Ombak Putih

Deals

AM & PM: You will be met at the airport in Komodo by your tour leaders and taken straight to your boat. After settling into your new home for the week, we will head off for our first of many snorkeling expeditions.

Go ashore on Rinca Island in search of the fearsome Komodo dragons, found only in the Komodo National Park. This is the world’s largest lizard, growing up to a length of three metres and weighing up to approximately 70 kilograms.

Another highlight will be when we anchor off a small island to witness the nightly departure of thousands of flying foxes that fly at dusk to feed on the mainland.

Enjoy a fantastic drift snorkel as we visit Gili Lawa Darat, an island in the north of the park, from where we can trek to the viewpoint and watch a majestic sunset across the park.

AM & PM: Go ashore on Sangeang Island, an active volcano, where we will visit the local village and enjoy snorkelling on the colourful coral reef just offshore.

Experience one of our famous beach BBQs under a night sky filled with millions of stars as you feast on the amazing local delicacies prepared by our chef, and all accompanied by live musical entertainment from our talented crew.

We will go ashore on the forested Moyo Island, where we will travel to the interior of the island to visit a scenic waterfall in the rainforest, where we can bathe in the refreshing cool water.

AM & PM: Prepare for an exhilarating opportunity to swim with whale sharks, the majestic gentle giants of the sea. These massive but harmless animals have long congregated here in the bay, but now, thanks to travellers like you, we have formed a mutually beneficial alliance with the local fishermen, who have their traditional small floating fishing platforms in the bay that attract the sharks.

Visit a local village and witness their age-old practice of buffalo racing, where the local men ride their prized beasts through a mud-filled rice paddy, an exhilarating sight to behold.

Visit a strange and mystical volcanic island with a sunken crater lake in its centre, and visit a small coastal community to see pinisi ships being built on the beach.

AM & PM: Enjoy a unique snorkeling experience where volcanic gas escapes in the form of bubbles from the sea floor among the corals, with the metallic black volcanic sand below being home to an abundance of very interesting invertebrates.

Entering the Komodo National Park again, we will go drift snorkelling in one of the best and healthiest coral reefs in the park.

You will have a hands-on experience at a coral conservation project on Hatamin Island, where you will learn about the work and get a chance to create your own coral rack and place it in the sea.

Snorkel at a favourite hangout of sea turtles, where we will have a chance to swim with these gentle reptiles as they cruise along the shallow water of the reef. Swim with manta rays as they feed on the current and circle the so-called cleaning stations, where small fish remove parasites from their skin.

AM: After breakfast on our last day, we will take you on a scenic drive towards Melo Village, where you will witness the traditional Caci dance performance. Local strongmen perform a ritual whip-fight between two rivals in which the players, each armed with a rattan shield and a whip, will try to hit each other while dancing to the rhythm of traditional acoustic instruments.

PM: After lunch on the boat, we will say farewell to the crew and your fellow shipmates as you disembark and continue onto your next destination.

AM & PM: On the first morning, you will be greeted by your tour leaders at your hotel and taken to the boat, and after an alfresco lunch, we will stop off for our first swim and snorkel of the voyage on a coral reef, before continuing on our way south.

The Misool archipelago is a picturesque chain of jungle-covered limestone islets with spectacular coral reefs offering some fantastic snorkeling. We will spend the day exploring the many inlets, bays, and beaches with some trekking, swimming, and snorkelling. We will also break out the kayaks and paddle boards for some seaborne adventuring.

AM & PM: We will swim in a 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.

Using our tenders, we will visit some prehistoric cave paintings, estimated to be between 3,000 to 5,000 years old and depicting various human figures, huge human hands, fish, and flowers.

Experience an early morning jungle trek to look for the Lesser Birds of Paradise in the wild, an unforgettable experience for anyone lucky enough to see them as they dance around in their ‘lekking’ trees.

AM & PM: Central Raja Ampat stores many magical underwater gems. Exploration and lots of waterborne opportunities await as we cruise, we snorkel, and get the paddle boards and kayaks in the water.

Snorkel around one of the best coral reefs in the world with a large school of fish hanging out in the deep, masses of healthy corals, and large sea fans clinging to the reef walls.

AM & PM: Explore a small group of limestone islands filled with coves and beautiful reefs, and we will go ashore for a short climb to a vantage point where we can survey our beautiful surroundings, before heading out to snorkel on the beautiful reefs.

We will have an epic snorkel adventure on one of Raja Ampat’s best reefs, where hundreds of species can be found, including large schools of fish of all sizes and a massive diversity of coral species.

AM & PM: A super early awaits as we head off into the forest in search of two incredible birds: the Red Bird of Paradise and the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. The walk takes about 40 minutes, and as we arrive at the bird site at dawn, if we are lucky, we will see the incredible mating displays of these birds in the canopy of the rainforest. This is a David Attenborough moment if ever there was one.

Enjoy more great snorkelling in the famous underwater sea wall on the east of Gam Island.

AM: On the last day of our adventure, we will wake up anchored in Sorong and have one last hearty breakfast on board before saying farewell to our crew and your fellow travellers, and making our way to the airport or hotel for the next phase of your journey.

