will pick you up in a boat for no extra charge and have good quality equipment and dive masters that are well trained and speak fluent English (You can just whatsapp them to organise). Efenli homestay will also prepare a lunch to take with you if you are heading out for the day!
The food was AMAZING. We watched fresh fish come in via boat each morning and again in the afternoon for lunch and dinner. We hardly ate the same meal twice over a 5 night stay – very impressed with their ability to keep things interesting. (We stayed with the French couple below who complained about the food – they were incredibly fussy eaters and the hosts were very gracious trying to accommodate for them by removing spice etc from meals). We ate tuna, giant travelly, squid, tempeh, tofu, leafy greens (lots of varieties), crispy vege fritters, soups, and so much more!
I do speak a little Indonesian which was helpful – their English is minimal but their daughter has a translater app on her phone that I’m sure would help in a pinch.
On our last way, Efenli encouraged us to get in his little boat with him and he took as to one of his favourite spots (for no charge – just a really nice guy). It was really special – we saw lots of stingrays, reef sharks, and went through some picturesque caves.
Caveat: The place is remote so of course it’s a little rough and ready with minimal facilities. We actually booked 3 rooms for 4 people but were given 2 rooms for 4. This was not an issue for us at all but recognize it could have been for others.
We had an incredible stay at Efenli Arnes. We were pleasantly surprised when we arrived and saw they they have built a new over the water cabin and removed the land one. There are now 4 over the water cabins available. They are all very cutely decorated with shells. The cabins were basic but spacious and clean – we found our stay to be very peaceful and relaxing. It is super quiet at night.
The house reef was great, we went out and snorkelled everyday and everyday we got to see at least 1 turtle, as well as all sorts of fish. A pod of dolphins also came by when we were in the water. We were able to easily organise dives with Corepen Homestay who are nearby and will pick you up in a boat for no extra charge and have good quality equipment and dive masters that are well trained and speak fluent English (You can just whatsapp them to organise). Efenli homestay will also prepare a lunch to take with you if you are heading out for the day!
The food was AMAZING. We watched fresh fish come in via boat each morning and again in the afternoon for lunch and dinner. We hardly ate the same meal twice over a 5 night stay – very impressed with their ability to keep things interesting. (We stayed with the French couple below who complained about the food – they were incredibly fussy eaters and the hosts were very gracious trying to accommodate for them by removing spice etc from meals). We ate tuna, giant travelly, squid, tempeh, tofu, leafy greens (lots of varieties), crispy vege fritters, soups, and so much more!
I do speak a little Indonesian which was helpful – their English is minimal but their daughter has a translater app on her phone that I’m sure would help in a pinch.
On our last way, Efenli encouraged us to get in his little boat with him and he took as to one of his favourite spots (for no charge – just a really nice guy). It was really special – we saw lots of stingrays, reef sharks, and went through some picturesque caves.
Caveat: The place is remote so of course it’s a little rough and ready with minimal facilities. We actually booked 3 rooms for 4 people but were given 2 rooms for 4. This was not an issue for us at all but recognize it could have been for others.
Photos non actualisées! Pas de bengalow sur terre, que sur l’eau. Tous les bengallow sont très proches, peu d’intimité.
Environment bruyant, générateur, bateaux, musique des bâteaux … … dont la nuit.
Un seul toilette commun et une seule douche pour tous les bengalows. Porte spartiate et ne fermant pas.
Aucune adaptation du menu selon vos demandes, même en proposant une compensation financière (la nourriture sera épicée, pas de fruits en plus …). Petit déjeuner très léger, attention pour ceux qui partent en journées plongées après!
Prix bas pour un hébergement correcte et une nourriture standard, sans possibilités de nuances. Contacte humain très me
édiocre.
Le moins bien de tous les homestays que nous ayons fait, tout autour de Gam..
Photos non actualisées! Pas de bengalow sur terre, que sur l’eau. Tous les bengallow sont très proches, peu d’intimité.
