Fort Belgica & The Spice Trail

Fort Belgica looms over the island like a wound that never closed. Its walls—raised by the Dutch to annihilate their rivals and break the Indigenous people of Banda—were laid twenty years before New York even existed, yet they remain eerily untouched by time. Four centuries of storms have failed to erode its edges. The stone seems to hold its breath, as if waiting for the next act of cruelty it was built to witness.

A thousand years before the fortress cast its shadow, the spices of Banda were already moving along the ancient arteries of the Silk Road. Their scent drifted into the markets of Gaza, where Venetian traders stalked the stalls in search of nutmeg—so coveted, so powerful in rumor, it was said to hold back the Black Plague. In those days, a handful of seeds could decide who lived, who died, and which empire would rise from the ashes of another.

When to Visit the Banda Islands

You can reach the Banda Islands at any time of year, though few choose to tempt the low season from April to August, when the rains thicken and the sky presses down like a warning. In the high season, the small plane from Ambon fills quickly, its seats vanishing long before most travelers realize how far they are from the familiar. When that happens, only one route remains: the long passage by ship, heaving across restless waters—just as it was in the old days, when every arrival felt like a gamble and every departure was never guaranteed.

Travel Tips

• Phone SIMs: You cannot register an Indonesian SIM card on the islands. Purchase one beforehand at Ambon or Jakarta airport.

• Internet: Most guesthouses provide Wi-Fi, so you can usually manage without your own mobile data.

• Language: English is not widely spoken. Having a dictionary (kamus) or using an online translator is very helpful, so some internet access is recommended.

from the water edge Fort Belgica in view