Yenkangkanes Homestay - Raja Ampat -

Yenkangkanes Homestay has an ocean bungalow with two rooms, each of which sleeps two people on mattresses equipped with covers, pillows, bolsters and mosquito nets. A shared verandah has chairs and tables from which to take in the ocean views across to Gam and Friwen island. A third similarly equipped room is available for a further two guests in the large owners’ bungalow on land.

Mama Morin’s excellent meals are served in a dining shelter set in the shade of beachside trees. Drinking water, tea and coffee are always freely available to guests there. The dining room has power outlets available to charge devices. Shady beachside table and chair settings provide further places to relax.

Guests share a single bathroom shelter with a combined dip mandi and squat toilet.

There’s good phone reception at Yenkangkanes Homestay – a 3G data connection is usually available. A generator provides electricity from sunset until around 1.00am and a backup solar system provides lighting after that.

Basic supplies are available in the nearby village of Saporkren, which is a short boat ride or 30 minute walk away. Alternatively, Waisai can be reached by car in about 20 minutes.

Activities
Most guests at Yenkangkanes have come to observe Waigeo’s famed Wilson’s Bird of Paradise, but there’s good snorkeling available and the walk to Saporkren village along the beach at low tide reveals three strongly flowing springs of beautifully cool fresh water.

Birds of Paradise

Both Wilson’s and the Red Bird of Paradise can be seen near Yenkangkanes. Tours leave before dawn at around 4.00am and cost IDR 100,000 for the Red and IDR 200,000 for the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. See Benny Mambrasar’s Bird of Paradise guide page for more information.

Diving

Diving is available by arrangement with nearby service providers. See this page for essential Raja Ampat diving safety information.

Snorkeling

Yenkangkanes offers good snorkeling (bring your own gear) over seagrass rich with fish and the reef that clothes the drop off beyond the seagrass beds. Dolphins frequently cruise the drop off in front of the homestay. The nearby village of Saporkren has great snorkelling too, especially over the colourful corals around the jetty that extends into Kabui Bay on the western side of the village. There’s good snorkelling beneath Saporkren’s main jetty too.

A day long snorkeling tour is available. The trip takes snorkelers to Kabui Bay, Urai Island, Batu Lima, Kri Island and Manta point. The tour costs IDR 2,000,000 and the cost may be shared among the boat passengers.

Village visits

Saporkren village is well worth a visit, especially by walking along the beach at low tide. In addition to the previously mentioned springs, there are some great sandy coves and a raised boardwalk around a bluff on the outskirts of the village. The village itself is very picturesque and its inhabitants friendly and welcoming. If the tide is high, Saporkren can also be reached by walking along the road from Yenkangkanes and taking a jungle path from where the road ends. The road is quiet except on holidays when people from Waisai visit the beaches for picnics.