As the country with the second longest coastline in the world, Indonesia is home to many beautiful beaches, and has won numerous awards for it. One of these beaches is Ora Beach, hidden on the northern coast of Seram Island. Exotic and very secluded tourist destination, Ora Beach is perfect for eco-tourism and honeymooners. A row of wooden cottages lined the white sandy beach overlooking the clear waters of the Sawai Gulf, and against the backdrop of limestone cliffs and majestic mountains, covered in lush, tropical gardens. The island of Seram is famous for its abundant bird life. Of the 117 species found on the island, 14 of them are endemic to Seram.
Seram is the largest island in Maluku province, measuring approximately 16,000 square kilometers, but home to a population of only about 170,000. It lies just north of the smaller and more historically known island of Ambon. The province of Maluku lies between the larger islands of Sulawesi and Papua. Geographical location Seram in the middle of several tectonic plates. An elongated mountains on the island, the highest mountain, Binaya Mountain, peaked at over 3,000 meters. The island is covered mainly in dense tropical rainforests, bordered on one side by towering cliffs and the other with white sandy beaches, and finally surrounded by clear blue sea.
Activity
As the islands are mountainous and heavily forested, Seram offers many opportunities for nature lovers to go trekking, hiking, and the like. For those who have patience, and good eyes, see how many unique Seram bird life you can see!
The surrounding sea is crystal clear, and the incredible display of colorful coral reefs, with many other fish and sea creatures living in them; many are visible even before you drown yourself under the glass surface. Sawai Bay, overlooking Ora Beach, is the most popular place on the island for diving and snorkeling, to take a closer look at the magnificent underwater garden and its inhabitants. There are no dive equipment shops on Seram island, so visitors are advised to bring their own gear, or rent from Ambon before embarking on a journey to Seram.
Tips
- Make sure to bring enough money from Ambon, as there are no ATMs or Banks on the island.
- Because there is only one restaurant in Ora Beach visitors are advised to bring their own food or snacks as well.
- If you plan to go diving or snorkeling, equipment must be rented while in Ambon.
- Snorkeling should be done in deeper waters, because even though the shallow waters both have abundant coral reefs, swimming in these waters can damage coral reefs.
Lodging
Ora Beach Resort is a family-owned resort in a secluded part of the island of Seram, and is accessible only by water. This resort is located between Sawai Bay, steep cliffs, peak forest and Salesman village. The resort consists of 5 bungalows, 6 standard rooms and a restaurant.
Reaching Locations
The first step is to look for flights to Pattimura Airport Ambon with flights available from Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, and other cities throughout Indonesia.
From the airport, rent a car and pass to Port of Tulehu, which will take you about 30 minutes. From there, continue the Ferry ride to Masohi, on Seram Island and the journey will take between 1.5-2 hours, depending on the type of ship you choose. After that, 2 hours by car along the steep and winding forest road until you arrive at the small fishing village of Salesman. Finally the trip will take another boat from the village to Ora Beach Resort which will only take about 10 minutes.