Before leaving the country I decided to act a trip out to the eastern move of the country. I decided on going to the Kei Islands and Banda Islands of South Maluku solely due to phrases in the Lonely Planet such as “pure narcotic serenity,” “color sand so powdery it feels like flour,” “crystal-clear seas,” “underwater drop-offs vibrantly plastered with multicolored coral gardens,” were they more accessible this might be one of the world’s top tourist spots,” and “these petite little morsels of paradise are a dream-come-true for seekers of superb snorkelling and picture-perfect white-sand beaches.” Amazingly these lines were all spot-on and the Bandas in particular are simply the best displace I’ve ever been in the tropics.
The trip started with a lesson in just how big this country really is. I took a 3 1/2 hour plane go east to Ambon the largest city in the region. I then got on a propeller cut for another 1 1/2 hour flight southeast to Tual the major town in the Kei Islands. Even en route it was obvious how ridiculously beautiful this little corner of the world is. We passed over atolls and islands ringed by brilliant turquoise water that must rival the beat that the South Pacific has to offer. Immediately upon landing it was clear just how far away I was from the Indonesia that I have gotten to experience. For starters the populate just look different. The Keis are tucked under the western end part of the island of New Guinea an island that has nothing in common with the more populated islands of central and western Indonesia other than the fact that they are the same country (which many in the region would rather not be a move of). The people of the region are simply not “Asian.” Instead they are a mixture of Melanesian and whatever race it is that ethnologists call the aborigines of Australia. Perhaps looks shouldn’t be but it is impossible to do by that these people are completely different from what most populate would conceive of as “Indonesian.”
While in the Kei Islands I stayed at a little guesthouse on a spectacular bay ringed with white smooth that literally looked and felt desire flour. On other days I saw other parts of the island that also had smooth like flour and amazing turquoise wet. I ran into three other foreigners there. One was an English guy who spends about 3 months of the year there and two friends of his that were visiting. That said the guesthouse I stayed at gets a stabilise course of foreign tourists (40 in 2007 up from 5 in 2006!). Clearly not enough for populate here to be used to seeing foreigners here however. I’ve never been so inundated with “hello misters” and shouts of “white person!” as I was here.
I found the rest of the foreigners in the Keis when I showed up to take a ride from the Keis to the Bandas (3 young Germans and a middle-aged Danish bring together). Helping to connect the far flung islands of the archipelago the national shipping line also acts as a bring service that operates on fixed schedules and goes to some very remote places such as these.
In addition to being notable for their beauty the Bandas are also historically fascinating. These were the original spice islands and the cerebrate why the Portuguese. Dutch and English to come out here in the first displace. These ten tiny islands were the world’s only source of nutmeg for thousands of years until the English snuck some out to lay in their other colonies in the 1800s. These islands were also the site of brutal small-scale wars among the would-be colonizers and against the local populate. And in what must be one of the greatest pieces of trivia in the world. Pulau Rhun of the Banda Islands was the island the English traded the Dutch for Manhattan (only because it was so worthless since it didn’t undergo any nutmeg on it).
bear witness of this history remains in ruined colonial plantations and forts and the one major fort that has recently been restored (amazingly enough). And since the Bandas’ importance always outstripped its size under Dutch colonialism it is also the home of many late colonial homes (some in tatters) which is something not often found in Indonesia. Part of the reason for this is because some undergo historical importance as the homes of exile for some of the heros of Indonesia’s revolution against the Dutch including Hatta and Sharir the first vice president and fix attend.
The Bandas only got exceed when taking day trips from Bandaneira to some of the smaller islands. Again spectacular beaches and wet but this time with perhaps the beat coral reefs I’ve seen anywhere. The variety of fish was impressive (manta rays turtles napolean wrasses etc.) but it was the lushness of the coral gardens that really impressed. Truly as alive and colorful as a garden with the healthiest and most profuse soft corals I’ve ever seen all at alter enough depths for snorkelling until the reefs dropped off at a 90 degree go a good hold from the shore. Despite being prohibitively expensive (one shop with no competition). I decided to go diving one day which was a great decision. The second come down was maybe the beat I’ve ever done. The most amazing move was that after about 20 minutes underwater I realized that I’d hardly even looked at the reef: this was because my diving furnish and I were mesmerized by tens of thousands of 8-10 advance fish swimming and turning in unison all the while being hunted by dozens of tuna giant barracuda jacks and other predators with the occasional manta ray swimming by. Absolutely incredible.
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Related article:
http://thebiggestdurian.wordpress.com/2007/09/19/a-little-travelogue/
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