AM & PM: Take an early morning trek in the jungle to see the Red Bird of Paradise and the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise in their jungle home as they perform their mating rituals in the trees and on the forest floor.

Visit small islands for some fantastic snorkelling and beach time, swimming, paddling, and kayaking. We will explore the jungle-clad coastline by dinghy, enjoying the scenery and looking for birds before enjoying cocktails on the upper deck, waiting for the hornbills flying back to their roosting trees.

AM & PM: Visit a locally initiated programme where the villagers are replanting mangroves in their coastal areas to prevent erosion and to provide safe environments for juvenile fish to thrive. We will get our hands on and plant a few of them for ourselves, and hear from the founder of the project.

Snorkel on a nearby reef and visit the traditional village of Marandanweser, where the locals will perform some traditional songs and dance for us. Bring your dancing shoes because you will be invited to join in.

Trek to a viewpoint high above an aquamarine lagoon that overlooks a picturesque limestone karst chain of islands.

AM & PM: Enjoy more relaxing time snorkelling on the reefs, exploring the inlets and local areas by paddle board and kayak, or swimming and sunbathing from the white sand beaches of this beautiful piece of paradise.

Visit the Pisang Islands, a small group of picture-perfect islands, where we will spend the morning exploring the beaches, crystal clear waters, and vibrant reefs with our snorkels.

On the mainland of Papua, where we will visit a local village and meet the residents, who will welcome us into their village, sharing with us their way of life, which consists of fishing and growing nutmeg.

AM & PM: We have the chance to swim with wild dolphins and also enjoy some spectacular snorkelling and beach time on a remote white-sand beach.

Experience a most serene and primal scene of a jungle waterfall, where a roaring river surrounded by virgin rainforest pours into the sea. Here we will swim and play in the waterfall and the sea as we take in this most tranquil tropical scenery.

AM & PM: Triton Bay is a place of unsurpassed natural splendour, where time and tides have sliced the limestone landscape into tall cliffs and numerous islands separated by lagoons and narrow channels. Heading through the Namatote Passage, we will see an impressive collection of ancient cave paintings high up on the cliffs.

It is also home to fishermen who collect baitfish and keep them in nets attached to specially built platforms, also known as ‘bagans’. It is these and their fish that attract whale sharks. We will head out in the tenders in the early morning light to see if the sharks are around, and if we are lucky, we will spend a couple of hours in the water with these magnificent creatures.

Take a short walk into the forest to see a most spectacular jungle waterfall surrounded by virgin rainforest, and take a dip in its cool refreshing waters.

AM & PM: Triton Bay is a place of unsurpassed natural splendour, where time and tides have sliced the limestone landscape into tall cliffs and numerous islands separated by lagoons and narrow channels. Heading through the Namatote Passage, we will see an impressive collection of ancient cave paintings high up on the cliffs.

It is also home to fishermen who collect baitfish and keep them in nets attached to specially built platforms, also known as ‘bagans’. It is these and their fish that attract whale sharks. We will head out in the tenders in the early morning light to see if the sharks are around, and if we are lucky, we will spend a couple of hours in the water with these magnificent creatures.

Take a short walk into the forest to see a most spectacular jungle waterfall surrounded by virgin rainforest, and take a dip in its cool refreshing waters.

AM & PM: We have the chance to swim with wild dolphins, and also enjoy some spectacular snorkelling and beach time on a remote white-sand beach.

Experience a most serene and primal scene of a second jungle waterfall, where a roaring river pours directly into the sea. Here we will swim and play in the waterfall as we take in this most tranquil tropical scenery.

AM & PM: Enjoy more relaxing time snorkelling on the reefs, exploring the inlets and local areas by paddle board and kayak, or swimming and sunbathing from the white sand beaches of this beautiful piece of paradise.

Visit the Pisang Islands, a small group of picture-perfect islands, where we will spend the morning exploring the beaches, crystal clear waters, and vibrant reefs with our snorkels.

On the mainland of Papua, where we will visit a local village and meet the residents, who will welcome us into their village, sharing with us their way of life, which consists of fishing and growing nutmeg.

AM & PM: Visit a locally initiated programme where the villagers are replanting mangroves in their coastal areas to prevent erosion and to provide safe environments for juvenile fish to thrive. We will get our hands on and plant a few of them for ourselves, and hear from the founder of the project.

Snorkel on a nearby reef and visit a traditional village, where the locals will perform some traditional songs and dance for us. Bring your dancing shoes because you will be invited to join in.

Trek to a viewpoint high above an aquamarine lagoon that overlooks a picturesque limestone karst chain of islands.

AM & PM: Take an early morning trek in the jungle to see the Red Bird of Paradise and the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise in their jungle home as they perform their mating rituals in the trees and on the forest floor.

Visit small islands for some fantastic snorkelling and beach time, swimming, paddling, and kayaking. We will explore the jungle-clad coastline by dinghy, enjoying the scenery and looking for birds before enjoying cocktails on the upper deck, waiting for the hornbills flying back to their roosting trees.