Environment bruyant, générateur, bateaux, musique des bâteaux … … dont la nuit.
Un seul toilette commun et une seule douche pour tous les bengalows. Porte spartiate et ne fermant pas.
Aucune adaptation du menu selon vos demandes, même en proposant une compensation financière (la nourriture sera épicée, pas de fruits en plus …). Petit déjeuner très léger, attention pour ceux qui partent en journées plongées après!
Prix bas pour un hébergement correcte et une nourriture standard, sans possibilités de nuances. Contacte humain très me
édiocre.
Le moins bien de tous les homestays que nous ayons fait, tout autour de Gam..
My friend and I stayed at Efenli Arnes for 3 nights. The food was very delicious and the hosts were kind and attentive. It’s a good place to stay for when you do diving with one of the diving centers in the area.
My friend and I stayed at Efenli Arnes for 3 nights. The food was very delicious and the hosts were kind and attentive. It’s a good place to stay for when you do diving with one of the diving centers in the area.
We loved this home stay.
Arnes and his family were lovely, they don’t speak much English, if you speak a little Indonesian or just with a translator it will be fine.
The beach bungalow is also on stilts, but just a little further out in the bay.
The food is super good (the best out of 3 homestays) and in ample supply.
Only 3 bungalows so it’s very quiet and the bay is wonderful for swimming and snorkelling, a tropical paradise.
We loved this home stay.
Arnes and his family were lovely, they don’t speak much English, if you speak a little Indonesian or just with a translator it will be fine.
The beach bungalow is also on stilts, but just a little further out in the bay.
The food is super good (the best out of 3 homestays) and in ample supply.
Only 3 bungalows so it’s very quiet and the bay is wonderful for swimming and snorkelling, a tropical paradise.
We stayed at Arnes Homestay for three nights and it was just an amazing experience! The view from the bungalow out onto the house reef and Friwen Island is just so beautiful. The bungalow is basic and the mattress could be better, but it’s thoughtfully decorated. The toilet and shower were just okay, but it’s just something you have to live with when you want to be off the beaten path and it’s honestly not a big deal. Electricity was available for a couple of hours every evening, reception for mobile phones was very limited, but we didn’t mind, as it added to the relaxing and secluded atmosphere. The snorkeling is great too, we saw sea turtles, a huge variety of fish and coral and even some reef sharks, so definitely bring your own mask and snorkel and maybe fins.
The host family was super friendly, even though communication was difficult, as almost no english is spoken, but it always worked out. Arnes wife Malina is an amazing cook and served us super tasty food every day. It’s honestly astonishing what she accomplishes with the limited resources that are available and it was the best food we had in all of Raja Ampat.
If you want to do snorkeling somewhere else, for example on Friwen Wall, just ask Arnes and it can be arranged. Scuba diving is also possible, since there’s a great scuba center called Corepen just around the corner that will also pick you up in the morning. We went on five dives with them and they were all absolutely amazing.
We stayed on Arborek Island for a couple days after and kind of wished we would’ve stayed at Arnes Homestay to be honest. So we definitely highly recommend!
It’s also the place where we got engaged, so it will forever stay with us 🙂
We stayed at Arnes Homestay for three nights and it was just an amazing experience! The view from the bungalow out onto the house reef and Friwen Island is just so beautiful. The bungalow is basic and the mattress could be better, but it’s thoughtfully decorated. The toilet and shower were just okay, but it’s just something you have to live with when you want to be off the beaten path and it’s honestly not a big deal. Electricity was available for a couple of hours every evening, reception for mobile phones was very limited, but we didn’t mind, as it added to the relaxing and secluded atmosphere. The snorkeling is great too, we saw sea turtles, a huge variety of fish and coral and even some reef sharks, so definitely bring your own mask and snorkel and maybe fins.
