World Country Guide

Eastern Indonesia

The wildest and least visited of Indonesia’s 17,000 islands are in the east, gathered in two great archipelagos north and south of the treacherous Banda Sea.
Also known as the Maluku Archipelago, it is made up of 1000 islands, many uninhabited and the rest so isolated from each other and (since the decline of the spice trade) from the outside world that each has its own culture and very often its own language.
Halmahera is the largest island in the Moluccan group and one of the most diverse. On the coast are relic populations of all the great powers who competed for domination of the Spice Trade – Arabs, Dutch, Gujuratis, Malays and Portuguese – whilst inland the people speak a unique language that has little or nothing in common even with other unique, but related, languages on the more remote islands. Morotai, to the north, was the site of a Japanese air base during World War II, but is now engaged in the production of copra and cocoa products.
Ternate and Tidore, tiny volcanic islands off the west coast of Halmahera, were once the world’s most important source of cloves and consequently amassed far more wealth and power than their size would seem to merit. The Sultanate of Ternate was an independent military power of considerable muscle before the arrival of the Portuguese, exerting influence over much of South-East Asia. Both islands are littered with the remains of this and the equally strident colonial era, and draw more tourists than their larger neighbour.
Further south, Ambon was another important centre of the clove trade and has over 40 old Dutch fortresses dating from the early 17th century. Banda, in the middle of the Banda Sea, is often referred to as the original ‘Spice Island’ and is famous as a nutmeg-growing centre.
Nusa Penida was at one time a penal colony but now attracts visitors to its dramatic seascapes and beaches. Komodo is home to the world’s largest and rarest species of monitor lizard, while Sumba is noted for its beautiful Ikat cloth. Mount Keli Mutu is one of Indonesia’s most spectacular natural sights, famous for its three crater lakes, whose striking colours change with the light of the day.
The islands north of Timor – including Adonara, Alor, Lembata, Pantar, Solor and Wetar – are rarely visited by tourists; there are many old fortresses on the islands and from here seafarers used to set sail on whale hunts. Timor itself is out of bounds to tourists because of the bloody and protracted war with freedom fighters in the east of the island. The cultures on Roti, Ndau and Sawu have apparently changed little since the Bronze Age, yet the islands’ inhabitants are renowned as musicians and palm weavers.
The Terawangan Islands is a small group with beautiful beaches and coral gardens. Lucipara has excellent waters for snorkelling. Bone Rate, Kangean, Tenggaya and Tukang Besi is a group of isolated atolls in the Flores and Banda seas, epitomising a tropical paradise.
The western part of the island of New Guinea, this is one of the last great unexplored areas of the world. Even today, visiting ships are often greeted by flotillas of warriors in war canoes. All those intending to visit Irian Jaya must obtain special permits from State Police Headquarters in Jakarta. Travellers are advised to avoid this area at present.