Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of 775 km² (300 sq mi.), and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. The main city and seaport is Ambon (1990 pop. 275,888), which is also the capital of Maluku province. Ambon has an airport, and is home to the Pattimura University, a state university, and few private universities.
Geography
Ambon Isl
and lies off the south-west coast of the much larger Seram island. It is on the north side of the Banda Sea, part of a chain of volcanic isles that form a circle around the sea. It is 51 km (32 miles) in length, and is of very irregular shape, being almost divided into two. The south-eastern and smaller portion, a peninsula (called Leitimor) is united to the northern (Hitoe) by a narrow neck of land. Ambon city lies on the north-west of Leitimor, facing Hitoe, and has a safe harbor on Amboyna Bay.
The highest mountains, Wawani (1100 m/3609 ft) and Salahutu (1225 m/4020 ft.), have hot springs and solfataras. They are volcanoes, and the mountains of the neighboring Uliasser islands, extinct volcanoes. Granite and serpentine rocks predominate, but the shores of Amboyna Bay are of chalk, and contain stalactite caves.
Wild areas of Ambon Island are covered by tropical rainforest, part of the Seram rain forests ecoregion, together with neighboring Seram. Seram, Ambon, and most of Maluku are part of Wallacea, the group of Indonesian islands that are separated by deep water from both the Asian and Australian continents, and have never been linked to the continents by land.
As a result of this isolation, Ambon has few indigenous mammals; birds are more abundant. The insect diversity of the island, however, is rich, particularly in butterflies. Seashells are obtained in great numbers and variety. Tortoise-shell is also exported.
Climate
The average temperature is 80 F., rarely sinking below 72. Rainfall can be heavy, especially after the eastern monsoons, and the island is vulnerable to violent typhoons. The dry season (October to April) is coincident with the period of the west monsoon.
Economy
Cassava and sago are the chief crops, which also include breadfruit, sugarcane, coffee, cocoa, pepper and cotton. and hunting and fishing supplement the diet. Nutmeg and cloves, were once the dominant export crops, and are now produced in limited quantities. Copra is also exported. Amboina wood, obtained from a local tree (Pterocarpus indicus), is highly valued for ornamental woodwork, is now mostly grown on Seram.
Demographics
The Ambonese are of mixed Malay-Papuan origin. They are mostly Christians or Muslims. The predominant language of the island is Ambonese Malay, also called Ambonese. It developed as the trade language of central Maluku, and is spoken elsewhere in Maluku as a second language. Bilingualism in Indonesian is high around Ambon City. There are strong ethnic tensions on the island between Muslims and Christians
History
In 1513, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to land in Ambon, and it became the new centre for Portuguese activities in Maluku following their expulsion from Ternate. The Portuguese, however, were regularly attacked from native Muslims on the island's northern coast, in particular Hitu, which had trading and religious links with major port cities on Java's north coast. They established a factory in 1521, but did not obtain peaceable possession of it until 1580. Indeed, the Portuguese never managed to control the local trade in spices, and failed in attempts to establish their authority over the Banda Islands, the nearby centre of nutmeg production.
The Portuguese were dispossessed by the Dutch in 1609. Ambon was the headquarters of the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC) from 1610 to 1619 until the founding of Batavia (now Jakarta) by the Dutch.[3] About 1615 the British formed a settlement on the island at Cambello, which they r
etained until 1623, when it was destroyed by the Dutch. Frightful tortures inflicted on its unfortunate inhabitants were connected with its destruction. In 1654, after many fruitless negotiations, Oliver Cromwell compelled the United Provinces to give the sum of 300,000 gulden, as compensation to the descendants of those who suffered in the "Ambon Massacre", together with Manhattan.[4] In 1673 the poet John Dryden produced his tragedy Amboyna; or the Cruelties of the Dutch to the English Merchants. In 1796 the British, under Admiral Rainier, captured Ambon, but restored it to the Dutch at the peace of Amiens, in 1802. It was retaken by the British in 1810, but once more restored to the Dutch in 1814. Ambon 
sed to be the world center of clove production; until the nineteenth century, the Dutch prohibited the rearing of the clove-tree in all the other islands subject to their rule, in order to secure the monopoly to Ambon.
