Spice Islands Tours

Few destinations evoke such exotic images as the Spice Islands (known as Maluku or Banda Islands), a small group of islands scattered across the Indonesian archipelago’s far-flung northwest. These legendary islands derive their name from the prized spices cultivated here – nutmeg, cloves, pepper and mace – of such quality and lucrative demand that it led to a 16th century European conquest and domination of the global spice market for centuries.

Today, along with cocoa and coffee, these aromatic spices are still grown, but the Spice Islands remain largely undiscovered. Steeped in historical significance and endowed with unspoiled nature and culture, time appears to have stood still. Combined with pioneering sea voyages, Spice Islands tours embrace both land and sea, from traditional villages and Dutch colonial legacies to pristine coral reefs.