My back-to-basics paradise

I like to remind myself how little I need in life once in a while.  Pokipoki is my back-to-basics paradise with 5h of electricity each day for lighting (and pricey slow satellite internet for important communications).

They are fullboard with simple meals made up from local ingredients:

• Breakfast of pancakes or homemade bread and fruit at 0730,
• Vegetarian lunch at 1230
• Deepfried snacks eg. starchy vegetables around 1730, and
• Dinner of freshly-caught fish with plenty of fresh local vegetables at 1930.

It is a secluded paradise.  In fact, currently,  it is harder to reach than my previous island paradise in Raja Ampat, Papua.  Unlike there, there is no landline wifi or cell phone signal either (even though there is 4G signal at Wakai).  I was incommunicado except for a brief period of internet via satellite to tell loved ones that I survived 4h on a tiny boat through choppy seas.

The place consisted of small huts, a dining hall and reception plus a kitchen.  There are hammocks around the place and a couple of chilling platforms (one into the sea and another up a tree).  It’s very tastefully but simply done.

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Full credit to the owners, German couple David and Angie.  Despite the website purely in English, their guests are mostly German (and Austrian) plus some token other Europeans during my stay.  I think it’s the power of word-of-mouth.

I must applaud the hardiness of some of the guests.  There were two honeymooning couples, one of which had never been in SE Asia.  They’ve chosen a pretty rough itinerary for a honeymoon, putting up with the heat and grime of rural Indonesia, and bathing in groundwater on the island!  And an extra big applause to the elderly couple in their 70s who braved the difficult journey to/from the Togeans.

There were also some younger guests in their early twenties who were very mature. Many people their age would be getting drunk in Thailand and going to places where they can hang together with people their own age.

The atmosphere was great with lots of interesting conversations.  I generally find that in the more remote places, the people I meet have plenty in common with a keener sense of adventure and discovery to strange places!

My visit coincided with the dry season which meant good weather.  In fact, they hadn’t had rain for 2 months.

It didn’t have the best beach though.  Though with white sand, it was rather tidal.  There is a jetty which allows access to the deeper portion which had quite a picturesque seaweed garden and the OK reef.

With five nights, I had four full days.  I did two days of relaxation (Sunday and Wednesday) and two days of activities.  For the activities, I had a day of diving on my second full day (Monday) and an excursion to the jellyfish lake and Carina beach on the third full day (Tuesday).  You can read about my dives here.