Katharina

AM: After breakfast in our South Bali hotel meeting point, experience the best that Bali can offer with a tour of East Bali with its deep culture and glorious landscapes. Visit water palaces, ancient villages, see lush rice terraces and jungles and the island's volcanic peaks, and dine on some of Bali’s freshest and most delicious traditional cuisine.

PM: In the late afternoon, you will arrive at your beachside resort in East Bali and have a chance to unwind, swim, or have a snorkeling lesson with your tour guide. In the evening join all your fellow guests for a welcome dinner and drinks in the hotel’s beachside restaurant.

Sleep in the shadow of Bali’s Mt Agung, the mother mountain of all Balinese people, and the most imposing figure on the whole landscape of Bali.

AM: Watch a specular sunrise from the beach in front of your resort as hundreds of small traditional ‘jukung’ fishing boats return from their overnight expeditions, as your Katharina comes into view.

PM: Sail across the Wallace Line, the deep-sea boundary that represents the biogeographical separation point between Asia and Australia, where the landscapes, animals and plant life separate into distinctly different groups. Snorkel the magnificent coral gardens of the Gili Islands off the northwest corner of Lombok.

AM: Wake up off the coast of Kanawa Island under the gaze of Lombok’s towering Mt Rinjani, the largest volcanic peak in Indonesia, and spend the morning swimming, snorkeling and exploring.

PM: Visit a village of the famous Bajao ‘Sea Gypsies’ of Southeast Asia, and wee how they live their lives so close to, on and in the water.

AM: Wake up early in Saleh Bay, where we will hopefully swim with a group of whale sharks that congregate off the local people’s fishing platforms that sit in the bay.

PM: Swim, snorkel, kayak and paddle board in a deep lake on a volcanic island lake on Satonda Island, whose caldera filled by water from a tsunami caused by a massive volcanic event from the nearby Tambora Volcano, which in 1815 was the largest eruption in recorded history.

Drink sunset cocktails as we float on the current while tens of thousands of giant fruit bats emerge from their forest lair and fly out directly over the boat on their nightly foraging missions.

AM: Step ashore on an active, smoking volcanic island, where local villagers are in the process of building a fifty-plus meter, traditional wooden pinisi boat. Walking around this small village, get a feel for their simple way of life, chat with the locals and maybe buy some handmade textiles as a memento. Snorkel on a colorful and vibrant coral reef above small geothermal fissures where air bubbles are released from the volcanic chambers below the seabed.

PM: After a few hours under sail, spend the afternoon time on a deserted white sand beach on another volcanic island, this time an extinct one. Explore the magnificent coral gardens, hike to the crest of the surrounding hills for a view of the surrounding islands, swim, paddle, kayak and laze away the day before enjoying sunset cocktails on the sand.

AM: Wake up in the most northerly part of the Komodo National Park and enjoy a morning of sea-based activities including a fantastic drift snorkel over the reef, kayaking and SUP at Gili Lawa Darat island. Swim with schools of manta rays as they feed on the current and circle the so-called cleaning stations, where small fish remove parasites from their skin. Hover above these giant and noble beasts for as long as you like.

PM: Spend the late afternoon on a local sandbar, where we will enjoy snorkeling, swimming and relaxing on the sand.

AM: Visit Rinca Island and go on a trek in search of the ancient Komodo dragon, the world’s largest lizard. See monkeys, dear, pigs, buffalo, and myriad birds as we walk through the forests and savannah of this large island.

PM: Snorkel at Siaba Island, a favorite hangout of sea turtles, where we will have a chance to swim with these gentle creatures as they cruise along the shallow water of the reef.

Enjoy Indonesian hospitality as your crew hosts a beach barbecue in your honor on a deserted island. On offer is plenty of good food, music, cocktails dancing and frivolity as we dance and sing the night away next to a bonfire under a clear tropical night sky.

AM: Cruise into the harbor as we eat our last breakfast on the boat, before taking a short drive to a traditional local village. Here we will enjoy their hospitality with coffee, betel nut and a highly potent local ‘arak’ (not for the faint-hearted), before being be treated to a selection of traditional dances.

PM: Enjoy a final lunch on the boat before being escorted to the airport for your onward flight.

PM: Upon arrival at Komodo Airport, you will be escorted to your hotel where you can relax by the pool, swim in the sea, and have a chance to brush up on your snorkeling skills with your tour leader.

Gather at sunset for evening cocktails before sitting down to an Indonesian buffet dinner as you get acquainted with the rest of your fellow guests who will be joining you on the cruise ahead.

