An Indonesian adventure is many people’s dream travel spot. The tropical islands have everything from breath-taking views, aromatic spice harvesting, cultural diversity, and a long list of tempting cuisine dishes! A land of 17.500 islands combined with hundreds of cultures is what makes Indonesia a perfect paradise for tons of options to fulfill your wanderlust; sightseeing, cultural activities, culinary trips, or all of the above.
Before planning a trip to Indonesia, its worth spending some time to read this fun article on the country that brings us world-class spices in bulk like bulk vanilla beans. Get ready to further discover fascinating facts about Indonesia including:
- Indonesia is Home to the Famous Spice Islands, Moluccas Archipelago
- Vanilla Farming and Exportation is #2 in the World
- Broad Selection of Local Cuisine
- Indonesia is a Staple in the Global Spice Market and Commodity Trading
- Indonesia is a Country Full of Communal Dining Cultures
- Indonesia is a Country with Over 700 Languages
- A Home to the Rarest Flora and Fauna in the World
- Indonesia is Home to 76 Active Volcanoes
- Top 3 Recommendations of Heritage Sites and Cultural Places to Visit
- Indonesia has the Ideal Climate and Elevation to Harvest Spices
Indonesia is Home to the Famous Spice Islands, Moluccas Archipelago
The spice islands – you might not find this location pinpointed on your map today. But, this is a nickname of what we now know as Moluccas (or Maluku Islands of Indonesia) centuries ago. Over 30.000 species of Indonesian spices are grown in this archipelago, and the journey of these aromatic spices started around the 16th century. Some crops are native to this archipelago; clove, pepper, and nutmeg, to name a few.
In this era, global trade played a significant role in spice’s popularity. The high demand and promising profit margin (well.. equally the worth of gold!) made Asians, Arabians, and European vendors cruise a long way to trace undiscovered routes in order to source the spices directly from the source. Further, the same reason became a motive for a spice monopoly and colonization. Mainly in Banda Island as the most significant nutmeg producer at this time. Through the Banda massacre, the nutmeg trade on this island was contested.
At the time of this writing, Ambon (the capital city of the archipelago) is still the leading Indonesian spice supplier and a popular travel destination for tourists seeking ocean adventures or visiting local living.
Vanilla Farming and Exportation is #2 in the World
Indonesia is one of the world’s largest vanilla suppliers in the world – #2 behind Madagascar being the top vanilla supplier. Vanilla plantations are common to find along East Java, West Java, North Sumatra, Lampung, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, and some areas in Papua. A little-known fact is that different regions can produce distinct vanilla beans’ final keynotes.
Indonesia continuously produces planifolia vanilla beans in bulk that can’t be matched with the other vanilla beans from other regions. Indonesian planifolia vanilla beans reveal a great amount of vanilla caviar, which means an extra sweetness for culinary applications! As a result, the world demand for Indonesian planifolia vanilla beans in bulk keeps growing, and that’s how Indonesia gets its #2 rank as the world’s leading vanilla supplier.
Broad Selection of Local Cuisine
Through spice trade and other countries’ settlements centuries ago, lots of Indonesian cuisines are the outcomes of cross-cultural interactions with other countries. Making them what they are today. To illustrate, Indonesian cuisines like siomay, fried rice, and bakmi are under Chinese influence with a touch of Indonesian spices.
Furthermore, Indonesian cuisine can adjust to where it belongs. For instance, Javanese cuisines are famous for their sweet taste as the result of abundant sugar production. Additionally, one recipe in Indonesian cuisine can develop into several variations; Indonesian satay turns out to have more than one recipe, such as Maduranese chicken satay, Balinese satay lilit (minced meat satay), Maranggi satay, and lots more on the list.
Indonesian food is never just food; it’s a story between flavors, spices, and cultures. Multiple aspects contribute to the diversity of Indonesian cuisine, from different countries’ influences to localities’ creations.
Indonesia is a Staple in the Global Spice Market and Commodity Trading
Indonesia supplies bulk spices worldwide, year-round. The top destination countries for Indonesian spices export include Germany, the U.S., Japan, Netherlands, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Spain, India, Egypt, and other countries. In exporting their spices in bulk, most of these countries supply from direct-trade spice suppliers like Essence Food & Beverage, LLC.
Indonesian prime commodities in the global spices market include pepper, nutmeg, planifolia vanilla beans, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and ginger. It’s reported that within the range of 2012-2016, Indonesia’s bulk spices supply covers 14% of the world’s spice demand. Today, to retain the positive growth of the Indonesian spice trade in the global market, the Indonesian government has launched a movement to promote this highly-lucrative commodity and accelerate the growth of Indonesian spice suppliers.
