The Phinisi Spirit

The mysterious Spice Islands enjoy an evocative ancient history, conjuring romantic visions of majestic sailing ships, exotic sultans, the golden age of exploration, and enigmatic jungle tribes whose culture and traditions have survived intact for thousands of years. Columbus, Magellan, and Francis Drake all sailed in search of the Spice Islands.

Savage intrigue and battle, the North East passage dream, and discovering the Americas all occurred pursuing nutmeg and pepper. For centuries the fabled spice trade was known for its land routes through Asia and the Middle East, routes that ended in Europe.

The highly valued spices, and the fabled spice route itself, actually originated on the islands of the Malay Archipelago, later known as the “East Indies” or spice islands. Spices from these small islands were transported along a well developed network of sea routes by even more impressive sailing vessels, ancestors to the modern Phinisi.

For centuries before Europeans arrived in the area there was a vibrant trade between the spice islands and most of the known world. Great trading vessels regularly sailed as far as Africa, India, and China laden with their highly valued delicately scented cargos.

Spice Basket