The host family was super friendly, even though communication was difficult, as almost no english is spoken, but it always worked out. Arnes wife Malina is an amazing cook and served us super tasty food every day. It’s honestly astonishing what she accomplishes with the limited resources that are available and it was the best food we had in all of Raja Ampat.
If you want to do snorkeling somewhere else, for example on Friwen Wall, just ask Arnes and it can be arranged. Scuba diving is also possible, since there’s a great scuba center called Corepen just around the corner that will also pick you up in the morning. We went on five dives with them and they were all absolutely amazing.
We stayed on Arborek Island for a couple days after and kind of wished we would’ve stayed at Arnes Homestay to be honest. So we definitely highly recommend!
It’s also the place where we got engaged, so it will forever stay with us 🙂
Fantastic homestay. Ive been in 6 and this was, by far, the cleanest and the best food i taste. Nice coral reef in front. Perfect homestay to finish or to rest of boring food in the middle of your journey.
Fantastic homestay. Ive been in 6 and this was, by far, the cleanest and the best food i taste. Nice coral reef in front. Perfect homestay to finish or to rest of boring food in the middle of your journey.
Recomendamos este Homestay 100%.
Os contamos nuestra experiencia.
Teníamos pensado pasar 3 noches en la isla de Gam con esta familia y otras 4 en la Isla de Kri. Despues de pasar una noche en Kri, escribimos a la familia para que nos vinieran a recoger para volver a Efenli.
¿Por qué?
Porque el lugar es un sueño. Si buscas un lugar alejado del mundo, de los turistas, de la cultura occidental, este es tu sitio.
La cabaña está hecha a mano por Lina y Arnes. Aqui hemos aprendido a valorar las cosas que no se pagan con dinero. Es una familia autosuficiente que pesca su comida, hacen sus casas, plantas sus verduras, y no necesitan comodidades para ser felices.
El lugar es muy limpio, el baño y la ducha son cómodos e higiénicos.
En la casa de familia viven Lina, Arnes y su hija Antoneta, una niña encantadora y muy educada. La familia te deja intimidad, pero a la vez son cercanos y muy hospitalarios.
La comida es la mejor que hemos comido en nuestro viaje a Indonesia. Lina es una cocinara fantástica. Una mujer cuidadora, que sabe identificar tus necesidades y hace todo lo posible porque estés comoda en su casa.
Arnes es un hombre de mar, que pesca todos los días para la comida y la cena. Hicimos con el un par de excursiones que fueron increíbles (Lina prepara almuerzo para las excursiones). Además de las excursiones que solicitamos, Arnes nos hizo un par de excursiones que no quería cobrarnos (obviamente le pagamos la gasolina ya que es muy cara). Nos invitó a ir a pescar con el. Hacer snorkel con Arnes es genial, un amigo te sigue con la barca y eso te da seguridad. Además Arnes sabe localizar los animales para mostrarlos.
El arrecife de la casa es muy rico, vimos tortugas marinas, incluso una manta raya que Arnes vio a lo lejos, nos subió en su barca y pudimos verla a la perfección.
La marea baja no deja al descubierto la cabaña.
Hay dos cabañas, por lo que como mucho puedes estar con otras dos personas en el Homestay. La paz y la intimidad estan garantizadas.
Hay un pueblo relativamente cerca, Arnes nos llevo para comprar snaks (tampoco nos quería cobrar).
Sin lugar a dudas, y si la vida nos lo permite, volveremos a este lugar.
Gracias por todo Lina, Arnes y Antoneta.
Recomendamos este Homestay 100%.
Os contamos nuestra experiencia.
Teníamos pensado pasar 3 noches en la isla de Gam con esta familia y otras 4 en la Isla de Kri. Despues de pasar una noche en Kri, escribimos a la familia para que nos vinieran a recoger para volver a Efenli.
¿Por qué?
Porque el lugar es un sueño. Si buscas un lugar alejado del mundo, de los turistas, de la cultura occidental, este es tu sitio.
