Sailing Indonesia: The Undiscovered Frontier

Start the adventure with a tour of Ternate’s historical highlights before boarding the ship, meeting the crew and settling into your new home for the next two weeks. Over lunch, the ship sets sail for the short journey to Halmahera Island’s Dojinga Village, a pivotal place in scientific history, where the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace first came up with the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection. Later in the afternoon, enter the water for the first time and snorkel or swim over the first coral reef of the trip. Then head south as the sun sets behind the perfectly conical volcanic islands peaks of the northern Moluccas.

Today visit the Guraici Archipelago, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches, vibrant coral reefs and some lovely local villages. Spend a full day here snorkeling, swimming 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. These protected waters also provide the perfect location for beginner or rusty snorkelers to become familiar with the water and to home their skills for the many days of snorkeling that lie ahead. Late in the evening, head to the island of Bacan.

Today brings a search for some very special species of butterfly, some unique birds and some quirky mammals. 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. While trekking, be on the lookout for other species that might present themselves, including cuscus, the black-crested macaque and some hornbills. After lunch, spend the afternoon snorkeling and swimming on the nearby reef and beaches.

Culture and spice fill the day as you find yourself off the coast of the white-sand island of Obi Latu, a place filled with clove and nutmeg plantations. Obi Latu’s steep hillsides are covered in clove and nutmeg forests, reaching back to the rich and heady days of the spice trade, which saw many a European power vying for control of the East Indies. While the spice trade might not be what it once was, the growers can still make a good living on this remote island in the Banda Sea. 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.

Today will be a day for snorkeling, culture and history in the middle of the Banda Sea, in the remote and breathtaking Sulu Archipelago. Spend the morning exploring the beaches and reefs of Mangoli Island, where the reefs are teeming with fish and other marine life. True to the desert island locale, enjoy a kayak, paddle or swim, and explore and relax on the white-sand beaches. Later, feast on some history and culture while visiting the local village market and the ruins of a 17th century Dutch fort which once protected the spice trade along these routes.

The cultural experiences ratchet up a notch today with a war dance performed in our honor, while the nighttime will be filled with Indonesian music. Go ashore on Talibau Island and be treated to a traditional dance known as the “cakalale,” by local warriors. Also enjoy exploring the local village and meeting the people of this remote isle. The afternoon is set aside for snorkeling on a reef teeming with fish before moving to another deserted island where you can swim, kayak and relax. This evening, the crew will prepare a beach BBQ and they will regale you with traditional Indonesian folk songs and sea shanties as you party by firelight late into the night.

The Bokan Islands are an area of unsurpassed beauty and today is a day of marine exploration and relaxation. Snorkel, swim, paddle and kayak around the glorious reefs, beaches and islands that offer many caves and snorkeling spots. Enjoy the rare privilege to swim in a small marine lake filled with stingless jellyfish, the exotically named Danau Piasu Botangan, one of only 20 lakes of its kind in the world.

A trio of unique experiences are in store today, involving culture, conservation and wildlife. Visit the bustling Indonesian island port town of Bangaii, a place filled with activity and commerce. Visit the local market and explore the neighborhoods, the sultan’s palace and the maleo bird egg museum, all from brightly-colored motor rickshaws, which will be on the dock awaiting your arrival.

Visit LINI, an NGO doing great work with coral restoration on the surrounding reefs and working with local fishermen to find sustainable solutions for supplying fish to overseas markets and the live aquarium fishing trade. Finish the day with a snorkel on a local reef that features the most elegant, but very threatened, Banggai Cardinal Fish–a darling of saltwater aquarium lovers worldwide.

Today brings the chance to see possibly one of the strangest and most unique flightless birds found in the world–the Maleo. After a morning snorkel, sail north to visit the endemic Maleo in their beachside environment, the symbol of the province within which it lives. Visit a conservation project on the mainland where scores of Maleo live and breed. Watch them at their sandy nesting sites from a camouflaged hide as they go about their business. Later in the afternoon, set sail for the Togean Islands National Park for some island hopping and spectacular snorkeling, wildlife and culture.

