If you like to explore the daily life in a hidden village far away from the tourist roads, go to Lala Village on Pulau Bangkurung in the island group of Banggai, Central East Sulawesi. The Banggai Islands area has beautiful islands, a wide sky and thousands of stars at night. It has huge coral reefs all around, some connected with islands, some in the open sea. Lala Village is a small, calm and lovely muslim villagage, sourrounded by mangroves and green rocks. You can walk to next villages, some are muslim, some are mixed christian. Bangkorung is a big island, 20 km long. People live from fishing and farming.
The famous colorful Banggai Cardinal Barsh is living direct in front of the village in shallow water. You can snorkel from the homestay in an intact beautiful coral reef. The corals are amazing, alive and not bleaching. On the other side, there are not many fishes, almost no big ones, this is a traditional area of fishermen.
In Lala village there is one homestay with four double rooms with toilette behind, run by a local family, Papa + Mama Sarah. They like to share there life with you, and you can learn a lot. Papa + Mama Sarah have two daughters, Sarah and Pani, and a numberless family on all islands and all villages around. The homestay is at the end of the village, a little bit seperat. If you come here, you are more or less part of village life because the friendly and curious inhabitants will come, watch your activities and try to communicate with you from time to time. It is a very safe place with a minimum of comfort, electric light from 6 to 10 pm, no cold drinks and no mobile connection. Papa and Mama Sarah try to make you feel happy.
Mama Sarah is a good cook and Papa Sarah a gentle guide to islands and coral reefs. Papa Sarah speaks some basic english. He brings the fresh water for your Mandi every day. People in the village boil the water from the well and you can get as much drinking water you need from Mama Sarah. Please try to use it (it looks sometimes a little cloudy) and reduce the plastic wast in that way. We came twice and never had health problems connected with food or water.
Lala is a muslim village. Please follow the rules: no alcohol (if you need, bring it and drink it private), no naked sunbath, as a woman better couver your body also while snorkeling in the public beach, do not pass the village in swimming suits and better: do not wear mini skirt or spaghetti tops. Please do not forget: you are a guest in a foreign culture! If you do not agree, don´t come!
Prices homestay:
Small room with 3 meals and coffee/tea + water 100.000 Rupiah
Big room with 3 meals and coffee/tea + water 130.000 Rupiah
Papa Sarah speaks a little english. People in Indonesia are very polite and say often „yes“, also when they do not understand. He normally will try to make possible what he can make possible you ask for. Please make sure he really understood, what you want. Use the body language and drawing also, and: bring a dictionary or language guide for Bahasa Indonesia, it will help a lot.
One uncle of the family, Papa Mina, sometimes lives in the homestay. He makes nice souvenirs and he is very proud to show you his products and how he makes it.
Prices homestay:
Small room with 3 meals and coffee/tea + water 100.000 Rupiah
Big room with 3 meals and coffee/tea + water 130.000 Rupiah
Papa Sarah speaks a little english. People in Indonesia are very polite and say often „yes“, also when they do not understand. He normally will try to make possible what he can make possible you ask for. Please make sure he really understood, what you want. Use the body language and drawing also, and: bring a dictionary or language guide for Bahasa Indonesia, it will help a lot.
One uncle of the family, Papa Mina, sometimes lives in the homestay. He makes nice souvenirs and he is very proud to show you his products and how he makes it.
