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Kepulauan MalukuEastern Indonesia
The original Spice Islands, where nutmeg and cloves once shaped world history. Here is what to expect on a journey to Ambon and the remote Banda Islands.
Maluku is a scatter of islands in eastern Indonesia, between Sulawesi and New Guinea. For centuries it was the only source of nutmeg, mace and cloves, spices so valuable that European powers fought over them. The tiny Banda Islands were the heart of the nutmeg trade, and the Dutch East India Company took control of them in the 17th century. Under the Treaty of Breda in 1667, the Dutch kept the tiny Banda island of Run while the English kept Manhattan, a famous footnote in world history.
Today the Bandas are a quiet, beautiful backwater: crumbling Dutch forts and old colonial houses, nutmeg trees growing under tall shade trees, the volcano of Gunung Api rising from the bay, and clear water with superb coral. Getting there is the challenge, and the reward is having it almost to yourself.
Every journey below is private and tailor-made, with spare time built in for the flights and boats that remote Maluku depends on.
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The experiences our travellers enjoy most, in order of what we would not miss.
Climb the restored Dutch fort above Banda Neira for views of the harbour and Gunung Api, then wander the old colonial streets below.
Walk through groves of nutmeg under tall shade trees and see how the fruit, nutmeg and mace are harvested and dried.
Steep walls, clear water and healthy coral, including reefs that have grown over old lava flows from Gunung Api.
An early, steep and loose climb up the volcano opposite Banda Neira for views over the islands. For fit walkers only.
The provincial capital has wartime memorials, beaches and good seafood, and is the usual stop before the Bandas.
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Customise My TripMost journeys start with a flight to Ambon, usually connecting through Jakarta or Makassar. From Ambon, small planes and ferries continue to the Banda Islands, but both run on limited and changeable schedules, so we always plan spare days.
Places that pair well with Maluku (The Spice Islands), with approximate travel times.
Maluku's weather does not follow the rest of Indonesia: the wettest months around Ambon tend to fall in the middle of the year. For the Banda Islands, the calmer seas between the monsoons, roughly October to December and March to April, are usually the best time for travel and diving.
A general guide. Weather varies from year to year, and we plan each route around the season.
Quick answers from our local team. Anything else, just ask your travel specialist.
Ask us on WhatsAppFly to Ambon, then continue by small plane or ferry. Both have limited and changeable schedules, and the ferry takes most of a day. We plan buffer days so that a cancelled connection does not spoil the trip.
For centuries, Maluku was the only place in the world where nutmeg, mace and cloves grew. The Banda Islands were the source of nutmeg, which made them a prize fought over by European trading powers.
At least five nights, ideally a week or more, because of the time taken by flights and boats. Divers and history lovers can easily spend longer in the Bandas.
Tell us what you have in mind and a local travel specialist will design a private itinerary around you. Free, with no obligation.
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