The Moluccas: Splendors (and Struggles) of an Archipelago Unknown to Tourists (page 3 of 7)

and Seram would be worth a trip all on its own with its ethnic groups tucked away in the impenetrable mountains.

Hey there,

Thanks for sharing your experience! So far, I’ve only booked a Lyon–Singapore flight (399 €). I’m torn between Sulawesi (I’ve already been to Toraja country) but this time heading to the Togian Islands or the Moluccas, which I don’t know at all. I’d love to hear your thoughts—your preferences between Togian or the Moluccas?

PS: No flights to Seram, right? Do you know how to get there?

then Tourism isn’t entirely absent here (the Banda Islands, along with the Kei Islands, are the most touristy part of the Moluccas), but it remains independent, simple, and relatively low-key. Most guesthouses are small places run by locals. s

That’s great news! In the Thalassa documentary about Banda, the local bigwig said they needed to get rid of backpackers and other "cheap" tourists and focus on attracting travelers with a bit more class 🏴‍☠️ He even shut down a few guesthouses.

Djalma: I’ve never been to Seram or the Moluccas, but my friends from there told me there are regular boat connections from Tulehu port, which you can reach by road from Ambon... (I was planning to go...) A speedboat then drops you off in Masohi. Geo published a really beautiful piece about one of the villages on this fascinating—and terrifying—island (Seram = "terrifying" in Indonesian 😎).!!

Awesome travel journal! I live in Indonesia and saw that an Indonesian operator in partnership with Pelni is going to organize cruises from Ambon to Banda Neira (4 days) and from Ternate to the Kei Islands (also 4 days, I think). So these islands are becoming more and more accessible to local tourists and potential investors from Java. There are also 3 Pelni boats leaving from Makassar that go to Ambon and all the way to the terminus in Sorong, others to Ternate, etc. Those take between 3 to 8 days at sea. But you can board at any stopover city like Ambon, for example.

All of this is a bit "rough" and you have to keep an eye on your stuff when sleeping in the boat’s dormitory bunks.

There’s a great mapping site for Indonesia—I recommend checking it out, especially the maritime route map. Peter Loud’s site on Indonesia.

my friends from there told me there were regular boat connections from the port of Tulehu, which you can reach from Ambon by road... (I was planning to go...) A speedboat then drops you off in Masohi...

Thanks, and if I go, I’ll tell you all about it!

we want the rest.....quick question: how long does it take from downtown AMBON to TULEHU, please? We planned to take the fast ferry to the BANDA Islands if it’s not broken down or canceled.

Fast boat, I’d say between 2 and 3 hours, but watch out—it doesn’t operate all year, only on Tuesdays and Saturdays at 9 AM, depending on the weather, the condition of the equipment, and the number of people. Otherwise, there’s the plane, which is supposed to make a daily rotation. Check the Pelni website for ferries—twice a month, the schedule is available 1 to 2 months in advance. There are 3 ferries that shuttle back and forth, but be careful—one of them is *very* slow. Otherwise, locally, there’s a cargo ship that makes the route occasionally, going from Ambon to the islands around Seram and all the way to Banda Neira. The best thing is to figure out transportation on the spot and know at least a little English and a few words of Indonesian to get by. Happy travels!

Thanks for the replies! We checked out the Pelni ferries, but they don’t work with our dates. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for the Tuesday morning *Express Bahari*, and if it doesn’t leave, we’ll figure out a Plan B on the spot. In Indonesia, we’ve gotten used to improvising at the last minute—and honestly, those are the moments we’ve had our best experiences.

You should allow about an hour to get from Ambon to Tulehu without stress. Leaving Ambon can be pretty congested, but an hour usually does the trick. The crossing typically takes around 5-6 hours.

Okay, thanks so much for the info! We read your travel journal about the Moluccas—you’re no stranger to our trip there 😊

I’m too late—everything’s already been said about travel times between Ambon-Tulehu and Bandaneira

I'd love to hear your thoughts. (Your preferences) Togian or Moluccas?

PS: Apparently no flights to Seram? Do you know how to get there?