AM: In the morning we will take a short drive to a traditional local village high up in the hills, where we will be witness to the fast and imposing ‘caci’ whip dance by the local villagers. Here we will enjoy their hospitality with coffee, betel nut and a highly potent local ‘arak’ before (not for the faint-hearted), before being be treated to a selection of traditional dances by their men and women.

PM: By late morning we will be on the boat, and as we enjoy a buffet lunch we will cruise out into the Komodo National Park where we will have our first snorkel amongst the corals.

In the early evening at cocktail hour, we will anchor off Kalong Island to see thousands and thousands of fruit bats emerge from their mangrove homes and fill the sky as they head off to the mainland in search of food.

AM: Visit Rinca Island and go on a trek in search of the more Komodo dragons. See monkeys, dear, pigs, buffalo, and myriad birds as we walk through the forests and savannahs of this large island.

PM: Swim with schools of manta rays as they feed on the current and circle the so-called cleaning stations, where small fish remove parasites from their skin. Hover above these giant and noble beasts for as long as you like. Snorkel at Siaba Island, a favorite hangout of sea turtles, where we will have a chance to swim with these gentle reptiles as the cruise along the shallow water of the reef.

AM: Spend the morning on Gili Banta, a deserted island with a beautiful white sand beach. Explore the magnificent coral gardens, hike to the crest of the surrounding hills for a view of the surrounding islands, swim, paddle, kayak and play.

PM: Cruise across the sea as we get the sails up and set course for Sangean Island, where local villagers are in the process of building a fifty-plus meter, traditional wooden pinisi boat. Walking around this small village, get a feel for their simple way of life, chat with the locals and maybe buy some handmade textiles as a memento. Snorkel on a vibrant coral reef just off the shore filled with fish and marine creatures from all shades of the color spectrum, including a meadow of hundreds of glass eels.

AM: Wake up off Satonda Island, an extinct volcano with a brackish lake at its heart, where we will swim, snorkel, kayak, paddle board and explore the surrounding forest if you wish. The lake was created when the crater was flooded by a tsunami caused by a massive volcanic event from the nearby Tambora Volcano, which in 1815 was the largest eruption in recorded history.

PM: Set sail for Moyo Island and take a walk through a village to a jungle waterfall and play with local kids as they take the lead on a rope swing above a cool, deep jungle pool to show us how it’s done.

AM: Wake up early in Saleh Bay, where we will hopefully swim with a group of whale sharks that congregate off fishing platforms, where PM: local fishermen catch small baitfish and keep them suspended in nets, which attract the sharks.

Spend the afternoon on a nearby beach where we will snorkel, paddle, kayak and explore our jungle surroundings.

AM: Visit a village of the famous Bajao ‘Sea Gypsies’ of Southeast Asia, and see how they live their lives so close to, on and in the water.

PM: Another relaxing afternoon awaits as we land on a nearby uninhabited island, where once again we will relax and enjoy snorkeling, kayaking and paddle boarding. Enjoy Indonesian hospitality as your crew hosts a beach barbecue in your honor this evening. On offer is plenty of good food, music, cocktails dancing and frivolity as we dance and sing the night away next to a bonfire under a clear tropical night sky.

AM: Wake up at anchor off the coast of Bali under in the shadow of Bali’s Mt Agung, the mother mountain of all Balinese people, and the most imposing figure on the whole landscape of Bali. Enjoy an early morning swim or snorkel before we say goodbye to the crew and start our tour back to the south of Bali.

PM: Along the way, experience the best that East Bali can offer a tour of its deep culture and glorious landscapes. Visit water palaces, ancient villages, see lush rice terraces and jungles and the islands volcanic peaks, and dine on some of Bali’s freshest and most delicious traditional cuisine, before we bid goodbye at Puri Santrian Hotel as the final drop-off point.

AM: Your flight will arrive in the West Papuan port town of Sorong, the gateway to Raja Ampat. From the airport, we will transfer you to the harbor where your boat will be waiting at anchor. Once settled into your cabin, your cruise director will familiarize you with the vessel’s facilities and safety procedures.

PM: Ready to start our adventure, we will weigh anchor and set a southerly course for the Misool Archipelago, stopping for a refreshing swim along the way. We will then dine alfresco on the main deck while meeting the other passengers and crew and watching the sunset on our first day at sea.

AM: This morning we will wake to see the sunrise over the picturesque chain of islands that makes up the Misool archipelago. The topography is typical of ‘karst dissolution,’ featuring a great number of tiny islets whose bases have been eroded over time by the relentless motion of the tides. We will spend the day maximizing everything that this fascinating area has to offer by marveling at both the marine wonderland under the water and the magnificent landscape above the surface.

