Monday, April 30, 2012

Pulau Pombo (Pombo Island)


Maluku (Moluccas), provinces in eastern of Indonesia is an island group. Not to be surprised if Maluku province called the province of the Thousand Islands. The most attraction type potential for selling is charming. One marine tourism is the island of Pombo, a small uninhabited island in the North East Ambon, the capital of Maluku.
Pombo Island have a very good waters location for diving because the sea water is crystal clear and natural beauty of the underwater coral reefs, decorated with flora and fauna of the sea. This location is a nature reserve protected areas.

Pombo Island is geographically located between the island of Haruku and the island of Ambon with coordinates 128 ° 22'09 "east and 3 ° 31'35" south. While in government administratrif this region belong to the Salahhutu subdistrict, Central Maluku regency.
Conservation field topography is generally flat with an average height of 0-4 m above sea level.

It takes approximately 15 minutes by speed boat from island of Ambon (Honimua coast) to reach to Pombo. The island is a prime tourist diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. The water is crystal clear and natural beauty of the underwater flora and fauna contains a variety of fascinating tourist guaranteed. The sea around the Pombo island is a reserve called Pombo Island Marine Park.

Supposedly, Pombo word comes from the Portuguese language, which means Pigeon. As a result, Pombo Island is defined as Pigeon Island. Because of rarely visited, you will feel like being in a "private island".

From a distance it looks very small island. Pombo island area only about 2 to 3 acres.

Every time we look, we can enjoy the beauty of nature works paintings of divine Creator and the owner. White sand surrounding the island, the fish seemed to dance between corals, while above, the birds are seen chasing the wind. It's the perfect harmony of nature, the soothing view of the eyes and hearts. (dephut.go.id)

By the Government of Maluku Province, Pombo used as a protected conservation area. Until now, the island is not permitted for permanently occupied by residents. There are some crops grown there, making that small island more green.

Pombo island travel is usually performed for outbound activities, study tours for students, research diving and other marine tourism.

Natural circumstances of Pombo Island and surrounding marine waters that have a typical flora and fauna and their ecosystems needs to be protected and development which occur naturally have been designated as natural resource conservation areas with nature reserves category.
Determination of the nature reserve with a status of Pombo Island Nature Reserve / Marine Park, established by decree of the Minister of Agriculture of Indonesia Number: 327/Kpts/Um/7/1973 dated July 25, 1973 with an area of 1000 ha, including land, coral reefs (coral reef) and lagoon.

Circumstances the beach is an atoll, or circular reef encircling a lagoon and is not locked the island.
Clarity of the seawater in the lagoon allows to see through to the bottom of the sea is a beautiful marine park. At the time of low tide, it looks very beautiful coral appears on the surface of the sea.

Nature Reserve / Pombo Island Marine Park has a sea view of the rocks that very beautiful and very well-organized naturally, combined with life as a kind of ornamental fish, zoo-plankton and shellfish.
This conservation area is also home to one of the stopover and nesting bird species typical / Maluku endemic, bird Pombo (Ducula bicolor) and many other bird species.
The physical condition of the waters of Pulau Pombo (spin current / up-welling and food availability) allows the availability of fishery resources that potentially high. The main fishery in the conservation area are anchovy (Stolephorus sp.), Momar (Decapterus sp.), Komu (Auxis thzard), Lema (Rastreliger kanagurta), the types lalosi (caesionidae) and mollusks such as clams (Tridacnidae), bia jalang (Strombus luhuanus), lola (Trochus niloticus), bia kambing (Lambis sp.), bia gengge (Nautilus pompilius), japing-japing (Pinctada margaritifera) and other types of Cypreanidae, Strombidae, and Connidae. Some kind of mollusks that are rare have been protected by decree of Minister of Forestry no.12/Kpts-II/1987 such as clams (Tridacnidae), lola (Trochus niloticus), bia gengge (Nautilus pompilius) and triton trumpet (Charonnia tritonis). (some names of fish mentioned above written in the local language of Ambon)

Various types of flora in Nature Reserve / Pombo Island Marine Park as a result of an inventory conducted in 1994/1995, among which are: Wood Marsegu (Nauclea orientalis), Croton sp., Salimuli (Cordia subcordata), Gumira pantai (Premna corymbosa), white vegetables (Pisonia alba), kayu mata ikan (Hernandia peltata), Hutung (Barringtonia asiatica), banyan (Ficus benjamina), Ketapang (Terminalia catappa) and Dadap (Erythrina variegata).

