4Sleeping
More than a dozen family guesthouses and homestays offer simple but clean rooms, almost all with en-suite mandi. Cilu Bintang, Mutiara and Delfika are best set up for foreign travellers, offering spoken English, snorkelling gear and help with boat hire.
Mutiara GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 3034 3377, 0910-21344; www.banda-mutiara.com; r with fan/air-con from 150,000/200,000Rp; aW)
A special boutique hotel disguised as a homestay, Mutiara is the first venture of Abba, the tirelessly helpful and well-connected owner of Cilu Bintang. The front garden is a wonderful spot for an afternoon snooze, or to catch the resident cuscus raiding the cinnamon tree at night.
DelfikaGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21027; [email protected]; Jl Gereja Tua; r with fan 100,000-150,000Rp, with air-con 175,000-250,000Rp; a)
Built around a shady courtyard, the charming Delfika has a range of mostly well-renovated rooms on the main village drag. There's also a bric-a-brac-stuffed sitting room and an attached cafe, one of Banda’s best.
Delfika 2GUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21127; r with fan/air-con 150,000/225,000Rp)
A little out of the way, located down a twisting alley between the market and the water, Delfika 2 has particularly fine bay views from its upper-storey rooms. You can knock 25,000Rp off the price if you avoid using the air-con, or add 75,000Rp to sleep an extra person in your room.
Pantai Nassau GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 4326 6771; Jl Kujali; r with fan/air-con 150,000/200,000Rp)
The location's the thing that elevates this establishment, perched on a black-sand beach with harbour and Gunung Api views. The four rooms are bright and clean with double beds, but toilets are all Indo squat-pots and only breakfast is served.
Penginapan Babbu SallamGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21043; Jl Nairam Bessy; r with fan/air-con 150,000/200,000Rp; a)
Newly-renovated, with vibrant papaya-coloured paintwork and a patio and a deck overlooking the bay, this guesthouse is another of Neira's good cheap sleeps. Breakfast is included.
Vita GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(Fita; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21332, 0812 4706 7099; [email protected]; Jl Pasar; d with fan/air-con from 140,000/175,000Rp; a)
Popular with Euro backpackers, Vita offers a great bayside location with seven comfortable rooms set in a colonnaded L-shape around a waterfront palm garden (ideal for an evening beer, contemplating Gunung Api). The beds are adequate, there's some decent wooden furniture in the rooms, and it has Western-style toilets.
Penginapan GamalamaGUESTHOUSE$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21053; Jl Gereja Tua; tw 150,000Rp; a)
The Gamalama offers functional, relatively large rooms beyond a lobby decked out in concrete trees. The air-con is a little primitive, but all told, with breakfast included, it's good value.
oCilu Bintang EstateBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0813 3034 3377, 0910-21604; www.cilubintang.com; Jl Benteng Belgica; d 300,000-400,000Rp, VIP 750,000Rp; aW)
After storming the charts with his first guesthouse, the still-excellent Mutiara, Abba (Rizal, the owner) has outdone himself with the difficult sophomore release. Cilu Bintang is head and shoulders above any other accommodation in all the Banda Islands – an immaculate, breezy Dutch-colonial reproduction with superb rooms, beds, food and company.
While it's a little pricier than most other options in Neira, Cilu Bintang remains exceptional value. Even the basic rooms come with carved (and very comfy) four-poster beds, well-equipped bathrooms, air-con and lovely nutmeg-themed furnishings. The evening meal, a convivial buffet cooked for guests and drop-ins, may just be the best food you eat in Maluku. Add to that Abba's unmatched ability to organise just about anything you might like to do in Banda, and you have the perfect base to explore one of Indonesia's most stunning locations.
Hotel MaulanaHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21022; r/presidential ste 350,000/1,500,000Rp; a)
Once Neira's finest hotel, this rebuilt Dutch-colonial hotel is now resting on its laurels to some extent, relying on travellers attracted to its plumb location in Neira harbour, rather than providing professional service. It does have a lovely veranda overlooking the waterfront between palms and shaggy ketapang trees, and the top-floor suites (no elevators) have spectacular views. The dive centre moved out to Laguna, as Hotel Maulana was too chaotic.