AM & PM: After settling in on the boat, we will head to the small village of Watublapi, where we will be met with singing and dancing by the local people. Famed for their unique textiles, we will be shown firsthand their ancient techniques of spinning, dyeing, and weaving their famous fabrics. Here we will have the chance to view (and purchase) some of the local textiles, try their betel nut, and brave their locally produced liquor.

Pay a visit to the local village that was abandoned when we will snorkel and watch the sunset over Ile Apé, another active volcano.

AM & PM: Go ashore and meet the villagers of Umapura, a village famed for its weaving and dyeing, where we can see how the local women create their intricate ikat cloth. There is every chance to purchase some as a memento.

We went on some local boats to visit with Mawar, a friendly but wild dugong who lives in the seagrass beds of the nearby bay. We will also get to meet the “local hero”, Pak One, who ensures that Mawar is well protected.

Visit the traditional village of Takpala up in the hills of Alor, where we will be welcomed by the chief and witness a ceremonial war dance in honour of our visit. We will see their traditional ‘Moko’ war drums and intricately designed ‘Ikat’ fabrics, which have been woven and dyed using age-old techniques, and used in local bridal dowries for centuries.

AM & PM: We do a bit of island hopping over the next few days as we make our way up the Banda Arc, a string of volcanic islands that forms part of the Ring of Fire.

We will visit Wetar and Damar Islands and go ashore to a local village to meet the locals and see their way of life as they dry their catch on the beach. Spend the day swimming and beaching, snorkelling and exploring, and indulge in a bit of local culture by way of ‘sopi’, a strong alcoholic drink made from a local palm tree.

The crew will set up for a beach BBQ, and we will dance and sing our way into the night before heading off again for an overnight cruise to our next destination.

AM & PM: We will visit a very simple village where the people’s houses are made using the products of the sago palm, the staple crop in this part of the world. The villagers will demonstrate for us how they process the heart of the sago palm into the edible product that sustains them.

We will pass by an uninhabited island that is home to tens of thousands of sea birds (brown and red-footed boobies and frigate birds), who will likely come out to encircle the boat in great numbers on our approach. If the tide allows, we will go ashore and investigate, and surely have a snorkel.

We will enjoy a full day at sea as we do a long crossing to the legendary Banda Islands – home of nutmeg, mace, and mystery.

AM & PM: By dawn, we should have the Banda Archipelago ‘Spice Islands’ in our sights, original home of the nutmeg and the scene of much bloodshed between the colonial powers of Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries over control of the spice trade. We will visit Pulau Run, England’s very first colony, as well as Pulau Ai where we will visit Fort Revenge, built by the Dutch in the 17th century.

In the capital Banda Neira, with its quaint, characterful streets, a museum, churches, a waterfront market, and forts. Just across the harbour is Banda’s perfect, jungle-clad volcanic cone Gunung Api (‘Fire Mountain).

We will also visit the other small islands of the Banda archipelago – Lonthor, Ai, Run, Hatta – each of them with its own remnants of old plantations, Dutch cemeteries, and fortifications. The tiny outlying island of Run was the subject of an unbelievable real estate deal when, in 1667, under the Treaty of Breda, it was ceded by the English to the Dutch in exchange for Manhattan. Yes, the Manhattan where New York stands.

AM & PM: We will observe the age-old technique of harvesting nutmeg by hand, and can taste (and buy) baked goods, condiments, and jams flavoured with fresh mace and nutmeg. The fruit enclosing the nutmeg seed is sold dried and has a unique and intense flavour. It is a delicacy rarely obtainable outside the Banda Islands.

There are some excellent coral reefs here, and we should see some amazing marine life whilst snorkelling. Ironically, in the less-than-pristine waters of the harbour, we have a good chance of seeing (at dusk) arguably the world’s most stunning fish, the small but jewel-like Mandarin Fish.

Leaving Banda, we will navigate through the Sonnegat (‘Sun’s gap’) between Neira and Gunung Api, possibly escorted by kora-kora – the big Moluccan galleys used traditionally for ceremony and warfare, propelled by banks of warrior-oarsmen.

AM & PM: On the first day of your adventure, you will be collected from your hotel after breakfast by our tour leaders and taken directly to the boat, which will be waiting at anchor in Ambon Harbour. As soon as everyone is settled in and the captain gets clearance from the harbour master, we will raise anchor and head south across the open sea, crossing to the legendary Banda Archipelago.

The Banda Islands are renowned for their natural beauty and cultural heritage, and quite simply one of Indonesia’s highlights. Banda was originally the world’s only source of nutmeg and mace, valued for their rarity and high cost by aristocrats and elites, and is filled with the well-preserved remnants of an extraordinary history of imperialist rivalry.

AM & PM: Since conditions of wind and tide will determine the order in which we visit various Banda islands, our activities here can’t be assigned to a particular day, but here’s what we aim to cover.

In the capital Banda Neira, with its quaint, characterful streets, a museum, churches and a waterfront market, and imposing forts. Just across the harbour is Banda’s perfect, jungle-clad volcanic cone Gunung Api (‘Fire Mountain’ – 640 metres).

We will also visit the other small islands of the Banda archipelago – Lonthor, Ai, Run, Hatta – each of them with its own remnants of old plantations, Dutch cemeteries, and fortifications. The tiny outlying island of Run was the subject of an unbelievable real estate deal when, in 1667, under the Treaty of Breda, it was ceded by the English to the Dutch in exchange for Manhattan. Yes, the Manhattan where New York stands.

