Morotai, a Tropical Paradise in North Maluku

teradesa.com Does anyone already know Morotai Island? The island, which is hidden at the tip of North Maluku, turns out to be rich in extraordinary scenery, you know! In addition, Morotai Island also has an interesting history in the past. Not only does it have beautiful scenery and unique history, the island which is made as one of the Priority Tourism Destinations also has culinary specialties that can make you drool! Want to know more about this island? Just check out the full review below!

History
The island located in the north of Halmahera Island has an interesting past, you know! Local people who still remember World War II often tell stories about Morotai Island at that time, where the island was once a hotbed of various kinds of military activities, from surprise attacks, the pounding of thousands of troops, to naval ships that were once anchored there.

A dock on Morotai Island

Well, one history that is inherent among the local people of Morotai is the events of September 15, 1944, precisely when Allied forces from the United States and Australia led by General Douglas MacArthur, landed on the southwestern tip of Morotai Island to take over the island from the control of Japanese troops. After winning the battle, General MacArthur decided to build a military base on Morotai Island with more than 50,000 army personnel. General MacArthur is believed to have managed to build several airfields, a hospital, as well as a naval base on Morotai Island in a fairly short time, you know!

Today, Morotai Island has 53,000 residents and is once again a tranquil tropical paradise. Currently, the Indonesian government plans to develop Morotai Island into a center for fisheries, tourism, and services.

Destination
Located north of the largest island, Halmahera, in North Maluku province, Morotai Island has a wide variety of beautiful beaches and interesting dive spots. The largest city here is Daruba in the north. From Daruba, you can explore some truly charming beaches around Morotai, such as Dodola Island in the southwest, Gorango Beach in the northeast, Kokoya Island in the northwest, Tabailenge Island in the east, and Rorasa Beach which is also in the eastern part of Morotai Island.

View of Gorango Beach in Morotai

In addition to these beautiful places, there are also various relics from World War II, such as the statue of General Douglas MacArthur that stands firmly on Sum Sum Island not far from Daruba, reminding future generations about this famous general.

Near Kao Bay in nearby Halmahera, there is also a Japanese warship wreck named Tosimaru that can be seen from a distance. A house of World War II memorabilia collected by the local community is also here, at the Morotai Museum.

Culinary
Exploring a tropical paradise is not enough if it is not accompanied by typical meals around Morotai. Some Morotai culinary specialties that are worth trying include jaha rice, a dish made from a mixture of rice, coconut milk, and spices that are grilled and wrapped in leaves. Also try the fresh catch of the surrounding sea accompanied by the delicious papeda. For spicy food lovers, don’t worry! There’s a spicy dish called gohu ikan, made from fish seasoned with salt, sautéed onions and chili peppers.

a plate of gohu ikan

Some snacks are also available here to accompany your travel time, including bagea cake, diamond cake, halua kacang cake, walnut toast, and Morotai’s signature fried banana.

How to Get to Morotai Island
There are two ways that you can take to reach this special island, namely by sea or air:

Sea Route: The sea route is one of the safest and sure-fire methods for you to reach Morotai Island. The way is to board a cruise ship or sailing ship from the port in Ternate or Manado.

Airways: If you want to go by air, the nearest airstrip is on Ternate Island. When you get there, you have to walk to Tobelo in North Halmahera first, before boarding a ferry to Daruba city on Morotai Island. The sea journey takes approximately 2 hours.

 

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