Ternate Island Travel Guide and Top Things to Do (Maluku)

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Ternate is a small, cone-shaped volcanic island in the Indonesian province of North Maluku. It will probably never become a big vacation spot for tourists, but it has some interesting sights and history.

In the 16th century, Ternate was one of the most important kingdoms of the “Spice Islands” of the Moluccas, and European powers fought for control of the spice trade here. Even today, this small island remains the main gateway to the province of North Maluku.

If you ever happen to pass through Ternat on your way to somewhere else in Indonesia, it’s worth checking out.

Here’s a travel guide to some of the best things to see and do on the island.

How to get to the island of Ternate

There is an airport in Ternate (TTE) with direct flights from Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, Manado and Ambon. If you are coming from Bali, you will need to transit through one of these places first.

You can buy flights on Skyscanner, but it’s worth noting that all flights to Maluku are a bit expensive by Indonesian standards, as only a few airlines serve the area.

Alternatively, you can take a boat from Halmahera to Ternate, which is what we did after hiking Mt Dukono. The speed boat ride from Sofifi port takes only 45 minutes and the tickets are reasonably priced.

How to get around the island?

It’s very easy to get around in Ternate (pronounced “ter-nah-tey”) because of how small the island is.

There is a good paved road that goes around the island in a circle and it only takes 1.5 hours to drive the whole loop. Some of the side roads can be a little steep like the road to Ngade Lake but the main road is tame and smooth

You can rent a scooter from your hotel or hire a private driver by car, which is what we did. Ternate also has the Grab app, which is convenient for short distances.

Best things to do and see in Ternate

• Tolucco Castle

Tolucco Fort was built by the Portuguese in 1512 to control the spice trade in Ternate and the rest of the Maluku Islands.

Over the years it was controlled by the Portuguese, the native Ternate Sultanate, the Dutch, the British and the Spanish.

You can visit the fort for a small fee and go up to the roof to see Mount Gamalama.It is a photogenic and interesting place to see.

• Kalamata Castle

This is another colonial fort that was built by the Portuguese in 1540 and then changed hands between the local Sultanate and other European colonial powers.

It is on the south side of Ternate, so it has beautiful views of the islands of Tidore and Maitara across the sea, especially if you go up to the roof of the castle.

• Castella Beach

This beach is one of the best sunset spots on the island, with a group of photogenic trees that resemble the dancing trees of Sumba Island.

We only watched the sunset here once, but the colors were incredible.

Be careful if you go out to the trees to get closer, the water is pretty shallow, but I almost stepped on a sea snake that was swimming around the rocks.

• Lake Ngade

This lake has one of the most spectacular views of Ternate, with the volcanic peak of Tidore Island in the distance.

The view was almost ruined by the ugly, stupid bike zipline in the view, but luckily it’s still possible to take photos without it blocking the view.

They charge a fee to use the drone which we didn’t see until it was too late.There is also a swing you can use for a small fee.

• Lake Tolire

Tolir is a bright green volcanic lake at the base of Mount Gamalama.It was formed by the powerful eruption of Gamalama in 1775, which killed 141 people and buried a nearby village in the process.

According to local legends, a white crocodile is supposed to live in Tolir, which guards the lake. We didn’t see a crocodile when we were there, but the locals told us how people were attacked while fishing in the lake.

Tribun News shared a video in 2022 of a crocodile spotted in the lake, though no one knows how it got there given the crater’s steep edges.

We saw lots of lizards at the viewpoint, including the first iguana we’ve seen in Indonesia.

• Tolire Beach

It’s a cool beach with volcanic black sand and views of Hiri Island in the distance.It’s very close to Tolir Lake.

We saw a large red crab swimming on the beach and it stopped long enough for me to take a picture.

• Angus stone

Batu Angus is a small park where you can see a field of jagged black volcanic rocks piled up by Mount Gamalama.

This is a reminder of how the constant activity of the volcano has continued to shape the island of Ternate over the centuries.

Gamalama has erupted dozens of times in recorded history, sometimes violently.

• Gamalama volcano

In the center of the island of Ternate is Mount Gamalama, an active volcano.

You can hike to the top, but it takes several hours starting from Moya.This is an active, smoking volcano, so the climb is not without risk.

If you have a drone and don’t feel comfortable going up to the top of the volcano, you can stop partway through and still get some great pictures from the top.

• Sulamadaha Bay

This is a beautiful lagoon with turquoise water for snorkeling, although the best fish and coral are further offshore.

It’s a hidden cove, so the only way to get to it is to park on the black sand beach and walk through the jungle for about 300 meters until you find the cove.

There is also a second bay to the east which is used as a port for going to Hiri Island.

• Jicomalamo Beach

This is another popular spot for swimming and snorkeling. There is no real beach to speak of, but it does have a nice view of Hiri Island.

There are plenty of caveats to buy snacks or drinks while you’re there.

More things to see near Ternate

• Tidore Island

Tidore is the neighboring island of Ternate, and in pre-colonial times the two kingdoms were bitter rivals.

Like Ternate, Tidore was also an important player in the spice trade, and this attracted the attention of the Spanish colonists, who built the Taula Fort there to defend against the Portuguese.

The island of Tidore is about the same size as Ternate, although its shape is slightly different, and you can easily go between the two on a 15-minute boat ride.

The main thing to do in Tidore is to hike to the top of Kie Matubu for the view of the whole area. It’s a moderate hike, so plan to spend at least half a day on it.

• Hiri Island

Hiri can be reached by boat from Sulamadaha. If you travel there, it has a giant rock arch that can be seen on the northwest beach called Batu Balubang Gurabala.

The arch is quite close to the shore so you can walk to it on the rocks when the tide is low, it’s a great photo spot.

Map of attractions on the island of Ternate

Here is a map of the best things to see and do in Ternate and the surrounding islands.You can click on the icons for more information and directions.

Where to stay in Ternate?

• Villa Ma’Rasai – One of the nicest hotels in Ternate with a balcony view of the ocean and the neighboring island of Tidore. They have a pool, restaurant and breakfast included. If we come back to Ternate, this will be our first choice to stay.
• Emerald Hotel – Mid-range accommodation in town, with restaurant and free breakfast.
• Kurnia Homestay – Budget friendly place with free breakfast and the owner is kind and helpful.This is where we stayed on our first visit to Ternate and it’s a good option if you’re on a tight budget.

Other tips for Ternate

• ATM There are many working ATMs scattered around the island, but they usually dispense 50k notes.
• Credit cards. Most hotels and restaurants here don’t accept cards, so you’ll want to have cash.
• Mobile service. We had good 4G data in Ternate with Telkomsel, but reliable WiFi is still rare.
• Electricity. The island has 24/7 electricity so you don’t have to worry about blackouts.
• Religion: Ternate is Muslim, but during our stay we did not notice excessive noise from the mosques.
• Malaria. According to this 2018 Lancet study, there has been a significant decrease in malaria in Ternate and surrounding areas, which is great. I would still use mosquito spray when traveling here. We didn’t take malaria tablets;
• Where to eat? Some hotels and guesthouses can provide food otherwise there are plenty of cheap places to eat in town and they also have KFC and Pizza Hut if you want western food while in Ternate.We even ordered food from Solaria one evening and we had it delivered to our guest house with GrabFood which was very convenient.

How long to stay?

You can see all the main attractions of Ternate in one day because it is a small island and everything is easily accessible by car.

However, if you want to stay longer, you can take day trips to nearby islands such as Hiri, Maitara and Tidore.

More travel guides for Indonesia

Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoyed this travel guide to Maluku Island.

Don’t forget to check out my other blog posts for Indonesia before you go.

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