The Bajau sea gypsies of southeast have a very unique way of life, living in harmony with the water. Go ashore to Kabalutan Village, where a population of about 2,500 Bajau call home, and be welcomed into their world to meet and talk with them about their lives. In the afternoon, snorkel and swim on some pristine coral reefs before moving farther into the park.

Some great wildlife experiences await today, both in the water and the air, with birds, fish and invertebrates as the main features. Enjoy a snorkel on the lush reefs near the island of Malenge before taking snorkel and mask for a rare second swim with stingless jellyfish in nearby Lake Mariona, the second jellyfish lake on the cruise route. Visit a local village, meet the people and enjoy a late afternoon walk in the local 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.

Waking up in the east of the park, go snorkeling and visit a local village before setting sail on a long crossing towards the Sulawesi mainland. Relax, watch the world go by and take in the beauty of the sea from the ship. In the afternoon, the chef will offer a cooking class for those interested in learning how to prepare some traditional Indonesian dishes. For everyone else, it’s sunbathing, reading, relaxing and reflection. Finish the day with cocktails served on the back deck before a specially prepared dinner is served, followed by a party with the crew’s band providing the music and entertainment as the ship sails north to the Sulawesi mainland.

This morning a major highlight awaits as you get in the water with the majestic king of all fishes, the mighty whale shark. A small group of them live close to the shore and you will be in the water at dawn to snorkel with them in what must be one of life’s must amazing wildlife experiences.

After breakfast back on the boat, head east, stopping off en route for another snorkel and a swim towards the end of the day before the crew throws a final beach BBQ with opportunities to dance and sing into the night under the stars, next to a roaring bonfire.

Wake up just off the coast near the Tasikoki Rescue Center and go ashore for a short tour of the impressive facilities at this NGO. Hear all about their conservation program and enjoy the chance to see orangutan, tarsiers, hornbills, monkeys and other endangered wildlife. After a short sail into Bitung Harbor, say a fond farewell to the crew and tour leaders, and head to Manado City for onward flights.

Today is a day of firsts as you are welcomed aboard the boat, meet the crew and fellow passengers, settle into your seaborne home for the next two weeks and set sail. The first stop is at the Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue Center, about a one-hour cruise to the south. Go ashore by tender and have a guided tour of the center. Learn about conservation efforts and meet some of the wildlife that reside here including monkeys, hornbills, cockatoos and sun bears. In the afternoon, spend time relaxing on deck while you set sail on your journey south.

In the morning wake up at Punten Island. After breakfast go for your first snorkel on a beautiful reef with a wide variety of fish, corals and other creatures.

In the afternoon, snorkel again off the uninhabited island of Ratatotok, again with some great coral reefs. In the late afternoon, the ship sets a southerly course for an overnight trip to the next destination.

Today visit a local village and meet with the local people and see how they live. Stop into a school and take a tour through the clove plantations that support the local economy.

Back on the boat, make a five-hour cruise to the small seaside town of Botuborani, where an absolute highlight might await – the chance to swim with whale sharks. Then your captain sets course southwest for the overnight passage to the Togean Archipelago, one of Indonesia’s wonderful national parks.

Some great wildlife experiences await today, both in the water and the air, with birds, fish and invertebrates as the main features. Enjoy a snorkel on the lush reefs near the island of Malenge before taking snorkel and mask for a rare second swim with stingless jellyfish in nearby Lake Mariona, one of only 20 lakes in the world that are home to these amazing creatures. Visit a local village, meet the people and enjoy a late afternoon walk in the local 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.

Today offers the first encounter with the Bajau sea gypsies of Southeast Asia, a people with a very unique way of living with the sea. Go ashore to Kabalutan Village, where a population of about 2,500 Bajau call home, and be welcomed into their world to meet and talk with them about their lives. Then head to the southernmost tip of the park and have a long snorkel before setting sail to the southeast for a most unique wildlife encounter the following morning.

Today brings the chance to see possibly one of the strangest and most unique flightless birds found in the world–the Maleo. One of Sulawesi’s most interesting birds, the Maleo is a flightless fowl with some very unusual characteristics and behaviors, and also the symbol of the province within which it lives. Visit a conservation project on the mainland where scores of Maleo live and breed. Watch them at their sandy nesting sites from a camouflaged hide as they go about their business. Later in the morning, cruise south and snorkel in the afternoon on a beautifully rich reef in front or Pulau Dua, or “two islands” in the Indonesian language.

