active volcano on Banda Gunung Api
Banda, the original Spice Islands and the nutmeg capital of the world.
There are about 10 islands in the Banda group and we headed to Banda Neira, the capital and also the port city for the area. The entrance into the natural harbour between Banda Neira and Banda Besar is stunning and gave us just a hint of the spectacular landscape we were here to enjoy.
What a fabulous little natural harbour, created by 3 of the islands and therefore providing a protected anchorage. A very deep anchorage. The local officials advised us as to how they wanted the yachts positioned. We had the challenging job of backing our boat stern in to the concrete wall with an anchor out front and 2 ropes off the back tied to trees on shore. Well, one of our ropes was tied to a tree, the other to a cannon, a remnant from the days of the Dutch occupation. Stern to, there was a line of yachts in very close proximity to each other. Not something we are used to when on anchor.🤔. Apparently, this is how it's done in the Mediterranean. I am not a fan.
mmmm, a little close for comfort
just one of many cannons around town. They make good bollards to tie the boats up to
The welcome we received was just wonderful. The locals were very excited to have the sailing rally stop here for several days. Everyday there were people waiting to help us with the dinghies to get on shore. That was an interesting task in itself. Our yacht was actually directly in front of the concrete stairs into the water. All the dinghies had to tie up at those stairs. Ever seen a dinghy traffic jam before?
dinghy traffic jam
traditional dance at the Welcome ceremony
We had an official welcome ceremony with musicians playing traditional instruments and 4 gorgeous girls showing us a traditional dance. Each boat was given a gift to remember the Banda islands, speeches were made and a lunch followed. A fabulous welcome.
The best view from the yacht is the incredible volcano on the island Pulau Gunung Api right in front of us. It's a spectacular sight, with the top shrouded in cloud most days. This is an active volcano, thankfully not right now, the last eruption being 1988. The path of the lava flow down 2 sides of the volcano are clearly evident as no vegetation has grown back. A totally different story underwater though.
Banda is known for it's clear waters and fabulous snorkelling and there's no complaints from me. The coral has grown on top of the lava flow and is quite an incredible sight to see. Snorkel queen that I am, of course we explored it. The visibility was phenomenal. I'd have to say that we had about 20 metres of clear vision straight down the slope of coral.
The day we snorkelled the lava flow we also snorkelled on 2 other reefs, both alot more shallow so the coral was a bit more vibrant. I saw schools of black fish, colourful parrotfish crunching on coral, many iridescent yellow butterfly fish and 1 shark. Hubby saw 2, one of them quite large. Missed that one. I spotted the smaller one and followed him to get some footage. It was a black reef shark but the markings are slightly different the ones we see in Australia. Funny side story. The guide told us about the black sheep sharks that inhabit the waters around here. We all got a bit excited to see one of these black sheep sharks. None of us had ever heard of them before. Yep, you guessed it. A mispronunciation of 'reef'.
Gudung Api. Note the barren areas where lava flowed
Black sheep shark 😁
A small group of us went on a Spice tour on Banda Besar, the largest island in the Banda group. It was a fabulous tour that took us through the nutmeg forest where almond, cinnamon and clove trees are also grown. We were shown the techniques of collecting the nutmeg fruit, a technique Hubby nailed first time. Master Nutmeg Collector has been added to his various titles. The nutmeg fruit is pretty amazing in that the whole fruit is used. The outer area is made into jam or dried and eaten like crystallised ginger. The next layer of red flesh is actually the spice called mace. Then there is the nut itself which is dried then the outer husk removed leaving a decent sized kernel of nutmeg, ready to be grated.
Nutmeg fruit
collecting fruit
Master nutmeg collector!
Red mace and nutmeg kernals drying in the sun
Banda islands have a long history with their nutmeg trade. The Dutch moved in back in the 1600s' after chasing away the Portuguese who first occupied the area from 1512. The Dutch made trade agreements with the locals. As told to us by the local guides, it was an agreement that was forced onto the Bandanese. The Dutch then monopolised the world nutmeg trade and built forts to protect the islands from invasion. The town of Banda Neira has a strong influence of european architecture and it's quite amazing to see the amount of buildings and cannons that still remain over 400 years later. There are cannons lying all around town as if cast aside when they were not needed anymore.
Fort Belgica, the biggest fort, sits upon a small hill and offers magnificent 360° views. The turrents on each corner are accessible if you climb up a big rusty ladder then manoeuvre through the thick concrete gap at the top. Then you can really appreciate the views across the Bandas.
Fort Belgica
climbing to the turrent
It was great fun to amble through the streets of Banda Neira, buying local produce and eating at small warungs. Our cheapest meal was a delicious nasi goreng at a huge price of $1.50 au. So many curious locals approached us to say hello, welcome us to their island and have a chat in english. They showed great delight in having us visit and it was a bit of a giggle figuring out what each of us was saying.
Extravagant lunch, $2.50au
Fish market
A farewell dinner was held at Aba's hotel, a beautifully restored mansion that offers luxury rooms and a wonderful outdoor dining area. Aba is a prominent local business man and the organiser of the tours and dinners that were on offer for us. He has shown us wonderful hospitality and has been so accommodating with all the questions and help we have asked of him.
Aba's hotel
fairwell dinner
To sum up, the Bandanese are the most welcoming, happy, and helpful people and have made our stay an absolute pleasure. The Banda group offers spectacular scenery both above the water and below.
Until next time, Watusi Woman - Nutmegged Sailor, out.
view from Aba's hotel of Gudung Api