Masohi

South Seram port town and practical base for Manusela, Ora Beach, and mountain forest.

Masohi is a practical, rough-edged town on Elpaputih Bay, on the south coast of Seram. It is not the prettiest place in Maluku, but it is the island's main service centre and the usual jumping-off point for some of Seram's best wild country: Manusela National Park, Mount Binaiya, freshwater springs, caves, mangroves, and the beaches on the north coast.

The town itself was founded in 1957 and its name is tied to the Indonesian idea of gotong royong, mutual cooperation. That planned-town origin gives Masohi a different feel from the older spice-island ports elsewhere in Maluku. It is more useful than romantic, but useful matters on Seram.

Give Masohi a day if you are already on Seram and want to reach beyond the ferry pier. Mount Binaiya is a serious expedition rather than a casual stroll, while Ora Beach and the springs and caves around Tehoru show why Seram is worth the extra trouble after Ambon.

Guide

Getting There

Most travellers reach Masohi from Ambon. Fast boats run from Tulehu, on Ambon Island, to Amahai, the port just south of Masohi. From Amahai it is a short road transfer into town.

You can also travel overland from Ambon by taking the ferry from Liang to Kairatu on Seram, then continuing east on the Trans-Seram road. This is slower but gives a better sense of the island.

Guide

Things to Do

Masohi's best sights are spread around central and eastern Seram, so distances matter. Use the town as a base for a planned outing rather than expecting a compact city sightseeing day.