La cabaña está hecha a mano por Lina y Arnes. Aqui hemos aprendido a valorar las cosas que no se pagan con dinero. Es una familia autosuficiente que pesca su comida, hacen sus casas, plantas sus verduras, y no necesitan comodidades para ser felices.
El lugar es muy limpio, el baño y la ducha son cómodos e higiénicos.
En la casa de familia viven Lina, Arnes y su hija Antoneta, una niña encantadora y muy educada. La familia te deja intimidad, pero a la vez son cercanos y muy hospitalarios.
La comida es la mejor que hemos comido en nuestro viaje a Indonesia. Lina es una cocinara fantástica. Una mujer cuidadora, que sabe identificar tus necesidades y hace todo lo posible porque estés comoda en su casa.
Arnes es un hombre de mar, que pesca todos los días para la comida y la cena. Hicimos con el un par de excursiones que fueron increíbles (Lina prepara almuerzo para las excursiones). Además de las excursiones que solicitamos, Arnes nos hizo un par de excursiones que no quería cobrarnos (obviamente le pagamos la gasolina ya que es muy cara). Nos invitó a ir a pescar con el. Hacer snorkel con Arnes es genial, un amigo te sigue con la barca y eso te da seguridad. Además Arnes sabe localizar los animales para mostrarlos.
El arrecife de la casa es muy rico, vimos tortugas marinas, incluso una manta raya que Arnes vio a lo lejos, nos subió en su barca y pudimos verla a la perfección.
La marea baja no deja al descubierto la cabaña.
Hay dos cabañas, por lo que como mucho puedes estar con otras dos personas en el Homestay. La paz y la intimidad estan garantizadas.
Hay un pueblo relativamente cerca, Arnes nos llevo para comprar snaks (tampoco nos quería cobrar).
Sin lugar a dudas, y si la vida nos lo permite, volveremos a este lugar.
Gracias por todo Lina, Arnes y Antoneta.
I stayed in 4 guesthouses in Raja Ampat and I had the least pleasant experience here.
The good: the hut is beautiful. They spent nice attention to detail when decorating, with shells everywhere, even lining the whole pier, there’s nice plants all over the grounds etc. It all looks picture perfect. The house reef is fabulous, as is common to most Raja Ampat places. Just hop in and start enjoying. During lower tides you can get out using the boat trench. There’s hammocks on land under the trees. I wanted to do laundry but the lady insisted she would do it. The portions of food were abundant and the first day was great with fresh tuna. However…
The bad: the mattress, absolutely the worst I’ve slept on. I was definitely pretty much touching the ground on the worst part. The terrace could do with some chill furniture and not just a plastic chair. Furthermore I got food-sick while there, which wasn’t the most pleasant in a place that had no toilet paper and just a bucket. I also didn’t have the best vibe with the hosts. I know they don’t speak english, but they also didn’t do any effort to interact, and the departure felt very pressured – I asked for an hour and basically was rushed outta there after breakfast. Charging an amountnm for the transfer without even knowing where I was going, easy overpay. Instead of communicating the food times, I was just waiting and woken up 3 times during naps- unnecessary since I was the only guest then.
I stayed in 4 guesthouses in Raja Ampat and I had the least pleasant experience here.
The good: the hut is beautiful. They spent nice attention to detail when decorating, with shells everywhere, even lining the whole pier, there’s nice plants all over the grounds etc. It all looks picture perfect. The house reef is fabulous, as is common to most Raja Ampat places. Just hop in and start enjoying. During lower tides you can get out using the boat trench. There’s hammocks on land under the trees. I wanted to do laundry but the lady insisted she would do it. The portions of food were abundant and the first day was great with fresh tuna. However…
The bad: the mattress, absolutely the worst I’ve slept on. I was definitely pretty much touching the ground on the worst part. The terrace could do with some chill furniture and not just a plastic chair. Furthermore I got food-sick while there, which wasn’t the most pleasant in a place that had no toilet paper and just a bucket. I also didn’t have the best vibe with the hosts. I know they don’t speak english, but they also didn’t do any effort to interact, and the departure felt very pressured – I asked for an hour and basically was rushed outta there after breakfast. Charging an amountnm for the transfer without even knowing where I was going, easy overpay. Instead of communicating the food times, I was just waiting and woken up 3 times during naps- unnecessary since I was the only guest then.
