Maluku Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Maluku / Moluccan Islands, Indonesia)

There are some tourist attractions of an exceptional nature awaiting visitors to the Maluku Islands. Tourists will find that the best of Maluku's attractions include world-class scuba diving and coral gardens around the Banda Islands, breathtaking white sandy beaches at Ohoidertawun and Pasir Panjang, and some very sleepy villages on the Lease Islands and around Pulau Seram.

Pulau Ternate is one of a series of volcanic islands situated just off the westerly shore of Pulau Halmahera and is one of the most densely populated of the Maluku Islands. Close to Ternate, Pulau Tidore offers a refreshing holiday alternative and a quieter set of tourist attractions, and is a principal producer of spices. Also deserving a mention are the Banda Islands, the Kei Islands, Pulau Ambon, Pulau Bacan and the Tanimbars.

Pulau Ambon (Ambon Island)

Kota Ambon is a large city on Pulau Ambon, with a population of around 400,000 people. Enjoying a beautiful mountainous backdrop and stunning bay views and coastal scenery, Kota Ambon is the capital of Maluku. The tourist attractions in Kota Ambon are in plentiful supply and include the contemporary Masjid Raya al-Fatah mosque, the Benteng Victoria (a historic Dutch fortress), the Pattimura Memorial, the Martha Christina Tiahahu statue, and both the Francis Xavier Cathedral and the Marantha Cathedral. In the southerly suburbs of Kota Ambon you will find the Siwa Lima Museum and the charming bay-side suburb of Amahusa, while in the north are the Commonwealth Graves and the Taman Makam Pahlawan Indonesia (Heroes Cemetery). The scuba diving possibilities around Kota Ambon are excellent, particularly at nearby Leitimur, while for beach-goers, head to Eastern Leihitu and relax on its uncommercialised sandy beaches.

Lease Islands

Lease Islands are easily accessible and feature very beautiful bays, where endless snorkelling opportunities present themselves. On the island of Pulau Saparua, the village of Kota Saparua is the main village and is where the 17th-century Benteng Duurstede fortress is situated. Close by is a pleasant beach and small museum with information about the uprising of 1817, which was led by Thomas Matulessy (nicknamed 'Pattimura'). There are some interesting traditional thatched 'meeting places' (baileu) in south-eastern Saparua, as well as an imposing Protestant church and a number of pottery workshops. Day trips to Pulau Haruku are popular, with attractions on this neighbouring island being centred around the village of Haruku and including the Cakalele Monument, the New Hoorn Fort and the tranquil Pantai Lyanaen Beach.

Pulau Seram (Seram Island)

Pulau Seram is another notable member of the archipelago. The city Masohi serves as the capital of Central Maluku and the home of the Sangar Budaya Seram Museum. In northern Seram, the beautiful bay known as Teluk Sawai is a major attraction in its own right, being backed by tall cliffs and close to Ora Beach and its stilt bungalows. Other destinations of note on Pulau Seram include Amahai, Namano and the Manusela National Park.

Banda Islands

This small group of ten rather beautiful islands holds much appeal for travellers, with the Banda Islands being rich when it comes to tempting attractions. Many tourists come here for the snorkelling and scuba diving alone, since the colourful underwater coral gardens have deservedly earned themselves quite a reputation in Maluku, around Pulau Hatta, Pulau Ai, Rhun (Run) and Banda Besar (the largest of these islands). For the best beaches on the Banda Islands, consider those on the southerly shore of Pulau Banda Besar (including Lonthoir), as well as the pristine stretches of fine white sand on Pulau Ai, Pulau Neilaka and on the northerly coast of Pulau Hatta. On Pulau Bandaneira, the town of Bandaneira has long been the leading port for the Bandas Islands and contains some good attractions, such as its Benteng Belgica and Benteng Nassau fortresses, as well as some very reasonable snorkelling next to the village of Tanah Rata.