 











Saturday, April 28, 2012

Banda Islands, a paradise of diving


Located about 132 kilometers southeast of Ambon, Banda Islands are remote areas but very beautiful with colorful coral reefs, warm waters and exotic marine life.
Banda marine park also has 350 species of marine life, including various types of ancient shells that are currently endangered. The beauty of the marine park in which there are various kinds of fish. Divers will be more indulgent.
In 2001 and 2002, the Conservancy was doing the Ecological Study of the Banda Islands, the purpose for gathering information on marine resources. Preliminary research showed that the coral reefs of Banda has an incredible biodiversity, with 310 species of reef-building coral, about 871 species of fish, and very high population of shark and groupers. Banda Islands and then proposed as a World Heritage Area.
Because of the beauty of corals and marine life, in the year 2006 Banda Sea  was elected as a World Heritage Area for underwater paradise in Indonesia, better than the marine park in Raja Ampat archipelago (West Papua), Bunaken (NorthSulawesi), Wakatobi (Southeast Sulawesi) and Berau (East Kalimantan).

That location could be achieved by using ferry trip for one night from Ambon city. The right time to get there is when the sea is calm and not choppy. Usually in March, April, May, September, October and November.

It could be said Banda is a paradise for divers from around the world to explore the underwater life of the most isolated and very natural in the world. Curious how the natural beauty there, here are the greatest dive sites on the island of Banda:

SONEGAT is the nearest place to dive. It is located in the middle between Banda Neira and Volcano Island. Try it you descend a steep dive in between the cliffs and extending 25 meters on a rocky cliffs. Many large tuna fish here, also few blue girled fish and angel fish. [picture 01]

KERAKA ISLAND or some people say the island of Crab. Like a carpet of sand spread on the northern coast a wonderful place for a picnic. On the south coast there are several 18-meter-high wall that is covered by a blue and yellow tunicates. On the east coast, you can see at the deep of 10 feet, a variety of reef fish and a group of barracuda. This place can be easily identified by its small lighthouse. [picture 02]

BATU KAPAL (Ship Stone)  This place can be reached about 20 minutes by boat from Banda Neira. This is a good combination for a dive in the morning, picnic on the beach, or dive in the afternoon. [picture 03]

VOLCANO ISLAND (Gunung Api). In the month of May 1988, an explosion of this volcano has killed almost all offshore coral formations found around volcano, but the amazing thing happened is the growth again of variety of sponges. Some of the corals began to grow again, but the landscape still leaves a large marine pallor because there is no barrier from the volcano. [picture 04]

LONTAR ISLAND. The outer edge of the island of papyrus, which represents the rim of a sunken caldera, offers several good dive sites. [picture 05]

AI ISLAND. Same with Hatta Island, this island offers the best places for diving in the Banda.North and south-west coast of Ai surrounded by strong walls of rock, full of caves and, a fish habitat that harbors fish. [picture 06]

HATTA ISLAND. Located about 25 kilometers from the sea Banda Neira. Skaru Atoll, a coral which almost sank within a few hundred meters from the southern point of Hatta Island. Among the corals that you can watch the passing herd of Unicorn fish, Fusiliers, jack fish and rainbow runners,  Whitetip sharks measuring almost two meters, napoleon wrasse, dog toothed tuna, and hawksbill turtles. [picture 07]

SYAHRIR ISLAND is also known as Banana Island because of its shape which resembles a banana. Syahrir island has a beautiful beach area decorated with a variety of coral reefs and underwater life with a variety of colorful fish. This island can be reached by motor boat ride for 40 minutes of Bandaneira. [picture 08, 09]

Picture 02 - Keraka Island

Picture 03 - Batu Kapal

Picture 04 - Volcano Island

Picture 05 - Lontar Island

Picture 06 - Ai Island

Picture 07 - Hatta Island