We came to Raja Ampat for 10 days of full diving, we had booked a liveaboard but unfortunately it sank a few weeks before our trip (go figure!!). We found ourselves with a last minute change of plans so we just head to Raja and tried our luck with land based diving.
After some research we decided to dive with Corepen which was great but unfortunately we were able to stay with them only 3 nights, they kindly recommended Efenli Homestay for the remaining 6 nights of our trip and we couldn’t be thankful enough.
Staying with Arnes and Lina was great, there wasn’t anyone else so my dive buddy was able to sleep in the second overwater bungalow at no additional cost. Food was the best part, abundant and delicious, we were spoiled one night with wood fired tuna, that was delicious, best tuna I’ve ever had in my life!!!
Diving arrangements were easy, we’d just head to Corepen every morning at 7:45AM (ask Corepen to pick you up, they’ll do it free of charge, if you ask Arnes, they’ll charge you for each trip) and then they’ll drop us back once done with diving.
Lina and Arnes were extremely attentive (make sure you download a translating app), always making sure we were comfortable, taking care of our clothes and belongings while we were away to make sure they wouldn’t get wet, Lina even made us those delicious fried bananas once because we just felt like it and Arnes took us on a boat ride to find some Bintang and biscuits, again because we just felt like it hahaha.
100% recommended, we’ll stay here for sure next time.
We came to Raja Ampat for 10 days of full diving, we had booked a liveaboard but unfortunately it sank a few weeks before our trip (go figure!!). We found ourselves with a last minute change of plans so we just head to Raja and tried our luck with land based diving.
After some research we decided to dive with Corepen which was great but unfortunately we were able to stay with them only 3 nights, they kindly recommended Efenli Homestay for the remaining 6 nights of our trip and we couldn’t be thankful enough.
Staying with Arnes and Lina was great, there wasn’t anyone else so my dive buddy was able to sleep in the second overwater bungalow at no additional cost. Food was the best part, abundant and delicious, we were spoiled one night with wood fired tuna, that was delicious, best tuna I’ve ever had in my life!!!
Diving arrangements were easy, we’d just head to Corepen every morning at 7:45AM (ask Corepen to pick you up, they’ll do it free of charge, if you ask Arnes, they’ll charge you for each trip) and then they’ll drop us back once done with diving.
Lina and Arnes were extremely attentive (make sure you download a translating app), always making sure we were comfortable, taking care of our clothes and belongings while we were away to make sure they wouldn’t get wet, Lina even made us those delicious fried bananas once because we just felt like it and Arnes took us on a boat ride to find some Bintang and biscuits, again because we just felt like it hahaha.
100% recommended, we’ll stay here for sure next time.
The host family – Arnes, Lina and their daughters are super warm and friendly. Just know that downloading Bahasa on your language app is necessary as they don‘t speak any english.
Lina is the best cook and she kind of reminded us of an Italian nonna: she is happy if you‘re well fed and taken care of. There always is a variety of protein, veggies, rice and fruit with lots of flavour but quite spicy which we liked. Sometimes we even got noodles. It surely is some of the best food we’ve had in Raja Ampat (nr. 1 in portion size).
Everything in the homestay’s setup is well-thought-out, looked after neatly and decorated with much love.
The house reef is colourful and abundant – some of the best corals we have seen in our life. They also have a cuscus in the garden that we could watch eating mangos in the evening. We did a snorkeling tour with Arnes to Friwen wall and Batu lima which are very close. It was a little expensive for the short distance but still very beautiful.
Thank you for everything!
