Ambon

Ambon, the capital of the South Moluccas island group, is located on the island of Ambon of the same name.
The pleasantly busy city of Ambon is ideal for a tour by becak (bicycle taxi). The colorful market, the Merdeka square with the World Peace monument and the statue of the freedom fighter Pattimura are nice sights.
A little further away is the statue of Martha Christina, Pattimura's female ally. If you have a car available, also drive to the village of Soya di atas and take a drink of water. It seems that it makes you a lot younger. The Siwalima museum is also worth a visit and is on the route to Pintu Kota, the iconic gate of Ambon.

Ambon town has great appeal to young people from the surrounding villages and islands, making the population very young. They mainly come to look for work. The main employer in Ambon City is the government and a civil servant job is highly sought after as it provides security, status and benefits (such as being able to help family members). But for Moluccans who have lived or were born in Ambon for a long time, the village of origin (of the family) remains very important for identity. At important village events or on public holidays, many Ambonese return to their families' village.


In terms of accommodations, you can choose from city hotels, such as the new Santika with swimming pool and the cozy family hotel Mutiara. If you want to be outside the city, the Maluku Spa Resort in Natsepa, more than half an hour's drive from the center, is the best choice.

Ambon city is by far the most important hub of the province and plays an important role for the whole of East Indonesia. Across the Bay of Ambon (Teluk Ambon) is Pattimura airport with scheduled flights to Makassar, Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali, Ternate and Papua. In addition, a number of Pelni passenger ships call at the city.

Ambon out of town

On the northern peninsula of Hitu is the reasonably preserved Fort Amsterdam. A short distance away you will also find the oldest mosque and church of Ambon.
In the east of the island lies the village of Waai with the famous sacred eels. Nearby are the hot springs of Tulehu and the lovely white beach of Liang.

Public transport on the island itself consists of the Angkotan Kota, small buses that serve many destinations on the island from the Mardika Terminal near the center of the city.

Favoriete restaurant

Ambon city has very nice fish restaurants. Me myself would recommend Rumah Makan Ratu Gurih, busy on the weekends, but during the week you can eat the tastiest ikan goreng or ikan bakar (deep fried or grilled fish).
Be sure to have a coffee at Rumah Kopi Sibu Sibu and get amazed over the nice pictures and interior.

Saparua

Saparua is the largest of the Lease Islands. In terms of area, it is comparable to Texel and there are just under 50,000 islanders. As on many Moluccan islands, sago palm is the most important staple food. There are many places to see the sago production and processing.

The VOC fort Benteng Duurstede is one of the bigger sights. The museum has a nice collection of old war equipment.
Saparua has about twenty villages. The ferry from Ambon arrives in Haria. The VOC fort Benteng Duurstede is located near the "capital" Saparua. It is one of the bigger sights. The museum has a nice collection of old war equipment.

The pretty village of Ouw is located on a hill. It has a lot of stairs you have to take to see the old church. Proas are being built on the beach. There is also a pottery workshop in the village.

You spend the night in the Perdana guesthouse in the village of Saparua. Take into account uninterested staff and a meager breakfast with soggy sandwiches and cold coffee. More attractive is the Rumah RP guesthouse in the village of Ihamahu. You can also take a cooking course here. Divers have a choice of the simple Mahu lodge, with not the best diving center, or the luxurious Cape Paperu.