Kei Islands (Kai Islands)

The endless stretches of white sandy beaches are the main reason why so many holiday makers choose to base themselves on the Kei Islands, although this destination is somewhat underrated and often overlooked, in favour of the more touristy Indonesian resorts. The neighbouring twin towns of Langgur and Tual are where the best facilities are to be found, although neither offer many attractions as such, other than Tual's characterful Kyonbawa quarter and the tall Un Tower. For sightseeing, pay a visit to Bukit Kei Kecil on Pulau Kei Kecil, where an enormous statue of Christ has become an important sight of pilgrimage, especially during the Easter celebrations. Nearby, the village of Ohoidertawun features a scenic bay and some intriguing ancient rock carvings and paintings (petroglyphs), with unknown origins, and the 3-km / 2-mile Pasir Panjang beach is almost legendary. The beaches on Pulau Kei Besar really are extremely photogenic, with further outlying beaches (such as those of Pulau Kelapa) being just a short motor-canoe trip away, from Kei Besar's village port of Elat.

Tanimbar Islands (Timor Laut)

A group of approximately 65 different islands, the Tanimbar Islands are relatively isolated and lie on the south-eastern side of Maluku, to the south-west of both the Aru Islands and the Kei Islands, and to the east of Pulau Babar and Timor. Yamdena Island (Pulau Yamdena) is the largest and most noteworthy of the Tanimbars, and is known for its lush forested hills, wild water buffalo, woodcarving and fine beaches, such as the sands of Sangliat Dol, which is reached by an old stone stairway, which is 30 metres / 98 feet in height and leads to a large carved stone platform. Pulau Yamdena's Saumlaki Harbour is the capital and the main port for the whole of the Tanimbar Islands, and can become fairly busy during peak holiday seasons.

Pulau Ternate (Ternate Island)

Cloves are produced and exported from Pulau Ternate in huge quantities, along with other spices. Europeans first began to settle on Ternate around 500 years ago, including the Portuguese and Spanish. The city of Kota Ternate contains some interesting sights, which are spread around its various districts - generally referred to as 'villages'. Look out for the Keraton (Istana Kesultan), the Sultan's Mosque, and the fortresses named the Benteng Kalamata, the Benteng Oranye and the Benteng Tolukko. The Gunung Api Gamalama rather dominates Kota Ternate and this huge active volcano measures in at a huge 1,700 metres / 5,580 feet in height. Always popular in this area are the clove-grove hikes, available at the village of Air Tege Tege.

Pulau Tidore (Tidore Island)

From the port of Bastiong, on Ternate, the volcanic profile of Tidore looks quite spectacular and is much photographed. Speedboats regularly connect Bastiong and Ternate's town of Rum, departing throughout the day (a mere seven-minute journey). Soasio is the main resort of Tidore and resides on the south-easterly coast, where it is steeped in history, offering attractions such as its 17th-century Spanish Benteng Tohula fortress, Sonyine Malige Sultan's Memorial Museum and ruins of an ancient royal citadel (Istana Sultan).

Pulau Halmahera (Halmahera Island)

Shaped like a capital 'K' and containing four mountain peninsulas, the Pulau Halmahera is the largest of the Maluku Islands, and certainly one of the most interesting. Innumerable offshore islands are scattered around the coastline of Halmahera, while the interior is home to a number of volcanoes and related outdoor hiking attractions. Pulau Halmahera is not the easiest island to get around, with just a few roads, although this situation continues to improve. There are also reasonable air and boat links to the island, with speedboats arriving at Sidangoli from nearby Ternate (a 40-minute journey). Highlights on the island of Halmahera include the mangrove and volcano in Jailolo, the dark sandy beach of Merambati, the stilt houses in Sidangoli, the dramatic volcanic backdrop enjoyed by Danau Duma (Danau Galela), and the wealth of coconut palms in the northerly town of Tobelo. Just offshore from Tobelo, the island of Pulau Kumo is just a ten-minute boat ride away and famed for its snorkelling.

Pulau Bacan (Bacan Island)

Labuha is the capital of Pulau Bacan and is a very laid-back town, where its relaxed atmosphere really is all part of its charm and appeal. Facing the bayfront and home to a somewhat overgrown Dutch-Portuguese fortress (the Bentang Barnevald), Labuha has little in the way of tourist attractions. If you have taken a day trip here from Ternate and intend to see the main sights, then head the Kupal Village and check out the nearby brightly coloured iron pebbles, before having a swim off the pebble beach next to Sawadai, and then perhaps taking a look at the rather underwhelming nearby Air Belanda waterfall.