How to Reach Banda Neira by Ship

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Banda Neira in Central Maluku Regency, Maluku, is known for its history and the beauty of its seas and will host the Banda Heritage festival, on November 26-29, 2025. Carrying the theme "Cultural Breath, Historical Traces, Natural Charm", this festival will showcase the cultural richness, history, and tourism potential of Banda Neira, a world heritage site.

Banda Neira is located on a small island and is accessible by sea. In addition to being cheaper than airplanes, sea travel also offers views of beautiful small islands and the sea.

Four ships visit Banda Neira: three passenger ships and one pioneer ship. The passenger ships are KM Labobar, which can carry 3,000 passengers; KM Pangrango and KM Sangiang, each carrying 500 passengers; and KM Sabuk Nusantara 106, which can carry 400 passengers.

Enjoying Banda Neira

The Branch Manager of Pelni Ambon, Marthin Heryanto, stated that tourists generally can enjoy Banda Neira for three to four days while waiting for the ship to sail back to the west. For example, KM Labobar requires a five-day journey from Tanjung Priok to Banda Neira, then continues to Fakfak before returning four days later to Jakarta.

While in Banda, tourists can explore the historic city, follow the spice trail, enjoy sea activities such as snorkeling and diving, and trek to villages and hills to see the iconic Gunung Banda. For tourists with limited time, KM Pangrango offers a weekend travel option, departing from Ambon on Friday afternoon, arriving in Banda on Saturday morning, and returning to Ambon on Sunday afternoon.

According to Pelni data, there has been an increase in interest in visiting Banda Neira. In 2024, 49,529 passengers disembarked, and by September 2025, that number had already reached 42,200. Pelni estimates that the figure will continue to increase until the end of the year, in line with the Christmas and New Year's momentum.

Four PELNI Ship Routes

The Pelni ship routes serving Banda Neira include:

KM Labobar: Jakarta - Surabaya - Makassar - Baubau - Ambon - Banda - Tual - Dobo - Fakfak - Kaimana (round-trip)
KM Pangrango: Ambon - Namrole - Ambon - Banda - Saumlaki (round-trip)
KM Sangiang: Bitung - Ternate - Bacan - Sanana - Namlea - Ambon - Banda - Geser - Fakfak (round-trip)
KM Sabuk Nusantara 106: Ambon - Banda - Geser - Gorom - Kesui - Teor - Pulau Kur - Tual (round-trip)

Ticket Prices and Travel Time

To support smooth travel, Pelni provides various ticket booking channels, including the Pelni Mobile application, the company's official website, and modern banking and retail services.

Ticket prices for economy class start from Rp821,000 for adults and Rp83,000 for children departing from Jakarta (Tanjung Priok). Meanwhile, departing from Ambon, the ticket is Rp153,500 for adults and Rp15,800 for children. For passengers from Bitung, the ticket price is Rp540,000 for adults and Rp55,900 for children.

Children's tickets are available for ages 0 to 23 months. The travel time, including transit, takes around 4 days for departures from Jakarta and Bitung, and 16 to 17 hours for departures from Ambon.