During the Dutch period, Ambon city was the seat of the Dutch resident and military commander of the Moluccas. The town was protected by Fort Victoria, and a 1911 encyclopedia characterized it as "a clean little town with wide streets, well planted". The population was divided into two classes orang burger or citizens, and orang negri or villagers, the former being a class of native origin enjoying certain privileges conferred on their ancestors by the old Dutch East India Company. There were also, besides the Dutch, some Arabs, Chinese and a few Portuguese settlers.
Ambon city was the site of a major Dutch military base, which was captured from Allied forces by the Japanese in the Battle of Ambon (1942), during World War II. The battle was followed by the summary execution of more than 300 Allied POWs, in the Laha massacre.
Indonesia declared its independence in 1945. As a result of ethnic and religious tensions, as well as President Sukarno's making of Indonesia a centralised state, Ambon was the scene of a revolt against the Indonesian government, which resulted in the rebellion of Republic of the South Moluccas in 1950.
Ambon Island Hotels Travel Guides
LIST OF HOTELS IN AMBON
MANISE HOTEL
Jln. W.R. Supratman No.1, Ambon 97124, Indonesia
Average price*: $65
Manise Hotel
The Manise Hotel is located in the very heart of Ambon, the capital and business centre of Maluku Province more famously known as the "Spice Island" of Indonesia. Our recently added extension and facilities to the Manise has established our hotel as the premier hotel in Ambon and underlines the management's commitment to their clients' comfort and well being. The Manise Hotel offers their clientele the maximum in luxury, comfort and service including traditional and famous Ambonesse hospitality.
Amans hotel Ambon
Address : Jl. Pantai Mardika No.53a, Ambon Indonesia
Hotel Location : City Center
Room Rate start from Rp. 500.000 - Rp. 1.200.000/Night including breakfast.
The Amans hotel in Ambon has got all the necessary ingredients that would make your vacation a won
derful and a comfortable one. So come and feel the reasons as to why it is rated among the best of the Hotels in Ambon. Moreover the facilities are such that it is indeed one of the best Hotels in Indonesia.
The Location of Amans hotel in Ambon is such that it lies right in the centre of the city of Ambon. To reach the hotel you just need to drive for about half an hour from the airport. In fact there are other attractions as well. The shopping centers are just about 5 minutes away from the hotel. You can shop as much as you like and you will get whatever you were searching for. Even all the government offices as well all the banks are close by.
The location of Amans hotel in Ambon is such that it is just beside the Ambon Harbor. Here most of the ships dock and it is a lovely sight indeed. There is a fruit market that is hustling and bustling with activity round the clock.
The Room Facilities at Amans hotel in Ambon aims at providing not only the best of the facilities but also the guest's value for money. The hotel has got air conditioning in all the rooms. The direct dial telephone, a safe, televisions, mini bar that is well stocked with the drinks of your choice are important room facilities.
Hotel Amenities and Services at Amans hotel in Ambon
There is a beauty parlor where you can pamper yourself with the numerous beauty treatments. There is a swimming pool as well and here you can have a cooling swim after a good day of traveling. There is a solarium or a tanning salon where you can really have a change over. These facilities are the main reasons as to why the place has been able to create a name for it self.
| Abdulalie Hotel Room Rate: Rp. 250.000-Rp. 400.000
Amboina Hotel Room Rate : Rp. 300.000-700.000
Ambon Manise Hotel Room Rate : Rp. 250.000-Rp. 500.000
Beta Hotel Room Rate : Rp. 200.000-Rp. 400.000
Grand Soya Hotel Room Rate : Rp. 200.000-Rp. 400.000
Julian Hotel Room Rate : Rp. 200.000-Rp. 400.000
Josiba Hotel Room Rate : Rp. 200.000-Rp. 400.000 | Room Rate : Rp. 200.000-Rp. 400.000 |