If, like me, your experience of snorkelling involves involuntarily swallowing salty sea water as you have just been bashed by a rogue child in a plastic tube on one side whilst suffering the splashathon madness of an over excited mutt chasing a rogue frisbee on another, then Riung snorkelling will seem heavenly. Taken out on a small fishing boat by Captain Fish, donning a pair of Y-Fronts in an interesting shade of faded terracotta, we set off to snorkel, first in the open sea and then on our own private beach! As long as you go with the stereotype and look forward whilst sailing then all is well; but look back and you face the daunting sight of terracotta y-fronts full face driving the boat with his right foot and operating the accelerator with a stick and fishing reel conveniently hooked on a notch in his woodwork, thus leaving his hands free to light and smoke his joi .. cigarette.
Lunch had been caught as we went along and the Captain, now thankfully wearing some shorts, made a fire of driftwood to barbaque our fish. The sea area around Riung is peaceful and as yet relatively undiscovered, so finding your own shore amongs the 17 (actually 21 ,its a political thing,) islands is currently not so difficult. The coral here is still alive and healthy and you can catch sight of some interesting sea life.
Accomodation:
Riung is a little off the beaten track on an island that is pretty off the beaten track, so accomodation is going to be basic and clean, thus Pondok SVD hotel, Riung. An en suite with a cold water shower and a basic breakfast; electricity is only on from 6.p.m. until about 4 a.m. so don't expect a c through the night. OK for a stopover.
