Features
- Quiet hideaway
- Coral
- Child discount
- Good house reef
- Calm beach
- Wayag trips
- Sandy Beach
- Western style toilet
- Remote/isolated
- IDR 500,000 to 600,000
Details
Yefkabu Homestay offers four basic and traditional private bungalows on the shores of Yef Kabu, a small sand cay amid West Waigeo’s rich reefs and spectacular scenery.
Two bungalows sit on the beach. Two land bungalows are set back in the shade of coconut palms, but still enjoy sea views.
All bungalows sleep two on a mattress on the floor. An extra mattress can be provided if needed. Bedding includes sheets, pillows, bolsters and mosquito nets. Bungalow verandahs have table and chair settings, and a beachside hammock and seating is available.
Meals at Yefkabu Homestay are served in a sand-floored dining room. Drinking water, tea and coffee making supplies are always freely available.
Guests share a 2 room bathroom building. A western style toilet is provided in one room and bucket bathing is available in both.
Electricity is provided by generator and is available from sunset to about midnight. A variable 4G phone signal is received at Yefkabu Homestay. A data connection may not always be possible.
Mutus village is about a ten minute boat ride away. Basic supplies are available from village kiosks there. (Anything that you absolutely can’t live without would be best brought with you.)
Only a little English is spoken at Yefkabu Homestay. Bringing a translation app or phrasebook is recommended.
To avoid contributing to the trashing of paradise, all homestays ask that you please take all your inorganic (especially plastic) waste away with you when you leave.
Transport / Getting there
A one way transfer between Yefkabu Homestay and Waisai costs IDR 2,000,000
Transport is by longboat that can carry four passengers. Trip cost is shared by passengers.
Reaching West Waigeo is not cheap, but the remote region’s unique attractions and wild nature justify the expense. You’ll also see a lot of Raja Ampat on the way, including Kabui Bay and the famed Kabui Passage.
Read more about Raja Ampat boat transport prices here.
Activities
Excellent snorkelling is available off the beach, and Yefkabu Homestay offers a range of snorkelling trips, including excursions to Wayag.
Yef Kabu is a tiny, flat, sand cay smack bang in the middle of the West Waigeo Islands.
One long, white beach encloses two square kilometres of coconut palms, casuarina and ketapang trees that makes a perfect quiet hideaway and base for exploring some of the best reefs in Raja Ampat.
Because of the region’s remoteness, West Waigeo’s reefs are pristine, rich and untrammelled by day tripping boats from Sorong and Waisai. Fabulous snorkelling is available in the area and it’s most likely that you will be the only people in the water. Mantas congregate at Pulau Yefnabi and several other locations in the West Waigeo Islands. They can even be found there between June and September, when they are usually absent from the better known Dampier Strait sites of Manta Point and Manta Sandy.
Apart from the excellent snorkelling and mantas, the West Waigeo Islands offer sights like “Pasir Timbul” – a stretch of pristine white sand that emerges from the ocean with every low tide. A visit to Aljui Bay is highly recommended, and provides the opportunity to see ancient rock art galleries, a large commercial pearl farm, secret lagoons, cultural sites and spectacular scenery.
Waigeo Barat
See our West Waigeo page for an overview of West Waigeo, its islands, and their attractions.
Yefkabu Homestay Reviews
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10 Reviews
Came for 4 nights but stayed for 7. I decided to give this homestay a chance despite not having many reviews like others and was not dissappointed. I had the most incredible and fun time at this tiny island yefkabu homestay. The huts are comfortable and you get the best sunrises. This homestay has access to 2 reefs one right infront of the hut and another 10 min walk through the beautiful jungle to the other side of the island. The second reef is large and excellent and has an abundance of everything you could imagine. both reefs are excellent and you could easily spend a day or two exploring them. During my stay Alfred took me out on trips to the reefs and manta rays. Alfred knows every single inch of this area and can accommodate any request. Taking a trip with someone like Alfred who knows everything in the water is priceless and you get to see the best of the best. Take advantage of his knowledge. Rubecca and Dinti run the kitchen and make the best food ever in quantities that no person could possibly eat. They are happy to cater for any particular diet veggies, vegan, pescaterian and others just let them know what you want to eat. You will meet the entire family and get to know everyone which is fun. The homestay also has super good star link internet which you can use so don’t worry about data from telkomsel. Mutus island is where the family live and is 5-10 min away and has a shop, medical clinic and also an incredible reef. Alfred’s family were very hospitable and actually care about you and will help when needed. I highly recommend this homestay and location for a good jumping point to wayag island and Aljui Bay if interested in visiting them. I saw sharks, turtles, manta rays, dolphins and more during my visit. Great place great people and a lot of fun.
