Wai Village- Ambon- Indonesia

Wai Village is located at East side of Ambon. This village is known for it's harmless eels, swimming in a small, fresh and clear water river.

Before the river turned into a tourist attraction, it is used for bathing, washing clothes and drinking. Even now villagers still use this river for living.

The villagers use the river for their daily activities

Not only visitors can take pictures from above the water, but they can jump in the water and meet the eels face to face. There is a man who will look out for the eels and will bait them to come out of their hiding hole. The man baits the eels with egg that has a small hole,enough for the smell to come out, without the yolk following.

The man baiting the eel with an egg.

I was brave enough and able to hold some of these eels. They felt slimy and slippery! However, the eels are scared of me; or they just doesn't like me holding them. Anyway, my sister took some good photos of the eels (as they are shown) and me holding them too. She made some videos to add in her collection of photos and videos.

These eels has been "trained" to not bite the visitors. Although, the eels lower down the river (they are braver to come close with humans) are a bit more fierce than the ones up the river. I Found this out by learning it the hard way. My sister told me to touch the eels for her photo. I couldn't see the eels because we were standing in the river where water was going down a slope. I went for it then one of the eels bit me! It didn't hurt as much because they are teeth less, but their jaws are strong. My dad told me that the eel went for me because it thought that my finger was a little fish! After all, they eat fish too. Eels don't have good eye sight so the eel (who bite me) probably thought my finger was a fish!

I enjoyed swimming with the eels and holding them. I would want to gone back to Wai Village or maybe even Larike Village (another village that has friendly fresh water eels that visitors can touch) for a longer period of time. If I come back again, I would definitely bring goggles. So I could see the eels and not get bitten- again!