Morotai
Towards the last week of August my husband and I flew from Manado to Morotai on Wings with a stop in Ternate. We wouldn’t get off the plane but finally did as the plane got delayed allegedly for the military using the airport! There was an Italian couple who would go to Pulau Bua after having spent 5 days in Ternate. They were the only foreigners we saw on the trip. I had read it’s better to sit on the left side of the plane but it didn’t matter.
I almost got a heart attack hearing the taxi cost 250,000. There are shared taxis though (50,000).
Ana, a young woman, gave us a leaflet of Moloka’i Morotai, a recently opened hotel of which I had seen pictures online (700,000). I thought I should check it out as the promotional rates were 500,000. It’s in Pandanga area 5 km from Daruba on the way to D’Aloha Resort. A couple of guys had offered to take us to town in the taxi so instead of waiting for her boss to collect us we went with them. She probably had asked the driver not to charge us because when I gave him the money he refused to take it saying it’s OK.
I was a little hesitant staying at the hotel. Not because I didn’t like the rooms. On the contrary. They were super clean and absolutely beautiful with plants and birds painted on one wall. But only one wing was operational. The other one was under construction and there was a lot of noise. We didn’t plan on spending much time at the hotel but they said the work would continue till 8pm. Which wasn’t true. Even at 11pm they were still working. By now I’m sure the hotel is finished. The staff were helpful especially Ana who went above and beyond to help us. We were her first foreign guests after all. After some bargaining I got the room at 430,000. Ana meets the flights from Ternate.
Bungalows at D’Aloha Resort (850,000) were very big; the bathroom was not to my liking though. The place seemed empty when we visited. We didn’t swim/snorkel as the tide was low.
Supposedly the beach at Trikora, the place where there is a museum, a monument and a tank was good. The bentor took us there for 20,000. I don’t think it’s suitable for swimming. I got out immediately as there was a risk of hitting on some corals.
We walked to the port of Daruba from where speedboats to Tobelo leave in the morning once full (150,000).
People go for fish to Damonge Restaurant not far from the hotel. With the help of some English speaking patrons we ordered tempeh, lambu siam (not that good), kangkung cha and rice (70,000 including avocado juice). They brought us fried tahu as well. Not only the food was great, the portions were so big we got the leftovers in a box and had it for dinner the next day. They prepare breakfast for the hotel, which is a good thing.
The bentor to Daruba was 30,000. We went to the market hoping to get a bus to Bere Bere in the north. We’re told it would leave at 3pm. At the port there were shared taxis. I agreed with a driver to take us first to Bere Bere (the road to Pantai Sopi is bad) and then to the west side of the island till Wayabula (650,000).
At the Mandiri village you can see coconut plantations and some banana trees. Picturesque big trees on the water at Sabatai Tua. Many oxes on the road. At Daeo cloves were drying out by the side of the road. The beach at Wewemo seemed good. Accommodation at the Moro Madoto Resort & Spa, which seemed locked, apparently costs 5,000,000. A tuna factory was next. A week after the Independence Day you could still see the flags in every village but Sangowo.
We stopped for a swim at Pantai Rorasa but didn’t enjoy it. The road went uphill and downhill; picturesque bays and many small rivers on their way to the sea.
Bere Bere is a big place opposite the small Pulau Tabailenge. We were looking for a decent beach and we’re told about Pantai Gorua, which was at some distance. A quiet place with bougainvilleas, where we swam among boats and seaweeds hearing the prayers from the mosque. Many kids came running to see us while our driver took a nap with his water bottle as a pillow.
On the way back we stopped at a house where the family collected coconuts and we had green coconuts. Rocks came out of the sea. A really beautiful place.
We gave a ride to a woman working in Daruba. She said we should stop at Air Kaca (glass water). It’s a spring from a subterranean river where American soldiers went for a swim or to relax, among them general MacArthur.
Wayabula is 50 km from Daruba. We saw the statue of private Nakamura who stayed in the jungle almost 30 years after the end of the war. The road was inland. Houses on stilts at Aha. Then the villages of Pilowo, Cocomare, Raja (a big village with a brand new church).
It was too shallow to swim at Wayabula. On the way back we were very squeezed at some point as we gave a ride to many schoolgirls. But the girls were so happy not so much for the ride but for being with us. They kissed our hands as they got off. Many women carried conical wicker baskets on their backs full of bananas, pineapples or wood.
It was a nice trip and we enjoyed it. Didn’t matter swimming was not good.
There was nothing for us to eat in the morning. There was another cook at Damonge Restaurant who didn’t know that we are on a plant based diet. Ana was very upset and sorry. She suggested they would prepare lunch for us to take it on the ferry to Tobelo in Halmahera.
I had told her we wanted to visit the nearby islands but at a more reasonable price than she had asked first. So she arranged a traditional boat at 500,000. We left at 7.30 so we would be back to catch the 2pm ferry (35,000).
We started with the small, deserted Pulau Kokoya. We did swim but I didn’t see anything let alone a dugong! On the tidy Pulau Kolorai, with two guesthouses, soldiers worked out while villagers stared at them. The beach at the back of the island is not good.
Then on to Pulau Dodola, promoted as the next Bali. Just 5 or 6 local tourists. The beach next to the sign with the name of the island is great. On the small island several new bungalows that looked like bunkers. On the big one except of the old rooms among the trees there are some very nice new rooms big enough for families. I saw them through the windows as they weren’t open yet.
Pulau Zun Zum with the statue of MacArthur has some deserted buildings. Not good for swimming.
Halmahera
The ferry to Tobelo was crowded. We were on the deck to see the coast. Approaching Tobelo the islands were very scenic. The harbor was at some distance. After bargaining we took a bentor for 30,000. The hotels I checked in town couldn’t compare to Moloka’i Morotai.
President was a disappointment.
Juliana (821 94309085) was almost full. All rooms are pleasant and brightly painted. Rooms with squat toilet were 260,000; some near the reception were at 350,000 but not only were very small but we feared they might be noisy. Deluxe rooms (400,000) were full with a big party of divers from Jakarta. We got a big triple room at 450,000 (later discounted at 400,000 so we wouldn’t move to a deluxe room) with a very small bathroom after I checked Hotel Johana which was not good value.
It seemed I was more tired than my husband because I didn’t hear a thing of the noise and music that night. He didn’t sleep at all. So very early in the morning I walked to Greenland Hotel, going by the huge Imanuel church. I saw too many rooms to count and liked none. As they weren’t cleaned yet I was amazed to see how Indonesians leave their rooms. Rubbish left here and there; nothing was put in the waste bin. The rates weren’t cheaper. The only advantage is that it is close to the black sand beach of Tanjung Pilawan. Complaining at our hotel about last night’s noise I was told there was a wedding party. So no need to change hotels.