The host family – Arnes, Lina and their daughters are super warm and friendly. Just know that downloading Bahasa on your language app is necessary as they don‘t speak any english.
Lina is the best cook and she kind of reminded us of an Italian nonna: she is happy if you‘re well fed and taken care of. There always is a variety of protein, veggies, rice and fruit with lots of flavour but quite spicy which we liked. Sometimes we even got noodles. It surely is some of the best food we’ve had in Raja Ampat (nr. 1 in portion size).
Everything in the homestay’s setup is well-thought-out, looked after neatly and decorated with much love.
The house reef is colourful and abundant – some of the best corals we have seen in our life. They also have a cuscus in the garden that we could watch eating mangos in the evening. We did a snorkeling tour with Arnes to Friwen wall and Batu lima which are very close. It was a little expensive for the short distance but still very beautiful.
Thank you for everything!
Had a lovely stay with my family at Arnés place. Really quiet, a lot of privacy. Front reef is amazing for snorkeling. I have seen sharks, eagle ray, turtles, mobile rays… Food was plenty and really tasty.
Had a lovely stay with my family at Arnés place. Really quiet, a lot of privacy. Front reef is amazing for snorkeling. I have seen sharks, eagle ray, turtles, mobile rays… Food was plenty and really tasty.
I spent 3 weeks in raja ampat at 4 different homestays and Efenli Arnes was definitely my favourite! I spent 5 days with Arnes, Leni and their daughter Antonieta. They are a very lovely and helpful family and will do everything to make your stay perfect! The food was by far the best I had in raja ampat, always changing dishes with rice, vegetable, fish, chicken and everyday fresh fruits! The house reef is good with plenty of fishes and if you snorkel towards the village you can see turtles and sharks. Once I’ve seen five turtles within half an hour!
I stayed at the over water bungalow which is big and has a nice view with lovely decorations. They have also an on beach bungalow with a new sun lounger and table with chairs.
I will definitely stay there again if I come back to Raja Ampat!
I spent 3 weeks in raja ampat at 4 different homestays and Efenli Arnes was definitely my favourite! I spent 5 days with Arnes, Leni and their daughter Antonieta. They are a very lovely and helpful family and will do everything to make your stay perfect! The food was by far the best I had in raja ampat, always changing dishes with rice, vegetable, fish, chicken and everyday fresh fruits! The house reef is good with plenty of fishes and if you snorkel towards the village you can see turtles and sharks. Once I’ve seen five turtles within half an hour!
I stayed at the over water bungalow which is big and has a nice view with lovely decorations. They have also an on beach bungalow with a new sun lounger and table with chairs.
I will definitely stay there again if I come back to Raja Ampat!
We stayed one week with Lina, Arnes and their family and it was wunderful.
Everything is made with love, all the little details bring out a perfect place for relaxing.
The VIP Bungalow is really big with a nice terasse, all day in the shade and cool.
Lina is a great cook, everyday meals with fish or chicken, different side dishes, etc.
The house reef is great and a perfect snorcel place. And we did sevetal trips with Armes to Batu Lima or Frewen Wall, which was fantastic and very affordable
We came as guests and left as friends – and loved every minute!
We stayed one week with Lina, Arnes and their family and it was wunderful.
Everything is made with love, all the little details bring out a perfect place for relaxing.
The VIP Bungalow is really big with a nice terasse, all day in the shade and cool.
Lina is a great cook, everyday meals with fish or chicken, different side dishes, etc.
The house reef is great and a perfect snorcel place. And we did sevetal trips with Armes to Batu Lima or Frewen Wall, which was fantastic and very affordable
We came as guests and left as friends – and loved every minute!
The whole family did everything they could to make us feel comfortable. They were very hospitable and accomodating for our needs.
The place is really nice, very private and peaceful. Its very close to several attraction points like friwen bonda, kabui bay etc.
During our 3 days stay here, the food are absolutely delicious and abundant. They even went so far as to fulfil our requests of what kind of food that we want.
