Despite its off-the-beaten-track reputation, Saparua is a surprisingly accessible slice of Maluku.

A half-hour boat ride from Tulehu port in Ambon is all it takes for visitors to encounter yet another facet of Indonesian island life; the usual tropes of a friendly welcome, fresh seafood and colourful characters are all in place but what sets this particular Pulau apart is its jaw-dropping natural phenomena.

---

Read more: Dili: The Gateway to Timor-Leste.

---

The diving and snorkelling around Saparua is top-notch – think warm water, clear vision and myriad underwater beasties – while the surrounding islands and inlets are ripe for exploration. Factor in the roads, villages and hills all having their own tales to tell about Saparua’s storied past and here is a destination ready to reveal itself with every passing moment.

But the most stirring sight of all is without doubt the sunset. As the sky seems to turn in on itself and unleash an elegaic haze visitors will find the effect is a pleasingly dreamlike one. A golden glow drapes itself over the region and for a gloriously calm period spectators will find themselves reduced to a delightful shimmer, forever frozen in time.