Kei Islands

Kei Islands are in Maluku province, Indonesia. Islands in the group include Kei Besar Island, Kei Kecil Island, Kei Tanimbar Island.

Understand

The Kei Islands, located in South-Eastern Maluku, has a beach on Kei Kecil Island called Pasir Panjang, that is to die for. Note that there are only few accommodations, and they tend to be a little bit more expensive than in other islands. Book in advance if you want accommodation on the beach, specially Coasters and Savana.

Settlements Langgur and Tual are very close, Langgur being on Pulau Kecil, and Tual being on Pulau Dulah, and the two cities are separated by a bridge. Langgur is more residential and quiet, but Pelni pier and office are in Tual.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Karel Sadsuitubun Airport (LUV  ^IATA). Aviastar - Larat, Saumlaki; Garuda Indonesia - Ambon; Sriwijaya Air - Makassar; Trigana Air Service - Ambon, Dobo, Saumlaki; Wings Air - Ambon  

The airport is in the middle of Kei Kecil - meaning it's relatively far from any place. Expect to pay Rp50,000 for an ojek (motorcycle taxi) to go downtown at Langgur.

By boat

• 2 Pelabuhan Tual, Jl. Pattimura, Masrum, Pulau Dullah Selatan. KM. Tidar owned by PELNI sails from Ambon. Besides that, KM. Tatamailau sails from Timika. 

Get around

There are bemo going on most roads, and most motorbikes would offer ojek (motorcycle taxi).

See

Ngurbloat Beach

Nature

• 1 Difur Beach (Pantai Difur), Tamedan, Pulau Dullah Utara, Tual. (updated Aug 2022)
• 2 Hawang Freshwater Cave (Air Goa Hawang), Letvuan. You may swim there. (updated Aug 2022)
• 3 Lake Waren (Danau Waren Ngadi), Ngadi. (updated Aug 2022)
• 4 Ngurbloat Beach (Pantai Pasir Panjang), Ngilngof, Ohoililir. The Lonely Planet states that Ngurbloat Beach has the smoothest sand on earth. The sand is so powder-fine here that National Geographic had to dub Ngurbloat Beach as the softest beach sands in Asia. (updated Aug 2022)
• 5 Ngurtavur Beach (Pantai Ngurtavur). 24 hours. A white sand beach on a remote island. Also, become the habitat of the Australian pelican. (updated Aug 2022)

Do

Renting a motorbike to ride around the island can be very nice. Expect to pay Rp70,000-100,000/day (Jan 2017) without fuel. Laze the days away while snorkeling, getting massages and sunbathing on the beach, fishing, going for long walks on the beach, or going for something a little more adventurous. You can explore caves, visit offshore islands, learn Maluku traditional cooking, and take painting courses.

• 1 Bair Island (Pulau Bair/Baer). Swimming in the clear turquoise water. (updated Aug 2022)
• Desa Wisata Letman. Do a traditional flying fox. Also, boating around the Letman coral island group. (updated Aug 2022)

Eat

Visit some restaurants warung or rumah makan that have local Kei cuisine. Try Lat, a type of Kei edible seaweed salad. Also Pisang embal, a banana fritter using embal (tapioca or cassava starch) in its batter. It is served with sambal. You may eat pisang embal at Ngurbloat beach.

• 1 The Malinan Kei Islands Resto, Jl. Raya Merdeka, Ohoijang Watdek, Kei Kecil, ☏ +62 821 989 63606. 10:00-22:00. Seafood dish. Also serve Lat. (updated Aug 2022)
• 2 Warung Saraba, Jl. Trikora, Ohoijang Watdek, Kei Kecil (Close to Watdek bridge), ☏ +62 821 989 63606. 14:00-24:00. Seafood dish. There is also a grilled lobster. (updated Aug 2022)

Drink

• 1 Kedai kk boss, Lodar El, Tual, ☏ +62 852 320 33343. 10:00-22:00. A cafe with a live music show. (updated Aug 2022)

Sleep

• 1 Grand Vilia Hotel, Jl. Telaver No.1, Langgur, Kei Kecil, ☏ +62 821 978 30643. A 3-star hotel. From Rp550,000. (updated Aug 2022)
• 2 Syafira Hotel Langgur, Jl. Jendral Sudirman, Ohoijang Watdek, Kei Kecil, ☏ +62 813 420 58881. Check-in: 14:00. From Rp431,836. (updated Aug 2022)

Connect

The telephone area code on Kei Islands is 0916.

Go next

• Dobo — The capital of Kepulauan Aru Regency.
• Moa Island — A beautiful island in Letti Islands of Maluku Barat Daya Regency.
• Saumlaki — The capital of Kepulauan Tanimbar Regency, also known for tanimbar ikat woven.