EATING

Rumah makan (eating houses) offer cheap eats around the markets with several shacks north of the bemo terminal serving local specialities ikan gohu (raw-fish morsels in a tangy peanut-edged marinade) and popeda (Malukan sago) as part of  20,000Rp all-you-can-eat spreads including fish, cassava and a dozen other side dishes.

Numerous warungs (food stalls) appear at night on the Swering promenade (Jl Pahlawan Revolusi). A couple of unmarked eateries in Bastiong Harbour sporadically produce superb roast fish (from 12,000Rp with rice) that's arguably better than anything at the city's far more expensive seafood restaurants.

Rumah Makan Jailolo ( Jl Pahlawan Revolusi 7; meals from 13,000Rp; S 7am-9.30pm) Bright, reliable place for inexpensive point-and-pick meals.

Bakso Lapangan Tembak Senayan : The new-meets-old architecture keeps you cool without air-con and attracts an unpretentious middle-class crowd for snacks, meals and drinks.

Pondok Katu : This long-lasting family favourite serves seafood lunches and good Chinese food in a gently attractive columned dining hall.

Floridas : A 10,000Rp ojek ride southwest of town, Floridas sits high above a steep slope of banana trees that twinkle at night with fireflies. Behind the main dining hall, ledge tables provide splendid bay views across to the superimposed volcanic cones of Tidore and Maitara. Try the delicious ikan woku kenari, fish steak (not boneless!) marinated in a mildly spicy sauce of kenari almonds, sweet chilli and lemongrass, then roasted in a banana leaf.

Platinum : Maluku's hippest Western-style cafe-restaurant has a trendy retro interior from which you can watch chefs at work through a giant glass window. A very wide-ranging multilingual menu includes pastas (49,000Rp), steaks (115.000Rp to 155,000Rp) and numerous Indonesian favourites.

Supermarkets include Gloria :. Golden Bakery (Jl Pattimura; & 9am-10pm) bakes a fine selection of fresh bread and pastries.

DRINKING

In Ternate alcohol isn't sold in restaurants and is fiercely expensive in karaoke bars (beer from 60,000/160,000Rp per bottle/pitcher).

The Soccer Lounge ( Corner Palace Hotel; Jl Stadion; beer 60,000Rp) This bar's once fine decor is looking seriously worn, but its large win-dows overlook the Kie Raha Stadium, so when Ternate's major-league football team Persiter is playing at home, you could watch beer-in-hand from here without risking heatstroke in the overcrowded, unshaded stands.

Cafe Channel (Ternate Mall, Jl Merdeka; cof-fees&juices11,000-14,300Rp; ggam-10.pm; KJ) Good if pre-sweetened coffee is misnamed 'espresso' at this attractive cafe with ball lamps, black and tangerine furniture and an open roadside terrace section.