2009 September | Travel Review Online

After a auspicious Sail Bunaken 2009 in Manado, North Sulawesi, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry elect organize a similar international event in Banda, Central Maluku, next year.

To be called Sail Banda 2010, the event would be the brainchild of Maritime and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi, Alex Retraubun, director general of coastal area and small island matters of state at the maritime and fisheries office of a clergyman, said.

“The Banda Islands are known worldwide for their historical significance and undersea natural beauty, and therefore Maluku will host Sail Banda 2010,” Retraubun uttered in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon recently.

Banda is known viewed like the original and only source of the once precious spices, nutmeg and mace, trade commodities that had a significant stroke onward world developments in the 15th century.

Early European reports described the metaphorical Banda Islands as a jewel-like clump surrounded by crystal waters and brilliant coral reefs, and the most beautiful cluster of islands in Maluku.

Banda is made up of eleven small volcanic islands namely
Neira, Gunung Api, Banda Besar, Rhun, Ai, Hatta, Karaka, Manukan, Nailaka, Syahrir and Batu Kapal.

Syahrir island or formerly known as Pisang Island, and Batu Kapal Island which combine well for a morning dive, a picnic on the beach, and any afternoon dive are just 20 minutes by boat from the hotels on the town of Banda Neira.

All those Banda islands offer stunning tropical scenery, a remarkable history, friendly villages, and some of the globe`s most pristine, biologically diverse corral reefs which are admirable for that international event later next year.

Therefore members of Sail Banda 2010 between nations committee from various maritime countries will soon arrive to survey three locations in Maluku for consideration as the event`s venue.

Maluku provincial administration`sitting communication and information spokesman, Bakrie Lumbessy said in Ambon freshly that the committee members would in the near events to come survey three locations, namely Lucipara islands in the Banda Sea, Banda Islands, and a diving station in Southwest Maluku district.

“Soon the international committee of Sail Banda 2010 will inspect Maluku to survey the three locations in the province,” Lumbessy said.

He said the same committee had successfully organized the Sail Bunaken event in
North Sulawesi which was participated in by hundreds of sail boats and yachts from various countries last August.

According to Lumbessy, altogether the three locations for the Sail Banda 2010 offer undersea panoramas featuring many coral reefs and ornamental fish.

“Especially for an undersea flag raising pomp, it self-reliance be conducted in one of the outlying islands in Southwest Maluku district,” Lumbessy said referring to Wetar, Kisar, Romang, or Maupora islands.

He said Sail Banda 2010 was scheduled to run from July 27 to August 28, 2010 and to be participated in by hundreds of sail boats and yachts from various countries on all sides the world.

The Banda Sea which is known to have the deepest basin in the world also had areas abounding in colorful coral reefs and ornamental fish on what one. visitors could feast their eyes.

Banda islands also had various cultural tourist spots and famous historic sites that had been named by UNESCO as one of the world`session cultural heritages.

The Maluku provincial administration`s information and communication office had also asked for the active role of the press in the province and all elements of the public to jointly make Sail Banda 2010 a result.

Meanwhile, the national shipping company PT Pelni is also fitted to help make the Sail Banda 2010 event a success by putting more ships into service on its route to the Banda Islands in Central Maluku, a spokesman said.

Bachtiar, head of PT Pelni`s Ambon branch station, before-mentioned in Ambon that the national shipping company felt it bore the moral responsibleness to support the betwixt nations near the sea result in Banda.

“The exact date of Sail Banda 2010 has actually yet to be confirmed but we at PT Pelni are willing to help make the issue a success,” Bachtiar said.

He said the company was commonly operating MV Ciremai and MV Kelimutu on its route to Banda in Central Maluku, Tual in Southeast Maluku, and a number of ports in West Papua and Papua.

Asked if the number of ships for Banda would subsist increased in the runup to Sail Banda 2010, Bachtiar said it was the responsibility of PT Pelni`s intercept office to decide.

“But for Sail Banda 2010 is an international event, I think there will be a good coordination between the carriage body of ministers and PT Pelni to grow the number of ships sailing to Banda,” Bachtiar said.

Meanwhile, Maluku Culture and Tourism Office spokesperson Florence Sahusilawane said Sail Banda 2010 is expected to reflect an international shipping expedition.

She said the international event is being designed by adopting the past period of “hongitochten”, punitive expeditions conducted by the Dutch to suppress uprisings in Seram, specially in the clove-rich peninsula of Hoamoal and nearby islands through traditional boats.

Therefore, Sahusilawane called in succession villages across Maluku which have typical traditional boats to take part in and liven up the Sail Banda 2010.

She said the promotion of Sail Banda 2010 would not be very difficult because Banda islands had been known worldwide since the past as spice islands, and even UNESCO has named the islands one of the world heritages.

Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said recently that some 150 begin a voyage boats from
various countries had been registered to take part in Sail Banda 2010.

“I met Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik in Jakarta recently and he declared hither and thither 150 sail boats have signed up for the international maritime event in Maluku next year,” the governor said.

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