| PULAU ARBOREK | VITAL STATISTICS |
|---|---|
Attractions:
| |
| Size | ~0.09 square kilometres |
| Coastline length | 1.37 kilometres |
| Number of villages | 1 |
| Number of Homestay Association homestays | 8 |
| Average cost of 1 way transfer from Waisai to Arborek homestays IDR | 1,000,000 [~$67.00] |
| Average one way travel time | ~1.5 hours |
| Other nearby islands with homestays | Gam, Mansuar |
Arborek location map
Quick links
Waisai Homestay Information Center
Arborek Homestays
Arborek Dive Shop
High resolution Raja Ampat map (PDF 3.59MB)
Step by step trip planning guide
Arborek is tiny. So small that you can walk the beaches all the way around it in about 30 minutes.
Unlike the larger surrounding islands, Arborek is a sand cay. It’s a low, flat island, and is at risk of inundation from sea level rise, but it supports a village courtesy of the fresh groundwater beneath it, the abundance of the ocean and the island’s coconut palms. There’s no jungle and associated wildlife on Arborek and no Birds of Paradise – the ocean is the big drawcard here.
If you’re looking to stay near a village that has better than average amenities, Arborek is a good choice. Arborek Village is part of the Indonesian government’s tourist village program. It’s a pretty village, with shops that sell beer and cold drinks, and the village electricity supply is almost always on. (It’s usually only unavailable between 0700 and 1000.)
Village women have built a thriving community souvenir industry on Arborek: Noken (traditional Papuan woven sling bags), bayay (woven baskets) and colourful manta ray shaped hats are woven from 100% natural dyed pandanus and are sold for between IDR 200,000 and 300,000. Custom items can be requested, and classes are available if you want to learn how to make your own. Traditional dance classes are also offered.
Arborek is firmly on the Indonesian domestic tourism map, and is a stopover on the way to nearby Piaynemo, so the village and jetty are often quite busy, especially during Indonesian public holidays. Cultural performances are frequently staged in the village. The Papuan music and dance add to the noise and colour, but Arborek homestays are located on the beaches at the periphery of the village and afford quiet refuge if you need it.
It’s a good place if you’re visiting with children too, as there are calm, sandy beaches and plenty of local kids to play with.
Arborek is the closest village to the famed Manta dive and snorkelling sites, and is also well located for visits to Gam Bay and the karst island panoramas and dive sites of Piaynemo.
Diving and snorkelling
Arborek jetty is famous for the huge schools of fish that shelter beneath it, and also for the colourful soft corals that cover its piles. There’s good snorkelling from almost anywhere on the island, but the reefs around the island’s eastern end are particularly rich.
Arborek Dive Shop has a good reputation and provides diving for all Arborek homestay guests.
All homestay dive centers dive all of the popular Raja Ampat sites, so (as far as diving opportunities go) it doesn’t matter which one you choose. Raja Ampat can be a challenging dive environment though, so be sure to do your research and choose a reputable operator.
How to choose accommodation at Pulau Arborek
Individual homestay pages provide photos and more detail about the specific attractions and tours, services and facilities available at each place.
Note that all homestays can organise almost any trip you want to do: With the exception of Wayag visits, if the trip you want isn’t mentioned on the homestay’s page, it may well still be available. Especially if it’s to a location not too distant from the homestay.
Use the accommodation page search filters to quickly find all homestays offering the features and facilities that are important to you.
Here is how to book. Please note that booking in advance is recommended at popular homestays, especially during peak season (October to March). Popular homestays include any with an on-site dive center, and can easily be identified by the number of reviews they have received.
How to get to Arborek
All Arborek homestays can provide pickups from Waisai and transfers to/from anywhere else. Average cost and travel time from Waisai is shown in the table above. Individual homestay transport prices are provided on their pages.
If you’re staying somewhere else first, it’s usually quicker to have your current host transfer you to your next place, rather than to ask your next host to come and pick you up. See this page for more information about the high cost of boat travel in Raja Ampat.
Arborek phone signal & internet access
Arborek has its own tower which transmits a strong 4G signal. Data connections are good, but quite slow by international 4G standards.
Note that free WiFi connections are extremely rare in Raja Ampat. You will need a local SIM for your phone. See this page for details.