According to ehealthfacts, the Moluccas (English: Maluku, Maluku Islands) is an archipelago of over 1000 islands, located in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The Moluccas are part of Indonesia and the Melanesia region. The capital of the Moluccas is Ambon. A number of major cities in the Moluccas are: Dobo, Masohi, Namlea and Tual.
The Moluccan islands have a wide variety of nature, culture and landscape. Almost all islands are mountainous with beautiful sandy beaches and surrounded by beautiful coral reefs. According to dentistrymyth, the Moluccas are therefore suitable for diving to these coral reefs and the many tropical fish. On some islands unspoilt pieces of nature can still be found. These are often housed in national parks. Due to its major role in World War II, monuments, plane wrecks and other remains can still be found on some islands, including Halmahera. The Moluccas are also known for the art of weaving.
Where are the Moluccas?
Travel information of Moluccas
Official name: Moluccas
Continent: Asia and Oceania
Area: 74,505 km²
Capital: Ambon
Country code: ID, IDN
Population: 2,100,000 inhabitants (2016)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 3,027 m (Gunung Binaiya)
Distance (Amsterdam – Ambon): 12,536 km
Flight time: approximately 19 hours
Travel advice
Current status: Be aware of safety risks.
Current color code: Yellow.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place on the Moluccas that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of the Moluccas, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to the Moluccas. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compile your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about the Moluccas?
Weather and climate
The Moluccas have a tropical rainforest climate. Throughout the year the temperatures are around 25 to 30 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for the Moluccas can be found on our extensive weather page.
Best travel time
June, July, August, September and October are the best months to travel to the Moluccas. This avoids the rainy season.
Language
Indonesian is the official language in the Moluccas. In addition, there are about 100 other languages on the Moluccas (including Ambonese and Buru).
Would you like to translate from or into Indonesian for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon departure from the Moluccas.
A visa is not required if you stay less than 30 days and arrive through an airport, port or country border on this list. If you arrive in a different way or are staying in the Moluccas for longer than 30 days, you can personally apply for a visa at the Embassy of Indonesia in The Hague.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Dutch embassy and consulates in Indonesia: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Indonesian Embassy in the Netherlands: new.indonesia.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory for the Moluccas if you have visited a yellow fever country in the seven days before you visit the Moluccas. In addition, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in the Moluccas. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In the Moluccas, payment is made with the Indonesian rupiah (rupiah) (IDR).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs on the Moluccas can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices on the Moluccas are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -43% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (75% cheaper), food (19% cheaper), imported beer in catering (10% cheaper), cigarettes (77% cheaper) and public transport (90% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
It is customary to tip in the Moluccas. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 5-10%.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 7 hours later on the Moluccas.
During our winter time it is 8 hours later on the Moluccas.
The Moluccas has no difference between winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone of the Moluccas can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic
On the Moluccas you must drive on the left. You must have an international driving license
to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in the Moluccas. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
Electricity
The same plugs and sockets are used on the Moluccas as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity on the Moluccas can be found on our electricity page (look under Indonesia).
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 110
– Fire: 113
– Ambulance: 118
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news regarding the Moluccas can be found on Google news.
Internet
Websites from the Moluccas end in.id.
Official website of the Moluccas: tourism-indonesie.nl.
Telephony
The country code (international access number) to call someone on the Moluccas is 0062 or +62.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from the Moluccas? Then use the Dutch country code 00131.
(If you use a country code, you must omit the first 0 of the number to be called.)
All area codes of the Moluccas can be found on Wikipedia.
Company details can be found in the Golden Pages of the Moluccas.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of the Moluccas.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from the Moluccas.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in the Moluccas can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations on the Moluccas, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travel reports
Are you looking for a travel report about the Moluccas?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited the Moluccas. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) on the Moluccas can be found on Protected Planet.
The Moluccas are not on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to the Moluccas? On the IATA website you will find an overview of the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and medicines, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported to the Moluccas.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with the Moluccas, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about the Moluccas, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to the Moluccas.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 21.
– Alcohol and traffic: No maximum permitted alcohol content.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…The Moluccas owes its name to Arab traders?
…The Moluccas were very important to the VOC?
…The VOC’s headquarters was located on the Moluccas?
…Approximately 12,500 Moluccans were brought to the Netherlands after the Second World War?
