Cubadak-Paradiso Village: a Beautiful Resort on an Idyllic Island

We learned about this gorgeous little resort, Cubadak-ParadisoVillage (West Sumatra, Indonesia), purely by chance, when someone left a travel brochure in the employees' lounge. As we were always eager to leave the smog of Jakarta, we decided to plan a little getaway to this mysterious little resort, run by an Italian family. We communicated with the resort via email and booked a 4-day stay.

The resort is easily reached by plane from Jakarta, Indonesia via Padang, using one of the many local carriers. From abroad, one may reach the resort by flying through Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and connecting to Padang, West Sumatra.

Transferring from airport to resort:

We landed in Padang on time and a van from the resort was waiting for us. The driver cheerfully greeted us, collected our luggage and drove us to the resort; the drive took 1.5 hours. The ride was very scenic, although, the meandering roads and some really scary cliffs can make anyone with a weak stomach sick, but we managed!

Once we arrived at the little village facing Cubadak Island, there it was, on a modest pier, the hotel's small motor boat. There were several local men sitting around when we arrived, and as soon as we unloaded our luggage, they started to argue as to who would carry it from the van to the boat. To keep things peaceful, we pointed to a couple of guys, and that settled the matter. We had to do the same exercise coming back from Cubadak.

We traveled by boat for about 10-minutes and the little resort appeared in the horizon. As we approached the resort's pier, the owner, Federica was standing on the pier waiving at us. Once we docked, we were greeted with a hug and kisses, just as if we were long-time friends!

A porter carried our luggage to an over-water cottage, and frankly, we were very pleasantly surprised as we had booked a regular, water-front cottage. Federica asked if we minded being over water... we would have been crazy to say we didn't want it, as the location was possibly the best! As the sun was beginning to set, Federica asked us to join the other guests for cocktails and informed us that dinner would be promptly served at 8:00 p.m., which would be announced by the ringing of a bell.

The Resort:

There are thirteen water-front guest cottages, and one suite-cottage above the water (ours, yeah!). All the cottages are decorated with Minangkau (the tribes of the mountains in Sumatra) wood carvings, fabrics and photographs depicting the Mentawai tribes. All cottages have a verandah, and except for the over-the water cottage, all have an upper bedroom and a living room which can be transformed into an extra bedroom. All bathrooms are nice and big, though very basic, offering a shower with hot and cold water. The maximum capacity of the Village is 35 guests, yet privacy is almost guaranteed. We only saw guests during meal times or when sharing a guided activity.

For those who must have air conditioning, the cottages are not equipped with air-conditioners. However, the cottages have ample windows with mosquito netting and the breezes are constant; we found it to be comfortable without air-con. Ceiling fans have been installed, yet they seem hardly necessary.

The resort beach is roughly one-mile long and the total land mass for the entire village is village is around 14 acres. The employees and management cottages are set behind the guest quarters.

Cubadak island sits in a protected area, with a chain of small, mountainous islands behind it and the Sumatra coastline in front of it, making the swimming in the resort area, safe and tranquil.

Our Cottage:

Our cottage was far removed from all other cottages, and the setting is very private and absolutely beautiful, in a demure way. The queen size bed has mosquito netting that envelops the bed, which is absolutely necessary on a tropical island. The bathroom floor is made of wooden slats, affording a view of the many colorful fish swimming below. Looking out the windows we had spectacular views of the islands nearby, the mountains in the horizon, and parts of the resort. From our verandah, we were able go down the steps and begin snorkeling; there were so many fish right there, it was phenomenal!

The restaurant:

The resort offers an all-inclusive package, and all meals are taken in the main pavilion. A bell is rung to announce the meal is being served. Curiously and comically, we found ourselves anxiously waiting for the bell to ring, just like Pavlov's dog, in anticipation of a wonderful meal!

The tables are designed to seat about 10 guests, which is conducive to meeting other guests. The meals are a mixture of styles: Indonesian and Italian. The seafood served is truly delectable, as it may be the catch of the day (giant prawns, spiny lobsters or some type of fish); and luckily, there is always some type of pasta dish served!

Wines, beer and other liquors are not included in the package, but one may purchase a bottle of wine or other drinks from the menu. Additionally, management does not frown upon those guests who bring their own spirits.

Activities:

The resort has an on site, PADI Scuba Dive shop and one may become certified at the resort. If one is already a certified-diver, one may join others for a wonderful day of diving. Diving appears to be the main attraction at the resort. This resort seems to have attained quite a reputation among European divers and they have made repeated trips to this resort to dive the local waters and see the spectacular abundance and variety of fish. At the guest's request and with advance notice, the resort can put together a fully-escorted trip to the Mentawai Islands, which is allegedly, a once-in a lifetime experience! Other trips to different parts of Sumatra can be arranged as well.

The resort offers free use of equipment for snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing. Also available are treks in the forest or boat excursions to nearby islands. We participated in a boat excursion and were taken to a pretty little island for some snorkeling. A couple of hours later, we were picked up by the dive boat and returned the resort just in time for another wonderful meal.

If relaxation is your idea of fun, you can just relax on a lounge chair on your verandah, enjoy the views and/or read a good book, or take a nice nap. One afternoon, when the tide was low, we ventured to the other side of the island, just to see what was there. Another time, we joined a group and went to the top of Mount Cubadak, a very steep mountain, which was challenging to climb. Once at the top, however, we were rewarded with an incredible view of the surrounding islands. There is always something to do, but if you wish to do nothing but relax, that's okay, too.

Best time of year to visit is the dry season:

From March to October, which is the dry season. We were there in the month November, and although we had storms every night, the days were filled with sunshine and constant breezes. Paradiso Village is ideal for couples, families and groups of friends!

Final Thoughts:

The owners, Federica and Nanni are the consummate hosts and treat every guest as if they are family members. Chldren are very special guests at the resort, in spite of the fact that there is no television in the cottages or electronic games, the children will be entertained by the number of outdoor activities, such as snorkeling, swimming, canoeing, etc. There is one TV and video/CD player in the lounge, as well as Internet, if you must stay connected to the outside world, but why would you want to?

We had a wonderful time at Cubadak-Paradiso Village, and when it was time to depart, we fel felt as if we were leaving a little piece of our heart in Paradiso Village.

This resort is highly recommended for those seeking solitude, tropical beauty, excellent diving, snorkeling and best of all, incredibly delicious Indonesian-Italian, fusion cuisine.

Some of my photos:

Contact Information:

http://www.cubadak-paradisovillage.com
Email: info@cubadak-paradisovillage.com
Telephone: 62-81266 03 766

I recommend that you send an email, as a good telephone connection is difficult to get.