Indonesia is a Country Full of Communal Dining Cultures
You name it, from traditional ceremonies, rituals, and religious holidays, most of them involve eating in groups. For instance, the Sundanese’s traditional ngaliwet, in which people in groups cook and eat liwet rice (rice that is cooked in coconut milk, chicken broth, and Indonesian spices) and side dishes (the choice may vary depending on preference but commonly fried tofu, fried tempeh, fried chicken, and others) together from a long-large banana leaf.
Like other cultures around the world, enjoying flavorful dishes unites people to bond better with each other.
A Country with Over 700 Languages
Although Bahasa Indonesia is the primary lingua franca spoken throughout the Indonesian archipelago, it might take you by surprise to discover that over 700 languages and dialects exist in Indonesia! Indonesian tribes’ diversity plays a significant role in Indonesian language diversity.
Some of the most spoken languages are Javanese, Sundanese, Banjarese, and Buginese. Additionally, one local language can have more than one dialect. To illustrate, the Javanese language in East Java and Central Java regions. You’ll hear dialect differences and the difference in the meaning of some words. That’s how Indonesia gets the predicate of being the most linguistically diverse country.
A Home to the Rarest Flora and Fauna in the World
Indonesian rainforests are home to thousands of flora and fauna species; 10% of the world’s plants, 12% of mammals, and 17% of bird species. Throughout Indonesian rainforests, you’ll find the rarest species, endemic species, and endangered species. Some of them are the Sumatran tiger, Orangutan, Javan rhinoceros, the komodo dragon, the Rafflesia Arnoldi, the Titan Arum flower, and many more.
In order to preserve exotic wildlife, the Indonesian government has made some movements. These movements include building 44 national parks, botanic gardens, and zoos covering land and sea areas. These days, Indonesia is a popular ecotourism destination, ranked with the #2 biodiversity of flora and fauna worldwide.
Indonesia is Home to 76 Active Volcanoes
Lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire zone have made Indonesia the most volcanically active country in the world. You can find more than 147 volcanoes here, with 76 still active. Some of them are Merapi, Kerinci, Bromo, Semeru, Rinjani, Kerinci, Anak Krakatau, and many more.
Most active volcanoes mainly spread along Sumatra, Java, Celebes, and Lesser Sunda islands. As a result of a large number of active volcanoes in Indonesia, the agriculture of Indonesian spices is spread throughout these regions, with the fertile volcanic soil as a primary key to producing excellent-quality Indonesian spices.
Top 3 Recommendations of Heritage Sites and Cultural Places to Visit
If you’re a historic-sites enthusiast, you’ll definitely treasure your visit to Indonesia. These historically unique sites vary from nature to cultural places; some to mention are a Komodo national park, Borobudur temple, and Prambanan temple; it’s all worth adding to your list. However, if you’re interested in participating in cultural activities, the batik center is worth considering (and try making batik on your own).
By the time you come to Indonesia or plan an itinerary for your upcoming holidays, don’t forget these wonderful heritage sites on your checklist!
Ideal Climate and Elevation for Spice Farming
As a tropical country, Indonesia only experiences two seasons; the dry season and the rainy season. The humidity ranges between 70-90%, supporting the effectiveness of growing crops in Indonesia. As a result, Indonesian spices harvests are always available throughout the year.
Where to Buy Indonesian Vanilla Beans in Bulk & Vanilla Bean Powder Bulk? - A Direct-Trade Vanilla Supplier
Thanks to the top growing conditions, Indonesia is known as home to countless top-notch spice plantations. The growth of Indonesian vanilla beans is highly supported by the tropical climate, fertile volcanic soil, and dedicated farmers. This allows Indonesia to provide year-round supply of premium vanilla beans in bulk to the global market.
Essence Food & Beverage, LLC is a direct-trade vanilla supplier. Since our business establishment, we have sourced vanilla beans in bulk from top-notch vanilla plantations in Java Island, Indonesia. Our simplified supply chain allows our customers to get more benefits from us. That is, no middlemen, direct from the source, no price markups, and freshness guaranteed.
If you regularly need Indonesian-grown bulk spices like Cassia cinnamon stick, Planifolia vanilla beans in bulk, vanilla bean powder bulk, whole cloves, and whole nutmeg, consider Essence Food & Beverage, LLC. Request a quote or contact us through our website to buy our bulk vanilla beans and vanilla bean powder bulk.
