Ambon & Spice Islands

Bringing a nearly forgotten chapter of world history back to life, the Ambon & Spice Islands 7-night cruise expedition across the Banda Sea is an enthralling adventure embracing culture, nature and wildlife

Setting sail from the rustic Indonesian port city of Ambon, Aqua Blu cruises south across the Banda Sea to the Spice Islands, a destination steeped in historical significance and endowed with both unspoilt nature and culture. As the origin of the nutmeg, a spice that was worth more than gold in terms of weight, the Spice Islands (also called the Banda Islands) were the Holy Grail for famous Old World explorers including Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan, who sought but never managed to find it.

Eventually, the Spice Islands were discovered and the Dutch established and exercised control over them — with a monopoly on the nutmeg trade — from 1607 up until the late 18th century. In that time, the Dutch built up numerous colonial-styled architecture and extensive fortifications. Surrounded by the local town and the oldest nutmeg plantations on Earth, these structures remain mostly well-preserved.

Today, setting foot on the Spice Islands is like entering a spectacular living museum on Earth, where time appears to have stood still for decades and centuries-old relics, such as Fort Belgica, exist alongside rich Indonesian local traditions such as nutmeg cultivation and kora-kora war canoe racing.