Ngurtafur  is an idyllic spit of sand stretching 1.2 kilometers into the sea from Woha island (Pulau Woha). The shape of the island changes significantly with the wind and seasons and you can see by the photo below why it is sometimes also called ‘Snake island’:

The first time I went here, I had no idea there was any place called Ngurtafur. I was staying with a family in Wab and they asked me if I wanted to go on a picnic boat trip with them. That seemed like a good idea so off I went.

It can also be seen from the plane if the weather is clear (Ask for the ‘A’ seats on departure from Kei):

 

 

The boat to Tanimbar Kei from Debut passes by here so with a chartered boat it may be possible to see both on the same trip.

I’ve seen pelicans both times I went and they seem hang out in the sand close to the main island:

 

Practicalities:

From Ohoidertawun or Ohoilir/Pasir Panjing the normal route is to take road transport to Debut and then charter a boat from there.  The boat from Debut costs about 700,000 IDR as of August 2017 and takes about 40 minutes.  There is also an entrance fee for Ngurtafur which is paid to a nearby village head.