Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine April 2018 | Page 114

Travel | Kei Kecil
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“Pak Kil, you are very
fortunate,” I told the owner
and captain of the fishing boat
we were riding in. His skin
glistened in the sun; his
brow wrinkled like
someone confused.
At the far end of the boat, Pak Kil’s son,
Putok, was sitting peacefully. Occasionally
he stood up and looked out to sea. This agile
11-year-old boy was helping his father, lifting
and lowering the anchor, and pushing the
body of the vessel to turn it around when
leaving the shore.
“You are fortunate that every day you
can see the beautiful blue of the ocean
and the sunset, and that he can breathe
clean air,” I said, while admiring the beauty
of the coral reefs easily visible in the clear
water below. Hearing my words,
the 32-year-old man laughed.
“Yes, that is what we islanders have,”
he replied in a thick accent. “How is it in
the city?” This time it was me who laughed,
picturing rush-hour traffic jams and
the hustle and bustle of life in a big city.
1 When the sea recedes, the white sandy
beaches, surrounded by clear water,
become the main attraction of Ngurtafur
beach, Warbal Island, Southeast Maluku.
The Southeast Maluku District is home to
119 islands, many of which are uninhabited.
Before becoming an autonomous region,
the city of Tual was the district’s capital city,
but in 2011 the official centre of local
government was moved to Langgur.
The best-known islands in Southeast
Maluku are the Kei Islands, comprising Kei
Kecil (Little Kei) or ‘Nuhu Roa’ in the local
language and Kei Besar (Big Kei) or ‘Nuhu
Yuut’. In geographic terms, these two areas
are flanked by the Banda Sea to the west, the
Aru Archipelago to the east, the Arafura Sea
to the south, and Papua to the north. Kei Kecil
is situated in the lowlands, while Kei Besar
has many forests and mountainous areas.
The city of Langgur is located on Kei Kecil.
Because of its position, Kei Kecil has fantastic
natural beauty and is well known for its
beautiful beaches. The sea, which exudes
gradations of turquoise blue, aquamarine
and dark blue, sweeps along a shoreline
of extremely soft white sand and a row
of towering green coconut trees.
Despite this, the name Kei Kecil still isn’t
very well known among domestic and
international tourists. Over several days
visiting various places on the island, I saw
fewer than 10 foreigners. In fact, during
breakfast at our hotel, we were often either
the only diners or among only one or
two other guests in the restaurant.