Only 1h30 from Jakarta (Ancol), Genteng Kecil is a little piece of paradise with pristine beaches and decent snorkeling just off the beach.
This tiny private island is split into 3 properties:
- Rumah Putih (the prettiest accomodation of the 3)
- Genteng Kecil
- Oba resort can only be booked for a min of 2 nights, and as a whole (total of 9 rooms)
The island is gorgeous and our favorite place to stay is Oba. The rooms are simple but have everything we need, the staff is very helpful, the food is tasty, and the resort is well equipped (daybeds, paddleboards and kayaks, all in good condition). Oba also has a small boat available for guest to use for island hopping or snorkeling. Most importantly, being able to privatize the property and charter our boat provides precious freedom.
Rumah Putih and Genteng Kecil arent as well managed: the is no water play equipment provided, the rooms at Genteng Kecil are disappointing considering the price but unlike Oba, these 2 place offer single room bookings.
Travelling to Genteng Kecil Island is very pricey (roughly similar to a weekend in Bali) and sadly, the air on the island is just as polluted as the air in Jakarta. We could barely see the sky the last time we were there and it just didnt feel like a worthy way to spend our time and money.
For those who aren’t put off by rudimentary travel conditions, Pulau Pari is a much more affordable option. Unlike Genteng Kecil, Pulau Pari is a small village and its pretty beach and mangrove make it a very popular day trip destination (boats from Ancol take about an hour, arriving around 10am and leaving at 3pm). On a weekday, we were lucky to have the beach to ourselves and had a simple meal on the beach. Local operators offer to take tourists around the mangrove and nearby snorkeling spots on small wooden boats. There are a few very basic home stays to stay overnight. We stayed at Guerilla Dive and would not recommend it (we probably would have slept better in a tent on the beach). You can see more on Pulau Pari in this vlog
There are so many other islands to explore in Pulau Seribu and I have heard good things about
Desa Laguna. Others places to look into: Asha glamping resort , Seribu Resort, BatuMerah Kabin
FAQ
Is the boat safe? Probably? I cant say for sure… Adult size life vest were available both on the private and public boats.
Is it worth going during rainy season? We have done it and found the islands to have much dryer weather than in Jakarta but the boat ride was very very unpleasant.
Is there internet? Wifi is very limited but Telkomsel’s 4G worked well.
What to pack? Check my packing list here