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Voykit pocket guide · Indonesia
Pulau Run
Day trip from Banda Neira is enough: boat over, walk to Lokong Beach, snorkel at Nailaka, return same day. Stay one night only if you want sunset and a slow morning.
Pulau Run is a small nutmeg island in the Banda group, about 30 minutes by boat from Banda Neira. It has no town, no shops and no alcohol; what it has is Lokong Beach, nutmeg groves and the best snorkeling in the group at Nailaka Island, just off the northeast side. Half a day covers it. One night buys you sunset and a quiet morning.
- Country
- Indonesia
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (drier, calmer seas) — check
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (wetter, rougher crossings) — check
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- IDR
- Money
- Rupiah (Rp) in small notes for warungs, parking, offerings and drivers; large cards are common in tourist restaurants but not everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget Rp50,000–80,000 excl. bed (check) · Mid Rp80,000–120,000 excl. bed (check) · High Rp120,000+ excl. bed (check) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telkomsel, XL and Indosat sell tourist SIMs at airports; foreign phones must be IMEI-registered if staying over 90 days — check.
- Emergency
- General 112 · Police 110 · Ambulance 118
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European round pins.
- Tipping
- Warung: Nothing.; Restaurants: Often 10% service + tax on the bill; nothing more needed.; Drivers and guides: Rp50,000–100,000 a day.; Spa: Rp20,000–50,000.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; refill stations common in Bali.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and cafés; squat toilets with a water scoop elsewhere; paper in the bin.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Boat to Nailaka Island | Rp100,000 |
| Guest house (Nailaka) | From Rp200,000 per night |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NDA · Bandaneira Airport (Banda Neira)
- No scheduled service listed; most travellers arrive by boat from Ambon — check
- AMQ · Pattimura Airport, Ambon
- Main gateway to the Banda Islands; flights from Jakarta and Makassar, then ferry or fast boat to Banda Neira — check schedules
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
On foot, or ask a local to take you by motorbike or rent theirs. A boat to Nailaka Island costs Rp100,000.
See and do
Known for
- Historic nutmeg trade
- Lokong Beach
- Nailaka snorkeling
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Banda Neira | Public or charter boat from Banda Neira, about 30 min | About 1 h |
| Pulau Ai | Charter boat from Run, about 20 min | About 40 min |
| Banda Besar | Boat from Banda Neira, about 30 min | About 1.5 h |
| Banda Api | Boat from Banda Neira, about 20 min | About 1 h |
| Pulau Hatta | Charter boat from Banda Neira, about 1 h | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Manhattan Guest House
- Basic rooms, contact for rates
- Run Island Resort
- Resort style, beachfront
- Nailaka Guest House
- From Rp200,000 per night
Language
Indonesian is easy to start: Latin script, no tones, simple grammar. Nearly everyone speaks it alongside a regional language (Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese and hundreds more). English is common in Bali tourism.
- 'Terima kasih' (thank you), 'berapa?' (how much?), 'tidak pedas' (not spicy).
- WhatsApp for every business.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Light handshake then hand to chest; smile; avoid: Firm grips
- Left hand: Give and receive with the right; avoid: Passing anything with the left
- Temples: Sarong and sash; step around offerings; avoid: Standing higher than priests
- Keeping calm: Patience; indirect requests; avoid: Anger in public
- Pointing: Thumb; avoid: Index finger
Scams and watch-outs
- No alcohol is sold on the island; bring what you need from Banda Neira.
- Boat times are informal — agree your return crossing in Banda Neira before you leave, not on Run.
- Medical facilities are minimal; bring a basic first-aid kit and drinking water.
Generally safe for tourists; limited medical facilities, bring a basic first‑aid kit and stay hydrated.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pulau Run yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Historic nutmeg trade
- Lokong Beach
- Nailaka snorkeling
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Pulau Run, revision 5328201 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5328201
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/pulau-run). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.