Just 6 km from town the 550 m Sirimau hill is tipped with a 1-ha patch of rain forest surrounding a sacred urn and stone stools, where once the Raja of Soya held meetings. The area is a tourist park, and the forest is a 15-min walk from the entrance gate at the end of the Soya road. two trails wind through the forest.
Key Species
Slender-billed Cuckoo-dove
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Getting there
take an orange bemo signed "Soya" from Mardeka bus station to the end of the line (IDR 2,000).
Passo BayAn easily accessible area of mangroves and mud-flats at the eastern end of Ambon Bay. At low tide good for egrets, cormorants, terns and migrant waders.
Getting there
From Mardeka bus station, take the red minibus to Hunut. Ask to get off 200 m after Taman Passo.
Hila
The forested hills behind Hila,, on the north coast of Ambon, are full of parrots. This is the best birding site on Ambon and exploring it is a morning or full-day excursion.
Key Species
Gurney's Eagle, Lazuli Kingfisher, Claret-breasted Fruit-dove, Long-tailed Mountain-pigeon, Salmon-crested Cockatoo, Red Lory, Eclectus and Great-billed Parrots, Ambon Yellow White-eye.
Getting there
Hila is 42 km from Ambon City, where there are regular buses from Batu Merah bus station. The journey takes 70 min, cost IDR 8,000.
General Information
The trail starts just before a bridge, 50 m to the east of Manusela Beach Hotel. Almost immediately the trail forks. Take the right-hand track and climb steeply for about 1 hr through clove plantation to a viewpoint overlooking a valley; continue on upwards for another hour to a field. Skirt round the bottom of this and continue on until a second field, which offers a spectacular view of the valley and is an excellent raptor and parrot-watching spot.
source Birding Indonesia. Periplus Publishing. Singapore