Spice Islands

The Spice Islands (also known as the Maluku Islands or the Moluccas) are an archipelago within Indonesia which lies between Sulawesi and Papua. They are made up of over a thousand beautiful tropical islands with lush vegetation and unique fauna, stunning beaches and marine life. The Spice islands are divided into 2 provinces, North Maluku and Maluku. The provincial capital is Ambon, located on Ambon Island, in central Maluku.

The majority of the islands are forested and mountainous. The Tanimbar Islands are dry and hilly, while the Aru Islands are flat and swampy. Mount Binaya (3027m) on Seram is the highest mountain. A number of islands, such as Ternate (1721 m), are volcanoes emerging from the sea with villages sited around their coasts. There have been over 70 serious volcanic eruptions in the last 500 years and earthquakes common.

Things to see and do

* Beaches
* Diving & snorkelling
* Surfing
* Hiking
* Wildlife & bird watching

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Rupiah (IDR)
Language – Ambonese Malay
Land Area – 74,505 km²
Population – 1,900,000 approx
Electricity – 2 angled flat pins and 1 round pin centred below Australian style
Time – GMT plus seven hours
International Country Telephone Code – + 62

Port Location – The main port of the Spice Islands is in the provincial capital, Ambon.

Travel Links - The main gateway into Maluku is through the provincial capital Ambon, which is served by regular flights to most parts of the archipelago. Air and sea transportation connect the islands with 79 seaports and 25 airports. Roads on many of the islands provide access to the more remote places of interest.