Banda Neira’s claim to fame originated with the myristica tree. Once found only on the Spice Islands, the tree was the source of nutmeg and mace. Today in Banda Indonesia, the oldest nutmeg plantations in the world remain, and like the Alba truffles of Italy, Banda nutmeg is still regarded as the highest grade varietal of the spice in the world.Indeed, it was was the presence of nutmeg that allowed Banda Neira to flourish into an international centre of trade in the 16th and 17th century, and with this came an impressive collection of European relics built mostly by the Dutch, including the commanding hilltop stone fortress of Fort Belgica overlooking Banda Harbor and architecture such as the VOC Governor’s Residence. All across the 3.5 square mile island, remnants of a once great trading centre are visible, be it ancient cannons or colonial homes.

With the only significant population centre of the Banda Islands (about 8,000 inhabitants out of 15,000), Banda Neira is where most of the Spice Island’s distinct culture is found and practiced. Traditional Indonesian customs and traditions, many of which are distinct to the Ambon & Spice Islands are, are practiced to this day, such as the spectacle of a kora-kora war canoe display by the locals.

Activities on Banda Neira include:

• Fort Belgica
• Colonial era architecture such as the Istana Mini
• Trekking Gunung Banda Api volcano
• Snorkeling and diving
• Local market visits and village tour
• Witnessing a kora-kora war canoe display

By the middle of the 17th century, all but one of the Spice Islands, the British-controlled Pulau Run, was under Dutch ‘rule’. Finally, after tiring of Dutch hostility, the British exchanged Pulau Run with a then-swampy strip of North American land from the Dutch called Manhattan (then known as New Amsterdam) in the 1667 Treaty of Breda.The rest, as they say, is history. While Manhattan flourished over the centuries, Pulau Run has barely changed as a fishing town, with a current population of just over 2,500. There are rumors of a long-lost British fort, yet to be found, on this 1.5 square mile island, but the rare visitors Pulau Run receives tend to focus their attention on a spectacularly gorgeous beach on the northeast of the island — an unexpectedly beautiful getaway in a remote land ideal for a range of water-based activities.

Activities on Pulau Run include:

• Swimming, snorkeling and diving
• Village tour
• Fishing
• Hiking and birdwatching

Lying to the east of Ambon, the island of Nusa Laut possesses some stunning hard coral seascapes that can be witnessed by both diving and snorkeling. This island is a heartening story of successful, locally-led marine conservation; on the northeast coast, the villagers of Ameth and Akon keep a close eye on the shoreline to deter any unauthorized fishing boats. As a result of communal vigilance, the reef around Nusa Laut is brimming with fish and unblemished coral reefs.Offshore, divers can expect great wall and reef dives. Notably, frequent sightings of schooling hammerhead sharks further out have been reported, and well worth visiting is an enormous marine arch just under the surface on the east side of Nusa Laut and amazing natural rocky architecture along the east side of Molana island. Visibility is often superb, approaching 100 feet (30 meters).

The bays on the northern side of Nusa Laut are also known to support a population of dugong, the Asian cousin of the manatee that is also known for inspiring the legend of mermaids. With fairly flat terrain, pleasant scenery, quaint villages and welcoming locals, the fairly flat 15 square mile island is also ideal to be explored on a mountain bike.

Serving as the gateway to Maluku province and the Spice Islands, Ambon as a city famous in the circles of natural history as the ‘Galapagos of Asia’. While Charles Darwin was coming up with his theory of natural selection in the Galapagos, his contemporary Alfred Russell Wallace was taking up residence in the region’s cities and towns, including Ambon, and coming up with arguably a more complete version of a similar theory based on his detailed observations of the region’s myriad wildlife.The city of Ambon itself offers many opportunities for land-based cultural exploration, with its many markets and communities such as Soya Atas, a beautiful mountain village that offers stunning views of Ambon and surrounds. As Wallace would have agreed, birdwatching is highly recommended.

Ambon is also the site for muck diving at a sediment-filled bay, where divers and snorkels can discover marine life unique to such habitats such as the pygmy seahorse. Meanwhile, at Sarapua, discover an idyllic seaside village with historic Dutch forts: Fort Amsterdam and Fort Duurstede telling different facets of the rich colonial history in the Maluku, coupled with opportunities for trekking and birdwatching. A key highlight for Sarapua is the pottery village of Ouw, with potters and villages that live among a forgotten fort.