Having been in the Ambon Island and Saparua Island in Maluku, I want to share a little bit about it, the Maluku Islands or the Moluccas are an archipelago within Indonesia. Tectonically, they are located on the Halmahera Plate and within the Molucca Sea Collision zone. Geographically the islands are located east of Celebes (Sulawesi), west of New Guinea, and north of East Timor. The islands were also historically known as the "Spice Islands" by the Europeans and Chinese.
Most of the islands are mountainous, some with active volcanoes. The vegetation of the small and narrow islands, encompassed by the sea, is very luxuriant; including rain forests, Sago (a starch extracted in the spongy center = Metroxylon sagu is a major staple food), Rice and the famous spices—nutmeg, mace, and cloves; among others. Though originally Melanesian, many island populations, especially in the Banda islands, were killed off in the 17th century during the Spice wars. A second influx of Austronesian immigrants began in the early twentieth century under the Dutch and continues in the Indonesian era.
Divided into two province,
1) North Maluku province: Bacan, Halmahera, Kayoa, Moti, Makian, Morotai, Obi, Sula, Ternate & Tidore
2) Maluku province
Ambelau, Ambon, Aru, Boano, Buru, Babar, Banda, Haruku, Kai, Kelang, Leti, Liran, Manipa, Manuk, Nusa Laut, Romang, Saparua, Seram, Serua, Tanimbar, Tayandu, Watubela & Wetar
You gotta love the sea here when you visit, it occupied approximately 70% of both provinces.
Enjoy the picture after the jump!
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