Raja Ampat to the Volcanoes of Maluku aboard Katharina

We will pick you up at the airport or your hotel and we will transfer you to the harbour where the boat will be waiting at anchor. Once settled into your cabin, your cruise tour leaders will familiarise you with the vessel’s facilities and safety procedures. We will weigh anchor, leave the harbour behind and head out into the park on our way to our first snorkel of the trip. Later that day, we will make our way to Mioskon Island where we can enjoy another great snorkel before watching thousands of giant fruit bats emerge from the forest to forage at dusk. NB* Due to the unpredictability of flight schedules it is essential to arrive in Sorong the day before departure. Ask us about pre-tour accommodation options.

Meals:  L,D

Today we will rise very early and head off in the tenders to a small village on Waisai, where local guides will take us on a walk into the forest to spot both the Wilson’s and Red birds of paradise. Back in the village there will be time to meet with the community and perhaps visit the school. We will be back on the boat by mid-morning and if time permits we’ll travel over to Friwin Island to snorkel, and then to Yenbesir to see a recreation of AR Wallace’s 19th century forest house. In the afternoon, we will go snorkelling on the beautiful reefs that fill this area.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, we will snorkel at the famous “Fish Bowl” at Yenuba village, one of the most diverse and rich sites in all of Raja Ampat with many hundreds of species and fish of all sizes. During lunch, we will cruise to nearby Arborek village, where we will be entertained by the local school children with traditional dance and music. We will also snorkel on the local reef where we hope to maybe see manta rays. This evening, we will also be presented with a presentation on manta rays by the BareFoot Community, and NGO working closely with these giants of the deep.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we wake up in Piaynemo in the Fam islands, where we will go for a snorkel after breakfast and then make a climb to the viewpoint to look down over this magnificent island chain. We will visit the nearby Andau island, where we have another chance to hopefully spot another group of manta rays. Later that afternoon, we will head south in the direction of Misool.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we will wake to see the sun rise over the picturesque chain of islands that makes up the eastern part of the Misool archipelago. We will head out by tender to explore this beautiful area, which will include a visit to a mysterious jellyfish lake and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless animals: undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities. We will visit some 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 hands, fish and flowers.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, we will do our snorkelling gear for a swim through the Gorgonian Passage, an area rich in large corals and abundant fish life. We will explore the local island chain by tender and have some beach time in the afternoon where we can kayak, paddle board, snorkel and swim. Tonight we will have a beach BBQ under the stars.

Meals:  B,L,D

We will wake early once again and go ashore in Katpacol village, where local guides will be waiting for us to take us through the forest to hopefully see the Lesser Bird of Paradise as they dance around in their ‘lekking’ trees. On the way back, we have time for a stroll around the village and possibly a visit to the school and to learn about the way Nature Conservancy is working with the village to empower with local women with a fishing practice called ‘sasi’.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we will find ourselves off the extreme southern tip of Halmahera Island at Pisang island, where we will go snorkelling and visit a local Bajau sea gypsy village and learn about their way of life. During lunch, we will head west again in the direction of Bacan Island.

Meals:  B,L,D

We will wake up off the western coast of Bacan and go ashore to explore the forested slopes in search of Wallace’s Giant Bee and the huge and magnificent Golden Birdwing Butterfly. During this trip we might see some of other endemic animals of these islands, including parrots, cockatoos, lorikeets, hornbills, the elusive cuscus and the endangered Black-crested Macaque.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we will 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, kayaking and paddle boarding, 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.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, we will go ashore on Tidore island, where we will visit a local blacksmith village and an old 16th century Spanish fort. In the afternoon we will head across the strait to Halmahera to visit the village of Dodinga: the very place where AR Wallace was living when he discovered the mechanism which drives evolutionary change - natural selection. His Letter to Charles Darwin was the catalyst that prompted Darwin to publish his book 'Origin of Species' in 1859, which explained the theory in greater detail.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today marks the end of our adventure, but first we will head out for a tour Ternate, which has retained its commercial and political importance as the administrative and trading centre of North Maluku. We will visit a couple of old Portuguese and Dutch forts and pay a visit to the Sultan’s Palace with its rich collection of heirlooms. After our little adventure, we will bid farewell to the ship and her crew. In the early afternoon, we will drop everyone at the airport for their onward flights.

Meals:  B