When Richard Kovich first set foot in Penang four years ago, the shabby bungalows used by passing fishermen were the only signs of human life on the island.
Kvech and three friends from the Czech Republic slept in hammocks and cooked on the beach while dreaming of creating an eco-resort on a 50-hectare Indonesian island off the west coast of Sumatra.
Tomas Ouhel, a member of the group, stumbled upon Pinang a year ago while doing conservation work on nearby Bangkaru island.
After a year of discussions (between themselves and the two families who own the island), the Kvech and Ouhel groups, along with photographer Stephan Kotas and fertility clinic co-owner Martin Mrazek, signed a 50-year lease to create a small ecological center .
Build an eco-resort
Kovich said the four built a guest bungalow using locally sourced wood, dug wells to access the island's underground fresh water, and installed solar panels to generate electricity. He said supply and labor costs were paid out of the group's own pocket.
Thomas Uher (second from right) is the first of four friends to visit the Indonesian island. The group, along with Stephan Kotas, Martin Mrazek and Richard Kvech, rented the island from two families and built an eco-resort.
Source: Segara Bumi Indah
They then built staff quarters, waterfront communal spaces and four further guest bungalows, accommodating a total of 12 people. The main bungalow has a bathroom, while smaller bungalows share facilities, all connected to an organic septic waste system, Kovich said.
The group also established a fruit and vegetable garden based on the island's natural vegetation (a method known as permaculture) and brought in chickens so guests can have fresh eggs. He said they compost organic food waste and recycle glass and cans.
There are five guest bungalows, as well as a waterfront common space. The eco-resort “is not for people looking for a high-end getaway…it's more for people who want to be with nature,” said operator Richard Kovich.
Source: Segara Bumi Indah
Kovich said the previously uninhabited island welcomed its first paying guests two years ago. Kevitch, a former medical tourism coordinator, now oversees marketing and permaculture on Penang Island.
“Before we came to Penang, there was almost nothing on the island – there was a path around it, a collapsed bungalow and a small field. It was really virgin jungle, undisturbed by humans,” Kevitch told CNBC Travel.
The eco-resort is built using local materials such as shells, driftwood and coconut wood. Accommodation is described as simple and minimalistic.
Source: Segara Bumi Indah
“We tried to disturb it as little as possible. It's such a beautiful island and we didn't want to destroy the pristine nature, so our place was only one or two percent of it. There were swamps, bamboo forests, coconut jungles with hermit crabs. , lizards and rubber tree snakes, very active.
Accommodation fee
Since its opening to the outside world two years ago, penang island Kvech said it has welcomed 100 guests and has become a yoga and surfing resort. He says other groups are also interested – from writers to martial artists, DJs to gardeners.
Penang Island covers an area of 50 hectares. Buildings for eco-resorts account for “one to two percent of that,” Richard Kevitch said.
Source: Segara Bumi Indah
The island costs $999 per night for eight people. Up to 4 additional guests are available for USD 125 per person per night.
Rates include all meals, daily housekeeping, weekly towel and linen changes, Starlink satellite reception and 4G Wi-Fi, as well as activities such as snorkeling, fishing, stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking.
For an extra $500 a night, guests can take guided surf tours to places like the Bay of Plenty, Bunkaroo and other nearby islands.
get there
However, Kwech said guests should be prepared for a long trip to Penang Island with multiple stops.
This usually involves long-haul flights from major cities to Singapore or the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. From there, it's just a short flight to Medan, the capital of Indonesia's North Sumatra province, where many visitors choose to stay overnight. Early the next morning, the guests boarded another flight to the town of Sinkir in Aceh Province, Indonesia.
Guests can dive, fish, farm and cook during their visit. Many people enjoy surfing, which eco-resort operators say is world-class.
Source: Segara Bumi Indah
The last leg of the journey is an hour and a half boat ride to Penang Island. This can be a dangerous thing – in August 2023, a boat heading to Penang from the nearby surf resort island of Nias capsized in a storm. Kwech and the organization confirmed in a statement that seven people were missing at sea for a day and two nights. statement. A massive search and rescue operation rescued six passengers, a group of Australian surfers. But unfortunately, the captain, a local Indonesian, was not found.
“We express our deepest sympathies for the distress caused by this unfortunate incident and recognize the importance of working with the wider Banyak Island community to improve maritime safety standards for ships in the area and training for captains,” the statement read.
“This incident is a reminder of the unpredictability of the ocean and the importance of advanced safety measures. In light of this, we want to reassure the community that we are taking decisive action,” the statement read.
Since it takes some time to get to Penang Island, operators told CNBC Travel that a stay of 10 nights is recommended, but they also accept bookings for one week.
Source: Segara Bumi Indah
The resort temporarily closed but reopened after the group, which previously relied on local boats, purchased its own fiberglass boat, Kwetsch said. He said it was equipped with a marine VHF radio, Garmin Inreach satellite communications equipment, a marine signal GPS transmitter, smoke grenades, flashlights, flotation rings, life jackets and a whistle.
The group also established the Phifan Foundation in the name of the missing captain to improve safety training for other local captains, Kovich said. He said they had also changed the ship's transshipment point from Nias Island to Sinkiel, a shorter and safer journey.
“For the adventurous soul”
Kevitch said the hope for the future was to maintain Penang Island's unique status and privacy.
“I can't imagine we would be running a hotel with over 50 people. It would be a logistical disaster and it would be an environmental disaster,” Kovich said.
Twelve local people are employed on the island, including kitchen staff who cook Western and Indonesian dishes.
Source: Segara Bumi Indah
He also said the island was not suitable for tourists looking for a high-end vacation.
“It is more suitable for people who want to live with nature again and find balance. It is suitable for adventurous souls – people who want to experience something very remote but still want a certain level of quality and comfort. “
Kvecci said he splits his time between Penang Island and the Czech Republic, and acknowledged that life on a desert island is not always the fantasy many imagine.
Twelve local people are employed on the island, including kitchen staff who cook Western and Indonesian dishes.
Source: Segara Bumi Indah
“This is definitely not a fairy tale. This is the most difficult project I've ever been involved in,” Kevitch said. “We have to learn to understand the culture of the people and the island itself. Every day there are problems that we need to solve.”
“But when I hear the feedback from guests that they are really happy to have made such a long journey and had a great time in Penang, that makes me happy.”