Fishing Spots ＞ East Indonesia
Tuna/Marlin/Billfish/Wahoo/Spanish mackerel
2 captains listed · sea category. A spot in Morotai (East Indonesia) targeting Tuna/Marlin/Billfish/Wahoo/Spanish mackerel. Check the tide, captains and recent catches, then contact them directly via public social accounts. Access, climate and lodging are in the details below.
The gateway is Pitu Airport (OTI, near Daruba) on Morotai Island. The only direct flights are from Ternate (TTE), the capital of North Maluku Province, on a small Wings Air aircraft, taking about 45 minutes. From wider regions, going via Manado (MDC) is common, with flights connecting Manado–Ternate–Morotai (operating days are limited, so check in advance). From the airport, travel overland to the central town of Daruba or to the port. As flights are infrequent and some are seasonally suspended, book early and allow extra time in your schedule.
| From | Route | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ternate (TTE) | Direct | About 45 min | The only direct flight, on a small Wings Air aircraft. Flights are infrequent (about a few per week) and some are seasonally suspended, so confirm in advance. Distance about 171 km. |
| Manado (MDC) | Via Ternate (TTE) | From Sam Ratulangi Airport (Manado) to Morotai via Ternate. Operating days are limited (sometimes only on specific days of the week), so confirm in advance. |
Coordinates: 2.2, 128.4（Open in Google Maps）
Tuna/Marlin/Billfish/Wahoo/Spanish mackerel
Fishing is basically possible year-round, targeting large migratory fish such as yellowfin tuna, marlin, sailfish, wahoo, mahi-mahi, narrow-barred Spanish mackerel and GT (trevally). Catches are influenced by the moon phase, tides and currents. In terms of sea conditions, the rainy season (especially December–January) is prone to swells and strong winds, while the drier period of March–November has calmer seas and makes it easier to head out.
○ in season: year-round
See what else is in season now →
Sitting at Indonesia's far northeast on the edge of the Spice Islands, Morotai lies close to the open-ocean migration routes, where strong currents and rich nutrients gather big pelagics. Targets include yellowfin, marlin, sailfish, wahoo, and Spanish mackerel. The calm windows of Mar-May and Oct-Nov are the times to go, while the swelly months of Jul-Aug tend to get rough. Still very much untouched water.
Full how-to & tackle on each species page：Tuna Marlin Billfish Wahoo
*Photos are not re-hosted; we link to each social account (R8). Auto-updated with the latest posts.
*Official embeds of each channel's public videos. Click to play on YouTube.
Morotai in North Maluku has a tropical maritime climate near the equator, with little temperature variation throughout the year and hot, humid conditions (humidity generally 78–81%). The rainy season is roughly November–March, and in December–January rain and wind strengthen and swells tend to come in. Meanwhile, March–November tends to be sunny with calmer sea conditions (some reports note April–June as a period of higher rainfall).
| Month | Avg ℃ | High ℃ | Low ℃ | Clothing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. Rainy season, rain gear essential, seas tend to be rough | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. Rainy season, rain gear essential | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. End of the rainy season, rain gear | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. More rainfall, rain gear | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. More rainfall, rain gear | |
| 26 | 28 | 25 | Summer clothes. Many rainy days, light rain gear | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. Relatively many sunny days | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. Leaning into the dry season, mostly sunny | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. Mostly sunny with stable sea conditions | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. Mostly sunny | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. Start of the rainy season, rain gear | |
| 26 | 29 | 25 | Summer clothes. Hottest of the rainy season with rain and strong wind, rain gear essential |
| Class | Property | Price (approx) | Highlights | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-end | Moro Ma Doto Resort | Igo Tent from about Rp3,208,999 / Hilltop Cabin from about Rp4,525,557 / Hill Top Suite (54 m²) from about Rp7,553,680 | Five stars. Distinctive ethnic-meets-modern architecture with international-standard facilities. Morotai's foremost luxury resort | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| High-end | Metita Beach & Dive Resort | From about US$536/night (package guideline of 7 nights + 10 dives from €3,700) | A beach & dive resort in the Juanga area. Pool and restaurant on site. Suited to stays focused on diving | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| High-end | D'Aloha Resort（Daloha Beach & Dive Resort、通称Jababeka Resort） | From about Rp580,413/night | Tanjung Dehegila. About 25 VIP villas/cottages, AC, TV and hot showers, a 300-seat restaurant, and an on-site dive center. 15 min from the airport, 10 min from town | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Standard | Molokai Morotai by Sahid（Hotel Moloka'i） | From about Rp505,443/night | Three stars. Jl. Pelabuhan No.31, Juanga (South Morotai). 30 rooms with AC and LED TV, a restaurant, 24-hour room service, and WiFi. Breakfast buffet charged separately | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Standard | Ria Hotel Morotai | Standard about Rp440,000/night / VIP about Rp550,000/night (breakfast included) | Yayasan village, very close to central Daruba. 12 rooms total (9 standard, 3 VIP), single/twin, with in-room bath including TV, AC and hot shower | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Budget | Pacific Inn | From about Rp275,000/night | A popular affordable lodging. AC, TV, free breakfast/coffee, and clean beds. About 10 min by bentor (motorbike taxi) from Daruba port | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Name | Cuisine | Budget | Highlights | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taman Kota Daruba（ダルバ市公園の屋台群） | Seafood & local stalls | — | Stalls that appear around 'MOROTAI D'ALOHA' from afternoon into the evening. Grilled fish with a sea view, banana fritters (served with sambal), and air gorakka (ginger drink). Enjoyed with dabu-dabu | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| uENAK Food & Drinks | Seafood & tuna dishes | — | A seafood eatery in Daruba. A varied menu including lobster, crab and shrimp | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
| Morotai Central Kuliner | Local dining (fish, chicken, seafood) | — | Daruba. A local eatery rated 4.3/5 on Restaurant Guru | Google reviewsTripAdvisor |
Nearby spots easy to combine into one trip (straight-line distance). See the map above for locations.