Thank you so much for your review. Thank you so much also for everything you shared with us in Yefkabu Homestay. I’m so happy to know you and can be your friend.
Vence🙏😇
Came for 4 nights but stayed for 7. I decided to give this homestay a chance despite not having many reviews like others and was not dissappointed. I had the most incredible and fun time at this tiny island yefkabu homestay. The huts are comfortable and you get the best sunrises. This homestay has access to 2 reefs one right infront of the hut and another 10 min walk through the beautiful jungle to the other side of the island. The second reef is large and excellent and has an abundance of everything you could imagine. both reefs are excellent and you could easily spend a day or two exploring them. During my stay Alfred took me out on trips to the reefs and manta rays. Alfred knows every single inch of this area and can accommodate any request. Taking a trip with someone like Alfred who knows everything in the water is priceless and you get to see the best of the best. Take advantage of his knowledge. Rubecca and Dinti run the kitchen and make the best food ever in quantities that no person could possibly eat. They are happy to cater for any particular diet veggies, vegan, pescaterian and others just let them know what you want to eat. You will meet the entire family and get to know everyone which is fun. The homestay also has super good star link internet which you can use so don’t worry about data from telkomsel. Mutus island is where the family live and is 5-10 min away and has a shop, medical clinic and also an incredible reef. Alfred’s family were very hospitable and actually care about you and will help when needed. I highly recommend this homestay and location for a good jumping point to wayag island and Aljui Bay if interested in visiting them. I saw sharks, turtles, manta rays, dolphins and more during my visit. Great place great people and a lot of fun.
Thank you so much for your review. Thank you so much also for everything you shared with us in Yefkabu Homestay. I’m so happy to know you and can be your friend.
Vence🙏😇
You’re probably looking here because you’re wanting to visit Wayag – and I stand as a witness that Wayag matches its press. But Yefkabu is also a base for seeing the underwater life at Offo, Tamanu, Bianca and enough other places to keep you amazed with excellent coral and crazy quantities of fish. Yes, the quality of the nearby reefs is incredible and worth the added journey from Wasai. So much so, I’d view Wayag not so much as a must do but as cool bonus if the weather and your wallet cooperate.
Riowati (she also goes by Rio) is delightful to work with and was excellent at operationalizing our big picture idea of what we thought we wanted to do. Like the hosts on other homestays, she was with us on our transfers and day trips. Her English is fine and she’s got good people working with her.
Yefkabu’s bungalows are interspersed with the families that live on the small island – which gives you a portal to the relaxed rhythm of daily life. That proximity also provides easy access to teenagers who have mastered the art of coconut palm climbing and happily share from their extensive inventory.
You’re probably looking here because you’re wanting to visit Wayag – and I stand as a witness that Wayag matches its press. But Yefkabu is also a base for seeing the underwater life at Offo, Tamanu, Bianca and enough other places to keep you amazed with excellent coral and crazy quantities of fish. Yes, the quality of the nearby reefs is incredible and worth the added journey from Wasai. So much so, I’d view Wayag not so much as a must do but as cool bonus if the weather and your wallet cooperate.
Riowati (she also goes by Rio) is delightful to work with and was excellent at operationalizing our big picture idea of what we thought we wanted to do. Like the hosts on other homestays, she was with us on our transfers and day trips. Her English is fine and she’s got good people working with her.
Yefkabu’s bungalows are interspersed with the families that live on the small island – which gives you a portal to the relaxed rhythm of daily life. That proximity also provides easy access to teenagers who have mastered the art of coconut palm climbing and happily share from their extensive inventory.
We enjoyed our time on yefkebu and generosity of Rebecca and Alfred. Roni was a great boat man.
The location allowed us access to Aljui which was wonderful.
Thank you so much to this lovely family -keep being careful of using an anchor on reefs so they stay beautiful.
We enjoyed our time on yefkebu and generosity of Rebecca and Alfred. Roni was a great boat man.
The location allowed us access to Aljui which was wonderful.
Thank you so much to this lovely family -keep being careful of using an anchor on reefs so they stay beautiful.
My wife and I stayed five days at Yefkabu Homestay in July 2023. Fantastic hosts, delicious food, beautiful views and amazing snorkeling. We were very sad to leave and we hope to come back soon. We highly recommend Yefkabu Homestay. Injo nabor!
My wife and I stayed five days at Yefkabu Homestay in July 2023. Fantastic hosts, delicious food, beautiful views and amazing snorkeling. We were very sad to leave and we hope to come back soon. We highly recommend Yefkabu Homestay. Injo nabor!