A trio of unique experiences are in store today, involving culture, conservation and wildlife. Visit the bustling Indonesian island port town of Bangaii, a place filled with activity and commerce. Visit the local market and explore the neighborhoods, the sultan’s palace and the maleo bird egg museum, all from brightly-colored motor rickshaws, which will be on the dock awaiting your arrival.

Visit LINI, an NGO doing great work with coral restoration on the surrounding reefs and working with local fishermen to find sustainable solutions for supplying fish to overseas markets and the live aquarium fishing trade. Finish the day with a snorkel on a local reef that features the most elegant, but very threatened, Banggai Cardinal Fish–a darling of saltwater aquarium lovers worldwide.

A visit to another Bajau sea gypsy community awaits today. Once again meet and experience one of Southeast Asia’s famous nomadic cultures. After the visit with the sea gypsies on Padai Kecil Island, snorkel on one of the local reefs and then set sail later in the afternoon, heading south to the wonderful Wakatobi National Park.

Today the brave will also enjoy the rare privilege to swim in a small marine lake filled with stingless jellyfish, the exotically named Danau Piasu Botangan.

This is day one of two 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 and natural beauty. In addition to snorkeling in the morning and afternoon, enjoy a personalized 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.

More fascinating culture and snorkeling awaits today, with a visit to a famous local blacksmith and a drift snorkel on the Wakatobi Resort’s magnificent house reef. Snorkeling comes first in the morning, and then during lunch cruise to nearby Binongko Island, where the local craftsmen use hand-operated bellows on the furnace in the blacksmith shop to produce machetes and knives that are highly sought-after across Indonesia.

Awake to a sky filled with the sight of brown- and red-footed boobies and lesser frigate birds, many of which will be circling the boat and trying to land on the stays and masts. Enjoy Kakabia Island, an uninhabited sea mount in the middle of the Flores Sea that’s rich in upwelling nutrients and a perfect habitat for birds to fish and raise their young. Spend the day here snorkeling and exploring, and make an attempt to go ashore (tide depending) for an afternoon of swimming, kayaking, paddling and fun.

Today will be another relaxing day on Tinabo Island. Enjoy swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, birdwatching and exploring. In the evening, the crew will set up for a beach BBQ and party on the sand under a tropical night sky filled with stars.

Today, walk among the hulls and hulks of a huge unlaunched flotilla of pinisi ships being built on a remote island archipelago. Meet the shipwrights and discover their age-old shipbuilding traditions practiced for centuries in this forgotten corner of the world; traditions that use basic plans, wood, and a collection of simple tools and age-old techniques. Bonerate is rarely visited by tourists, and seeing this open-air boatyard is an experience to be savored. While walking through the village and along the beaches, meet the locals and gain a new appreciation for island life and for the kind of boat you have been cruising on for 12 days.

Giants will loom large today: Komodo dragons, flying foxes and manta rays–three of the biggest and most impressive animals in Indonesia. Rise early in the Komodo National Park for a privately arranged, ranger-led walk around the island of Rinca to see not only Komodo dragons but also their preferred menu of prey–monkeys, deer, pigs and buffaloes. After lunch on board, go in search of manta rays as they glide by while feeding in the current at their local cleaning stations. This evening, 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 mass on their nightly fruit-foraging missions.

Go ashore in the early morning on Komodo Island for another walk through the savanna and forests of Komodo Island in search of dragons and other wildlife. Then set course northwards in search of manta rays at a popular cleaning station, followed by a snorkel with sea turtles.

At dusk, you will have the chance to climb to a viewing point on Gili Lawa Darat Island, which offers magnificent views of the sunset and the Komodo National Park.

The final day will be one of snorkeling and culture. After an optional morning swim and snorkel, enjoy a private tour to a local village high up on a mountain plateau where welcoming elders offer betel nut and arak, a potent local alcoholic brew. Witness the traditional “caci” whip dance and the bamboo dance, performed by the villagers for generations. After a final Indonesian lunch on the boat, say farewell to the crew and transfer to Komodo airport for the flight back to Bali and your onward journey.