Whenever I’m back to Gam island, this place will be my first choice of stay
The whole family did everything they could to make us feel comfortable. They were very hospitable and accomodating for our needs.
The place is really nice, very private and peaceful. Its very close to several attraction points like friwen bonda, kabui bay etc.
During our 3 days stay here, the food are absolutely delicious and abundant. They even went so far as to fulfil our requests of what kind of food that we want.
Whenever I’m back to Gam island, this place will be my first choice of stay
The family really did everything possible to make my stay enjoyable. It was not their fault that I had booked for two weeks and felt terribly lonely after one week. There was very little communication–also my fault, why did I not learn more Indonesian.
Corals and fish were alright but certainly not overwhelming.
I would recommend this homestay for a few nights but single travellers without good Indonesian might find it too much of a hideaway.2- 3 nights would have been just right for me.
I left before my two weeks were over and had to pay quite a considerable sum. This was unpleasant for a while but we arranged a fair compromise- I hope
The family really did everything possible to make my stay enjoyable. It was not their fault that I had booked for two weeks and felt terribly lonely after one week. There was very little communication–also my fault, why did I not learn more Indonesian.
Corals and fish were alright but certainly not overwhelming.
I would recommend this homestay for a few nights but single travellers without good Indonesian might find it too much of a hideaway.2- 3 nights would have been just right for me.
I left before my two weeks were over and had to pay quite a considerable sum. This was unpleasant for a while but we arranged a fair compromise- I hope
I was lucky being lost in this lovely homestay. In the begening I planning to stay in a homestay near Saporkren but they canseled when I Just arraived in Waisai Harbour. Then they overed me to Batu Lima Homestay but my budget not enough terefore they droped me to Arnes Homestay. No idea at the time I dont even have an information about this Homestay but in the first time I met Arnesand family I fell confort so I decided to stay 2 nights. I realy injoy my time there and I was the only one guest at the time ;). anyway Arnes Homstay had 2 bungalows so can acomodate 4 parsons.
Saya pengunjung yang nyasar di homstay yang tidak perna saya lirik ini. secara saya tertarik dengan dengan homstay lain yang jauh dari pemukiman. hanya saja ketika tidak jadi menginap di homstay yang saya lirik dan secara tidak sengaja diantar kehomstai ini saya jadi semgangat melihat letaknya yang tersembunyi dibalik lebatnya pohon. Meski di pinggir pantai tapi pemiliknya memelihara pohon tetap rimbun. Sungguh adem. dengan 2 bunga low yang nyaman lengkap dengan teras.
Letaknya dekat dengan kampung tapi tetap nyaman karena pantainya sepih dari warga kampung. Pemiliknya juga sangat ramah dan baik hati. Makananya buat saya kenyang sepanjang hari . semoga ada waktu untuk kembali lagi nanti.
I was lucky being lost in this lovely homestay. In the begening I planning to stay in a homestay near Saporkren but they canseled when I Just arraived in Waisai Harbour. Then they overed me to Batu Lima Homestay but my budget not enough terefore they droped me to Arnes Homestay. No idea at the time I dont even have an information about this Homestay but in the first time I met Arnesand family I fell confort so I decided to stay 2 nights. I realy injoy my time there and I was the only one guest at the time ;). anyway Arnes Homstay had 2 bungalows so can acomodate 4 parsons.
Saya pengunjung yang nyasar di homstay yang tidak perna saya lirik ini. secara saya tertarik dengan dengan homstay lain yang jauh dari pemukiman. hanya saja ketika tidak jadi menginap di homstay yang saya lirik dan secara tidak sengaja diantar kehomstai ini saya jadi semgangat melihat letaknya yang tersembunyi dibalik lebatnya pohon. Meski di pinggir pantai tapi pemiliknya memelihara pohon tetap rimbun. Sungguh adem. dengan 2 bunga low yang nyaman lengkap dengan teras.
