Kimaboe Hill

Kimaboe Hill is on Labengki Besar, and almost everything written about it treats it as an accessory to the bay below. Climb the hill, photograph the heart, come down.

That is a reasonable summary of what most people do. It also misses the more interesting fact about the place, which is that the hill sits between two adjacent bays and looks two ways.

The two views

Stand at the top and turn around.

One side is Teluk Cinta, the bay that reads as a heart from directly above. This is the famous view and it's the reason the steps exist. It's also, honestly, the view that disappoints people slightly, because the shape only resolves properly from a drone. We deal with that in full on Teluk Cinta, the heart-shaped bay rather than repeating it here.

The other side looks out over a scatter of small karst islands in shallow water. Local accounts sometimes call this the Raja Ampat view, for the obvious reason that it resembles the karst clusters that destination is known for.

This second view is the one worth the climb, and it's the one people forget to turn around for. It needs no drone, no particular tide and no explanation. It just works from where you are standing.

The climb

Short. Reports put it at around five minutes on constructed stone and concrete steps, and it is considerably easier than the climb at Puncak Kayangan over on the Sombori side.

Some practical notes anyway:

• It is still limestone. Sharp where exposed, slick where worn. Sandals with grip.
• There's no shade at the top.
• It is short enough that people who skip the harder climbs on this trip can usually manage this one.

When to go up

Midday gives the strongest colour in the shallow water on the island side. Late afternoon is more comfortable and gives better light on the rock, but the water reads darker.

The crew orders the day around tide and sea conditions rather than around light, so treat this as a preference to mention rather than a plan to make. On a shorter trip you get whichever hour the day delivers you there.

If you're flying a drone

The hill is a good launch point. It gives you height before you start, which saves battery and beats launching from the boat, and because it sits between two bays you can turn the aircraft rather than relocating it.

Wind funnels between karst formations in ways that are hard to read from the ground. Be conservative about distance and watch your return battery.

We do not require any permit from you to fly at our sites. Indonesian national regulations still apply, they change, and checking them against your own aircraft before you travel is your responsibility.

What is around it

Kimaboe is usually run together with the Blue Lagoon (Laguna Mahumalalang) nearby, a short boat hop away. The pair make a natural half-day on the Labengki side.

There is accommodation near the foot of the hill, run by a third party and not connected to us. We do not use it and we are not going to review it.

Practical summary

• Getting there: by boat on the Labengki Besar side, then a short climb
• Climb: around five minutes on stone and concrete steps
• Difficulty: the easiest of the viewpoints on this route
• Shade: none at the top
• Tide dependent: no
• Best for: the island-cluster view, and as a drone launch point
• Pairs with: Blue Lagoon, on the same run

Common questions

Is Kimaboe Hill the same thing as Teluk Cinta? No, though they're almost always mentioned together. Kimaboe is the hill. Teluk Cinta is one of the two bays it overlooks. You climb the first to see the second.

Do I need a drone to make the climb worthwhile? Not for the island-cluster side, which works perfectly well from the ground. You do need one for the heart shape.

How hard is the climb compared with Puncak Kayangan? Considerably easier. Kayangan is steeper, longer and rougher underfoot.

Is it on the short trip? It is a standard part of the Labengki side, including on our shortest Labengki itinerary.

Can I stay at the top for sunset? Depends entirely on where the boat needs to be. Ask the crew at the start of the day rather than at the top of the hill.