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Territory capital · Indonesia

AmbonKota Ambon

Give Ambon 2–3 nights: one day for the city and war cemetery, one for the Leihitu coast forts, and a half-day for a dive or waterfall.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
IDR
Best months
Oct–Apr (drier; November is the driest month)
avoid May–Aug (wettest; June is the peak)
Airport
AMQ
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
  • Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
  • Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
  • Indonesia ↗Buy the visa on arrival or e-visa only on the official Immigration portal; lookalike sites charge extra.
  • Indonesia ↗Complete the All Indonesia digital arrival and customs form before landing; it is free.
  • Indonesia ↗Foreign visitors to Bali pay a one-off tourist levy; keep the payment proof on your phone.
  • Indonesia ↗Riding a motorbike needs a valid licence that covers motorbikes (an international permit alongside your own) and a helmet; check your insurance covers it.

Ambon is the capital of Maluku province, built on a hillside above a bay on the island of the same name. It is a small, walkable port city with Dutch and Portuguese fort ruins, a World War II cemetery, and some of the least-visited reefs in Indonesia. Most travellers pass through on the way to the Banda Islands or Raja Ampat; two or three nights is enough to see the city and the Leihitu coast, and divers add more.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Ambon, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee (kopi rarobang)Rp15,000–30,000 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Sit-down mealSeafood dinner at a Sam Ratulangi hawkerRp50,000–150,000 (≈ US$4–10)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekRp100,000–200,000 (≈ US$7–13)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per personRp100,000 (≈ US$7)
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per roomRp500,000 (≈ US$35)
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per roomRp1,200,000 (≈ US$75)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget Rp350,000 (≈ US$25) · Mid Rp700,000 (≈ US$45) · High Rp1,500,000 (≈ US$95)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Ambon Bay and Merah Putih BridgeDutch and Portuguese fort ruinsAmbon War CemeteryDiving and snorkellingAmbonese music and cuisine
Airports
AMQ Pattimura Airport (About 35 km west of the city; DAMRI bus to Lapangan Merdeka, or a taxi.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Ambon: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

31°C

24°C

0 rd

Feb

31°C

24°C

0 rd

Mar

31°C

24°C

0 rd

Apr

31°C

24°C

0 rd

May

30°C

24°C

0 rd

Jun

29°C

24°C

0 rd

Jul

28°C

23°C

0 rd

Aug

28°C

23°C

0 rd

Sep

29°C

23°C

0 rd

Oct

30°C

24°C

0 rd

Nov

31°C

24°C

0 rd

Dec

32°C

24°C

0 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Angkot minivans (locally called oto) run fixed routes for a flat fare; wave them down and pay on exit. Becak and ojek cover short hops, and Gojek works in the city. Renting a scooter or car is the easiest way to reach the Leihitu coast and the beaches. The downtown core around Pattimura Park is walkable.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Leihitu coast (Fort Amsterdam and Wapauwe Old Mosque)

go

Door to door: About 2 h each way

Scooter or car north around the bay, about 1.5 h

Fort Amsterdam and the 15th-century Wapauwe mosque are 1 km apart; go early and take water.

Liang Beach

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Car or scooter east along the coast, about 1 h

White sand and food stalls; a half-day trip.

Natsepa Beach and Rujak Natsepa

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Car or scooter east, about 45 min

Famous fruit rujak stalls; combine with Liang.

Hatuasa Hot Spring, Tulehu

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Car or scooter east, about 1 h

Small entry fee; pools vary in heat. Check access after heavy rain.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

City centre (around Lapangan Merdeka and Pattimura Park)

Walkable to the waterfront, markets and cafés; best for a short stay without a car.

Near Pattimura Airport

Useful for a very early flight; otherwise a long way from the sights.

Leihitu coast (north of the bay)

Guesthouses near the forts and beaches; needs a scooter or car.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
Rp300,000–500,000 (≈ US$19–35) excl. bed
Mid
Rp500,000–1,000,000 (≈ US$35–65) excl. bed
High
Rp1,000,000 (≈ US$65)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid-range hotel1 × 2 nights × Rp500,000Rp1,000,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × Rp700,000Rp2,800,000
DAMRI bus, airport to Lapangan Merdeka2 × Rp50,000Rp100,000
Angkot short trip2 × Rp3,000Rp6,000
eSIM, about a week of data2 × Rp150,000Rp300,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeRp421,000
Trip total≈ Rp1,157,000 per person per day, bed includedRp4,627,000≈ US$300

2026 estimate in rupiah; flights and dive courses excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee (kopi rarobang)Rp15,000–30,000 (≈ US$1–2)
Nasi kuning or a plate of rice with sidesRp10,000–30,000 (≈ US$1–2)
Seafood dinner at a Sam Ratulangi hawkerRp50,000–150,000 (≈ US$4–10)
Angkot short tripRp3,000 (≈ under US$1)
DAMRI bus, airport to cityRp50,000 (≈ US$4)
Taxi, airport to cityabout Rp150,000 (≈ US$10)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekRp100,000–200,000 (≈ US$7–13)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Ambon is calm and generally safe for visitors today, with a low crime rate. The real risks are wet-season rain, rough roads to the forts and beaches, and unmarked reef dives: use a local operator and travel in daylight.
  • Ambon has no real dry season: rain can fall any month, heaviest May–August.
  • Some roads and paths to forts, waterfalls and beaches are rough or unlit; go in daylight and agree the fare before you set off.
  • The city is calm today after the sectarian violence of 1999–2002; avoid discussing religion and politics with strangers.
  • Reefs and dive sites are not all marked; dive with a local operator rather than alone.

Emergency numbers

General emergency
112
Police
110
Ambulance
118
Fire
113

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

AmbonKota Ambon

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Ke alamat ini, pakTo this address, please

Emergency

  • General emergency112
  • Police110
  • Ambulance118
  • Fire113

Embassy

No embassies in Ambon; most countries are represented in Jakarta, with consulates in Bali or Makassar.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • DAMRI bus, Pattimura Airport → Lapangan Merdeka: Rp50,000 (≈ US$4), about 1 h
  • Taxi, Pattimura Airport → city centre: about Rp150,000 (≈ US$10)
  • Angkot short trip: Rp3,000 (≈ under US$1), pay on exit

Say or show

  • Permisi / Maaf — Excuse me / Sorry (per-mee-see / ma-af)
  • Terima kasih — Thank you (te-ree-ma ka-see)
  • Berapa harganya? — How much is it? (be-ra-pa har-ga-nya)
  • Minggir, pak — Stop here, please (ming-geer pak)
  • Bisa bayar pakai kartu? — Can I pay by card? (bee-sa ba-yar pa-kai kar-too)
  • Di mana toilet? — Where is the toilet? (dee ma-na toy-let)

Ambon is in the UTC+9 zone, one hour ahead of Bali.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Ambon. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Apr (drier; November is the driest month) · avoid May–Aug (wettest; June is the peak) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for AMQ: DAMRI bus times, taxi fallback, late-arrival rung.
  2. Walking clusters for the centre: Pattimura Park, the war cemetery, Pasar Mardika and the Sam Ratulangi seafood strip.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (war cemetery, Siwalima Museum, Fort Amsterdam) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Dive-operator and reef pages with season and visibility notes.

Meanwhile

Back to Indonesia

Sources