Pulau Run is in the Banda Islands in Indonesia.

A view of Pulau Run (2007)

Understand

Pulau Run view from hilltop (2015)

Run is a small island ('pulau' being Indonesian for 'island') with an outsized historical importance. It was a centre of the nutmeg and mace trade, as one of the 'Spice Islands', coveted by European traders and rulers. The British were the first Europeans to occupy the island, in the 17th century, but they were soon expelled by the Dutch, and gave up all claims to the island in exchange for Dutch recognition of British rule over the former New Netherlands (which now comprises much of the U.S. state of New York). The British eventually were able to transplant nutmeg trees in other colonies they controlled in the early 19th century, finally breaking the longtime Dutch monopoly on the nutmeg trade. Pulau Run is quiet now, but the people there continue to grow nutmeg trees as their forefathers did.

Get in

Take a public boat or charter boat from Banda Neira.

Run (left) and Nailaka (right, barely visible)

Get around

On foot or you may ask the locals to ride you by motorbike or rent their motorbike to get around the island. If you want to go to Nailaka Island, you may rent a boat for Rp100,000.

See

Beaches and plantations.

• 1 Lokong Beach (Pantai Lokong). (updated Oct 2022)

Do

Nailaka Island

The best snorkeling spot is at 1 Nailaka Island, at the northeastern side of Run Island.

Eat

You may order the food in the hostelry.

Drink

No alcohol, you may drink mineral water or fresh coconut water.

Sleep

• 1 Manhattan Guest House, ☏ +62 821 982 08993. (updated Oct 2022)
• 2 Run Island Resort, ☏ +62 812 480 22181. (updated Oct 2022)
• 3 Nailaka Guest House. Check-out: 12:00. From Rp200,000. (updated Oct 2022)

Go next

• Pulau Ai