Sailing Indonesia: The Undiscovered Frontier

This morning is the first chance to meet some Sulawesi locals in a traditional village, where they will share their way of life. In the afternoon, enjoy a long snorkel on a local reef and spend time on the beach swimming, paddling, kayaking and relaxing. Back on the boat, set course for the 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.

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.

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.

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.

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. In the evening (also tide depending) enjoy a BBQ beach party with entertainment provided by the crew.

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 twelve 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. Tonight the crew will prepare a beach BBQ for all to feast, sing and dance the night away by a roaring fire under the stars.

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.

Enjoy an early breakfast and go ashore to Rinca Island, home of the Komodo Dragon, where you will have a choice of ranger-led walks of varying lengths to see the wildlife and exotic landscape. Cruise to the richly diverse reefs of Siaba Besar Island to snorkel with thousands of fish and the many sea turtles that congregate in the area. After lunch, spend a leisurely afternoon at a beach swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding and kayaking. Move to the main bay of Komodo Island and spend the night at anchor.

Go ashore onto Komodo island for an early morning, ranger-led walk through the dry, rugged landscape of the island encountering wildlife along the way. After lunch, go in search of manta rays to snorkel with these mighty creatures. Have the day’s second snorkel in the north of the park, with the chance to watch the sunset from a hilltop vantage point, before heading off on a long overnight cruise to the east to the Riung Conservation Area.

Today explore the beaches and the underwater world of the 17-Island, Riung Conservation Area, home to myriad species of land animals and rich coral reefs, as the ship moves from island to island throughout the day. Enjoy swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling and relaxation. At around sunset, head east in the direction of Maumere.

Wake up at anchor in Maumere Bay against the backdrop of an extinct volcano and enjoy a leisurely breakfast before the day’s activities begin. Take a short drive to the scenic Iwang Gete highlands to visit a small village of Watublapi, where you will be met with singing and dancing by the local people. See firsthand the ancient techniques of spinning, dyeing and weaving of the famous fabrics crafted by locals who are famed for their unique textiles. Here, take the chance to view (and purchase) some of the local textiles, try the betel nut and brave the locally produced liquor. In the late afternoon, head off to Serbete Atoll.

Enjoy breakfast as the ship continues cruising towards Serbete atoll, where you will don your snorkel and mask and enjoy the beautiful underwater scenery. Cruise to Adonara island to enjoy beautiful view of Ile Api and great snorkeling. Spend a quiet night at anchor before heading to Lembata in the early morning.

After breakfast go snorkeling at the Lamawolo drop-off, a spectacular underwater spot. Go ashore and drive to Atawatung village to see some prehistoric rock art. Later in the afternoon, cruise to a nearby bay that sits in the shadow of the active and smoking Ile Api volcano. After dinner, head east in the direction of Alor.

After breakfast, snorkel at Clown Valley, home to many sea anemones and their resident guardian clown fish. In the early afternoon, have a second snorkel at Buaya Island, a location with a beautiful drop off and lots of fish. Then head to a local quiet bay to spend the night at anchor.

After breakfast, visit the ancient Muslim village of Uma Pura, where you canl stroll around, meet the people and see their way of life. The village is well known for using sea sponges for the dying of their textile, and you will get a chance to see the process in action. After this, head to a local reef and go snorkeling. Later, depart to Kalabahi in Alor and go ashore for a visit to Takpala village and the Museum of Alor.

Wake in a beautiful bay on the island of Alor where you will enjoy breakfast before saying goodbye to the crew and heading back to Bali.

Today drive up into the highlands to visit a small village where you will be welcomed with music and dancing.

After gaining your first insights into the local techniques of spinning, binding, dyeing and weaving, you will have the opportunity to purchase some of the finished textiles, while the adventurous can try betel nut, tobacco and locally distilled liquor.

After lunch on board, head out to a village inhabited by refugees from an island off Flores, who were forced to leave there following a volcanic eruption. See a demonstration of how they produce their distinctive textiles.

This morning arrive in a sheltered picturesque bay under the gaze of a towering volcano. Local Lamaholot villagers welcome you ashore and show in detail how they produce their fantastic earthy-brown ikats decorated with small white seashells.

Be guided around this colorful well-kept village before returning to the Ombak Putih for lunch. After lunch, sail to some small islands close to the northeast coast of Adonara Island for swimming, snorkeling and beachcombing. Moor nearby overnight.