AM & PM: We will observe the age-old technique of harvesting nutmeg by hand, and can taste (and buy) baked goods, condiments, and jams flavoured with fresh mace and nutmeg. The fruit enclosing the nutmeg seed is sold dried and has a unique and intense flavour. It is a delicacy rarely obtainable outside the Banda Islands.

There are some excellent coral reefs here, and we should see some amazing marine life whilst snorkelling. Ironically, in the less-than-pristine waters of the harbor, we have a good chance of seeing (at dusk) arguably the world’s most stunning fish, the small but jewel-like Mandarin Fish.

Leaving Banda, we will navigate through the Sonnegat (‘Sun’s gap’) between Neira and Gunung Api, possibly escorted by kora-kora – the big Moluccan galleys used traditionally for ceremony and warfare, propelled by banks of warrior-oarsmen.

AM & PM: Visit Nusa Laut, home to a Christian community, where we will visit a Dutch-built church from 1719 as well as a 17th-century fort. A highlight here is a lunchtime feast of wonderful local dishes – freshly prepared by villager hosts from forest, garden, and sea produce.

Manipa Island is said to have magical powers, because none of the Portuguese, Dutch or WWII-Japanese who occupied the surrounding islands ever landed here. Here they distill a volatile oil called kayu putih, a volatile oil famed throughout Indonesia as a universal panacea: cosmetic, antiseptic, insecticide, decongestant, analgesic, expectorant, anti-spasmodic, stimulant, and tonic.

We also view production of the traditional Moluccan food staple, sago, a nutritious flour washed from the fibrous trunk of the sago palm. Sago can be baked into easily transportable dry cakes, which Wallace often subsisted on, while the palm also provides building material and thatch. After an afternoon snorkeling, we will cruise on towards our next destination.

AM & PM: We will spend the next couple of days visiting some beautiful paradise islands, including the deserted, white-sand Belang-Belang, a real beachcomber’s paradise, where we can launch our full flotilla of watercraft, kayaks, and paddle boards. On Obi, mountains clad in forest and clove plantations plunge spectacularly into the sea, and we will visit the isolated village of Manatahan, a village of migrants from Sulawesi, hundreds of miles to the west.

In past times, the picturesque channels around Obi were dotted with the sails of local spice traders, Portuguese caravels, Spanish galleons, Dutch ‘jachts’, and English pinnaces. Now we encounter friendly fishers and their outrigger dugouts, colourful timber island-trading craft, and sometimes little sloops still trading under sail.

We go ashore into the forests of Bacan island, in search of some endemic wildlife, including the Standardwing Bird of Paradise, and the huge and magnificent Golden Birdwing Butterfly, as well as parrots, cockatoos, lorikeets, hornbills, the elusive cuscus, and maybe the endangered, black-crested macaque – the only monkey in Maluku.

AM & PM: Spend the day at the Guraici Archipelago, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and some lovely local villages. We will snorkel, swim, and pay a visit to one of the villages to meet the local people. The islands are part of a government-controlled conservation area, designed to protect the reefs and the many beautiful marine species that live there.

Visit the small village of Dodinga on Halmahera, the very place where Alfred Russel Wallace was staying when, in a fit of malarial delirium, he came up with the idea for the mechanism for evolutionary theory.

Dodinga is a pretty little riverside village with friendly people, colourful houses, and the ruins of an old Portuguese fort, and its importance in the history of science cannot be understated.

AM: Today, finds us in Ternate, once the centre of the spice trade for several centuries. The influence of the Dutch and the Portuguese can still be seen, and their warehouses are still filled with fragrant piles of clove and nutmeg.

We will have a short tour of the city, which includes a visit to the Sultan’s Palace, with its rich collection of heirlooms, and the well-restored Fort Tolukko, built by the Portuguese in 1540.

We will head back to the Ombak Putih for lunch and to say farewell to the captain and the crew before heading off to the airport for the next leg of your journey.

AM & PM: We will visit the Kedaton, the palace of the Sultan of Ternate, with its rich collection of heirlooms and some old forts, the Portuguese-built Toluku and the Dutch-built Oranje, and the probable site of the house where Wallace was living when he posted his essay on natural selection to Charles Darwin in 1858.

Visit the village of Dodinga: the very place where Wallace was living when, in a fit of malarial delirium, he discovered the mechanism which drives evolutionary change – natural selection. Dodinga is a pretty little riverside village with friendly people, colourful houses, and the ruins of an old Portuguese fort, and its importance in the history of science cannot be understated.

Visit the Guraici Archipelago, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and some lovely local villages. We will spend a full day here snorkelling, swimming, and beachcombing. The islands are part of a government-controlled conservation area, designed to protect the reefs and the many beautiful marine species that live there.

AM & PM: We will wake up on the western coast of Bacan, another of Indonesia’s historic spice sultanates. We go ashore to explore the forested slopes where Wallace made some of his greatest zoological discoveries, including the Moluccan Cuscus, the Standardwing Bird of Paradise, and the huge and magnificent Golden Birdwing Butterfly. Wallace described the latter species as the “finest butterfly in the world”.

