STORIES

Built by the Portuguese, reinforced by the Dutch and eventually conquered by British soldiers, Fort Belgica was pivotal in the struggle to control the lucrative global spice trade that lasted several hundred years. Nutmeg was the prize – at the time, it was worth its weight in gold – and Indonesia's remote Banda Island group was the only place on Earth on which it grew. The World Heritage-protected stronghold is one of the largest remaining European forts in Indonesia, and on Day Three of our Spice Islands cruise on the Aqua Blu, its pentagon-shaped ramparts, 10-metre-high corner towers and 17th-century cannons were the scenic backdrop for a rousing cultural performance by these youthful Bandanese dancers.