Kura Kura Resort

Arriving on the 5pm boat like us, you might not initially fully perceive the beauty of this wonderful island, as the sun is already low and the light filtering through the water is dimmed. But as soon as the sun rises the next morning, the scenery changes completely, the crystalline blue of the sea presents all its shades, the frame of a crystal clear sky and a vegetation of green palms complete the ideal scenario in which to start a wonderful holiday. I stayed two weeks between the end of July and August with my family and two children aged 12 and 7. Important premise, Kura Kura is an eco-resort in Central Java and not a luxury resort in the Maldives or Polynesia. Although the level of the structure differs, the island, the nature, the coral reef and certain services are comparable to those of the most renowned destinations. In addition to the beautiful landscape of this small atoll, there are three aspects that we liked most of all and that in our opinion differentiate this atoll from many other islands visited in 18 years of travel in Asia and Oceania: 1) the constant ventilation that allows you to enjoy the sun and sea without sweating; 2) the privacy you can enjoy, you often find yourself alone or with a few other customers on the beach on the east coast or when snorkeling; 3) the "Italian" food truly comparable to Italy and some resorts in the Maldives but much superior and not even comparable to any other resort in Asia Pacific and Oceania, which is a great plus when you stay two weeks especially with children. Resort: we stayed in the pool Villa that can comfortably accommodate two extra beds. The room is spacious, with a wardrobe and a desk. The bathroom in the back is very spacious. In the outdoor garden there is a loggia with a sofa, fridge, speakers, sunbeds and a swimming pool that in the end we did not use much because in fact the natural pool of the sea is on another level! Excellent daily cleaning of the room. For the location and sun, Pool Villas No. 24, 25, 26 and 27 are recommended. Climate: the ventilation on the island is truly exceptional, especially on the east coast you can enjoy the sun all day without the sand being blown up by the wind. The west coast is a little more protected, you have to go into the water or from the snorkeling pier to get the same wind as the east coast. The restaurant area is also well ventilated both in the evening with dinner outside as well as at lunch, exceptional for us to eat under the palm trees by the sea! In two weeks we always had sun, a couple of cloudy mornings that then turned into splendid sunny afternoons, it only rained at night. Restaurant: the food is undoubtedly one of the strong points of Kura Kura. Having traveled a lot in Asia and Oceania, we have not found anything comparable, it really feels like being in Italy. They dedicate themselves to things made by them, such as bread, fresh pasta and desserts. The menu at

Kura Kura is a resort that boasts a truly unique and wonderful marine park and is located in a truly exclusive context, not easily reachable: in fact, it takes 2 flights from Jakarta of about two hours in total and about forty minutes by boat (obviously everything depends on the weather conditions and does not take into account the timing of the stopovers). We stayed in this structure for 7 days as the final location for our honeymoon and the agency had proposed it to us as an alternative to the Maldives: a really big mistake (either you have never been to the Maldives, or the communication for this structure is really wrong). In fact, the descriptions on the contract reported "the presence of white sand beaches". Unfortunately, once we arrived on the island, the scenario that presented itself was decidedly different: 80% of the island is in a wild state, so much so that the presence of thick vegetation does not allow access to the sea. This area is only accessible at night with small torches as there is no lighting and, whether it is day or night, you still have to be careful where you walk because coconuts could fall on you, given that the entire area is not "managed". In the only frequented areas (the rooms, the restaurant and the pool in front of it) everything is very well-kept and beautiful, but if you think you have to spend a week only here, the situation becomes considerably more complicated. The sea is difficult to access, the island is surrounded by a lagoon where the water reaches your ankles for more than 500 meters and, once you arrive at the pier, you find yourself in the middle of the coral in the open sea. An inexperienced person could easily panic from the currents or cut themselves on the coral. Basically, if you don't like the open sea and the boat, the only solution is to spend a week lying on the loungers on the piers (being careful of the rusty nails on them), settle for getting your ankles wet in the lagoon and taking a dip in the pool. If you really want to enjoy the sea, you need to be accompanied by diving (for a fee) offshore and always weather permitting. Shoes, masks and beach towels are provided free of charge by the facility, the use of fins is prohibited. The beach bungalows are large and well-kept, the cleanliness is excellent: to save money and pollute as little as possible, guests are asked to change towels only when necessary, they do not change them automatically every day. They do not have a TV, but a fridge and a bottle for drinking water. In the ones furthest from the restaurant (from the third onwards) the internet does not work even with e-sim. The facility does not provide Wi-Fi, not even in the common areas and, apart from diving, it does not enjoy other customer services. Basically, there is nothing else to do (so hope for good weather). The beach volleyball court is completely abandoned, a bar in the eastern part of the island is "