We will also keep a close watch for these and a host of other animals, some of them endemic to these islands, including parrots, cockatoos, lorikeets, hornbills, the elusive cuscus, and hopefully the endangered black-crested macaque – the only monkey in Maluku.

We pay a visit to the Pisang Islands. These tiny gems isolated in the vast waters of the Ceram Sea offer us a chance to relax and enjoy the sparkling white-sand beaches, clear waters, and vibrant reefs before making our way to the shores of West Misool.

AM & PM: We will visit a seaside village in Misool, where we will visit the school and learn about the way the Nature Conservancy is working with the village to empower local women with a fishing practice called ‘Sasi’.

We will be snorkelling at a channel that divides two islands, where sea fans hang in the drop-offs, and the current is rich in nutrients.

The afternoon will be a laid-back day spent strolling the white-sandy beach and snorkeling the reef where juvenile black-tip reef sharks usually frequent. You will also have the chance to play beach volleyball if you are interested.

AM & PM: This morning, we will wake to see the sun rise over the picturesque chain of islands that make up the eastern part of 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 then move on to a mysterious jellyfish lake and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless animals: undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities. We use our tenders to explore more of this impressive maze of karst islands, both above and below the surface, complete with prehistoric cave paintings, estimated to be between 3,000 to 5,000 years old and depicting various human figures and huge human palms, fish, plants, tools, and vessels.

AM & PM: We will visit a small island group for a short hilltop climb to take in the amazing views. After some great snorkelling on the island’s reefs, we will set course for a local village, where the local children will perform their traditional dances for us.

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.

Today will present another opportunity for keen naturalists, as we rise early and walk into the forest on a pre-dawn quest to spot the remarkable Red Bird of Paradise, one of the species that Wallace was most anxious to collect. With a little luck and the help of our knowledgeable guides, we will see this rare bird’s elaborate courtship display as dawn breaks over the forest canopy.

AM & PM: We will rise at 4.30 am, ready to head into the forest on a pre-dawn quest to spot the gorgeous Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. We hope that the efforts of our early start 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.

We will have an epic snorkel adventure on one of Raja Ampat’s best reefs, where hundreds of species can be found, including large schools of fish of all sizes and a massive diversity of coral species. The boat will then move to a nearby island for more snorkelling and the opportunity to watch a multitude of bats flying overhead just after sunset.

Once at anchor, we will say goodbye to George, our crew, and our sea-based home, the Ombak Putih, before taking the tenders ashore, where you will be transferred to the airport for your onward travel.

AM & PM: After being picked up from your hotel after breakfast, we board local motorized canoes to take you to the backwaters to observe orangutans on the beautiful, forested island of Pulau Kaja. The island is managed by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation or BOS, and the orangutans live a totally ‘hands off’ existence free from human interference.

Exploring by motorized canoes, we will visit the extensive blackwater lake of Bagantung, a unique peatland swamp ecosystem where we have the opportunity to spot birds, other wildlife, and fishing activities by the villagers.

Cruise through the large forested Selat and Badak Islands, where it may be possible to spot orangutans, proboscis monkeys, and lots of endemic birds.

Visit Dayak villages, where you will be greeted with traditional dance and hospitality as you see and experience their way of life.

AM & PM: Walk through and explore a local rubber plantation and learn about the processes of growing and extracting the latex from the source by tapping the trees. Learn about the many medicinal herbs and plants that can be found growing in the forest.

Visit more local Dayak villages and learn about some of their traditional livelihoods, such as rattan weaving, and enjoy local entertainment in the form of a kacapi (two-stringed instrument) performance, and local self-defense or shadowboxing.

Explore the tiny fishing village of Tundai, perched atop raised walkways on the edge of an expansive blackwater lake. Here, we float through here on canoes, admiring the stunning reflections and learning more about the unique fishing practices.

On the morning of Day 4, we will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Bali.

* If doing a 14-day journey, you will spend two nights in Bali with the extra day at your leisure.

AM & PM: You will be met at the airport in Komodo by your tour leaders and be taken straight to your boat. After settling into your new home for the week, we will head off for our first of many snorkelling expeditions.

Go ashore on Rinca Island in search of the fearsome Komodo dragons, found only in the Komodo National Park. This is the world’s largest lizard, growing up to a length of three metres and weighing up to approximately 70 kilograms.

Another highlight will be when we anchor off a small island to witness the nightly departure of thousands of flying foxes that fly at dusk to feed on the mainland.

Enjoy a fantastic drift snorkel as we visit Gili Lawa Darat, an island in the north of the park, from where we can trek to the viewpoint and watch a majestic sunset across the park.

AM & PM: Go ashore on Sangeang Island, an active volcano, where we will visit the local village and enjoy snorkelling on the colourful coral reef just offshore.

Experience one of our famous beach BBQs under a night sky filled with millions of stars as you feast on the amazing local delicacies prepared by our chef, and all accompanied by live musical entertainment from our talented crew.

We will go ashore on the forested Moyo Island, where we will travel to the interior of the island to visit a scenic waterfall in the rainforest, where we can bathe in the refreshing cool water.

