Saparua, the Butterfly

Location

It takes about 45- 60 minutes by speedboat from Tulehu (Ambon) to Haria , the main harbour of Saparua.

Saparua is a coral island and has the shape of a butterfly. It is quiet and usually sleepy here.

The main “town” called Saparua.

The population from Saparua island about 45`000.

There are many sago palm, nutmeg and cloves plantations outside the villages.

The harvest of the cloves is from August till January. During the harvest the air is filled with the smell of the drying cloves. It is nice to see, all the mats full of cloves lay in the gardens and on the streets.

Gewürze trocknen	Saparua-Town	Speedboothafen Tulehu	Fort Duurstede	Alte Wehrhaftigkeit
Bucht von Saparua	Traumstrände

The harvest of the cloves is from August till January. During the harvest the air is filled with the smell of the drying cloves. It is nice to see, all the mats full of cloves lay in the gardens and on the streets.

On market days, Wednesday and Saturday, the sleepy towns is scretching. It stars early in the morning and from the neighbour islands, Haruku and Nusa Laut sellers and buyers are coming.

What is special in Saparua is the variation of smoked fishes, cones of sago paste and red palm sugar.

Early in the afternoon, the market is over and Saparua is quiet and empty as always.

Weather, Climate

In many ways Maluku is different from the other teritories in Indonesia.

During the “wet-monsoon season”, June to August and January to February (average maximum temperature of 25°C), the seas are really rough and underwater visibility is reduced.

Things are fine during the “dry-monsoon season” September to December, and March to May (average maximum temperature of 30°C).

Things to See

Located just outside Saparua is „Benteng Duurstede“ (an old Dutch fort). A few years ago, this fort was restorated. Next to the fort is a museum, witch illustratet the patriotie rebells of Thomas Matulessy alias “Pattimura”.

The rebellion raised as a reaction upon the Dutch return to Maluku. After an incident in Porto and Haria in 1817, the people of Saparua under the leadership of Thomas Matulessy attacked the Duurstede Fort. They killed everybody there. Except for the 6 years old son of the Dutch resident. This incident bestowed Matulessy the title "Pattimura", wich means "the aenerous heart". In december 1817, after the Dutch sent a large number of soldier from Java to break the resistance of the Saparuan people. Pattimura was executed. The saved boy, latter on, named himself "Van den Berg from Saparua". His descendants still have the same family name.

Ouw a village, 4 kilometres southwest of Saparua, is the centre of pottery, People there don’t use potters wheels but make everything by hand.

Kulor in the northeast, is the closest village to the only spot on the island where a tropical forest can still be found.

Other places to visit in Saparua is Booi, a village in the southwest, near by Paperu. The village's entrance is large stairs. Any visitor can only go there by foot.

In Paperu now stands "CapePaperu" a new Resort holyday, diving and spa resort. Its managed and staffed by Swiss couple, Kurt and Eliane.

Diving

Near by “Cape Paperu” lives shallow reefs with abundant tropical fish and spectacular coral gardens. You may also be lucky enough to see turtles, eels, dolphins and dougons. Snorkelling and scuba diving here is excellent and very interesting also for “Macro” UW photographer.

Molana, a little silver of coral island in the southwest of Saparua is a beautiful spot for scuba divers, where the deep waters bring large, pelagic fish. Exploring the vertical reef faces, you will meet inquisitive sharks, giant groupers and many more.

Nusa Laut

A 15-30 minutes travel by speedboat from Cape Paperu brings you to the third-tiniese island Nusa Laut. The jewel.

24 kilometres of Nusa Laut coastline, the seas are brighten up, with shallow reefs and teemed with marine life.

Divers can see lobster, moray eels, grouper, tuna and mackerel to sharks.

Nusa Laut`s 14`000 inhabitants live in seven villages. The island itself is split in half by a low stone wall. All the people on one side are “Patalima”, on the other side, all are Patasiwa”.

On each side they have on early 19th century church.

The Fort Beverwijk is the remaining of the Dutch colonialzation in Nusa Laut.

Beach auf "Nusa Laut"	Reiche Pflanzenwelt