Halmahera, formerly known as Jilolo, Gilolo, or Jailolo, is the largest island in the Maluku Islands. It is part of the North Maluku province of Indonesia and Sofifi, the capital of the province, is located on the west coast of the island. Halmahera has a land area of 17,780 km2 (6,860 sq mi) and a population in 1995 of 162,728, it has increased to 449,938 for the island itself (excluding the tip which is considered part of the Joronga Islands, but including Gebe and Ju islands) and 667,161 for the island group (including all of South Halmahera and Tidore, but not Ternate). Approximately half of the island’s inhabitants are Muslim and half are Christian.
Main Attractions : Sofifi : This once obscure village on the west coast of Halmahera has been chosen, rather controversially, to replace Ternate as the future capital of North Maluku. / Jailolo : the traditional rumah adat (village halls) in the ethnic Sahu villages north of the town. / Kao : A major Japanese base during the 2nd World War, the district of Kao offers some war relics around its capital town of the same name, plus good beaches and snorkelling at Pulau Bobale just off the village of Daru. / Tobelo : the district offers fine beaches, off-shore islands, and even an active volcano. / : Galela Galela district consists of a dozen villages fringing 3 beautiful volcanic lakes inland from its capital Soasio
Access : Coordinates:0.6, 127.866667 / By plain : take Lion AIr flights from Manado direct to Kao (Tobelo’s airport). The flight lasts less than an hour and fly three days per week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Manado has flights daily direct from Singapore, arriving in the afternoon, allowing for an overnight stay in Manado. Tobelo is also accessible by ferry from Bitung (Manado), North Sulawesi. It is accessible by a road from Sofifi (four hours by car), the Halmahera port with hourly speedboat connections to Ternate (1 hour journey time). There is also a small airport Galela with flights from Manado by small plane run by Merpati Nusantara and Trigana airlines. They fly on one or two days a week and schedules vary.
