Spices of Banda Islands
A small island group in eastern Indonesia that was, for centuries, the only source of nutmeg and mace in the world.
Traded and grown here
Best time: April to October, in the drier months.
The Banda Islands are a group of ten volcanic islands in the Banda Sea. Nutmeg trees grew here and nowhere else in quantity, and the Dutch East India Company took control in the early seventeenth century in a conflict that devastated the island population.
Spices and trade
Nutmeg seed and its red covering, mace, come from the same fruit. Banda still grows nutmeg under tall canary trees, and the fruit is split, dried and sold. Nutmeg jam and syrup are made locally.
The place and its people
In 1621 the Dutch conquered the islands, killing or enslaving a large share of the Bandanese. In 1667 the Treaty of Breda saw the English give up their claim to Run in exchange for Manhattan, according to the standard historical account.
Visiting
Banda Neira has Dutch forts, old planters' houses and coral diving. Reaching it requires a flight to Ambon and a boat or small plane.
A trail idea for Banda Islands
- Fort Belgica Climb the Dutch fort.
- A nutmeg plantation See nutmeg and mace drying.
- Gunung Api Hike the volcano.
- Run Island Visit the island swapped for Manhattan.
Written by the EveryMasala desk with AI assistance. Background: "Banda Islands" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and tours change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Nutmeg: Herusutimbul, CC BY-SA 4.0, source