I stepped into a kayak from a strong steel yacht and paddled into the calm Banda Sea in Indonesia. The water was crystal clear and full of life. I headed toward Run Island, a tiny island with pink sand and thick jungle. Out of Indonesia’s 17,500 islands, Run is one of the smallest—but it has an incredible history. In 1667, the British traded this island to the Dutch in exchange for Manhattan, all because Run was rich in nutmeg, a spice once more valuable than gold.
After reaching the shore, I walked along the quiet beach, picking up shells and pieces of red coral. I then visited the island’s only village. There were no cars or roads—just colorful houses, small mosques, and friendly locals fixing fishing nets and boats. I walked through a nutmeg plantation filled with tall trees, birds, and insect sounds. The place felt magical, and for a moment, I wondered if the British had made a mistake by giving it up.
This was just one special moment during my 12-day journey through eastern Indonesia.
Explorers have been coming to this remote region for centuries. In the 1800s, scientist Alfred Russel Wallace studied nature here and developed ideas about evolution. In 1937, my great-uncle Dillon Ripley, an ornithologist and later head of the Smithsonian, also explored these islands with his mother. They collected rare birds and met Indigenous communities. Their stories inspired my dream of visiting this place.
These islands today. You need time and a boat. Last fall, a friend invited me on a small luxury cruise through the Banda Sea aboard the Kudanil Explorer, a former work ship turned into an expedition yacht.
The yacht felt like a floating boutique hotel, with cozy cabins, balconies, a spa, a library, and water sports gear. We started our journey from Kupang and sailed through the Alor Archipelago and the Maluku Islands, stopping at a new island every day to snorkel, dive, and explore.
One morning, we woke up near an active volcano. After breakfast, we jumped into the sea. Underwater, the world was full of color—bright fish, coral gardens, and tiny sea creatures. It felt like swimming through a living painting.
Each day followed a similar rhythm: ocean adventures in the morning and island walks in the afternoon. Near Banda Neira, we explored reefs that had been destroyed by a volcanic eruption decades ago—but had now come back to life. We saw turtles, eels, and schools of fish, showing how strong nature can be.
While reading Wallace’s book later, I was reminded how everything in nature is connected. Protecting coral reefs doesn’t just help Indonesia—it helps the entire planet.