A Sailors Practical Guide to Ambon

November 28, 2021

Anchoring

There are multiple options for anchorages in Ambon. Some will put you right in town and others are in “quieter” parts, and require to get in a Bemo to get to the city.

But doing the NW Monsoon I would not recommend anchoring in the outer bay as the bay is exposed to wind and swell making it a blowy and rolly anchorage. The holding there is also known to be poor and we haved talk to various boats who dragged.
So in the NW Monsoon good anchorage can be found in the Inner Bay passing under the Bridge, (with 34m clearance). Here no swell will get to you and the holding is great.

The approach to Ambon is strait forward zigzagging between numerous FAD’s.
We entered in a squall and slowed down as the visibility in the rain was poor. But the Rain persisted for many hours.
The water in Ambon, especially in the inner Lagoon is shockingly filthy so keep an eye on your water intake as you might easily suck up a piece of trash.

Anchorage at Halong Bay, Ambon Satellite Image

3°38.869’S 128°11.822’E Teluk Ambon (in the inner Lagoon)

Anchor in 15m mud with good holding.

(At first we tried the anchorage right at the end, as it was suggested by other sailors, but when we found ourselves sitting in a slipstream of diesel from a fleet of scrapped cargoes and fishing boats, we then moved to this location, which is much better.)

Dinghy can be taken to stairs in the break of the wall ashore next to the derelict boats.

Getting Around

The easiest way to get around in Ambon is with Ankot (other places known as Bemo). To get to the city center across the bridge it is about 5,000 IDR with the Ankot. Just wave it down, and ask if he is going to your destination. Shout out when you want to get off.
The terminal in the City is at the big Pasar (Market) and from here you can get a change Ankot if you want to continue to Immigration, Amahusu or City Center. Just ask a driver and he will point you to the right Ankot.
You can also hop on the back of a motorbike. But this is a little more expensive and you might not get offered a helmet.

Food

Teluk Ambon is full of restaurants and street-food venders and it is especially busy at night. The prices of food vary greatly (about 15-40,000 IDR depending on the “flashness” of the restaurant.
There is a huge Vegetable and Fruit market in the City. Jump on an Ankot and ask for Pasar or Terminal.
We did not however locate a good market close to the Anchorage, apart from a big fruit stall by the road close to where we landed our dinghy.
There is a huge supermarket right at the roundabout at Jl. Ir. M Putuhena/Jl. Dr. J. Leiman, where you can buy most stuff. But it is no doubt more expensive getting your supplies from here, and most the vegetables are wrapped in plastic.

Water

Drinking Water: Like in most Indonesian towns and cities drinking water is made using infrared water makers. You can buy this water from little shops around town. There is one within a short walking distance on the bay-side of Jl. Ir. M. Putuhena. It is about 6,000 IDR per 20L jerry-can. Leave your cans with him while you go get a meal, and pick them up on your way back, you will most likely get a helping hand from a young buy to carry them back to your dinghy. We did try to offer him a little tip, but he would not except.

Shower/Laundry Water: There are taps around the place. Ask around for ‘Air mandi’ (shower water) and someone might offer you to fill from their tap.

Diesel – Dexlite

Before I tell you what we do, I am going to tell you what everything else do.
If you have a tender powerful enough and prefer doing fuel runs in it, you can take your tender to a small Pertamina station inside the big wharf in Ambon south of the bridge. It is much easier with calm water and high tide. (There is no Petrol/Bensin available at this pump) https://www.google.co.id/maps/place/SPBUN+Tantui/@-3.678292,128.1876948,17.3z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x2d6ce8f3208a0567:0x96bca2f271eda7aa!2sKota+Ambon,+Maluku!3b1!8m2!3d-3.6386665!4d128.1688559!3m4!1s0x2d6ce93d59b17c3b:0xbee060f9d4667c0b!8m2!3d-3.6779153!4d128.1888102

