Kactus - Your Island Sanctuary

Such a beautiful part of the island, very special place with lovely owners and volunteers

The menu is outstanding and unexpectedly diverse. Delicious food. The boat trip to the island and back adds to the wonderful experience and Kactus overall is a refreshing break from mass tourism.

I liked everything, and wished I could have stayed longer.

Kactus is a unique place. As close as you will get to staying on a desserted island if you were lucky enough to get washed up with some great yoga teachers, chefs and someone who can make literally anything out of bamboo. We had a hut with sea view which was surrounded by jungle with a view of the sea through the trees. We loved this as we were totally not overlooked by anyone and yet a minutes walk from the bar, yoga studios, restaurant and all the many other things on offer. Day 1 we did nothing but eat, drink and take in the view from the terrace and white sand beach. Day 2 - I was in the mood for some of the 40 or so activities available- but no pressure to do anything- it’s incredibly chill. Breathwork and meditation with Gio at 7am was sublime. Time for a coffee before a really excellent yoga class ( sorry forget her name) but she was a fantastic instructor who made every level feel included- there were pros and not so pros in our class. Lots of other sessions available - including something with a stick that looked very zen but I was chill enough by then. Don’t understand the issues of some reviews on the price of food. Really reasonable I thought. I wouldn’t personally bring snacks, as you are totally open to the jungle and it will attract little critters to your room. Something definitely got to a carton of milk we had brought. Either the sandflies were in holiday or the recommended coconut oil Em suggested worked a treat. Obviously a few missies but take the usual precautions. We loved the wildlife, you really are living alongside nature

Nothing

Staying at Kactus is a great experience for those wanting a secluded getaway, with additional activities. I would highly recommend the plankton tour and jungle trek (thank you Rodolphe and Maïté!), which were amazing for learning about the island wildlife and ecosystem, and of course having a magical swim in the glowing sea.

Unfortunately as others have mentioned, there are quite a few negative points: 1. Prices. There is definitely a discrepancy between the prices of the activities, food, and services offered, and the quality of what you get. - The food seemed reasonably priced on paper, but the actual quality of the food doesn’t match the price point, being quite dull and lacking any flavour (other than salt - the food was very salty!). - Likewise, the price of the activities doesn’t align with the outcome of what you paid for. While the jungle trek we did was great, the ‘lunch included’ ended up being a tomato and cheese sandwich, which didn’t seem to justify the price given many other similar tours I’ve been on which can offer far more. - the price of the boat transfer is clearly taking advantage of the fact it is the only option to get to the island, especially when it is rarely on time and very disorganised (again, price does not equal quality of service). The justifications given of the costs of gasoline, boat trip to the mainland, etc, seem very disproportionate to the amount you pay. Eg, we paid $30 USD for a 20 minute trip back to the mainland on a tiny boat (3 ppl). It would be fine to pay this if the money was actually going to the boat worker, however it’s doubtful it would be, making us question why it’s such a high price. Given that a large majority of the staff members are there on a volunteer basis as backpackers, the ethics of where all the profit is going becomes questionable. 2. Smoking - there is so much smoking which is very unpleasant if you don’t smoke. It is one of the main ironies of Kactus that such an apparently health-focused, holistic, and eco friendly place should encourage copious amounts of smoking (selling cigarettes cheaply, most staff members smoking). At the very least there should be no smoking in the dining/food area.