AM & PM: Prepare for an exhilarating opportunity to swim with whale sharks, the majestic gentle giants of the sea. These massive but harmless animals have long congregated here in the bay, but now, thanks to travellers like you, we have formed a mutually beneficial alliance with the local fishermen, who have their traditional small floating fishing platforms in the bay that attract the sharks.

Visit a local village and witness their age-old practice of buffalo racing, where the local men ride their prized beasts through a mud-filled rice paddy, an exhilarating sight to behold.

Visit a strange and mystical volcanic island with a sunken crater lake in its centre, and visit a small coastal community to see pinisi ships being built on the beach.

AM & PM: Enjoy a unique snorkeling experience where volcanic gas escapes in the form of bubbles from the sea floor among the corals, with the metallic black volcanic sand below being home to an abundance of very interesting invertebrates.

Entering the Komodo National Park again, we will go drift snorkelling in one of the best and healthiest coral reefs in the park.

You will have a hands-on experience at a coral conservation project on Hatamin Island, where you will learn about the work and get a chance to create your own coral rack and place it in the sea.

Snorkel at a favourite hangout of sea turtles, where we will have a chance to swim with these gentle reptiles as they cruise along the shallow water of the reef. Swim with manta rays as they feed on the current and circle the so-called cleaning stations, where small fish remove parasites from their skin.

AM: After breakfast on our last day, we will take you on a scenic drive towards Melo Village, where you will witness the traditional Caci dance performance. Local strongmen perform a ritual whip-fight between two rivals in which the players, each armed with a rattan shield and a whip, will try to hit each other while dancing to the rhythm of traditional acoustic instruments.

PM: After lunch on the boat, we will say farewell to the crew and your fellow shipmates as you disembark and continue onto your next destination.

AM & PM: We start the cruise in a big way with giants looming large in your first two days: Komodo dragons, flying foxes and manta rays, three of the biggest and most impressive animals in Indonesia. We take a privately arranged, ranger-led walk around the island of Rinca, where we will see not only the dragons, but also their preferred menu of prey – monkeys, deer, pigs, and buffaloes.

Snorkel on some of Komodo National Park’s best reefs to see sea turtles, masses of fish, and some amazingly rich coral reefs.

At sunset we will gather on the deck and be witness to a most spectacular event as thousands of flying foxes leave their mangrove forest homes en masse on their nightly fruit-foraging missions.

AM & PM: Bonerate archipelago is rarely visited by tourists outside of us, and seeing this open-air boatyard is an experience to be savoured. We walk amongst the hulls and hulks of a huge unlaunched flotilla of pinisi ships being built on this remote island archipelago. We will meet the shipwrights and discover their age-old traditions of shipbuilding that they have practiced for centuries.

As we walk through the villages and along the beaches and meet the locals, you will gain a new appreciation for island life and for the kind of boat you have been cruising with for the past thirteen days.

Snorkel some fabulous reefs in the third largest atoll in the world and see a huge abundance of fish, corals and all the creatures and plants that dwell within.

AM & PM: Literally meaning “High Rock”, we visit the island of Batuatas, which takes its name from the high and dramatic cliffs that line its western coast. We visit a famous local blacksmith where the local craftsmen use hand-operated bellows on the furnace in the blacksmith’s shop to produce machetes and knives that are highly sought-after right across Indonesia.

If the tides and currents are in our favour, we pass by an uninhabited sea mount in the middle of the Flores Sea, where tens of thousands of seabirds call home. It’s rich in upwelling nutrients and a perfect habitat for fishing and raising their young.

Visit the Wakatobi National Park, a very hard to reach archipelago filled with fascinating culture and also one of Indonesia’s best national parks, with outstanding underwater life natural beauty. At Hoga Island, we will snorkel the island’s famous drop off, with a beautiful reef and myriad fish species of all types and sizes.

AM & PM: We will visit a Bajau “Sea Gypsy” settlement. Here, you’ll see how the Bajau people live in, on, and above the water and how their community thrives in harmony with the ocean. Known for their ability to read the weather, hold their breath for extended periods, and their exceptional freediving skills, and their deep connection to the sea, the Bajau depend entirely on marine life for survival. Meeting them in person is a truly unforgettable experience.

The Bokan islands are an area of unsurpassed beauty, and today will be a day of marine exploration and relaxation as we snorkel, swim, paddle around the glorious reef, beach and island with giant clams scattered around the area.

We pay a hands-on visit to some “local heroes” at an NGO doing great work with giant clam restoration on the surrounding reefs, in addition to working with local fishermen in finding sustainable solutions for overseas markets and the live aquarium fishing trade.

AM & PM: Crossing to the Sula Archipelago, we visit a local village, where we will meet the Kadai tribe, one of the four indigenous tribes of Taliabu Island. They speak limited Indonesian but welcome visitors with genuine warmth and friendliness. Once known as skilled hunters, they now focus more on agriculture, though traditional hunting is still practiced today.

We have the rare privilege to swim in a small marine lake filled with stingless jellyfish, one of only 20 lakes of its kind in the world. Stingless jellyfish exist as a result of evolutionary adaptation in isolated marine lakes where they have no natural predators and have developed alternative ways to obtain food.