5Eating
Frequent cups of tea and a light breakfast are generally included in room prices, and almost every place will serve lunch or dinner (35,000Rp to 90,000Rp per person) on advance request. Street vendors sell presmoked fish on a stick (10,000Rp), sticky rice, dried nutmeg-fruit slices, and delicious halua-kenari almond brittle.
oDelfika CafeINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Gereja Tua; mains 15,000-50,000Rp; h10am-9pm)
Attached to the penginapan of the same name, Delfika serves seasonal fruit juices, delicious nutmeg-jam pancakes, soto ayam, nasi ikan and a variety of fried noodle and vegetable dishes. Look out for local favourites such as fish in nutmeg sauce and eggplant with kenari-almond sauce. No alcohol.
NamasawarINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21136; Jl Pelabuhan; mains 20,000-80,000Rp; h10am-10pm)
Opening onto the courtyard of the owner's house, this simple little rumah makan offers ice cream and some Western dishes, alongside well-executed Indonesian staples. Some of these come with a distinctive Bandanese twist: the nasi ikan telur (rice with fish and egg) is accompanied by an unusual dish of bitter melon stuffed with nutmeg-scented forcemeat.
Nutmeg CafeINDONESIAN$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Hatta; mains 15,000-40,000Rp; h8am-9pm)
Bolted onto a family home, the sleepy, shuttered Nutmeg is a charmer. It does noodles, juices, fish and rice, a good soto ayam and thick pancakes to slather with house-jarred nutmeg jam.
oCilu Bintang EstateINDONESIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21604, 0813 3034 3377; www.cilubintang.com; Jl Benteng Belgica; buffet 90,000Rp; h7-9pm)
The best place to stay in Bandaneira is also the best place to eat, hands-down. Abba's charming wife Dila works all day to produce a magnificent evening buffet of spanking-fresh baked fish, soups liberally spiced with Banda nutmeg and cinnamon, curries, fritters, salads and more. Classes and a cookbook are also available.
8Information
There’s no tourist office, but several guesthouses have helpful English-speaking owners. Delfika, Mutiara and Cilu Bintang give guests a free, basic island map and offer slow web access as well (15,000Rp per hour).
BRI BankBANK
( GOOGLE MAP ; Jl Kujali)
Now has a 24-hour ATM (which only accepts MasterCard) but still no exchange facilities.
8Getting There & Away
The new fast ferry from Ambon has really opened up the Banda Islands up.
Air
Susi Air (http://http://fly.susiair.com) is the latest to win the Ambon–Bandaneira route. Its small, twin-prop plane makes the trip on Wednesday, Thursday and some Friday mornings (300,000Rp, 40 minutes). It's wise to organise your (return) ticket at least 10 days in advance, and cancellations (for weather and lack of passengers) are common. However, if it lands in Bandaneira on any given morning, it will fly back to Ambon for sure.
Boat
Banda is expecting a visitor surge, with a new, fast ferry greatly simplifying connections to Ambon. The Express Bahari 2B leaves Tulehu for Bandaneira at 9am on Monday and Friday, returning at the same time on Tuesday and Saturday. The trip takes six hours, and the VIP tickets (400,000Rp) aren't really necessary (the 300,000Rp seats are comfortable enough).
If you take the Pelni ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0910-21196; www.pelni.co.id; Jl Kujali; ticket from 100,000Rp; h8.30am-1pm & 4-6pm Mon-Sat), hop on the Tidar or Kelimutu, both of which leave Ambon on Sunday to arrive early morning in Banda, before a circuit of the Kei and A
ru islands. Economy adult tickets are 112,000Rp and there are four classes, plus discounts for children, the elderly, and babies (!). Bear in mind that Pelni timetables (issued online) change monthly, and beware of pickpockets at any Pelni embarkation.
BOATS FROM BANDANEIRA
Destination Type Fare (Rp) Frequency
Amahai (Pulau Seram) kapal malolo (cargo) 40,000 varies
Pulau Ai public longboat 20,000 noon, 2pm daily
Pulau Ambon Pelni varies weekly
Pulau Ambon kapal malolo (cargo) 50,000 varies
Pulau Banda Besar public longboat 5,000 when full
Pulau Run public longboat 25,000 2pm daily
Tehoru (Pulau Seram) longboat 5,000,000 charter
8Getting Around
The island is small and walkable but ojeks save sweat at 3000Rp for a short trip, 10,000Rp to the airport or 15,000Rp to Pantai Malole. Cilu Bintang rents old pushbikes (50,000Rp per day). Several guesthouses offer free airport pick-ups.
