About Banda Neira and How to Get Here
The Banda Archipelago
Banda is perhaps best known as the original source of nutmeg. Until the mid-19th century, nutmeg exclusively grew in the Banda Islands, and is the reason that Arabic and Chinese traders, and later Portuguese, Dutch and English traders and colonizers came to these islands. The colonial history is still very present in the form of old Dutch forts, buildings and crumbling walls that pepper the islands.
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Banda is also well known for its spectacular coral reefs. Divers come from far and wide to experience the healthy and prolific corals and fish, as well as to try to catch a glimpse of hammerhead sharks.
When to Come
The best times to visit Banda are March through May and September through December. The weather tends to be drier and the wind does not blow as strongly during these seasons, making getting to and from Banda, as well as getting around and doing activities once you’re here, easier and more enjoyable. Other months of the year (January-February and June-August) tend to be a bit windy and wavy, with mixed sunny and rainy weather.
Getting Here
Transportation to and from Banda can be a little tricky. An important tip is to be patient, and always allow some elbow room on both sides of your time in Banda, just in case. You can get to Banda from Ambon (via Pelni ship or plane), Tual (via Pelni ship), or Amahai (via Pelni ship or plane). There are daily flights between all major cities in Indonesia and Ambon.
The most reliable form of transportation to Banda is Pelni. Pelni is the national boat transportation service in Indonesia, and operates all over the country. Various Pelni ships go between Ambon and Banda (and also between Tual <--> Banda and Amahai <--> Banda). The Pelni schedule comes out at the end of the month, and will be posted here as soon as it's available (see below). Unfortunately, we don't know the schedule more than one month in advance. Pelni is the least expensive way to get to Banda, with tickets ranging in price from 35,000 to 115,000 Rupiah per person, depending on the ship. The journey from Ambon to Banda can take as little as seven hours and as much as 14+ hours, which also depends on the ship and the weather. Pelni ships leave from the Ambon City harbor, which is right in downtown Ambon, and arrive in the harbor on Banda Neira, the main island in the Banda archipelago. Pelni tickets are almost always general economy tickets. You can usually ask the staff of the boat if you're interested in renting a room, as opposed to sleeping among the masses in the economy section. The rooms can cost up to 400,000 to 600,000 rupiah per room (with two to four beds).
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Another way to get to Banda is by plane. The flight is subsidized by the government, meanig tickets are about 400,000 to 450,000 rupiah one way (depending on agent fees). The plane typically runs on Mondays and Fridays, leaving Ambon at 7:00 am. It only takes 50 minutes from Pattimura Airport in Ambon to the small airport on Banda
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Here are approximate times that various forms of transportation go between Ambon and Banda throughout the year:
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Pelni Ship: all year round; usually a few times per week
Plane: all year round; usually twice per week
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Please CONTACT US to get more information about transportation schedules to and from Banda!
email: emarsena@gmail.com
Phone or WhatsApp: +62 812 9605 5698
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Here is the Pelni schedule for January, 2024 (trips to and from Banda are highlighted):
Another resource is the Pelni website.
Additional Information
For those who are new to the area, here's some extra info to help you on your way from Ambon to Banda.
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Hotels in Ambon
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Ambon has lots of hotels for all different budgets. A few hotels I can recommend in Ambon include:
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The Royal Hotel (low budget, within walking distance of the harbor)
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LeGreen Suite Ratulangi (medium budget, within walking distance of the harbor)
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The City Hotel (medium budget, no withing walking distance of the harbor)
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Pattimura Airport
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Pattimura Airport (Ambon's airport) is a 20-30 minute taxi ride from Ambon City. A taxi to or from the airport should cost about 150,000 Rupiah one-way.
If you're on a budget and feeling adventurous, you can also take a bemo from the airport to Ambon. Bemos are the colorful vans that act as local transport, like a bus. To catch a bemo, walk out of the airport to the main road, and look for one of the red bemos and flag them down. Ask to make sure they're going all the way to the city. The ride should cost less than 15,000 rupiah, and you'll be dropped off in Pasar Merdeka, the big outdoor market in Ambon.
A third option to get to or from the airport is the Damri bus, which goes to and from the Peace Gong in downtown Ambon. The bus leaves the Peace Gong for the airport at 04:30, 05:00, 10:00, and 13:00. The bus leaves the airport for the Peace Gong at 07:00, 08:00, 13:00 and 16:00. Tickets are 35,000 Rupiah per person, and the ride takes about half an hour.​
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General
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The people of Maluku are friendly, generous people who live from the heart. Nine times out of ten, if someone offers you help, it's because they're genuinely interested in helping you, not because they're trying to take advantage of you or rip you off.