The main island of the Tanimbar archipelago, home to the regional capital Saumlaki and the largest island by far, Yamdena also has the largest range of places to stay and places to visit in these parts. In addition to the beaches and off-shore islands you can automatically expect in southern Maluku, it also has several intriguing historical sites, whether they are ancient megaliths or ones associated withthe locally prominent Catholic faith. Unfortunately, it is less immediately impressive as far as scenery and nature is concerned, with the main road along the SE coast of the island taking you past largely deforested, rolling hills. Budget travellers should also be warned that costs here are just about the highest in Maluku, with accommodation being particularly poor value. The locals, while still maintaining much of their interesting traditional culture, can also sometimes be a rough lot. So a typical tropical paradise it may not be, but interesting Yamdena surely is!

Saumlaki

The capital of the Tanimbar Islands, Saumlaki is a rather small and scruffy little town. Along its single main street, it retains several of the old-fashioned Chinese shophouses that lend it a little charm, but there are no real sights to speak of here. As noted above, the locals here can also be a bit less welcoming than in most of Maluku: there is a bit too much idiotic shouting at foreigners by local youth sometimes (especially once they are drunk) involving requests for money. Still, as the only place with accommodation and a range of places to eat and shop, as well as being the main transport hub for the Tanimbars, it is likely that every visitor will spend some time here.

Tourist Office

Well, Saumlaki actually has one! It is hiding on the ground floor of the impressive Kantor Bupati in the uphill part of the town - enter under the driveway, then turn left inside. Staff seemed genuinely shocked to see me turn up there, but eventually gathered what little material they had to hand out: a map based on a Dutch-era source (complete with place names spellt the Dutch way), a very colorful brochure with zero info value, and most interestengly, some postcards - the only ones of the Tanimbars you are likely to get. Beyond these, they had little info to offer.

Kristus Raja

The shortest outing out of Saumlaki takes you past the airport towards Oililit village. Taking a right-branch off this rad takes you to Yamdena's main Catholic pilgrimage site, named after "King Christ". The main statue of the King himself is scandalously ugly (expect it to be replaced eventually) but some finer statues surround it on the clearing in the bush where it stands.

Pantai Weluan

Another right-turn off the Olilit road takes you to Pantai Weluan, the main recreational beach for Saumlaki townfolk. It has shallow water and greyish sand, but is pleasant enough during the week, when it is deserted.

Off-shore islets

From Weluan, you can see some really unusually shaped, rocky islands not far from the shore. A chartered boat or maybe even canoe could get you out to them, though once there, the snorkeling is not as great as the scenery.

Olilit Lama

This historic village just 10 minutes or so from Saumlaki is the site of the Tanimbars' first Catholic mission. The arrival of the missionaries is commemorated with a funny little monument along the beach, and there are plenty of other Catholic statues and grottoes scattered around the village. Old traditions are also alive and well, and Olilit Lama can be as good a place as any on Yamdena to see traditional ikat cloth being woven.

Tumbur

Setting out of Saumlaki along the main road that heads up towards Larat along the SW coast of Yamdena are several other interesting villages to visit. Note that where the road takes an inland route it will bypass the villages along the coast, which will be reached by branch roads heading downhill. The first such village worth detouring is Tumbur, the main center for woodcarving in the Tanimbars. Many carvers live in the village, mostly producing themodern wiry figurettes known as "patung Tumbur", but also some model ships and Christian necklaces. On request, they can also make more traditional pieces.

Sangliat Dol

Probably Yamdena's most interesting spot, the village of Sangliat Dol has several relatively well-preserved megalithic structures.Most famous of these is the stone boat standing in the center of the village, now surrounded by several pavilons. It once had finely carved pieces on its prow, but these were stolen years ago. Despite what your guidebook might suggest, it is no longer necessary to ask for a permission to view or photograph this structure.

The Stone Stairway

Perhaps more impressive than the stone boat itself is the long flight of stairs leading up to it from the beach. To the right of it as you face it from below, you can find a second, smaller stone boat, too.

