Cocohuts Karimunjawa

Cocohuts Karimunjawa

Following our hit-and-miss fortune with guesthouses in Karimunjawa, at well over 3 times the price of a regular homestay, we expected Cocohuts Karimunjawa to be quite an upgrade on the 2 places we had stayed so far in Karimun town.

Fabulous Views from Cocohuts Karimunjawa

Perched high up on the hillside overlooking the port and town, Cocohuts definately offers the best views.

Cocohuts Karimunjawa

We chose a deluxe bungalow for IDR 500,000 (€35) per night. There are 2 of these cabana-stlye lodgings, which share a large open balcony and stunning views.

A little higher up the slope, you can rent one of 2 double-storey bungalows. Lower down, there are 4 more places to rent, without the view.

Our bungalow had a large, comfortable bed with a mosquito net and airco. There was plenty of quality storage and a good bathroom and shower. We had a flatscreen TV and media box that gave us access to a wide selection of HBO movies and series. There were multiple points for charging devices, and the wifi worked most of the time.

Breakfast was included in our booking. There was a choice of Indonesian or Western breakfast, which was fine.

The owner also provided in each room a detailed ‘Welcome Manual’ and FAQ. These documents contained useful information in English about the island and the guesthouse.

Just behind our cabana, there was a private spot high on the cliff with room for just a single table and 2 chairs. Here, if you booked a couple of days in advance, you could enjoy an exclusive and romantic sunset dinner for 2.

Cocohuts Karimunjawa – Private dinner for two

So much for the good stuff.

Where is everyone?

A major problem with Cocohuts is that it is grossly understaffed. During our stay, the German owner wasn’t present. I understood he actually lives on the mainland, leaving management to a young Indonesian guy with little English.

In the morning, guests needed to wait until 2 ladies arrived to prepare breakfast. The timing was a bit hit-and-miss, but never before 8am.

Cocohuts Karimunjawa

Between 12 and 17pm there are no staff on the premises (the young manager goes home to sleep). If you need anything at this time – including the key to your room – you’ll have to wait.

This caused real problems for guests in the room next to us, who were locked out in the heat for 2 hours with their baby.

Unlike all the cheaper guesthouses in Karimun town, Cocohuts doesn’t provide coffee or tea for guests – not even just a flask of hot water.

Stairway to Heaven

Finally, the steep uphill climb to your bungalow is not for the old, unfit or faint of heart. Some days we found ourselves returning uphill to our bungalow more than 3 times – That’s quite a calorie burn, and pretty exhausting in the heat.

If you’re lucky, when you reach the top there will be someone there to greet you and offer a cold drink – but don’t count on it.

Cocohuts Karimunjawa – Quite a hike uphill

We spent 3 nights up at Cocohuts, and were quite happy there. The place is serene and peaceful, and you can spend a lot of time just enjoying the views from your balcony.

Our next and final guesthouse in Karimunjawa would be the Breve Azurine, located further around the bay. At almost 3-times the cost of Cocohuts, our were looking forward to spending our last 2 days on the island in some serious luxury…

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