Arrive as a guest, leave as family. Handbuilt wooden bungalows at the foot of Kelimutu — Moni, Flores, Indonesia.
Meet Lopez
Selamat datang — welcome.
My name is Lopez. This homestay belongs to my family — we are descendants of one of the past chiefs of this village. I started building The Geckos more than ten years ago, and every bungalow, every chair on every terrace, every piece of furniture you see I made by hand. I love hosting, I love cooking, and honestly, I love making things.
I always tell my guests the same thing: arrive as a guest, leave as family. It's not a slogan — it's really how we do things here. Sit with us in the garden, eat with us, and by the time you leave you'll have a home in Moni you can always come back to.
I speak English, Indonesian, and a little French. Flores is my home, and running this place lets me stay close to my village and look after my younger siblings, Memi and Menno.
One of the travellers I welcomed was Simone — she arrived as a guest and ended up staying. In 2023 I asked her to marry me at the rim of Kelimutu, and she joined our family.
— Lopez
"You'll learn the rest when you come."
A glimpse
Photos can only say so much. Press play for a minute — the garden, the bungalows, the everyday life at The Geckos.
This is the same garden waiting outside your bungalow every morning: coffee on the terrace, birdsong, and Kelimutu slowly waking up behind the trees.
About the name — I almost called this place something else. But while I was building the bungalows, so many geckos came to keep me company that in the end I had to name it after them. They're still here every evening.
Where you'll sleep
Smile, Happy, Joy and Love — four little wooden cabins, each with a private terrace looking out over the garden. Built by hand from local wood, with a comfy bed under a mosquito canopy, fresh linen, towels and a wardrobe waiting for your things.
Reserve your stay
Booking through us means you skip the Booking.com fees and talk to Lopez yourself — straight away, in your own words. Every direct booking really helps our family.
The reason most guests come to Moni
One of Indonesia's most extraordinary natural wonders sits just 30 minutes up the road. Three crater lakes high on a volcano, each a different colour — turquoise, deep blue, sometimes black or green — and slowly shifting hue from year to year. Most travellers go for sunrise.
Just up the road
I'll help you sort the transport (motorbike or car) and tell you exactly when to leave. From our doorstep to the rim of the volcano: about 30 minutes.
Guest stories
From Lopez
Come find us in Moni. Sleep in a wooden bungalow I built with my own hands, wake up to the mountains and the birdsong, share a coffee on the terrace and let me show you my corner of Flores.
My door is open — and the geckos are already waiting for you.
— Lopez
Find your way