Arui Bab

Another, rather different stone boat can be seen in the village of Arui Bab, about 12 kms south of Sangliat. This much less visited boat has lower wal, but its carved prows remain intact and it stands in a very atmospheric setting in a small grove of protected forest just outside the village on a hill. As tourists are rare visitors here, they are still expected to reprt and ask permission to visit from the "ketua adat" who will require a present of a bottle of sopi and some cash.

Matakus

You could also spend a pleasant day by chartering a boat from Saumlaki to visit several islands to the south. The inhabited island of Matakus lies about halfway between Saumlaki and Selaru and has once been targeted for tourism development that went nowhere. It is surrounded by fine, white-sand beaches.

Nustabun

Just north of Matakus, uninhabited Nustabun has unusual, peaky limestone formations with little stretches of white sand between them, and a longer, impressive white sand bach on its western side, with good reefs for snorkeling.

Lermatang

Across the bay from Saumlki and best accessed by boat, this villge looked more interesting than the ones along the main road, with both a fine beach right in front of it, and forested hills behind. It could be a good base for exploring Yamdena's nature.

Latdalam

If you continue west of Lermatang by road, you will eventually reach the pleasant west coast village of Latdalam. It is best known for its springs feeding a natural swimming pool - and a new, concrete one. The pools stand in a very atmospheric patch of protected forest alive with birdlife - one of the best places in Tanimbar to see the beautiful endemic Tanimbar Lory!

Lorolun

Lonely Planet's description of having a traditional house might lure you here - but in vain. The "rumah adat" of Lorolun is in fact a modern structure about as interesting as a many city restaurants built in the same style, and to make things worse, many locals are of the idiotically shouting and money-demanding type, too! For some compensation, the village's beach is better, but is hardly a reason to bother heading off the main road here.

The People of Yamdena

Yamdena's population is diveded into 3 distinct ethnic groups, all of whom share a rather similar culture. Up until the 19th century, the Tanimbarese were famously savage headhunters, and while Christianity has put an end to that, many old beliefs and customs remain alive. Traditional music and dancing is still performed at special ceremonies, though your chances of happening upon one of these are slim. Traditional crafts have been experiencing something of a revival in recent years - see below.

Goldsmithing

The Tanimbars' most famous craft items are the ornate golden and other metal headpieces, necklaces, breast plates and the like. Being so valuable, many of these have been preserved as valuable family heirlooms to this date, though no really fine new pieces seem to be made locally. You may see some of these items during festivalsor wedding ceremonies, or ask some good local friends if they can show them for you!

Ikat Weaving

In all of Maluku, the Tanimbars are the best known for their ikat weaving, though the art is also practiced throughout the southern islands of SW Maluku. While Yamdena may not actually produce the best quality ikat in the Tanimbars, its large population and best marketing opportunities mean it produces quite a lot of it. Once fading out of fashion and only used for ceremonial purposes, the ikat cloth is now also used for local government functions and modern celebrations, often fashioned into modern pieces of clothing like jackets. The techniques of production remain very much traditional, with the old-style looms being used exclusively, though the thread and dyes on Yamdena now tend to be factory-produced.

Woodcarving

As in the culturally similar islands of SW Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara, traditional woodcarving in the Tanimbars once mostly depicted ancestors in the typically Austronesian sitting position. After the coming of Christianity, the original spiritual meaning of the carvings was lost, and indeed so was much of the art, with old pieces either destroyed by zelous missionaries or bought up by collectors, and no new ones made.  In recent decades, there has been some revival of the art, partly fuelled by dealers and collectors desperately still seeking old pieces (so fakes are made for them) and partly by the more straightforward need for liocal souvenirs. The catholic church has actually supported the revival, which is centred on the village of Tumbur. Most of the new pieces there are of the grotesque, modernish "patung Tumbur" style, but the better carvers can produce fine, old-style pieces, too. Just make sure no one thinks you are looking for "antiques" - if so, you will be asked to pay huge sums for pieces that are also new, but are made to look old! ;-)

