Ternate is an island in Maluku province, Indonesia.

A view of Ternate City and beyond in 2010

Regions

Ternate Island, the entirety of which is also the city of Ternate.

Tidore Island

Sofifi Island

Understand

Like the other Maluku Islands, Ternate was the scene of vicious combat between European colonial powers intent on monopolizing the spice trade, and between those European powers and local rulers. The various conquerors left behind forts that can still be visited today. However, unlike in centuries past, Ternate and neighboring islands are no longer central to world trade, and are not among the best-known tourist destinations in Indonesia.

Like everywhere else in untouristed Indonesia, people are very curious when they see non-Indonesians walking down the street. Expect to be stared at and expect everybody you see to say hello to you, and try to practice their English. Most of the time this curiosity is good-natured, so smile and be friendly in return.

Get in

Garuda, Sriwijaya and Wings air have daily flights from Makassar and Manado. Pelni visits 3 times a week

Get around

View of Mount Tidore from Ternate Island

Taxis to the airport cost and average of 50000 rupiah

The public ferry leaves from Ternate to Sofifi at 6am. It returns at 9am, then makes the second journey at 11am, and returns for the final time at 4pm. Each trip takes 2 hours and costs 15000 Rupiah. The boat departs from "Kota Baru" which is costs around 10-15000 rupiah by Ojek or 5000 by Angkot. Port Tax is 2000 rupiah

Speedboats operate between Ternate and Tidore, and Ternate and Sofifi all day. It takes 20 minutes to get to Tidore from Ternate and 40-45 Minutes to Sofifi. They only run when there are 8 or more individuals making the trip though. Each journey costs 50,000 rupiah.

There is a central station for all of the Angkots near the tourist market.

See

Fort Tolukko, a colonial fortification built on Ternate by the Spanish in 1611, later occupied by the Dutch and used as a royal residence by Ternate's Sultan

The Sultan's Palace

The Sultan's Mosque

Benteng Oranye fort

Sultan's Tomb

Batu Angus Lava flow

Beaches

Lagoons

Various memorials to massacred Christians during the riots of 1999-2000. Many abandoned churches too.

Graffiti Murals dedicated to various Punk bands (and Osama bin Laden too)

The big Mosque (with minarets in the sea)

Statue of Vasco de Gama

Mount Gamalama (though hiking is currently strictly forbidden due to the eruption in December 2011)

Mount Tidore (the mountain on the 1000 rupiah note)

Sofifi (a new provincial capital and transport hub being built from scratch)

Eat

Nasi Bambu is a regional speciality

Sleep

• Bela International Hotel, Jl Jati Raya 500, ☏ +62 921 3121800. The 4-star hotel in Ternate. 

Stay safe

Mount Gamalama is an active volcano. The last eruption in December 2011 shut down air traffic in the region and killed 4 people in a lahar.

Go next

Sofifi has bus and taxi connections to the rest of Halmahera