Undiscovered Indonesia: The Spice Islands to the Dragon Islands

Starting your adventure today we will have a tour of Ternate’s historical highlights before boarding our SeaTrek ship and meeting the crew and settling into your new home for the next few weeks. Later that afternoon, we will visit the island of Tidore, another perfect volcanic cone rising from the tropical seas. Over lunch on board, we will have a magnificent view of the extinct Kiematabu volcano that dominates the island. Its slopes feature plantations of graceful clove trees, once found only upon this and a few adjacent islands, and so valuable in world trade that European nations fought for centuries to monopolise them. NB* Due to the unpredictability of flight schedules we highly recommend arriving in Ternate the day before departure. Ask us about pre-tour accommodation options.

Meals:  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 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 snorkellers to become familiar with the water and to hone their skills for the many days of snorkelling that lie ahead.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we will be searching for some very special species of butterfly, some unique birds and some quirky mammals. We will 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, the black-crested macaque and some hornbills. After lunch we will spend the afternoon snorkelling and swimming on the nearby reef and beaches.

Meals:  B,L,D

We will spend today exploring the islands and local habitats of Balang 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 boats tender. The island is home to healthy populations of birds including parrots, tree swift, imperial pigeon and many other species.

Meals:  B,L,D

The cultural experiences ratchet up a notch today with a war dance performed in our honour. We will go ashore on Taliabu island, where we will be treated to a traditional 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 afternoon will see us snorkeling on a reef teeming with colorful fish and possibly some kayaking and paddleboarding.

Meals:  B,L,D

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 and kayak around the glorious reefs, beaches and islands with many caves and snorkelling spots. We also have 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.

Meals:  B,L,D

A trio of unique experiences await us today involving culture, conservation and wildlife. We will visit the bustling Indonesian island port town of Bangai, 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. 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. 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.

Meals:  B,L,D

The Bajau sea gypsies of Southeast Asia have a very unique way of life living in harmony with the water, and today you will get to see it up close. We will snorkel on one of the local reefs around a Bajau “sea gypsy” community whose famous for Southeast Asia’s nomadic cultures. A long overnight cruise awaits as we cross from the land of the sea nomads towards the Wakatobi National Park area.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we will officially arrive in the Wakatobi National Park area, 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. In the afternoon, we will be spending some time in the water, which is crystal clear and abundant with rich colorful corals. We can also take a little stroll around a number of sea nomad villages.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today is a day for all of us water babies. Snorkelling comes first thing in the morning at Tomia where we will snorkel in front of a magnificent house reef. In the afternoon, we will explore a nearby uninhabited atoll where guests have the chance to beach-comb, snorkel, paddleboard, or kayak.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today 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 in this forgotten corner of the world, using 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 savoured. As we walk through the village 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.

Meals:  B,L,D

In the morning, we will wake up to an uninhabited sea mount in the middle of the Flores Sea, rich in upwelling nutrients and a perfect habitat for fish and raising their young. We will spend some time here for snorkelling and some exploring before sailing onwards for overnight cruising towards the southern tip of Sulawesi.

Meals:  B,L,D

Another full day of underwater adventure and exploration awaits us today. The whole day, we will spend exploring one of the most beautiful collections of reefs and atolls with palm fringed white-sand beaches and crystal clear waters. The choice is yours entirely whether you would like to kick back and relax on board while watching the endless horizon dazzles with luminous blue waters, lounging on the sand, exploring the shallow reefs on kayaks or paddleboards, or lose yourself in the frenzy of the rich reefs.

Meals:  B,L,D

Giants will loom large in your day today: Komodo dragons, flying foxes and manta rays, three of the biggest and most impressive animals in Indonesia. Our morning will be spent drifting with Manta Rays, the gentle giant as they glide by feed in the current at their go-to local cleaning stations. In the afternoon, 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. 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 masse on their nightly fruit-foraging mission

Meals:  B,L,D

Rising early, you will 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 can we spot with our own eyes in Siaba Besar island where it’s famous as turtle heaven. In the late afternoon, we will have relaxing beach time where you’re more than free to do pretty much anything you’d like ranging from snorkelling, paddleboarding, kayaking, or just beachcombing. Tonight, 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.

Meals:  B,L,D

Our final day, we will wake as the boat is cruising slowly making its way to the magnificent 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.

Meals:  B