Ai’s four-pointed star fortress sits in the centre of the village, its walls still intact. The fort has been known as Benteng Revenge ever since the locals were slaughtered by the Dutch after siding with the British in the early 17th-century battle for control of the spice trade.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
8.65 MILES
A classic star fort, the Unesco-nominated Benteng Belgica was built on the hill above Benteng Nassau in 1611, when it became apparent the lower bastion…
-
7.41 MILES
The 656m-high still-active volcano of Gunung Api can be climbed for awesome views (especially at sunrise) in two to three hours if you are fit, but the…
-
7.74 MILES
One of Banda's best views is from the chunky, overgrown ruins of Benteng Hollandia. Built in 1624, this was once one of the biggest Dutch fortresses in…
-
5.42 MILES
Off the northern tip of Run are the postcard-perfect, powdery white sands of Pulau Neilaka, an islet so small you can explore it in 10 minutes, drinking…
-
8.58 MILES
Quietly crumbling among tropical foliage, Nassau was the scene of the Banda Massacre, the greatest obscenity in the violent history of Dutch Banda. The…
-
8.54 MILES
Bandaneira’s little museum displays colonial artefacts including coins, silverware, crockery, pipes, swords and flintlock pistols and muskets. There's…
-
8.72 MILES
Of three early-20th-century ‘exile houses’ in Banda, Mohammed Hatta’s house is the most appealing. It’s partly furnished and photos of the dissident, his…
-
8.77 MILES
This grand, atmospheric yet empty 1820s mansion gives a sense of the scale of the Dutch enterprise in the Banda Islands. Once the residence of the…
Nearby Banda Islands attractions
5.42 MILES
Off the northern tip of Run are the postcard-perfect, powdery white sands of Pulau Neilaka, an islet so small you can explore it in 10 minutes, drinking…
7.02 MILES
The old English Fort (once held by Captain Courthope) perpetuated the Spice Wars and resulted in the great trade of Run for Manhattan. From the pier, walk…
7.41 MILES
The 656m-high still-active volcano of Gunung Api can be climbed for awesome views (especially at sunrise) in two to three hours if you are fit, but the…
7.74 MILES
One of Banda's best views is from the chunky, overgrown ruins of Benteng Hollandia. Built in 1624, this was once one of the biggest Dutch fortresses in…
5. Sun Tien Kong Chinese Temple
8.5 MILES
There are still a few Chinese families living on Bandaneira and the 300-year-old Sun Tien Kong Temple is testament to the ancient Chinese involvement in…
8.51 MILES
This restored 1852 Dutch church with a portico of four chubby columns is open for services. Inside are a decorative bell-clock and wooden pews, as well as…
8.54 MILES
Bandaneira’s little museum displays colonial artefacts including coins, silverware, crockery, pipes, swords and flintlock pistols and muskets. There's…
8.54 MILES
Behind the main port are the eye-catching minarets of the Mesjid Hatta-Syahrir. Some locals claim this was converted into a mosque from the mansion that…