Isolated from the rest of Central Maluku, the dozen little volcanic islands that make up the Banda archipelago are the most wanted tourist destination in the whole of Maluku. Fortunately, most wanted doesn't equal most visited in this case, as these pretty little islets remain somewhat time-consuming to reach which keeps the crowds away.

History alone could be a major attraction here. While the islands of North Maluku made their empires trading their cloves, Banda used to be the World's only source of good quality nutmeg. No sultanates and empires were made of it here though, trade was in the hands of a number of local "orang kaya", and the spices were traded for such basic necessities of life as foodstuff from the neighbouring islands and clothing from further west. Until the Europeans arrived, that is. When the Dutch took control of the Bandas, they were so ruthless about getting the whole business to themselves that they simply massacred the entire native population, with the few survivors fleeing to the Kei Islands where their descendants live today. So keen were the Dutch to control all of Banda, that in what seems to be a truly unbelievable act today, they traded away the island of Manhattan (yes, THAT Manhattan!) to the British in exchange for the last remaining island yet to come under their rule: Run. Once the locals were out of their way, the islands were repopulated with slaves from Sulawesi and Java, whose descendants live here today, and the local Dutch competed with each other in building more and more impressive residences to themselves. Banda's once unique nutmeg has long lost its high value, and today the islands have become a quiet backwater. While this may not make the locals happy, it also means that they have been spared from the evils of modern development, and colonial architecture, largely gone from bustling Ternate and Ambon, remains impressively well-preserved here.

Colonial architecture and all the scenic beauty - Banda even has its own active volcano - could well be enough to draw the tourists here, but to top all that, the surrounding seas harbour some of the richest marine life in all Indonesia. Coral reefs here are largely undamaged by dynamite-fishing, lots of large pelagic fish swim by, and visibility can reach 30-40 metres. Snorkellers can see more here than divers elsewhere! Add to this the fact that budget accommodation in Banda, often in old, stylish colonial homes, is some of the cheapest and yet best in Maluku, and you will quickly see the appeal of these islands.

For more information, select individual islands from the menu bar!

By air

In late June 2010, the air service from Ambon and Masohi to Bandaneira was mostly handed over by the horribly unreliable Merpati  airline (who have still run flights to Banda erratically ever since but are best not counted on) to a new private operator, NBA. NBA flights from Ambon go to Banda twice weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Wednesday flight also does a round-trip between Banda and Amahai on Seram. Note that these schedules are subject to change any time.

NBA has no online booking system, so tickets can only be booked one-way at the point of departure. The fare is 350.000 Rp. In Ambon the agent is located opposite the Hotel Marina, and their number is 0911-388-4233. In Banda the agent is Faru, whose cell is 0813-4329-2900. Note that these numbers may change any time! NBA claims booking a week in advance is enough, so those with a bit of flexibility can do it themselves. Those on a tight schedule can get a travel agent in Ambon to get their ticket (for a mark-up) or a guesthouse owner in Bandaneira (for comitting themselves to stay at his place).

UPDATE: NBA's licence to operate in this region expired in Dec 2011, and the flights ceased. My latest info is that the government-owned Merpati airline has won the rights to run subsidized regional flights out of Ambon in 2012 ands will restart operating there sometime early this year. Sadly, this probably will mean a return to the old, very unreliable flights to Banda.

Note that if their scedules suit you, Pelni ships remain a more reliable (and scenic) way of reaching the Bandas.

By sea

By early 2011, as many as 4 Pelni ships are scheduled to stop at Bandaneira! The most reliable Ciremai leaves Ambon every 2 weeks or so , usually returning 2-3 days later. So if depending on this ship, you stay either 2-3 days in the Bandas before returning to Ambon, or 2 weeks before continuing to the Keis. The less reliable and rather filthier Kelimutu  and Tatamailau each run this route only once every 4 weeks. The 4th ship is the Nggapulu, one of Pelni's best vessels, but unfortunately it only stops at Banda on its  fortnightly westward run, so you can only take it from Banda to Ambon, not Ambon to Banda! These routes may change any time - check the latest  on www.pelni.co.id/

A small, private boat named Gravila (shown on lower photo) has also started running to Banda from the smaller Slamet Riyadi harbour in Ambon in late 2009, roughly once every 2-4 weeks to no relible schedule - it remains to be seen if this service lasts. While the Gravila's sailings can not be calculated in advance, if you manage to catch it, combining it with the Pelni service may allow you to stay longer than 2-3 days but less than 2 weeks in Banda. After its trip to Banda, this ship goes from Ambon to Obi (only) in North Maluku - a potentially interesting way to link the 2 regions.

There are also occasional boats from Seram, with no predictable schedules.