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MalukuPOP 2.6 MILLION

Includes  Why Go? Pulau ...... 410 Welcome to the original Spice Islands. Back in the 16th cen- Pulau ...... 417 tury when nutmeg, and mace were global commodi- Pulau ...... 418 ties that grew nowhere else, money really did ‘grow on trees’. Pulau Ambon...... 423 It was the search for the Moluccas’ (’s) valuable spices that kick-started European colonialism and, thanks to a se- Kota Ambon...... 424 ries of wrong turns and one auspicious land swap, shaped Lease Islands...... 431 the modern world. When the islands’ monopoly on cloves Pulau Seram...... 433 and nutmeg was broken in the 18th century, Maluku settled ...... 435 into gentle obscurity. Bandaneira...... 437 What remains is a scattering of idyllic islands where the complex web of cultures envelops visitors with an effusive, Pulau Ai...... 443 almost Polynesian charm. While transport can prove infuri- Kei Islands...... 444 atingly inconvenient, with flexibility and patience you can ex- Pulau Kei Besar...... 449 plore pristine reefs, stroll empty stretches of powdery white sand, book idyllic overwater bungalows, scale 16th-century fort walls, snap endless photos of perfectly formed volcanoes, and revel in a tropical discovery that seems almost too good Best Places to to be true. Eat ¨¨Floridas (p415) When to Go ¨¨Cilu Bintang Estate (p440) Ambon ¨¨Delfika Cafe (p440) °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 20/500 ¨¨Savana Cottages (p448) 16/400 30/86 ¨¨Beta Rumah (p426) 12/300 20/68 8/200 10/50 Best Places to 4/100 Stay -0/32 0 ¨¨Cilu Bintang Estate (p440) J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨ ¨CDS Bungalow (p443) Nov–Mar The dry Apr–May & Sep– Jun–Aug Mon- ¨¨Bela International Hotel season is the best Oct The shoulder soons prevail dur- (p413) time to visit, with seasons are a good ing the wet season, consistently spec- alternative, espe- upsetting transport ¨¨Coaster Cottages (p448) tacular diving. cially for the Banda and shuttering dive ¨¨Maluku Divers (p431) and Kei Islands. shops. Selat Kioiwui Equator 200 km Kaimana 100 miles

Dobo Aru

Islands Benjina A Elat S E A O C E A N P A C I F I C P A C A R A F U R A PAPU Fak-Fak Tual Teluk Berau Pulau

Kei Islands Yamdena Langgur Plunging into the muck the muck Plunging into 0 0 Larat (p431), (p431), Divers with Maluku dive finest Ambon’s Pulau appealing and most operator resort. 5 mainstream tourism discovers discovers tourism mainstream white-sand the island’s and villages friendly beaches, diving potential. extensive Saumlaki Pulau Waigeo Pulau Selaru Geser

Islands Tumbur Sangliat Dol

Tanimbar S E A Bula

Hatta Pulau Pulau Urung Misool Pulau Salawati Kobi H A L M A H E R A H A L M A H Pulau Bandaneira Batanta Pulau Babar Hatumetan

Banda

Islands Wahai Nila Pulau Tepa Pulau Sermata Pulau Gebe Sawai

Lease Patani B A N D A S E A

Islands Pulau Ai Pulau Seram Gebe Teun Pulau Berebere Buli Staying at one of the at one of Staying Finding a beachside Finding a beachside Pulau Lolobata Pulau sweeps of the purest white white purest the of sweeps sand. homestay with coral at your at your with coral homestay Hatta on Pulau doorstep (p442). 4 3 Pulau on Pulau getaways offbeat before (p431) Saparua Daruba Pulau Pulau Kota Damar Kobe Ambon Taniwel & Halmahera Saketa Pulau Obi Serwaru Laiwui Piru Pulau Sidangoli Kao Kota Saparua Soasio () Pulau Soa Siu Pulau Ibu S E R A M S E A Lucipara Pulau Namlea Ambon Babang Pulau Jikumerasa Lambelu Wamsisi Bacan Wonreli Pulau

Islands Pulau Moti Pulau Kota Ternate Pulau Sanana Namrole Sanana Pulau Tidore Mangole EAST TIMOR Pulau Kayoa Pulau Pulau Mangole Pulau Ternate

Manaf S E A Iliwaki Airbuaya Fogi Bitung H Snorkelling and diving Snorkelling Unwinding at Unwinding

F L O R E S Fala S E A (p447) or (p447) Ohoidertawun (p448) in Panjang Pasir stunning two Islands, the Kei 2

1 Maluku Highlights some of the world’s finest finest world’s the of some in the gardens coral accessible Banda fascinating historically Islands (p437). Dofa

S E A NORT

MALUKU MALUKU Pulau C E L E B E S C E L E Alor M A L U K U Pulau Equator

Sula Islands Highlights Taliabu

Maluku 408 a oromaho