Typical boat-charter rates for full-day trips include snorkelling stops on Ai (350,000Rp), Hatta (600,000Rp), Karnopol and Pisang (400,000Rp), or Run (600,000Rp). Run trips may include a stop on Ai and Neilaka, as well.
Pulau Gunung Api
This impish little 656m volcano has always been a threat to Bandaneira, Banda Besar and anyone attempting to farm its fertile slopes. Its most recent eruption in 1988 killed three people, destroyed more than 300 houses and filled the sky with ash for days. Historically, Gunung Api’s eruptions have often proven to be spookily accurate omens of approaching European invaders or traders.
The volcano can be climbed for awesome sunrise views in around three hours, but the unrelenting slope is arduous and the loose scree is scary, especially upon descent. Take more drinking water than you think you'll need. Guides (from 100,000Rp) are prepared to accompany hikers but the path up is fairly obvious. Ask a local to point out the direction when you get off your boat. Once you're on the trail it's easy.
The waters around Gunung Api are home to lurid purple-and-orange sea squirts, remarkably fast-growing table corals, leatherback turtles and concentrations of (mostly harmless) sea snakes. The submerged north-coast lava flows (‘New Lava’) are especially good for snorkelling and shallow dives.
Pulau Banda Besar
Pop 11,000
The largest island of the group, hilly Banda Besar makes a great day trip and offers some interesting woodland walks. Boats shuttle regularly from Bandaneira to several Banda Besar jetties, most frequently to Walang (per person/boat 5000/30,000Rp, 15 minutes). Ojeks (5000Rp) run via Biao village (home of a scraggy pet cassowary) to Banree where the asphalt ends.
If you walk 10 minutes west, along the narrow concrete sea-defence wall, you’ll emerge at the relatively new but photogenic Masjid Al Taqwa mosque in Lonthoir (pronounced ‘lon-tor’). This is Banda Besar’s sleepy, steeply layered ‘capital’ village. Its main ‘street’ is actually a long stairway that starts beside Homestay Leiden (Jl Warataka; per person 150,000Rp). Leiden offers two neat guest rooms (thin mattresses and shared mandi) in the attractive house of earnest, English-speaking Usman Abubakar.
At the top of the stairway turn right – you will find the Kelly Plantation where centuries-old, buttressed kenari trees tower protectively over a nutmeg grove. Abba at Cilu Bintang offers wonderful three-hour tours (per person 100,000Rp) to both Kelly Plantation and Van der Broecke Plantation, known as the last Dutch-owned plantation on the Bandas. Slain amidst sectarian violence, the long-gone patriarch was helpful in repopulating nutmeg trees throughout the Bandas.
One of Banda's best views is to be had from Benteng Hollandia. Built in 1624, this was once one of the biggest Dutch fortresses in the Indies, until shattered by a devastating 1743 earthquake. The chunky overgrown ruins, high above Lonthoir, offer perfect palm-framed views of Gunung Api with a magical foreground of sapphire shallows.
Thanks to a new, smooth road, you can now take an ojek from Lonthoir north to Selamon (20,000Rp), then walk to the beach at Timbararu where there is superb snorkelling off a secluded white-sand beach. You can also take a public boat (5000Rp) directly from Bandaneira to Selamon, and walk from there.
Pulau Hatta
Pop 800
A stunning flying-saucer-shaped island of jungle-swathed limestone, trimmed with white sand, Pulau Hatta, once known as Rozengain, had no nutmeg. Thus its only historical relevance was a comical episode where eccentric English Captain Courthope raised a flag merely to enrage the Dutch. Until very recently there was nowhere to stay on the island; now, there are four guesthouses/homestays, and Naira Dive is building a fifth. None offer snorkelling equipment, so bring your own.