PM: We can test out our paddling skills in the sea kayaks, watch for birds perched on the rocks, or just sit back and take in the glorious scenery. After a full day of island hopping through this archipelago, the boat will spend a quiet night at anchor in Misool’s Tomolo Bay.

AM: A swim through Tomolo’s mysterious dome-topped cave is undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities. After an early breakfast, our tenders will take us into the heart of the bay to see this partially submerged cave where it is possible to swim, snorkel or simply float while gazing up at the cavernous grotto adorned with astonishing stalactites.

The more adventurous can swim or paddle through the dark waters to the other mouth of the cave. We will then move on to the mysterious stingless jellyfish lake, one of only 20 in the world where these amazing creatures exist and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless animals.

PM: After returning to the ship, we will use our tenders to explore more of this impressive maze of karst islands, both above and below the surface, complete with mysterious skull cairns in sea-cave cemeteries, and prehistoric cave paintings, estimated to be anything between 3,000 to 5,000 years old and depicting various human figures and huge human palms, fish, flowers and plants, tools and vessels. Overnight, our boat will cruise north to the island of Batanta.

AM: After our days of marine exploration, the jungle-clad island of Batanta offers us a change of scenery and a chance to stretch our legs on an adventurous trek into the island’s interior. We anchor at the foot of Arefi Village, nestled on the north coast of the island, where we will find local guides to escort us through the mangrove waters to the start point of our trek.

PM: A short walk along the riverbed brings us to a jungle waterfall, complete with a refreshing pool for cooling off. After leaving the wilderness behind us, we will find a nearby spot to swim and snorkel before moving north to the islands of Wayag.

AM: Few areas in Indonesia can lay claim to such unsurpassed natural splendor as Raja Ampat’s Wayag islands. The beauty of these picturesque karst spires is perhaps only equaled by the brilliant colors and vibrancy of the reefs and the marine life that flourishes below.

PM: Nature has carved these islands into a series of coves and lagoons, narrow channels and inlets, caves, jagged rocks and shaded sandy beaches. For those who dare, some spectacular but nearly vertical climbs are rewarded with magnificent panoramas. We will spend a quiet night here at anchor.

AM: The Wayag islands are Raja Ampat’s best, and we will make the most of this unique region for one more morning, navigating the maze of mushroom-shaped islands, and stopping for swimming and snorkeling.

PM: In the afternoon, we will set our compasses to return to the southern hemisphere and the island of Waigeo.

AM: Another full day of adventure awaits us along the convoluted western coast of Waigeo. We will begin the morning by exploring Wofoh, three island gems linked together by stretches of pristine coral reef. You can use the tenders or kayaks to navigate the islands or put your newly-acquired fish identification skills to use in exploring this vibrant reef. Or you may prefer to simply just relax on the beach.

PM: In the afternoon we will move northwards to Aljui Bay, home to the Cendanda Pearl Farm, one of the larger producers of high-quality seawater pearls in the region. Pearling is an important industry throughout Indonesia and several farms can be seen in the waters of Raja Ampat, where the farmers may grant us permission to visit their facilities and receive an explanation of the pearling processes that we have seen during our voyage.

AM: We will wake up in front of the island of Penemu, a dramatic location with a short hilltop climb to take in the amazing views. After some great snorkeling on the island’s reefs, we will set course for the tiny Aborek Island, where the local children will perform their traditional dances for us.

PM: We can also walk around the village and gain a sense of the Asai culture, which is still kept very much alive by the villagers living in this isolated place. There's a chance that we may get to see some manta rays as we snorkel, but there are no guarantees.

AM: After waking up, before sunrise, we will follow in the footsteps of the famous naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in a pre-dawn quest to spot the remarkable Red Bird of Paradise, one of the species that Wallace was most anxious to collect. We hope that the efforts of our trek through the forest will pay off, enabling us to catch a rare and privileged sight of the bird’s elaborate courtship dance as the day breaks over the forest canopy.

PM: Whether we spot the birds or not, for sure we will experience a wonderful trek. After lunch, we make our way through the Dampier strait, home to some of Raja Ampat’s premier reefs.

AM: After our last breakfast, we will stroll around on dry land at the Doom island with traditional transportation called Becak. During the First World War, Doom island served as an administrative center of Dutch Empire administration in West Papua and continued to become the core of Sorong for some time before the city grew in mainland Papua. During the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied and fortified the island, building a network of tunnels and bunkers. The island was attacked by American and Australian aircraft throughout the war. Following the war, a fishing station was briefly established on the island before it was moved to Manokwari.

After this we will say goodbye to our crew and captain and head to the airport for our onward flights.