Saparua Island & Fort Duurstede
Pulau Saparua / Benteng Duurstede
The main island of the Lease Islands east of Ambon, famous for Fort Duurstede from the Dutch East India Company era and the anti-Dutch uprising led by Pattimura.
Saparua is the largest of the Lease Islands, lying east of Ambon Island. From Tulehu port at the eastern tip of Ambon, a fast boat takes about an hour. The island's centerpiece, Fort Duurstede, stands on high ground by the sea in Saparua town. Construction began in 1676. In 1691, Ambon governor Nicolaas Saeijs strengthened and expanded it, making it a Dutch East India Company base for controlling the clove trade. In May 1817, Thomas Matulessy, known as Kapitan Pattimura, led local people in capturing the fort. This was a major event in Indonesia's history of resistance to the Dutch, and Pattimura was later recognized as a national hero of Indonesia. The surviving fort retains its walls, bastions and gun emplacements, and from the ramparts you can look out over the bay. A small museum near the fort uses dioramas to explain the uprising. The island also has clove and nutmeg spice villages, an old church and beaches, and you can rent a motorbike or hire a car to tour the island. It is best to set out from Ambon early in the morning and spend a full day on the island, or stay overnight. Accommodation and dining on the island are quite basic.
Opening hours
Open during the day (museum hours vary; confirm on site)
Nearby sights
- Pombo Island
- Liang Beach
- Natsepa Beach
- Merah Putih Bridge
- Ambon War Cemetery
- Martha Christina Tiahahu Monument
- Fort Victoria
- World Peace Gong