AM & PM: Enjoy some relaxing time on the beach, swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, and snorkelling on the white sand beaches and reefs of the western end of the Sula island chain.

Visit Manipa Island, a place said to have magical powers, because none of the colonial powers ever took hold here. We will visit a village to experience their food production technologies, which include sago production, nutmeg and cashew plantations, as well as a pot-distilled volatile oil called “kayu putih”, famed throughout Indonesia as a universal panacea: cosmetic, antiseptic, insecticide, decongestant, analgesic, stimulant, and tonic.

AM: On our last day, we will arrive in Ambon where everyone will say their goodbyes to the crew, the tour leaders, and fellow guests who have been our family for the past two weeks.

AM & PM: Visit Dodinga Village, a pivotal place in scientific history, where the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace first came up with the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.

Visit the Guraici Archipelago, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches and vibrant coral reefs, where we will spend time snorkelling, swimming, and also visit one of the villages to meet the local people. The islands are part of a government-controlled conservation area, designed to protect the reefs and the many beautiful marine species that live there.

It may also be possible to see manta rays here, and these protected waters also provide the perfect location for beginner or rusty snorkellers to become familiar with the water and to hone their skills for the many days of snorkelling that lie ahead.

AM & PM: Explore the deep forest and rivers of Bacan Island, where Wallace first saw what he called ‘the most beautiful butterfly in the world, the Golden Birdwing. During our trek, the other species that we might see here include cuscus, hornbills, and other birds, and maybe even an encounter with the black-crested macaque.

Snorkel on some spectacular coral reefs and visit a local hot spring where we encourage you take a warm dip.

Visit Belang Belang Island, which offers fantastic snorkelling both on the reefs and the mangroves, which act as a nursery to many marine species, including baby sharks and many kinds of school fish. We will explore the huge inland lagoon, which we can explore from the boat tender. The island is home to healthy populations of birds, including parrots, tree swifts, imperial pigeons, and many more.

AM & PM: Time for snorkelling, culture, and history as we find ourselves in the middle of the Banda Sea in the remote and breathtaking Sulu Archipelago, where the reefs are teeming with fish and other marine life. True to the desert island locales, we will also kayak, paddle, swim, explore, and relax on the white-sand beaches.

Visit a local village market and see the ruins of a 17th-century Dutch fort, which once protected the spice trade along these routes. We will be treated to a traditional dance known as the ‘cakalale’, by local warriors. We will also have a chance to explore the local village and meet the people of this remote region.

Enjoy a beach BBQ for us, and they will regale us with traditional Indonesian folk songs and sea shanties as we party by firelight late into the night.

AM & PM: The Bokan Islands are an area of unsurpassed beauty, and today will be a day of marine exploration and relaxation. We also have the rare privilege to swim in a small marine lake filled with stingless jellyfish, one of only 20 lakes of its kind in the world.

We will visit the bustling Indonesian island port town of Banggai, where we will visit the local market, the sultan’s palace, and the Maleo bird egg ‘museum’, and all from our fleet of brightly-coloured motor rickshaws, which will be on the dock awaiting our arrival.

We will pay a hands-on visit to LINI, an NGO doing great work with coral restoration on the surrounding reefs, in addition to working with local fishermen in finding sustainable solutions for supplying fish for overseas markets and the live aquarium fishing trade.

AM & PM: Today you will have the chance to see possibly one of the strangest and most unique flightless birds found in the world – the Maleo. We visit a conservation project on the mainland where scores of Maleo live and breed. Entering in twos, we can watch them at their sandy nesting sites from a camouflaged hide as they go about their business.

We visit the Togean Islands National Park for some island hopping and spectacular snorkelling, wildlife, and culture. – Today will be your first encounter with the Bajau sea gypsies of Southeast Asia and their famous patriarch ‘Jago’, a people with a unique way of living with the sea. About 2,500 people live in this small village, and we will be welcomed into their world to meet and talk with them about their lives.

AM & PM: Some great wildlife experiences await both in the water and the air, with birds, fish, Babirusa (Indonesia’s rare native pig), and invertebrates as the main features. We will enjoy a snorkel on the lush reefs near the island of Malenge, before taking our snorkels and masks for a rare second swim with stingless jellyfish.

We will visit a local village and meet the people, and enjoy a late afternoon walk in the forest before being witness to a most amazing show of nature as flocks of hornbills come flying in to roost in the trees – a once-in-a-lifetime sight only accessible with us

AM & PM: After an overnight crossing from Togean, we start the day with an early morning swim with whale sharks that congregate just off the coast at a small village in North Sulawesi. Swimming with these gentle giants is one of life’s highlights and is not to be missed.

Visit Tangkoko National Park for a trek through the forest, a haven for many rare and endemic wildlife species, including spectral tarsiers, black-crested macaque, cuscus, and a wide variety of birds. This is where Wallace did a lot of his collecting, and we will visit a statue that celebrates this great man.

AM: After a final swim and snorkel on the beach and then a short sail into Bitung Harbour, we will say a fond farewell to our crew and tour leaders and head to Manado City for your onward flights.