Letaknya dekat dengan kampung tapi tetap nyaman karena pantainya sepih dari warga kampung. Pemiliknya juga sangat ramah dan baik hati. Makananya buat saya kenyang sepanjang hari . semoga ada waktu untuk kembali lagi nanti.
What a wonderful memorable home stay. From start to finish we were spoilt. The isolation of the home stay offered privacy. As this is the only bungalow in this secluded cove. We had our hosts undivided attention. Fantastic food cooked by Lina (breakfasts, lunch, supper and mid-afternoon snack). Fresh fish was caught and cooked each day by Arnes. Arnes took us out to the island opposite the resort to go snorkeling. The coral and fish were wonderful. Highly recommend this special place. The experience was amazing. Tip: Arnes’s brother Martin lives in the next village and speaks excellent English.
What a wonderful memorable home stay. From start to finish we were spoilt. The isolation of the home stay offered privacy. As this is the only bungalow in this secluded cove. We had our hosts undivided attention. Fantastic food cooked by Lina (breakfasts, lunch, supper and mid-afternoon snack). Fresh fish was caught and cooked each day by Arnes. Arnes took us out to the island opposite the resort to go snorkeling. The coral and fish were wonderful. Highly recommend this special place. The experience was amazing. Tip: Arnes’s brother Martin lives in the next village and speaks excellent English.
Pengalaman seru menginap di homestay ini. Benar-benar private, nyaman, tenang, pemandangan yang indah di sekitar homestay dan mata benar-benar dapat dimanjakan dengan keindahan dalam lautnya disekitar homestay, pas banget buat snorkling kalian tidak perlu jauh-jauh untuk mencari spot (snorkling), pemilik homestay sangat friendly, pokoknya ga nyesel deh
Pengalaman seru menginap di homestay ini. Benar-benar private, nyaman, tenang, pemandangan yang indah di sekitar homestay dan mata benar-benar dapat dimanjakan dengan keindahan dalam lautnya disekitar homestay, pas banget buat snorkling kalian tidak perlu jauh-jauh untuk mencari spot (snorkling), pemilik homestay sangat friendly, pokoknya ga nyesel deh
Just got back to Sorong after a wonderful week at Efenli Arnes homestay. This was my first time in Raja Ampat and part of my first trip to Indonesia so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. The homestay is set in a beautiful location. If you are looking for a private hideaway with just yourself and nature this is the spot.
The house reef was incredible. Lots of healthy coral and lots of small fish. I was a little disappointed with the water clarity after coming from the Banda islands, but the reef and fish were much more impressive here. I also highly recommend taking the boat trip across the channel to Friwen Wall.
I was the first guest to ever stay at this homestay, but you wouldn’t know it. The whole family was very hospitable. The food was delicious and plentiful. I am a big eater(American) and I could never finish a meal.
Communication was sometimes difficult since I speak no Bahasa and they speak no English, but Arnes brother who runs nearby Batu Lima homestay speaks English and was around almost daily to translate.
Thanks again for a great week on Gam!
Just got back to Sorong after a wonderful week at Efenli Arnes homestay. This was my first time in Raja Ampat and part of my first trip to Indonesia so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. The homestay is set in a beautiful location. If you are looking for a private hideaway with just yourself and nature this is the spot.
The house reef was incredible. Lots of healthy coral and lots of small fish. I was a little disappointed with the water clarity after coming from the Banda islands, but the reef and fish were much more impressive here. I also highly recommend taking the boat trip across the channel to Friwen Wall.
I was the first guest to ever stay at this homestay, but you wouldn’t know it. The whole family was very hospitable. The food was delicious and plentiful. I am a big eater(American) and I could never finish a meal.
Communication was sometimes difficult since I speak no Bahasa and they speak no English, but Arnes brother who runs nearby Batu Lima homestay speaks English and was around almost daily to translate.
Thanks again for a great week on Gam!