or if anchored at Pattaimura University in Teluk Ambon and don’t have a tender suitable for going that far, you can do like us and get diesel by bringing your jerry-cans directly to the Pertamina Fuel station a short Bemo ride away. The link below puts a Pertamina Industrial Plant, the actual pump station is a little bit further along the road on the left hand side, but does not come up on Google Maps. https://www.google.co.id/maps/place/Pertamina.+PT/@-3.6778513,128.1916039,13.26z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1spertamina+ambon!3m5!1s0x2d6ce8d17cffd151:0x74c6e045e92884cf!8m2!3d-3.6616931!4d128.1723052!15sCg9wZXJ0YW1pbmEgYW1ib26SAR1pbmR1c3RyaWFsX2VxdWlwbWVudF9zdXBwbGllcg
Go to roundabout of Jl. Ir. M Putuhena/Jl. Dr. J. Leimana and catch a Bemo to Pertamina, Wayame. (3-5,000IDR), explain to the driver where you wanna go, and that you are getting diesel and he will drop you off right in front of the fuel station.
Ask for Dexlite, you will not be able to get Solar as it is subsidized for Indonesians only and they wont put it in jerry-cans. They will fill your Jerry-cans for you.
In November 2021 Dexlite was 9,700 IDR per liter, but the prizes due fluctuate slightly depending on availability.
Flag down a Bemo and ask him how much to bring you and your jerry-cans back to the ‘bundaran dekat Universitas Pattimura‘ (roundabout close to Pattimura University), if you like the prize; off you go. (Tash, a young student on the Bemo insisted on paying for our fare and the very helpful driver ended up driving us all the way to the door.

LPG Refill

Gas refilling hose for Indonesian to Australian bottle

We spent days walking all over Ambon looking for somewhere to get our bottles refilled or somewhere to buy the right Gas fittings to do it our selves. We concluded that it is not possible to buy it here. Instead we ordered a hose with fittings from Sorong which arrived within 2 days. For more Information and Contact to Sorong see https://blackduckatsea.com/fuelwater/

Immigration – Visa extension

The Kantor Imigrasi of Ambon is located here: https://www.google.co.id/maps/place/Kantor+Imigrasi+Kelas+I+TPI+Ambon/@-3.7078688,128.1681608,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x2d6ce83ddf76f735:0xd6c8e9e1e76e47f6!8m2!3d-3.7078742!4d128.1703495

The Ambon Imigrasi have a very good reputation for being legitimate, efficient and helpful.
We found this to be true. The Officials were young, spoke good english and were extremely polite.

Dress in formal clothes – Covered shoulders, long pants and shoes.

We went to the office on a Friday at 10.00 (would recommend a different day as they have Muslim prayer time from 12-1400)
Our extensions were ready the following Tuesday. (3 working days excluding Sunday when Immigration is closed)

Documents we were asked for (I recommend you bring the whole folder)

Passports (which they kept for the process)
Sponsor letter
Visa
Crew List with stamp

After filling out the initial form we were asked to wait while the paperwork were being processed.
Before lunch we were sent to the BCA Bank to transfer the fee of 500,000 IDR per person (This you can also do online using the WISE transfer service)
After prayer time, we returned for Photographing and Fingerprint, which needs during at the first visa extension. This took about an hour. After that we were finished.

what do the officials do while you wait? (this procedure was taken from the wall in the filing room and office at the kantor imigrasi in ambon. this excludes photo and fingerprint)

Talk to Applicant
Fill in form
Verifying Documents by Officers
Data Entry – Accepting Receipt Printed – Checking Alert List
Sponsor Check
Approval from Head of Immigration Office
Returning of Immigration Document
Insurance of Register Number – Stay Permit Data Reduction
Immigration Officer’s Stamping – Approval and Signing
Scan Final Document
Finished Document
Giving Document to Applicant and Filing

For more detail about Visa extensions and Sponsor Letter please see https://blackduckatsea.com/formalities/

Parts stores

Mega Motor is hardware store right next to Immigration. The owners daughter Wenny studied in America and has excellent English. For odd parts its worth giving this place a go. If you need a part. +62 911 351 198
Wenny’s brother, Henry is a mechanic and has workshop across the road from Mega Motor. He also speaks English pretty fluently. He can come to your boat if you need work done on the engine.
https://www.google.co.id/maps/place/Toko+Mega+Motor/@-3.7069887,128.1654256,16.3z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x2d6ce83dfecab72d:0xa85a2d49056efa26!8m2!3d-3.7081632!4d128.1691741

Angin Timur is one of the more well stocked hardware stores. It is on the main road in the city, the Ankot will drive straight past. https://www.google.co.id/maps/place/Angin+Timur+Store/@-3.6904691,128.1862161,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x2d6ce8549e8ce8f1:0x2563b2060eb7a77!8m2!3d-3.6904745!4d128.1884048

Bintang Timur is similar to Angin Timur and close by. It is a little smaller but has some good products, including graded shackles. The owner is very helpful. https://www.google.co.id/maps/search/bintanbg+timur+ambon/@-3.6990356,128.1460098,13z/data=!3m1!4b1