Ambon Island

Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia, a sovereign state in Southeast Asia. It lies off the southwest coast of Seram island.

Ambon Municipality Tourist Office is on the ground floor of the City Hall (Balai Kota) in the very centre of the city.

Places of interest include the ruins of the Portuguese fort at Hila, almost entirely hidden beneath the roots of a giant Banyan tree, the ANZAC War Cemetery near Ambon town and Siwa Lima Museum, which has a good collection of local arts and crafts.

Next to the entrance of the museum, you will find a Balinese Hindu temple, clinging to the hillside.

Located on the same grounds as the Siwa Lima Museum but lower down, closer to the road, the Maritime Museum is devoted to the marine life of Maluku, as well as the history of fishing and navigation in the region. The main attractions are the enormous skeletons of whales that have beached around the island.

In the village of Waai, a freshwater spring is home to a population of large eels. These 'Morea' as locals call them, are considered lucky if seen, and visitors can ask the local custodian to tempt them out.

The Christian villages in the hills behind the city have a tranquil atmosphere. The most famous is Soya Atas, located very high up, and home to a beautiful old church. Many of the buildings are relatively recent reconstructions, the originals having been destroyed in conflict. Soya Atas also has several ancient megaliths, and the mystical "Devil's Urn" that is never empty of water.

The Muslim village of Tulehu, located just before Waai village, is known for it's hot springs, and very popular with locals on weekends. During the week it is quieter and an alternative option to the beaches.

Snorkelling and diving can be done from Liang beach, located in Liang village. It is deserted for much of the week, however locals descend in droves on weekends.

Ambon City Centre, located in Passo, Ambon City, opened in 2012 and offers shopping, dining, recreation and entertainment all under one roof. Typical local souvenirs include pottery, pictures made from mother-of-pearl, nutmeg sweets and little figures made of cloves.

Unique dishes to try in Ambon include 'nasi kuning' (spicy yellow rice) and 'colo-colo' (pronounced cholo-cholo), a condiment usually served with grilled fish or 'ikan komu asar' (smoked tuna).

Kohu-kohu is a side dish eaten with ikan kadondong, which is skipjack fish wrapped in kadondong (great hog plum) leaves.

There are also lots of seafood dishes to tempt - yellow soup fish, Balado shrimp, black pepper crab and lobster, bitter melon with fish and local speciality fish in almond sauce.

Cruise ships dock at the Port of Ambon. On occasion however, vessels may anchor and tender passengers ashore.

Local transport to explore the downtown area includes 'becaks', which are carriages attached to bicycles, 'bemo’s' (local minibus) and 'ojeks' (motorcycle taxis).

To cross Ambon Bay, speedboats are available at the pier.