Tag Archives: Indonesia The best way to visit the Maluka’s (Malakas, Moluccas) in the eastern part of Indonesia is by ship. These were once known as the Spice Islands. The nutmeg, mace, and cloves that grew here – and nowhere else – attracted the attention of 16th century European colonial powers. The Spice Wars of the 1500s were […]  Don’t panic! Doom Island, also spelled Dum, and pronounced /dɒm/, actually means “island with many fruit trees” in the language of the Malamooi, the local indigenous people. This small island sits a half a degree south of the equator, just about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) away from mainland Sorong, the largest city and capital of […]  We were in the doldrums. Quite literally. For three days, we chugged along slowly, never much more than a few degrees off the equator. Our last stop in ‘civilization’ had been in the village of Kwatisore on Cenderawasih Bay (see: Kwatisore Bay and Village). Fortunately, unlike the ancient mariners of poems, tales, and old history […]  It was a trip I’d been anticipating for a long time: an ocean voyage on a small ship to visit remote West Papuan villages and to snorkel in the marine-rich waters around Raja Ampat and the Spice Islands. The chance to swim with giant whale sharks was what had sold me on this particular itinerary. […]  It is remote. And rugged. We were met with a mock war-dance: warriors sporting black body paint and carrying bamboo spears and arrows charged at us, while other villagers crowned in feathers danced and sang. Welcome to West Papua! The island of New Guinea has been populated for tens of thousands of years – mostly […] |
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