Formerly known as the Moluccas,
Maluku is a cluster of about one thousand islands totaling 74,504 km, forming
part of the Malay Archipelago in eastern Indonesia. Also known as ‘Spice
Islands’ for it source of cloves and nutmeg, the region divided into two
provinces, Maluku with its capital Ambon, and North Maluku with its capital
Ternate. One of the best
destinations is Banda Island, the only source of nutmegs during the heyday of
spice trading. The main access point is Bandaneira, a small sea side town where
you can spot the remains of countless colonial structures.
Scattered across the
sea north of Timor and east of Sulawesi, parts of Maluku islands also extended
to the Arafura Sea in South Papua. The province has so many islands to wander
across and all are located hundreds of kilometers from Ambon. Maluku islands
might offer unbeatable beach living, but what makes it super interesting to
some is its cultural heritage.