AM & PM: Visit Dodinga Village, a pivotal place in scientific history, where the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace first came up with the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.

Visit the Guraici Archipelago, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches and vibrant coral reefs, where we will spend time snorkelling, swimming, and also visit one of the villages to meet the local people. The islands are part of a government-controlled conservation area, designed to protect the reefs and the many beautiful marine species that live there.

It may also be possible to see manta rays here, and these protected waters also provide the perfect location for beginner or rusty snorkellers to become familiar with the water and to hone their skills for the many days of snorkelling that lie ahead.

AM & PM: We will explore the deep forest of Bacan Island, where Wallace first saw what he called “the most beautiful butterfly in the world”, the Golden Birdwing. During our trek, the other species that we might see here include cuscus, the black-crested macaque, and some hornbills. We will be searching for some very special species of butterfly, some unique birds, and some quirky mammals.

Visit the island of Obi with its steep hillsides covered in clove and nutmeg forests, reaching back to the rich and heady days of the spice trade. We will go ashore and walk through the villages and plantations and see the fruits and spices growing on the trees and drying in the sun, ready for market, in the same way it has for centuries.

AM & PM: We have two days of snorkeling, culture, and history as we find ourselves in the middle of the Banda Sea in the remote and breathtaking Sulu archipelago. We will feast on some history and culture as we visit the local village market and visit the ruins of a 17th-century Dutch Fort, which once protected the spice trade along these routes.

We are in for some rich cultural experiences. We will go ashore on Taliabu Island, where we will be treated to a traditional war dance known as the ‘cakalele’ by local warriors. We will also have a chance to explore the local village and meet the people of this remote isle.

The Bokan islands are an area of unsurpassed beauty, and today will be a day of marine exploration and relaxation as we snorkel, swim, paddle around the glorious reef, beach, and island with giant clams scattered around the area.

AM & PM: We have the rare privilege to swim in a small marine lake filled with stingless jellyfish, one of only 20 lakes of its kind in the world.

We will visit the bustling Indonesian island port town of Banggai, a place filled with activity and commerce. Here on Banggai island we will visit the local market, explore the neighbourhoods, the sultan’s palace, and the Maleo bird egg museum, and all from our fleet of brightly-coloured motor rickshaws, which will be on the dock awaiting our arrival.

The last of the day’s highlights will be a snorkel on a local reef where we will see the most elegant, but very threatened, Banggai Cardinal Fish – a darling of saltwater aquarium lovers worldwide. We will snorkel on one of the local reefs around a Bajau “sea gypsy” community whose famous as Southeast Asia’s nomadic cultures.

AM & PM: We spend time in the Wakatobi National Park, a very hard to reach archipelago filled with fascinating culture and also one of Indonesia’s best national parks, with outstanding underwater life natural beauty.

You will enjoy a personalised tour of the island of Wangi-Wangi, with highlights that include a seaweed farm, meeting with a traditional weaving community, and the ruins of a centuries’ old Dutch fort, a relic of the ancient Spice Trade.

We drop anchor at an uninhabited atoll where guests have the chance to beach-comb, snorkel, paddleboard, or kayak.

AM & PM: We visit a famous local blacksmith where the local craftsmen use hand-operated bellows on the furnace in the blacksmith’s shop to produce machetes and knives that are highly sought-after right across Indonesia.

Stop by an uninhabited sea mount in the middle of the Flores Sea that is home to tens of thousands of seabirds. It’s rich in upwelling nutrients and a perfect habitat for fishing and raising their young.

Bonerate is rarely visited by tourists outside of SeaTrek, and seeing this open-air boatyard is an experience to be savoured. We will walk amongst the hulls and hulks of a huge unlaunched flotilla of pinisi ships being built on a remote island archipelago. We will meet the shipwrights and discover their age-old traditions of shipbuilding that they have practiced for centuries.

AM & PM: Giants will loom large in your day-to-day: Komodo dragons, flying foxes, and manta rays, three of the biggest and most impressive animals in Indonesia.

Entering the Komodo National Park, you will have a hands-on experience at a coral conservation project on Hatamin Island, where you will learn about the work and get a chance to create your own coral rack and place it in the sea.

As the sun starts to set, we will gather on the deck and be witness to a most spectacular event as thousands of flying foxes leave their mangrove forest homes en masse on their nightly fruit-foraging missions.

AM & PM: We have the chance to hike a scenic route of Gili Lawa Darat, or you can stretch your legs on the beautiful white-sandy beach. After the hike, we will be back on board for a mission: to count how many turtles we can spot with our own eyes in Siaba Besar island, which is famous as turtle heaven.

We will take you for a privately arranged, ranger-led walk around the island of Rinca, where we will see not only Komodo dragons, but also their preferred menu of prey – monkeys, deer, pigs, and buffaloes.

The crew will prepare a beach BBQ for us as we all feast, sing and dance the night away by a roaring fire under the stars.

On our final day, we will wake as the boat is cruising slowly, making its way to the town of Labuan Bajo. After a final Indonesian breakfast on the boat, we will say farewell to our crew, who have looked after us so well for the past sixteen days, and transfer to Komodo airport for our flight and our onward journey.