The most accessible part of southern Maluku, the Kei Islands are rapidly regaining their reputation as the place to go to look for perfect, unspoilt beaches.
The island known as Nuhu Roa to locals, and as Kei Kecil to the rest of the world, certainly has some of the very finest white sand beaches not only in Maluku and Indonesia, but in the whole world.
After revisiting it for the fourth time at the end of a long trip around the South Pacific, I concluded there may be some truth to it... its main beach rivals any I have seen in Polynesia for sure!
Kei Kecil is connected by a bridge to the neighbouring island of Dullah. The bridge also connects the twin towns of Tual and Langgur that make up the capital of the entire Kei archipelago, and as such, the two islands form a practical unit.
In contrast to these two flat, deforested islands, Kei Besar, the largest of the Keis, is long, mountainous and forested.
The other islands in the Kei archipelago tend to be of the little white sands and coconut palms type, but the remotest of them, Tanimbar Kei, is noted for its traditional culture.

Tual & Langur

These twin cities, connected by a bridge, together make up the capital of the Kei Islands, and are their main transport hub. As such, they are a must see by default - ships arrive in Tual, planes in Langur. They also have fairly decent facilities including a good range of hotels, but not much in the way of tourist attractions.

Hanging Bridge

About the only thing worth looking at in the cities themselves is the hanging bridge connecting Langgur to Fair Island. The views from the bridge are pretty good, both across to Tual and down into the clear sea alive with fish.

Pasir Panjang Beach

The star attraction of the Kei Islands, this long white sand beach is only about 12 kms from Langur. Two villages, Ngur Bloat and Ohoililir, are located at its southern and northern ends, both offering simple accommodation. This is probably the best beach in the Keis, yet it remains very quiet and unspoilt most of the time.

Ohoidertawun Beach

The village of Ohoidertawun has another white sand beach that used to be a popular local picnic spot some time back. However the water here is very shallow, and in fact the beach turns into what looks like a white mud flat at low tide.
Perhaps for this reason it is now less popular and mostly deserted.
However it has great accommodation, and could perhaps appeal to families with small kids who are wary of deep water.

Calvaria Hill

On the way to Ohoidertawun you will pass the highest hill on Kei Kecil.
A stepped trail complete with stations of the cross leads to its top.
Once up there, Catholic statues and a gorgeous panorama of the islands awaits you.
This is very popular local pilgrimage spot.

Difur Beach

Over the bridge in the north of Dullah Island about 15 kms from Tual, this beach seems to be the most popular local hangout these days. As such it has a few small stalls selling snacks and drinks, and little shelters for day-trippers as well as a newly built accommodation block for overnighters. While the beach itself is no winner by Kei standards, it is still quite good, and the surroundings, complete with forested hills right behind, are also nice.

Finding your own deserted beach...

This is something very easily done here!
Good beaches abound all over these islands - this nameless one was passed just by the roadside on the way to Difur.

Smaller islands off-shore

There are plenty of smaller islands off both Kei Kecil and Dullah.
Some of these are inhabited, but most aren't - visited only occassionally by local fishermen.
You could hire a boat for a day of island hopping in just about any coastal village.
Or if you wish to stay overnight on an inhabited one, join locals returning home in the afternoon from Debut village on Kei Kecil or Dullah village on Dullah.

Kei Besar

Kei Besar, the largest island in the archipelago, offers a strong contrast with beachy Kei Kecil.
It is mountainous and thickly forested - the place to go to look for most of the Keis' endemic birdlife.
Off the east coast, I also found better snorkelling spots than at the main beaches of Kei Kecil.

Villages on Kei Besar

Kei Besar's villages are also a lot more scenic than those on Kei Kecil, often with rustic thatched houses, ancient stone stairways and only linked to each other by stone paths along the coast.
Keiese traditions and language are much better preserved here.

Forest Walks

While Kei Kecil hasn't got the deepest-darkest jungles in Indonesia, there are some opportunities for rainforest walks. If you want to do it yourself, the trails originating at the end of Difur beach are as good a place to start as any. Local inquiries, and possibly hiring guides, should open up more opportunities.
Kei Besar has much more primary rainforest, and is by far the most rewarding place for forest explorations in the Kei group.

Fishing

Judging by the fact that locals make a living of it, fishing is definitely a possibility here!
Don't expect to be able to hire any fancy gear, but it should be easy enough to hire a boat to take you out to good spots.

Birdwatching

Three of the four species of birds endemic to the Kei archipelago can be found on Kei Kecil, and they can be encountered in just about any forested area of the island.
If you are not a twitcher, you can still spot plenty of birds - even right on the beaches!

