The Moluccas: Splendors (and Struggles) of an Archipelago Unknown to Tourists (page 5 of 7)

Hi Eiger, for a few years now we’ve also been exploring Indonesia, most often by scooter (Flores, Java, Sulawesi—south, central, north, Togians—Raja Ampat, Bali...) The issue is that we only have a maximum of 4 weeks off in January/February each year, and of course, it’s often the wrong season. This year, we decided to return to Raja Ampat for 2 weeks because we really enjoyed it 2 years ago (not Kri—too many tourists—but Batanta and others). It doesn’t rain too much at this time of year. Then we were thinking of heading to the Banda Islands afterward since the climate seems less rainy in January, though windy. Your experience confirms we’d need more time, especially since transportation in January is often canceled due to rough seas in the Banda Islands. We considered going to North Maluku (not too far from Sorong) since the climate doesn’t seem too bad in January/February, but I couldn’t find any information about scooter rentals on Halmahera. But you’ve partly answered that: it’s hard to rent a scooter. You were lucky to find 2 guesthouses where you could rent one—that’s already great info! So we thought about Sumba, which seems drier, but the whole "rituals for visiting certain villages" thing is a bit annoying, especially since the people of Sumba are known to be less friendly than others in Indonesia. So now we’re torn between Sumba and North Maluku for the second part of the trip!

Hello

It’s probably the only trash can I’ve seen in 4 trips to Indonesia

You’ve never been to Gunungsitoli on Nias Island off the coast of Sumatra?



And for those worried about whether there’ll be a boat to get here or there, remember that in Indonesia:

it’s not the traveler who takes the transport it’s the transport that takes the traveler

PS great travel journal 😛

Hi Christian, Still drawn to Indonesia after four trips to its islands, I really enjoyed your Moluccan travel journal. While I’ve written a few travel journals myself—including one here on V.F. about Aswan—I found in your "writing" the very things I love to include: info (like what you’d share over a table in a guesthouse) floating in a space filled with colorful, fragrant sensations and emotions. Not to mention the humor that keeps us grounded in our simple role as travelers, borrowing the extraordinary paths that travel lays before us. From tourist, we become travelers, and the "gifts" multiply. Thanks for the one you’ve given us here. Thierry

Hello

This is probably the only trash can I’ve seen in 4 trips to Indonesia 🤪

Have you ever been to Gunungsitoli on Nias Island off Sumatra?



No, never been to Nias. I also really liked this one—it’s also very French 😉—but it was in Singapore on the way back (which is the opposite of Indonesia in terms of cleanliness):

PS great travel journal 😛

Thanks, that wraps up the "misunderstanding" from the start 🙂 ... which was about sexism, and on that note, I really liked this sign in Jakarta, where some not-so-Catholic practices (normal for a 98% Muslim island 😏) are clearly commonplace.

... Which hotel did you choose in Ambon?

As mentioned earlier, our trip started in Ambon, and after all those hours on the plane, we made an exception to our usual habit of checking things out on the spot by booking 2 nights in advance. There wasn’t much on Agoda, so I took a look on Airbnb and surprisingly found a few places, including the lovely and spacious Solim Guesthouse in its beautiful garden. We chose it for its proximity to Tulehu, the port for the Banda Islands and the Lease Islands—both on our itinerary.

The best part is its location outside the city and close to Tulehu (and also Natsepa Beach). The downside is… well, the location outside the city . It’s not practical on foot (the *bemos* pass 1 km away), but the super-friendly owner lent us his scooter, so no more issues getting to restaurants, the beach, or anywhere else.

There are several hotels in the city, but we didn’t find any with particular charm.

Safe travels!

Yes, lovely travel journal! I also had a trash-can photo to share, but there’s a minimum resolution requirement, so I can’t post it... On the other hand, some landscapes really reminded me of Java—the mountainous roads with ocean views. It felt like the heights of Parangtritis, that famous beach you can reach via all sorts of winding routes... As for the islands, they reminded me of the Lemukutan archipelago, off the coast of Singkawang. For my part, I’ll probably wander over to Seram one of these days... Or maybe the Kei Islands, if Indonesia ever gets a little more generous with visas! 🙂

... January/February every year and that it's often the bad season

In North Moluccas, there are no marked seasonal differences: It's hot and humid all year round, with possible rain at any time. In South Moluccas, same thing, a bit rainier from June to August, but the main issue is the wind from December to March, which can prevent small boats from circulating and make good diving/snorkeling difficult. Check out the Moluccas bible with a great climate overview: http://www.east-indonesia.info/

So we thought about Sumba, which seems drier, but the whole "rituals for visiting certain villages" thing is a bit of a pain, especially since the people of Sumba are reputed to be less friendly than others in Indonesia. So we're hesitating between Sumba and North Moluccas for the second part of the trip!