Welcoming a Pastor

In 2010, I had great opportunities to witness demonstrations of various aspects of traditional Tanimbarese culture on Yamdena, when Pastor Somar, the first Tanimbarese to reach Catholic priesthood, returned to Yamdena to visit the islands after spending much of his life in Papua. People in Saumlaki and beyond got ready to welcome him with a range of events and ceremonies that also demonstrated the intriguing fusion of traditional culture and Catholic practices very well.

The events kicked off with a welcoming ceremony at the airport, where the vilage elders of Oililit, the traditional landowners of the Saumlaki area, waited for the priest in traditional finery.

A Welcome Drink

As usual in the Tanimbars, the guest of honour was welcomed with a glass of sopi first. This was accompanied by traditional chants by the Oililit elders, and presents of ikat cloth from local women.

Outside the Airport

Just outside the airport, a much larger crowd assembled. At the front of them, a group of villagers from Oililit performed a traditional dance, dressed in ikat clothes and using the short drums typical of the Tanimbars.

The Afternoon Mass

In the afternoon, a large and colorful mass was held by Pastor Somar and his local collagues. It was a great display of "inkulturasi", the way traditional Tanimbarese culture was incorporated into Catholicizm. The priests turned up accompanied by Tanimbar youth in colorful traditional dress.

Mass with Dances

The music and singing that formed part of the mass was accompanied by semitraditional dances by beautiful girls wearing full traditional dress.

The Mass

Apart from the usual prayers, this mass featured speaches by various pastors. It was very interesting to see how they managed to enliven their speeches by adding jokes and funny anecdotes - I couldn't help feeling that church attendance in the West might increase if our priests could communicate with their flocks the same way, too!

After the Mass

Once the mass was over, several local youth groups performed traditional dances. The one on this photo was quite singular in having male dancers in loinclothes, the one part of traditional attire very rarely seen even during traditional ceremonies these days. Even here, they were worn over shorts!

The Pesta

Finally, once the mass and the traditional dances ended and everyone shared a buffet dinner, the more typically Malukan "Pesta Dansa" was held. Much to my amusement, the Catholic nuns also took part in the line dancing!

Two Days Later...

Pastor Somar also visited the "tourist village" of Sangliat Dol. The locals there, already professional at entertaining visiting tourists even when a whole cruise ship descends on the place, put up a number of fantastic song and dance performances for him. Here, the village children welcome him on the main road.

Village Elders

The traditional village elders were waiting for the guests sitting on the stone boat platform.

Circle Dancing

Here a really traditional circle dance, very similar to the "seka" of Southwest Maluku and the dances in East Nusa Tenggara, was performed. It continued right into the night!

And finally, after having an evening meal, the whole village participated in yet another traditional dance with drums, ending a very memorable line of events, all just over a couple of days!

By Sea

Saumlaki is the main shipping hub of the Tanimbars. Besides the ships from elsewhere in Maluku/Indonesia described on the general Tanimbar Islands page, it also has small, local boats to other islands in southern Tanimbar such as Selaru or Seira. None of these run to any schedule - just head to the ports and ask.

A weekly ferry, KM Egron, also connects Saumlaki with Larat. It usually runs via the island of Seira and Wunlah in NW Yamdena, but may run nonstop along Yamdena's east coast in the western winds season, especially in January and February.

By Road

Saumlaki' inconveniently located new bus terminal is the hub for all road transport around Yamdena. Buses and 4WDs as well as angkot type minibuses run various distances along Yamdena's 2 main roads, one of which follows the east coast now almost all the way to opposite Larat (but often only passable part of the way), the other heads across to the SW coast village of Latdalam. As in SE Yamdena many villages are actually off the main road, it can be tricky to tour several places by public transport, so hiring an ojek or car for the day could be a good idea.