Food as Medicine Spice Tour

This morning be picked up from your hotel or the airport and transfer to Ambon Harbour. After you are settled on board, have a quick briefing before your expert Ms. Janet De Neefe and the tour leaders take you into the town for a visit to the local market. Have lunch in town at a restaurant to sample some of the local specialties. It was the Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas) that triggered the European age of exploration, and Ambon was the historic center of the Dutch clove monopoly. Today, the city of Ambon is a commercial center as well as the capital city of the Maluku province. Apart from still being a spice hub, Ambon is one of the biggest hubs for fish and seafood in the area. After lunch, board the Ombak Putih again, weigh anchor, and enjoy the view of Ambon Bay as you cruise towards open waters. In the evening, Janet leads a cooking demonstration in which you are invited to participate. Use ingredients locally sourced in Ambon to prepare the first dinner of the cruise. If tasting rather than cooking is more your speed, then you are welcome to sit back, relax, and watch the sunset instead.

Today arrive at the mysterious island of Manipa, which is said to have magical powers because the seafarers on the Portugese, Dutch and Japanese ships never landed here despite occupying all of the surrounding islands. Visit a distillery for kayu putih oil (similar to eucalyptus oil and known for its antiseptic qualities) for which the area is famous. Explore the village to learn more about the local life, the local diet, and food specialties. During lunch, cruise towards the Pulau Tiga Islands for some exceptional swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, and beachcombing. In the evening enjoy another delicious meal prepared by the Ombak Putih chefs while discussing the rich and varied history of Indonesia.

The next destination is the island of Nusa Laut. This is the smallest of the Lease Islands to which Ambon and Saparua also belong. Nusa Laut is one of Indonesia’s Christian islands and it is rarely visited by outsiders. Observe how life in the villages still reflects some of the customs of the forefathers. The island is still filled with clove, nutmeg and cinnamon trees, sago palms, and an abundance of fruit trees. The sago palm produces a flour that has become the staple food for the native villages on the islands, and the local people show you the process of extracting the flour from the tree. Sago Palm is used in many dishes, the most famous of which is called ‘papeda.’ Apart from that, the palm is a source of building material for roofs and bricks. In the afternoon be warmly welcomed by one of the villages; the people show you around and prepare a feast of local dishes for you right on the beach.

This morning is dedicated to exploring Saparua, a former Dutch stronghold in colonial times. The historic Fort Duurstede, located in the heart of Saparua, was established by the Dutch East Indies Company in 1691. In the early 19th century, it was attacked and conquered by Thomas Matulessy, also known as Pattimura, an Ambonese soldier and national hero of Indonesia. This story is told in the museum inside the fort in a realistic diorama. The island boasts a vibrant morning market to discover exotic ingredients and stock up on fresh supplies for your evening culinary adventures. In the afternoon visit a local earthenware-pottery maker.

Arrival in the renowned Banda Archipelago generates a true sense of historical excitement. These islands, which were once the world’s only source of nutmeg and mace, are among the highlights of Indonesia and are famous for their beauty and cultural heritage from the time of the Dutch and English colonization. The natural splendor of these islands contradicts the brutality that engulfed them during the 17th century when the Dutch sought a total monopoly on the nutmeg trade and the local people resisted. Despite their illustrious and well-documented history, the Banda Islands are a place that time seems to have forgotten. Today they retain an aura of mystery, allure, and astonishing remoteness, with a quiet colonial ambience and an exceptional biodiversity that makes this destination truly special. Anchor near the hacienda-style colonial hotel in Bandaneira, the only city in the Bandas, and stroll through the city visiting old fortresses and admiring plantation mansions from the past.

These days are filled with visits to a few of the other islands of the archipelago, perhaps the very small island of Run – which the English traded with the Dutch for Manhattan – as well as the islands of Ai and Hatta, where you can see what remains of the Dutch colonial houses and land parcels known as ‘perken, which were handed to Dutch planters, ‘perkeniers,’ to manage. See more forts, as well as churches, cemeteries, and nutmeg plantations. Here, the evergreen nutmeg trees – identifiable by the hundreds of ripening yellow fruits that hang from their branches – grow randomly in the shade of the magnificent kenari trees, which themselves yield an almond-like nut locally used in confectionary and sauces. In these rocky backwaters, feel on a par with the pioneering adventurers; nutmeg and mace can be seen drying in the sun outside nearly every village home. The locals use the pulp of the fruit to make syrup, jam, and candy. You should be able to learn about the harvesting of the nutmeg and mace, and taste some of the dried fruit, as well as enjoying some nutmeg jam and baked goods flavored with fresh mace and nutmeg. Also have several opportunities to explore the pristine waters and bountiful reefs of the islands. Then proceed from Banda northeast, perhaps with a Moluccan war canoe called a kora-kora, with 20 rowers, escorting your departure out of the harbor in the direction of Ambon.

After breakfast on the deck, and a wrap-up of your voyage into 17th-century Indonesia, say goodbye to the crew and your seaborne home, the Ombak Putih, before transferring in comfort to the Ambon airport for your onward travel.