Sumba is the driest island in all of Indonesia—no risk of rain, but no diving or snorkeling either. However, there are beautiful beaches in the west... and other discoveries. Dilemma 😛

Indeed, we’ll save the sea and snorkeling for Papua—this trip is all about two-wheeled exploration. I’m really keen on it because I ride almost exclusively by motorcycle daily, and it’s become tough in France where the feeling of becoming an outlaw overshadows the sense of freedom a bike can bring.

Riding in Asia is amazing and makes transport hassles way simpler. Plus, in less touristy areas, Indonesians generally appreciate Westerners on scooters or motorbikes—I think it’s closer to their way of life. I remember a family near Tomohon (Sulawesi) who took us on a ride when we were exhausted (we followed their 4x4 on our scooter) along rough tracks to climb Mount Lokon. Then they took us to a local-style restaurant where we ate from big platters with all sorts of dishes (kind of like tapas, but with dog, rat, cat, squirrel, python, wild boar...). After that, we watched a local tribal performance, all while they refused to let us pay. And it all started by the side of the road with: *Hello mister, where’re you go?*

Fantastic country…

I think for this year we’ll stick to the original plan (not enough time).

If all goes well, retirement in 4 years—and plenty of time to waste exploring the Banda Islands, Kei, Taka Bonerate, North Moluccas... I’m keeping this story safe—it’s packed with precise details.

Travel’s tough for us because we barely speak or understand English, just basic travel vocabulary, so we need more upfront planning. The worst was in English-speaking countries like the Philippines, where they couldn’t grasp that we didn’t speak English and made zero effort to adapt. Still, that didn’t stop us from covering 3,000 km on our scooter with two people. Thanks a lot!

After Ambon, Morotai, and the unnamed archipelago, Halmahera (Kupakupa and Pulau Meti), then Tidore... Return to Ternate We’re back to the view of the islands from Villa Ma Rasai

Its pool 🙂

With a good sassak juice, it’s even better:

Still frustrated about "missing" the Banda Islands, an idea popped into my head: what if we went to Bunaken?

Bunaken—what’s that? - Bunaken is like the Bandas, in the world’s top 5 diving spots - Bunaken is a 5 km-long island that’s not part of the Moluccas but Sulawesi, and it’s really close - We went to Bunaken in 2016; the snorkeling is incredible: countless fish, turtles, blacktip reef sharks (vegetarian ones), and even a cute sea cobra that gave us a good scare - There are plenty of small hotels and guesthouses... and probably a few tourists, which will be a nice change from the Moluccas - Canceling our stay in the Bandas gave us more time to explore everywhere else, but we still have 5 "free" days

Photos taken in 2016 at Bunaken:



Bunaken was pretty amazing 🙂... so we decided to take advantage of the internet at Villa Ma Rasai to check if flight schedules and prices to Manado were reasonable. The trip from Ternate is 50 minutes by plane for 27 €, plus 30 minutes by taxi and 40 minutes by boat—it’s doable (not very eco-friendly, I know, but at this point, with 17 hours of flying from France ), so Hasrun was tasked again with booking us two tickets to Manado for the day after next.

In the meantime, we continued exploring Ternate: - Visiting our "friends" in the north of the island, who we’d warned about our likely return

- Ana offered to show me around her village at the foot of the volcano



While I was driving, she took selfies. I asked her to take one with my camera:

During our first visit to Ternate, we looked for three local restaurants recommended by Lonely Planet. We didn’t find a single one—no one knew them, even at the addresses listed in the guide... as usual, they probably haven’t been there in 15 or 20 years. Thanks, LP. But we did stumble upon this kebab vendor: kebabs in Indonesia are a unique thing, a "rich people’s" food (all relative: 25,000 IDR, about $1.50), and trendy... plus, it’s a nice break from rice. So we made it our go-to lunch spot, which really amused the owner every time we stopped by:

More of our explorations in Kota Ternate: These two sisters asked for a selfie with us... and then posed for me, as usual:

One of the two collapsed minarets of the grand mosque:

The two minarets that didn’t collapse:







They’re now making alcohol-free Bintang (I even tried it—it’s disgusting)...

To be continued: Bunaken (so, in Sulawesi) and some practical info (schedules, prices) and tips

😮 hot tip for you: those blacktip sharks are actually white-tip sharks https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requin_pointe_blanche way more dangerous than the shy blacktip shark!!!! So not vegetarian at all in this case !

Yeah, I noticed that right away, but I didn’t realize he’d mixed it up with a black-tip shark... Good catch on your part!

Just so you know, and to avoid stress: The shark in the photo doesn’t look like a Carcharhinus albimarginatus, which is nicknamed the silvertip shark and is dangerous and much larger. It’s opportunistic, and it’s thought to be responsible for many shipwreck-related deaths in the Pacific. It’s more likely a whitetip reef shark, Triaenodon obesus, similar in size and behavior to blacktip reef sharks. Either way, both are carnivorous—not inherently dangerous, except when spearfishing, as they can get excited by catches and bite (like all carnivorous sharks). I lost a piece of my fin to one in New Caledonia. The Kanaks usually say: once sharks reach 2.5 meters, they’re all dangerous. It starts with gray reef sharks, which are very inquisitive and territorial—they defend their space. So no danger with the shark in the photo, unless you’re carrying fish on you

Thanks for the clarification. I came across a gray shark this year off the coast of Maumere in Flores—I wasn’t very reassured, but luckily it didn’t pay any attention to us... Still never seen a white-tip shark, even though it seems one swam right by. A Cuban guy snorkeling near us spotted it, but we didn’t see a thing.

