In 2016 when a flight connection was opened between Manado and Morotai, we decided to visit the island where Belgis was born, Rao Island. We left Manado early morning with Lion air, a two hours flight to the main town of Morotai, Daruba. Then we took a car from the airport to Wayabula for about an hour passing villages and rivers.

Morotai islands - plane window view

Morotai islands view from our plane window

From there we continued with a small taxi boat for about 20 minutes and we arrived safe and sound in the afternoon at Posi-Posi Rao, the village where Belgis’s papa was head of the village for 8 years before their family moved to Bitung in North Sulawesi. We were happy to meet everybody in the village, the cousins, neighbors and old friends. In the evening Belgis’s parents house was full of kids who came to say hello and play with Liam (3 years) and Tara (6 months).

We spent most of the days going to the beach. In the afternoon while the young boys and girls would play volleyball and football in the school yard, the kids ran bare foot to the jetty, Liam called it “Berenang di Pelabuhan” (swimming near the jetty). It was a lot of fun for all the kids. These activities are still the same like before.

Jetty in Posi-Posi Rao, Morotai

The jetty at Posi-Posi Rao

We also had the occasion to attend our cousin’s wedding party where the villagers were happily participating in the party’s preparation, building the party hall, cooking rice, vegetables, meat and not forgetting the cakes! Even if everyone was busy preparing the party, they were all dancing until sunrise.

Posi-Posi Rao villagers happily preparing the party

Villagers preparing the meat (usually pork) for the wedding party

One morning when the weather was nice and the sea is calm, we took a small traditional Katinting boat, off we go for the tour around Rao Island. The noise of the 5 hp machine doesn’t really bother us as we enjoyed the ride and the view. We started by crossing the small strait between Rao and the village island Saminyamau, then on the right we could see the village of Leo-Leo Rao facing an open sea on our left. There were also beautiful long white beaches without a single human.

Rao island tour by boat

Liam on the Katinting boat tour of Rao island

When we reached Tanjung Garang at the north tip of Rao island, the view is pretty impressive with separated small rock island facing directly the open Pacific ocean.. Sven said I must return to dive here!

Tanjung Garang - Rao Island, Morotai

Tanjung Garang at the north tip of Rao Island

As we make the turn we have Morotai island on our left and the village of Loumadoro on our right. The weather was still nice and the sea is still calm but we were hungry so we stopped by in a beautiful long white beach next to the village of Aru.. We were the only tourists.

Beach near Aru, Rao Island, Morotai, Indonesia

Lunch break at the beach near Aru, Rao island

We then continued our boat ride passing another impressive pinnacle called Pulo Burung aka Batu Layar.. aahh yess another future dive spot!

Aru burung, Rao Island, Morotai

Aru Burung, Rao Island, Morotai

Not far from there we noticed a small bay and Sven asked to stop by. Half of the beach is black and the other is white. The beach is particularly clean and has no trace of garbage it’s cool with trees along the seaside and there is a small river flowing from the forest.

Pasir Hitam

Sven and Liam happy in Pasir Hitam

Un coup de foudre! We fall in love with this place and the next morning we came back there again. We are happy Pasir Hitam is now our home in Indonesia.