Spice Plantation

The following day we headed out to one of the spice plantations. It was amazing to see the wide variety of spices grown on the island and to have first hand access to many of them. They had developed a “tourist area” where they planted all the different spices they cultivated in the plantation so that you could see the variety

Kapok...from the tree!

Pop these open for natural lipstick!

without traipsing over miles of land to get to each one.

OK…I have to admit…I had heard of kapok but I honestly thought it was a manufactured substance from…something. I had no idea that it actually grew on a tree! The amazing things you learn. We explored common spices: cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, as well as henna, galangal, and zingifuri, a plant where the flower is used as lipstick for the ladies!

Vanilla beans

This was also the place to learn all about the medicinal value, application and uses of so many of the plats grown there. The entire island primarily relies upon the natural medicines found there. While western medicine is available, the local remedies are far more accessible for these people. Would love to explore all the options and used for these marvelous plants.