Arrive in Lembata next to the towering active volcano of Ile Api and go ashore to see some of the superb ikat textiles produced in this region, meeting weavers from at least three neighboring villages.

After a formal welcome and demonstration of local weaving techniques, there will be a selling exhibition of textiles, giving you the chance to add a fabulous bridewealth cloth to your collection.

You’ll also be invited to see an ancient anthropomorphic rock painting in a nearby village. Later, during lunch, the boat will cruise across the bay to another small rarely visited weaving village and a nearby location for a refreshing swim or snorkel.

Today visit the tiny village of Uma Pura on Ternate Island. Discover how they make around 200 different natural dyes, using ingredients such as sea sponges, sea anemones and the ink of sea hares, and have the chance to see and buy many of their fabrics.

Back on board enjoy lunch while sailing to Alor, where you’ll take a short drive to a village inhabited by the Abui tribe. Join in the hypnotic lego-lego dance before shopping for textiles, baskets and jewelery at a small pop-up market.

Return via the Kalabahi Museum to see their fine display of textiles and moko drums from across the island.

Today starts approaching to the fascinating whaling village of Lamalera, on the southern side of Lembata, watching some of the boats heading out to sea. Land on the beach in front of a row of 30 whaleboat sheds and be escorted into the village by local schoolchildren.

After a welcome by the kepala desa, be entertained by dance performances and shown demonstrations of local dyeing and weaving. Many textiles and other artefacts will be available to buy. Then go to the upper village to visit the school and the massive Catholic church, getting excellent views of the boatsheds as you descend.

After returning to the ship, the local whalers will put on a demonstration of how they harpoon whales from their tiny sailboats. Lunch will be served sailing along the coast to a small sandy beach for a refreshing swim.

Early today arrive at a weaving village where you will be the first group they have hosted. We know they are very enthusiastic about sharing their culture and hospitality with us.

Lunch will be served as we begin our long overnight sail to the beautiful non-volcanic island of Savu far to the south. This is a time for relaxing and enjoying simply being on the boat.

After breakfast go ashore at Napae Bay, following in the footsteps of Captain Cook who landed HMS Endeavour on the same beach in 1770. Then drive to the spectacular hamlet of Ledetadu, where local weavers will show how they still make their beautifully traditional, naturally dyed cloths. The men will show how they climb the tall lontar palms to tap their delicious juice, which of course you will be able to sample.

After lunch on board, we return ashore to witness a cleansing ceremony, before being welcomed by ikat-clad horsemen showing off their riding skills.

A short drive then leads you to Namata, the most important ritual center on the island, where you will visit the sacred enclosure of priests of the ‘Jingi Tiu’ religion, containing the largest grouping of megaliths on the island.

Today go ashore on the neighboring island of Raijua and make a short drive to the raja’s residence, to receive a formal welcome by dancers in traditional costume and be shown the range of textiles used on the island.

Visit the home of one of the island’s top indigo dyers, who will show how her family make a range of indigo textiles unique to this island.

After lunch back on board the Ombak Putih, swim or snorkel from one of the island’s pristine sandy beaches before cruising overnight to the next destination.

Go ashore on Sumba Island and visit two amazing but quite different royal villages, each with megalithic graves surrounded by tall traditional thatched houses.

Meet members of the two local royal families and see how they make some of the finest textiles to be found on the island, using the techniques of supplementary warp and warp ikat – sometimes even combining both techniques in one textile.

Return to the Ombak Putih for lunch while sailing north, stopping at a local beach for a late afternoon swim and snorkel.

Drive to a rarely visited weaving village and be greeted by ikat-clad warriors on horseback. Sitting in the shade on the veranda of a traditional house, you are welcomed by the entire village and entertained with traditional dances that in the past would welcome the warriors back from their headhunting expeditions. These dances are still used today to greet important visitors.

Textiles will be hanging everywhere, including jewelry, statues, boxes, baskets and other crafts.

Tonight, as you cruise north, you are invited to dress lavishly in your finest ikat cloths for a farewell dinner party with the captain and crew, who will entertain you on deck with traditional Indonesian song and dance.

Today is a day for Komodo dragons. Go ashore for a short trek with park rangers to see these ancient lizards in their natural habitat.

Back on board cruise to a nearby island in the Komodo National Park for a final snorkel before heading into port, having lunch along the way. After a goodbye to the crew you’ll be escorted to the airport for your onward journey.