On a budget
The Pelni ship, if the rotation lines up with your dates. It is by far the cheapest crossing and the schedule is the only reason not to take it.
Every way in
Flights, Pelni ships and ferries
Two steps: get to Ambon, then get across. This page is the second step in detail — what each option is, what it costs, and which one to pick for your week.
- 45–60 min
- Charter flight
- 5–6 h
- Seasonal fast boat
- 8–10 h
- Pelni ferry
In short
The decision is not really cost — it is which of the three is operating in your travel week, because the ferry runs a multi-week rotation, the fast boat is seasonal, and the flight has twelve seats.
- Cheapest is the Pelni ship. Most reliable is not the flight — it is having a fallback.
- The fast boat only runs in the calm months. Confirm before you fly to Ambon.
- Seasickness is a real factor on the ferry. Plan for it rather than hope.
Two steps
How the journey actually breaks down
-
01
Step 1
Get to Ambon (AMQ)
Domestic flights from Jakarta, Makassar or Surabaya, several a day. This is the reliable half of the trip and the one to book first.
-
02
Step 2a
Pelni passenger ship
8–10 h across, calling roughly every one to two weeks. Economy berths start around IDR 150,000. Cheap, slow, and weather-cancellable.
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03
Step 2b
Seasonal fast boat
5–6 h in calm seas, IDR 300,000–500,000. Not year-round, and the schedule shifts — confirm it is running before you commit to Ambon dates.
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04
Step 2c
Charter flight
45–60 min on a small turboprop, IDR 500,000–900,000. A few mornings a week, twelve seats, and the first thing to cancel in wind.
Whichever you take, book the Ambon leg to arrive the day before. The onward connection leaves in the morning.
Choosing
Which one is right for you
Short on days
The charter flight. It turns a full travel day into a morning — as long as you have a fallback for the day it does not fly.
Prone to seasickness
Fly if you can. If not, take medication before boarding rather than after, sit low and central, and stay on deck where you can see the horizon.
Booking
Pelni sells through its offices and agents; the fast boat and the flight go through local agents. All three are easier to arrange from Ambon than from abroad.
What is the cheapest way to Banda?
The Pelni passenger ship, from about IDR 150,000 for an economy berth. The catch is the rotation: it calls roughly every one to two weeks, so it only works if your dates happen to suit it.
How bad is the ferry crossing?
In the calm window, usually fine. In the Jun–Aug monsoon it can be genuinely uncomfortable, and it is also when sailings get cancelled. Take medication before boarding, not once you feel it.
Can I book all of this online in advance?
Partly. The Ambon flight, yes. The crossing is easier through a local agent, because availability changes week to week and online listings lag behind the actual schedule.
What if I miss the connection?
On this route that means waiting for the next one, which can be days. It is the single strongest argument for a buffer night in Ambon in both directions.
Next in this silo
Next in planning
Getting there via Ambon
Flights, the Pelni ferry and the charter hop.
Ambon–Banda combo
Gateway city and islands, handled end to end.
Best time to visit 2026
Season by season, including hammerhead months.
From Jakarta
CGK to Ambon, then the crossing.
Cost breakdown
Line by line, including what is never included.
Plan your trip
Which one runs your week?
Send your dates. We check the current Pelni rotation, whether the fast boat is operating, and what the charter schedule looks like — then tell you which to build around.
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