Maluku is a province of Indonesia, comprising, broadly, the southern part of the Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas, Molucca Islands or Moluccan Islands). Maluku traditionally belongs to Melanesia.

The main city and capital of Maluku province is Ambon on the small Ambon Island. The province has a population of 1,313,022 (2004).

All the Maluku Islands formed a single province of Indonesia from 1950 until 1999. In 1999 the Maluku Utara Regency and Halmahera Tengah Regency were split off as a separate province of North Maluku.

Source and detail: http://www.wikipedia.org

Ambon is the administrative and business center of Maluku. The harbor is visited by small trading boats all over the islands. There are many good beaches around Arnbon, with beautiful coral reef just offshore; perfect for snorkeling.

For an introduction to the culture of Maluku, visit Siwalima Museum, then

Karang Panjang, a tourist village for the empiric experience. Outside Ambon there's no shortage of things to see. Waai has a sacred clear-water spring and a pool filled with huge eels and carp, fed regularly by shrine priests. In the hills above town, visit Soya Atas Village and see interesting megalithic monuments. An hour drive away is Hila which has an 18th century church and a 16^th century mosque. This area also has many fort ruins along the coast, the most imposing is Fort Amsterdam.

From 1995 to 1998, there was an annual sailing adventure race event in order to celebrate the Indonesian Independence Anniversary. The race is mostly adventurous, non-competitive, has been participated by 5 to 10 yachts started from Gove finished in Saumlaki. But in very July and October A held the Darwin-Saumlaki Yacht Race.

Saumlaki, the philosophy of an outrigger canoe could be reached by PELNI's (The National Passenger Lines) regular liner once in two weeks from Ambon. The Timbararese community regard the Perahu Semang (outrigger canoes), the symbol of the sea, as a human being. The household family and the villagers are then symbolized as the crew and the passengers of a boat. In traditional houses, the sides facing the sea usually have a beautiful ornamented prow. The keel, sails and the ties of the boat are like the body and soul. If a system functioning as dry oven, the food is covered with banana leaves, cooked with heated stones in a hoe

heaped up with soil in the ground. These "body in soul" are united, the boat can sail. Efforts to preserve the symbolized boat ever sailing, bears the meanings of continuity of the society's life. Music instruments called “Juk".

Source: Cruise and marine tourism destination guide by Ministry of Culture and Tourism Republic of Indonesia