Shopping in Tual

There is nothing in the way of local handicrafts made for tourists in Kei, so local souvenir shops sell ones made in Ambon.
More typical buys are here are pearls, cultivated both in the Keis and in the Arus.
If that's too expensive for you, the most popular local products seem to be bottled peanuts of various tastes sold at several stalls around the harbour area.

Bandanese Pottery

The characteristic pottery of the Bandanese of Kei Besar makes for great, authentic local souvenir, and is easily the most interesting handicraft to be found in the Keis.
Be warned that the pots tend to be large, heavy and fragile though!

Christianity

The main religion in these islands is Christianity, with Kei being one of the few islands in Maluku where Catholics, rather than Protestants, dominate.
In fact Kei is seen as the centre of Catholicism in all Maluku!
Churches dominate most villages, and you may well be invited to join services on Sundays.

Islam

Away from the city of Tual which has plenty of non-native inhabitants from western Indonesia, Muslims are very much a minority in the Keis.
Keiese Muslims, like most in Maluku, tend to follow a very mild form of Islam, with veiled women a rarity. Mosques are mostly low-key affairs, too - however this shining new, Persian-style one is worth a look in its own right. It is on the outskirts of Tual, along the road leading towards Dullah village and Difur.

The Bandanese of Kei Besar

Two places on Kei Besar, the regional capital Elat and remote Banda Ely up the north-east coast, are inhabited by ethnic Bandanese, whose ancestors have managed to escape the massacre in the Banda Islands centuries ago. They still speak the Bandanese language which is long gone from the Bandas, and are known craftspeople.
All are Muslims.

By Air

There are flights betwen Tual and Ambon pretty much daily, to Dobo (Aru) and Saumlaki (Tanimbar) less frequently.
Tual's airport is actually across the bridge in Langgur.

By Sea

Pelni ships conect Tual with Ambon, the Bandas, Dobo (Aru) and Saumlaki (Tanimbar).
They actually continue on to Papua, Sulawesi, Java, Nusa Tenggara and even all the way to the Bintan opposite Singapore!
There is also a ferry going to Saumlaki via Larat, and to Dobo once weekly.
Smaller boats serve the other islands of the Kei archipelago, with daily ones to Elat on Kei Besar.

By Road

Minibuses run to villages around Pulau Dullah and Kei Kecil from various terminals in Tual, and less frequent ones go from Elat to villages on Kei Besar.
There are also frequent minibuses serving routes around Tual-Langgur itself.
To tour various places around the larger islands in a single day, hiring an ojek (motorcycle taxi) might be the best bet. This should cost around 100.000 Rp for a day.

Tual: A Decent Range

Tual has about a dozen hotels of various standards, but just about the only reason to stay there would be to wait for a boat next day.
More basic accomodation is available on at least three beaches, too.
Since most people come to Kei Kecil for the beaches, and will want to stay on one, I will detail those options below.

Savannah Cottages

Perhaps the most atmospheric beachside bungalows in the Keis, these ones are in a quiet location at Ohoidertawun beach - which, as you remember, is not the best for swimming. Could be the perfect place to relax...

Coaster Cottages

Up at the northern end of Pasir Panjang near Ohoililir village, this place is a collection of various small buildings built in a quiet location on a forested hill overlooking the beach. They range from basic bungalows to a Dutch villa!
Ask for the owner in the village to get a room.

Penginapan Delima (formerly Rahan Vatar)

This small place at the southern end of Pasir Panjang has a very friendly owner, and a nicely secluded location amidst tropical foliage.
Unfortunately it also has a karaoke bar attached, though it only opens on weekends and the owner swore it will stay closed when tourists are in residence!

Losmen Ngur Bloat

Just next door the the Rahan Vatar, this slightly bigger block is the place Lonely Planet recommends. To me it seemed less well-kept and dark - shaded by big trees.
However as these two are close to each other, check both to compare.

Losmen at Difur Beach

Should you wish to stay at Difur, the local community has recently built this accommodation block there. It could be a bit noisy during weekends, but during the week it seemed pretty quiet. The main clientene seems to be "romantic couples" seeking a night away from Tual! ;-)

 Kei Besar Options

Well, not much to choose from here.
Kei Besar's few simple losmen are in the main town of Elat.

Nothing Special!

The towns have the usual assortment of warungs serving the standard Indonesian dishes. The Chinese-run hoitels in Tual and Langgur are probably your best bet for something better. Those staying on the beaches will almost certainly eat where they stay - expect the usual fish and rice meals!