This less populated island of Indonesia is found in the heart of the Kai Islands archipelago. The center of this long, thin island is made up of mountain ranges stretching to 3,000 feet high covered by dense forest.
What few inhabitants of Pulau Kai Besar there are, are all situated around the coastline as living inland is not possible due to the rugged terrain. Locals are skilled in boat making and the island has never in history been connected by land with any part of Indonesia or nearby Papua.
Having never been connected to mainland, this narrow island is special in that it is home to five species of birds, two lizards and one snake that are indigenous to the island. Coastlines are mainly steep cliff edges but there are some beaches to be found on the east coast.
To the west of Pulau Kai Besar is the smaller island of Kai Kecil, which is slightly more inhabited and flatter than its big sister and is more geared to tourist activity. It has an airport and more infrastructure and can be used as a base for exploring the Kai Island group.
Getting There & Away
The best way to travel is by plane to the neighboring island, Kai Kecil. Daily flights are available to Ambon Island from Jakarta International Airport, taking around 3 hours. From here a flight to Kai Kecil takes 1 hour, 30 minutes, then it is just a short boat ride over to Pulau Kai Besar. There are also deep moorings for yachts in Tual Bay on Kai Kecil.