Features
- Hiking available
- Coral
- Child discount
- Good house reef
- Calm beach
- Sandy Beach
- IDR 600,000 to 700,000
- Has raised beds
- Western style toilet
- Near village
- Has ensuite bathroom/toilet
Details
Moana Homestay is at Sauwandarek village, on Pulau Mansuar’s southern coast.
Three VIP bungalows with ensuite bathrooms are available. The bungalows sleep two on raised beds. A mattress for a third guest can be squeezed in if needed. Groups of more than three should book two bungalows.
All bungalows have verandahs with panoramic sea views. Mosquito nets, sheets and pillows, and bath towels are provided. The bungalows are equipped with light switches and power outlets.
Bungalow ensuite bathrooms have dip-mandi (bucket) bathing and western style toilets.
Meals are served in Moana’s beachside dining room. As at all homestays, free drinking water and tea and coffee making supplies are always available there.
Electricity for lighting and charging devices is is from the village supply, and is usually available all night.
Only a weak signal is available at Moana, especially if it’s rainy. The best reception is out on the beach. WhatsApp will usually work, but you should be prepared to be offline at Sauwandarek.
Only basic supplies are available at Sauwandarek’s shops, so be sure to bring your essential supplies with you.
Very little English is spoken at Moana Homestay. Bringing an offline translation app or phrasebook will make things much easier.
As everywhere in the islands, please do take your inorganic trash away with you when you leave: There is no safe means of inorganic waste disposal in Raja Ampat. (See our Don’t rubbish Raja Ampat article for more about this.)
PLEASE NOTE: Sauwandarek is a Seventh Day Adventist community, and the village strictly observes the Sabbath on SATURDAYS.
This means that, with the exception of meal preparation and Waisai transfers for incoming and outgoing guests, no activities that require homestay staff to work are available on Saturdays.
No diving is available on Saturdays at Sauwandarek homestay dive centers.
Snorkelling, or sightseeing trips can only be provided on Saturdays by advance arrangement with your hosts. (Your hosts will organise a boat from another village for you.)
The Sauwandarek community also hope that you will help in their observance of the Sabbath by postponing all your private activities and quietly relaxing until noon, when church services finish.
Transport / Getting there
Transport between Moana Homestay and Waisai costs IDR 1,000,000 each way.
The longboat used can carry up to 4 passengers, and the total trip price is shared by passengers.
Read more about Raja Ampat boat transport prices here.
Activities
Moana Homestay has great snorkelling at the door. Easy access to the water is provided by the nearby village jetty. The jetty also shelters large schools of fish and many colourful soft corals. Mansuar’s southern shore is fringed by coral reef, and rich upwellings attract plenty of marine life.
Moana Homestay can also provide snorkelling and sightseeing trips to anywhere you might like to go.
Sauwandarek’s wide sandy beaches and beachside trees provide plenty of shady places to relax with a good book.
Long hikes are available on Mansuar. Follow the path leads north from Sauwandarek, and you will pass by a lake in the center of the island, before coming to the north shore village of Yenbekwan, where more great snorkelling is available. From Yenbekwan, it’s possible to follow a jungle path eastward, all the way to Yenbuba village on Mansuar’s eastern tip. You will probably need a guide to find this path. If you’re really keen (and the tide is low), from Yenbuba you can cross the sandbanks to Kri.
Do be aware that Sauwandarek village is of the Seventh Day Adventist faith, and that the day of rest there is Saturday. Apart from providing transport to Waisai if needed, your hosts are unlikely to be available for boat trips or other guided activities on Saturdays.
Moana Homestay Location Map
Moana Homestay Reviews
The reviews we publish are written by verified guests of Moana Homestay. Please do add yours!
We won't publish reviews by guests that we can not verify, but your feedback is still valued, and will be seen by both the Homestay Association and Moana Homestay.
Got a question about Moana Homestay?
Just ask! We won't publish your question here, but we will respond to you by email within 24 hours.
7 Reviews
Farrah is a really lovely host, who bends over backwards to help. She helped us with our ferry tickets and even arranged the taxi to pick us up from the airport to bring us to the ferry.
We were a group of 5 and stayed in 3 bungalows. Everything was very clean and tidy, and the bathroom en suite is quite a luxury in Raja Ampat. The balconies are a lovely space for relaxing right by the water.
The snorkeling here is really good and there are so many turtles, you can even watch them from the balcony.
The food here is very good and the portions are extremely generous. We told Farrah we were vegetarians and there was tofu and tempeh every day. The vegetables are also very fresh and varied.
Nice room, very kind host, good food
Nice room, very kind host, good food
I really love this homestay and would definitely stay here again if given the chance.
1. The location is great—right next to the famous snorkeling spot, Sawadarek Jetty, so you can go snorkeling anytime. The underwater scenery is amazing.
2. The room is spacious, with a private bathroom that’s clean and tidy. My room even had a real flush toilet.
3. The food is fresh, clean, and delicious. Even when I was the only guest, Farrah made sure there was a good variety. When there are more guests, she ensures there’s plenty of food, and everyone enjoys their meals.
4. Farrah, the host, speaks English. Her family is well-educated, friendly, polite, and considerate, making communication very smooth. She can also arrange snorkeling trips, which is very convenient.
I really love this homestay and would definitely stay here again if given the chance.
1. The location is great—right next to the famous snorkeling spot, Sawadarek Jetty, so you can go snorkeling anytime. The underwater scenery is amazing.
2. The room is spacious, with a private bathroom that’s clean and tidy. My room even had a real flush toilet.
3. The food is fresh, clean, and delicious. Even when I was the only guest, Farrah made sure there was a good variety. When there are more guests, she ensures there’s plenty of food, and everyone enjoys their meals.
4. Farrah, the host, speaks English. Her family is well-educated, friendly, polite, and considerate, making communication very smooth. She can also arrange snorkeling trips, which is very convenient.
Moana Homestay was added to Stay Raja Ampat today, and so does not have any reviews yet.
It’s really hard for homestays new to the website.
Why not give them a chance, and be the first to submit some feedback for them? They’ll be so happy to see you! 😊🙏
Moana Homestay was added to Stay Raja Ampat today, and so does not have any reviews yet.
It’s really hard for homestays new to the website.
Why not give them a chance, and be the first to submit some feedback for them? They’ll be so happy to see you! 😊🙏