Kampung Lama, where all the accommodation is based, rests on a lovely white-sand beach connected to Banda’s clearest waters and richest reefs. Around 300m west of Lama the beach is empty, raw and gorgeous. Here, a natural underwater ‘bridge’ creates a beautiful blue hole over part of Hatta’s stunning vertical drop-off. Forests of delicate soft coral alongside huge table and fern corals, clouds of reef fish and superb visibility make this Banda’s top snorkelling spot. Leatherback turtles, reef sharks, trigger fish and an endless roll-call of species can easily be encountered.
From Bandaneira, count on around 600,000Rp to charter a suitably powerful boat, including stops on Hatta, eastern Banda Besar and Pisang.
4Sleeping
Penginapan TiaraGUESTHOUSE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; per person incl meals 150,000Rp)
Located on the forest track between Kampungs Lama and Baru, this rude wooden guesthouse has been known to charm travellers into staying an extra week or two. There are four timbered rooms (two more are under construction), a communal table and hammock, low-pressure showers and electricity from 6pm to 11pm. On your doorstep: 400m of pristine coral, then the drop-off.
Rozengain Vitalia GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; Kampung Lama; per person incl meals 150,000Rp)
With four rooms, space for eight guests, and direct access to the dazzling sands and unspoilt coral of Hatta, this place tends to attract visitors for the long haul. Price includes three meals a day – Bandanese food with the accent on fruits of the sea. Electricity only from 6pm to 10pm.
Homestay SaraHOMESTAY$
( GOOGLE MAP ; Kampung Lama; per person incl meals 150,000Rp)
Offering a few bright, clean rooms with mosquito nets, communal mandi and all meals included, Sara is another of the new homestays on the beach in Hatta.
Bunga KarungHOMESTAY$
( GOOGLE MAP ; Kampung Lama; per person incl meals 150,000Rp)
Right on the beach, in the middle of Kampung Lama, this simple, good-value homestay is all rough wooden beams, lime-green walls and sandy floors. The food is good, and the hospitality sincere.
Pulau Ai
Pop 1300
Ai’s greatest attraction is snorkelling, or diving the remarkably accessible, brilliantly pristine coral drop-offs just a flipper-flap away. There’s a lot to see directly in front of the village, especially in October when groups of Napoleon fish appear along with migrating dolphins and whales. Sea life is likewise impressive off Pantai Sebila, a 15-minute walk west, where an exceptionally stark wall, crusted with coral and laced with sea anemone, juts straight down.
Ai blipped on the global map in the 17th century, when English agents fortified and armed the locals against a 1615 Dutch attack. The islanders inflicted some 200 casualties on the astonished Dutch. An English–Dutch naval encounter the following year saw the Brits accept trading rights and nominal sovereignty to Run, abandoning their Ai allies. Unprotected, they were slaughtered by the Dutch, who repopulated the island with slaves and prisoners. Ai’s four-pointed star fortress, now with a sweet community garden sprouting within its crumbling walls, has been poignantly known ever since as Benteng Revenge.
GO ON, TAKE NEW YORK!
After the 1616 Dutch ravaging of Ai, English forces retreated to their trading post on Run and built an ‘impregnable’ fort
on the tiny, waterless islet of Neilaka. Increasingly besieged, the same eccentric Captain Courthope who had taunted the Dutch on Hatta (formerly Rozengain), put honour above survival in a preposterously futile last stand, refusing even the most reasonable offers to leave. Somehow British sovereignty was maintained, even after the 1621 Dutch atrocities during which all of Run’s nutmeg trees were systematically destroyed. The Dutch eventually took Run, so the English agreed, in 1674, to swap it for a (then equally useless) North American island. That island was Manhattan. Not a bad deal, as it turned out.
4Sleeping & Eating
Ai has but a faint mobile-phone (cell) signal, accessible from the jetty, but word sent through your Bandaneira guesthouse is more reliable. There are no restaurants, but accommodation prices include three meals. The town generator provides power three hours per day.
Green CoconutGUESTHOUSE$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0812 4241 0667; [email protected]; Jl Patalima; per person incl meals 175,000Rp)
Run by a chef, the Green Coconut has the best seafront location in Ai, with a common dining room and wonderful sea views from its common balcony (if you're lucky you'll spot Napoleon fish). Renovations that were due to be completed in late 2015 when we passed through will see it get 24-hour electricity and indoor toilets.
Lonely Planet Indonesia Page 85