Pulau Neira Travel Guide
Pulau Neira is one of the three major members of the Banda Islands. The only big town in the archipelago is found here along with most of the overnight facilities and the waters are particularly popular with scuba divers.
Pulau Neira is the only island with enough flat space to accommodate an actual town. This is where the islands’ government offices are headquartered along with most of the local infrastructure. Tourists who want to visit the Banda Islands without joining a liveaboard diving tour can stay in hotels on Pulau Neira.
Divers are attracted to the Maluku Gardens, a unique coral phenomenon found in these waters. Volcanic activity pushed Pulau Neira out of the water more than 3 miles deep and a unique ecosystem has prospered because of this. Large, deepwater fish can be seen in unexpected places.
The Dutch colonized the Banda Islands in the 16th century and most of their activity was here on Pulau Neira. The most substantial holdover from the colonial days is Fort Belgica, a large structure that is currently being reviewed by UNESCO as a potential World Heritage site.
Getting There & Away
Bandaneira is the port of arrival and departure. There is a small airstrip with occasional flights to Ambon, but boats make the journey on a much more regular basis. Ambon is the gateway to Maluku and operates 5-hour flights to and from Jakarta’s international airport.