Omah Guyub

Le contact avec Andy, sa femme et son frère. Plus que le lieu, pittoresques et créé par Andy de manière artisanale dans les traditions javanaises (douches extérieures à l’eau froide, chambres ouvertes sur l’extérieur…) qui crée un charme unique, c’est le contact avec des gens entiers et généreux qu’il faut retenir. Merci Andy pour ce moment merveilleux que j’ai passé chez toi avec mes trois filles!!

I lived there for three weeks alone in the upper "room" with the Hammock and the Garuda-Head. In March there were no other guests, so I had this place for two weeks to myself. In good weather conditions it was exactly as I expected it. It is a totally different experience of living without concrete walls, as I am used to in Germany. I really felt like being free. I also felt like living in close contact with nature. The bed was also unexpectedly comfortable, though it is right on the ground. The place has two communal bathrooms. One has a concreted floor, but no lavatory flush. So you flush it the classical Asian way with a bucket, which I somehow really like. The other has no plain floor, but is covered with loose stones. So it somehow has a rustic charme and there are spider webs. On the other hand it has a real lavatory flush. I really love this place, though there are some negative points. Anyway, as the owner Andy told me, all of this was hand-made. You can really see how the owner put his creative lifeblood in this location. I was also welcomed to use the kitchen. In the beginning I only cooked Instant Noodles, because I didn't know how to make a meal in the Indonesian way. Then he showed me how to cook Noodles with some vegetables. From then on I would make such a meal every morning. As I would do my own dishes, they let me use the kitchen very freely. In the meantime they also adopted me into the family and Andy and I became friends. He is, as also I am, interested in music. But he was more interested in my Hard/Heavy music than I was in his violin-pointed music. It was also a very interesting time as they also told me a lot about culture. Before I had almost no contact with Islam. Then also Andy brought me to an evening prayer once. All of them were also very endeavoured to make my stay as comfortable as possible. They are also very open-minded.

The few negative points are rather negligible, or rather depend on the season. So the first one would be that in rainy/stormy weather it could be also wet in this room. But still it were very fine drops that would get inside. So the building still can hold away most of the rain. Then there is no air conditioner, which was no problem for me, as I felt very comfortable in the tropics. In contradiction to me the Germans who came after me had big problems with that. So one should rather think twice, if s/he can bare the heat. Then there were loud engine noises from the street, which can be hard for me to bare. Still the distance was bigger than I estimated at first from the location on the map. The internet connection through Wi-Fi sometimes had interruptions so I got kicked out. But this was, I think, once a day the case. Because of the engine noises Andy recommended me to go to Omah Guyub 2. But there would be no Wi-Fi at all. The hammocks are made from some synthetic material. So the feeling from the touch is somehow odd. The place is called Omah "Guyub", as there were "gatherings" from the beginning. And this is still the case. So at first I was delighted that there were no other bookings. Then I found out what "Guyub" means. Most of the week other persons would come and meet Andy there. Sometimes I wished that I had this day without any visitors. They even made a music video there, which was then again interesting somehow. It was disturbing anyway because I stayed there to work on my research about human-animal relationships together with AFJ. All in all there were some peculiar situations (at least for me), but there were no problems, especially with the service and the hospitality.

I had no expectations at first, but after arriving at the hostel, my thoughts completely changed. The owner, Andy, is an incredible man—respectful, honest, humble, and kind. He is truly hospitable and always helpful. On my third day, he took us to a waterfall, giving me an unforgettable experience. I also had the chance to see how coconuts are collected and meet local people. Plus, if you play a musical instrument, you'll find plenty of different ones to enjoy. I’m so happy with my stay that I give this hostel a 10 out of 10!

To be honest, staying here feels like living in the heart of the forest. If you’re open to a more rustic experience and don’t mind basic facilities for cleanliness, showering, or using the sink, this place offers a unique and special connection with nature.

le côté cabane dans les arbres. Etre réveillé par le chant du coq

le manque d'entretien