What a beautiful story!

Thanks for the shout-out, and sorry you missed the Bandas—the fast boat only started running around late September this year.

For those planning to travel there in the future, here’s the site where you can find the most up-to-date info on transport to the Bandas:

https://www.dive-bluemotion.com/getting-here

It’s the website of a well-known dive club, but the guys have the latest updates!

Crazy that you ended up going to Bunaken and passed through Manado—because I was there too during the last three weeks of September, but I only stopped in Manado to visit the SITARO and SANGIHE archipelagos... AMAZING! I’ll write a little trip report soon! There’s a chance we might’ve crossed paths at the CELEBES Hotel in Manado😎

Can’t wait to read the rest

Eager to read the report on this spot—we nearly missed Talaud two years ago due to lack of time...

well, I bow down 😎

Hello,

What a magnificent story, bravo and thank you!

Best regards

😮 a scoop for you: those blacktip sharks you saw are actually white-tip reef sharks fr.wikipedia.org/...equin_pointe_blanche way more dangerous than the shy blacktip reef shark!!!! So not vegetarian at all in this case !

well damn 🤪 I was sure they were blacktip sharks, but that’s not the case I saw a lot (but smaller ones) in the Perhentians (Malaysia), and looking closely, they were different If I’d known I was meeting reef sharks, I wouldn’t have been so happy to see them, since they do tend to be a bit carnivorous 🙁 ... and I read that some people got seriously spooked when they ran into them On our second trip to Bunaken this year, I was looking for them along the drop-off (with no luck) ... if I’d known, I wouldn’t have bothered 😎, I would’ve just enjoyed the many turtles, which are way more peaceful Anyway, thanks for the correction

Such a beautiful story!

Thanks! 🙂

For those who’ll be traveling there in the future, here’s the site where you can find the most up-to-date info on transport to the Bandas:

www.dive-bluemotion.com/getting-here

I knew about this site, but nothing mentioned there’d be no speedboat the first two weeks of September

Incredible that you ended up going to Bunaken and passed through Manado… because I was there too during the last three weeks of September, but I only stopped in Manado to visit the SITARO and SANGIHE archipelagos… AMAZING! I’ll write a little trip report soon! There’s a chance we might’ve crossed paths at the CELEBES hotel in Manado😎

We *did* pass through the Célèbes hotel the last week of September! Just like in 2016. It’s kind of the go-to spot if you’re heading to Bunaken. I recommend everyone stop by, even just to eat—if not to stay. They’re super friendly, help you plan the rest of your trip (back then, we were going to Tangkoko, Tomohon, and Bunaken, and they helped us organize everything). Since it’s only 200m from the boats to Bunaken, it’s really convenient. But we didn’t cross paths this year—I didn’t see any other Westerners (Westerners? Who’s to say there aren’t Indonesians from Bezons )

I’ll read your trip report about those remote islands between Sulawesi and Mindanao with interest🙂—just to dream a little (barely back from there, and the travel bug’s still strong!)

Hi Eiger, just so you know—if you're not in Manado yet, to get to Bunaken there’s a public boat that’s way cheaper than the ones at the port near Hotel Celebe (from what I remember, 50,000 IDR). You catch it behind the Warung Ojo Lali, at the corner by the ATM. You’ll need to cross the whole market, go through the warung, and get your feet a little wet. The vibe is super chill, and they’re usually getting a card game ready. It leaves from here: goo.gl/maps/Nm84Rkduy6m and arrives here if my memory’s right: goo.gl/maps/5w3AefbWC3y



But you might already know this—I’m sharing because info like this is hard to find, especially since the tourist boat business is so lucrative at Manado’s port. Plus, they didn’t even ask us to pay the Bunaken entrance fee—probably because it was raining. For the big drop-off, it’s just a few fin kicks behind "Lorenzo Cottage" and Bunaken Sea Garden. We preferred Istanaku GH over Hotel Celebe—modern rooms, comfy, nice bathrooms, friendly staff, and under 300,000 IDR. Mostly Asian tourists there. goo.gl/maps/prFLu6kUb5D2 True, we had a scooter (since the port’s a 20-minute walk), but a taxi took us for 20,000 IDR. For blacktip and whitetip reef sharks (and coral), no worries as long as you don’t have fish on you.

Looking forward to reading the rest of your trip! This is the first *super* detailed travel journal I’ve found on North Maluku—don’t hesitate to share more of those precious details and tips. Thanks again! Philippe