It’s different: - The Togians are quite a trek from Manado or Makassar, but everything’s set up: daily speedboat from Ampana, fairly reliable ferry from Ampana, Gorontalo, or Bubulan, plenty of guesthouses, people who speak English... so a certain level of comfort. - The Moluccas, it’s DIY. Gorgeous landscapes, lovely people, but it can quickly turn into a hassle: it’s hard to get info, you’re never sure of anything, hardly any accommodations up to Western standards... etc. Without wanting to play the explorer, you’ve got to be used to off-the-beaten-path places and know how to stay zen when you’re waiting without knowing what’s going to happen. The Togians are a great compromise: beautiful beaches, great snorkeling, good choice of bungalows, enough "organization" to make it easy, few people (though apparently not always the case from what I’ve read on VF), but enough to meet others, share boats, etc... Tough choice. As for Seram, I saw the boat packed with people at T’ulehu, but it must be really complicated to visit... Not sure I still want to go!

In the Moluccas, we had some fantastic days... and a few struggles that could ruin your vacation. It’s up to you to weigh the pros and cons.

So what did you think of Kupakupa and Meti Island? Did you stay there? The rest of the story, please! 😄😄😄...

Really interesting story. Trip planned for 2020...

So what did you think of Kupakupa and Meti Island? Did you stay there? The rest of the story, please!😄😄😄...

The rest? I’ll try to find the time 😛 In the meantime, a few answers: - Kupakupa: We stayed there for several days to rest. It’s about 10-15 km from Tobelo, but pretty remote (when the *klijang* dropped us off at the end of the road and told us we had to finish on foot, we thought there was nothing at the end of the path!). No restaurants or anything nearby—meals on-site are mandatory. The owner is an 85-year-old German guy, Lutz, really nice. Two styles of bungalows <>, pretty simple but clean. Gorgeous garden full of flowers and trees (Lutz’s passion—he grows everything). Food was absolutely excellent—the big plus of Kupakupa Bungalow (Kupakupa is the village 2-3 km away). Every morning, we ordered what we wanted to eat: tuna, prawns, eggplant, etc., plus salads like I’ve never had in Indonesia (a specialty of the German owner). A small snorkeling spot—nothing unforgettable but nice for a day or two. We were the only guests, and it seemed like there aren’t many visitors. A pretty sandy beach (though nothing compared to the ones on Morotai Island, of course). Hardly anyone around except on Sundays, when loads of young people come to drink beers (Lutz the German has his supplier in the middle of the "alcohol-free" region) and leave them on the beach (normal here—everything gets tossed). It’s also where young couples go (kissing anywhere else isn’t done here 😎). So not much to do except watch the coconut trees, but we had a great time. - Pulau Meti: Lutz had his staff organize a day trip for us. It takes 30 minutes by scooter + 30 minutes by boat. A French guy opened a very simple guesthouse there, but in a really beautiful local style: open-air bungalows, outdoor showers, and shared toilets. Everything is lovely and simple. A small but gorgeous snorkeling spot right in front. The island is covered in coconut trees—super charming... but remote. I plan to talk about it in more detail in my upcoming travel journal (there’s a village a 30-minute walk away—we went there... and there’s a Japanese airstrip!). Happy to answer any specific questions if you’d like

In the Moluccas, we had fantastic days... and a few struggles that could ruin your vacation. It's up to you to weigh the pros and cons

Thanks for getting back to me. If I were 30 years younger and traveling solo, I wouldn’t hesitate to go for the Moluccas with Seram as the highlight... At my age and traveling as a couple—even though I’ve got the time—it’ll be the Togians instead. I’ll risk another question, which you can answer if you have the time. I saw there’s now an airfield in Poso. Do you have any idea how long it takes to get to Ampana from Poso? (I’m guessing 3 or 4 hours.) Thanks again for your help.

For public transport (minibus), allow 5 hours for Poso-Ampana. By private car, I’d say 3-4 hours indeed.

For public transport (minibus), allow 5 hours for Poso-Ampana.

That long?! Maybe they’ve redone the road since 2011 ;)...

I’d say more like 2-3 hours to Posa Ampana by car... but I might be wrong since I didn’t really note the times. 😊

I really want to go to Seram during the first season, but what scares me is finding transport to reach the north coast. Otherwise, there are two great lodges: Ora Beach Resort (a bit pricey) and Kaka Tua Bungalow, both of which offer excursions. There’s also a boat, I think a Pelni, that goes to Wahai—worth checking out, but it’s a bit of an adventure!

hi christian I read your report with great interest. And admiration too, because I’d planned to visit the Moluccas this year—after two weeks of prep, I "threw in the towel" and went for an easier destination (I’ve got a big flaw: I love planning, knowing things in advance… so I’m not the ideal traveler for this place…). cheers jean-louis