Why Go to the Moluccas – The Spice Islands

There are plenty of good reasons to go to the Moluccas, but the most iconic of them all is undoubtedly discovering the plantations behind two of Indonesia's great spices: nutmeg and cloves. Merchants from every corner of the globe sailed across the centuries to reach this archipelago and secure these precious goods. The region remains one of the world's leading producers to this day, even as other countries have gradually picked up the local know-how and are slowly starting to overtake it. What hasn't changed, however, is the sheer splendor of the turquoise waters and white-sand beaches found across the islands of this little corner of paradise.

A Walk Through the Nutmeg Plantations of Lonthoir Village

It's in the southern Moluccas, on the Banda Islands, that you'll find Indonesia's finest nutmeg plantations. In the small village of Lonthoir, local families run educational walks through their plots. Visitors can see the seed-drying process, which takes place in the sun, followed by the shelling and sorting stages before the nutmeg is sold at market. This little village is also home to an old sacred well perched on a hilltop, said by legend to have been discovered nearly 400 years ago by a Muslim scholar from the Middle East who was searching for water to perform his ablutions.

Visiting an Old Colonial Fort in Ambon

Throughout history, the Moluccas were repeatedly the unfortunate setting for clashes between the Portuguese, English, and Dutch colonial powers, all fighting for control of the spice trade. Fort Amsterdam, built right on the coast a few dozen kilometers from the city of Ambon, is one of the most iconic symbols of this warlike past. Visitors climb up to it as much to admire its architecture as to enjoy the sunset over the crystal-clear waters of the Pacific.

Trekking the Slopes of Mount Gamalama

One of the most popular volcanoes in the Moluccas is Gunung Gamalama. Located in the northern part of the archipelago, it makes up almost the entire island of Ternate. It isn't excessively difficult to climb, but it still requires decent physical fitness to tame. Along its steep trails, which climb up to 1,715 meters, it offers breathtaking views over the nutmeg and clove plantations below. Near its summit lie the tombs of the glorious Muslim sultans who ruled the territory from the 15th to the 20th century, before being definitively overthrown by the Dutch colonizers. At its foot, Lake Tolire, said to be infested with crocodiles, impresses with the beauty of its blue-green waters.

Snorkeling at Ora Beach

Picture yourself waking up in a stilt bungalow, overlooked by white limestone cliffs and surrounded by translucent water. You sip on a fresh coconut and a glass of fruit juice while soaking in the scenery. Below you, the richness of the marine life is there for all to see. Seram Island also lets you wander through fishing villages or venture into the jungle within Manusela National Park, a lush wilderness home to numerous rare endemic birds.

The Downsides of the Moluccas

Getting to the Moluccas isn't easy: the flight there is a real ordeal involving several stopovers. From Jakarta, it still takes another four hours of flying to reach the final destination. On the ground, it's much the same story: transfers between the different islands can take forever. If you have the patience to put up with these difficulties, you'll get the rare chance to live out an experience straight out of a modern-day Robinson Crusoe story.