Mega Resort Karimunjawa

If you come here solely to dive or snorkel, it might be worth it. The dive team — especially Bram as a dive instructor — is truly excellent. The coral is more beautiful than in many other places in Indonesia.

Great diving, but as a resort a disappointment — bordering on a scam If you come here solely to dive or snorkel, it might be worth it. The dive team — especially Bram as a dive instructor — is truly excellent. The coral is more beautiful than in many other places in Indonesia. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end. The photos on Booking.com hide the reality that the resort is largely a construction site, with building debris everywhere. The pool is poorly maintained, the gym has rusty dumbbells and broken equipment, and the most expensive room is badly insulated: it needs two air conditioners to stay cool, and when it’s windy, the wind literally blows inside. This feels far from sustainable and completely unworthy of the extremely high price. There’s a constant sense of being trapped. The staff is severely understaffed and many speak limited English, although they genuinely try their best. The food was downright bad on the first day (better on the second), and the room I had originally booked was inaccessible due to construction work. Most bizarre of all, the owner and her two family members are ruining the island with monstrous buildings that destroy its character — a truly sad sight. For these prices, everything should be top-notch. In its current state, this comes dangerously close to being misleading.