Katharina

North Sulawesi to the Komodo Islands

Corals, Cultures and Dragons

Day 1 - Embark Katharina in Bitung, North Sulawesi

Today is a day of firsts as we welcome you aboard the boat, meet the crew and our fellow passengers, settle into our seaborne home for the next two weeks and set sail on our 14-days adventure.

Our first stop will be the Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue Centre, about a one-hour cruise to the south. We will go ashore by tender and have a guided tour of the centre, where we will learn of their conservation efforts and meet some of the wildlife that reside here including monkeys, hornbills, cockatoo, and sun bears.

In the afternoon we will spend the time relaxing on deck while we set sail on our journey south.

Day 2 - North Sulawesi

This morning we will have the opportunity to snorkel on a local reef and spend some time stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, and relaxing.

In the afternoon, we will have our first chance to meet some North Sulawesi locals as we head ashore to a fishing village, where they will invite us into their home to share with us their way of life.

We will head west for the overnight passage to the Togean Archipelago, one of Indonesia's wonderful national parks.

Day 3 - Snorkelling and village life

Some great wildlife experiences await us today both in the water and the air, with birds, fish and invertebrates as the main features.

We will enjoy a fantastic snorkel on the reefs near the island of Malenge, before taking our snorkels and masks to experience a rare opportunity to swim with stingless jellyfish in nearby Lake Mariona, one of only 20 lakes in the world that are home to these amazing creatures.

We will visit a local village and 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 only accessible with SeaTrek.

Day 4 - Bajau Sea Gypsies

Today will be your first encounter with the Bajau sea gypsies of Southeast Asia, a people with a very unique way of living with the sea. About 2500 people live in Kabalutan village, and we will be welcomed into their world to meet and talk with them about their lives.

We will head to the southernmost tip of the park and have a long snorkel near the before setting sail to the southeast for a most unique wildlife encounter the following morning.

Day 5 - Encountering the Maleo bird

A very unique experience awaits you today, one you will very likely have never had before - an encounter with a Maleo bird. One of Sulawesi’s most interesting birds, the Maleo is a flightless fowl with some very unusual characteristics and behaviours, and also the symbol of the province within which it lives.

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 camouflagued hide as they go about their business.

Later that morning we will cruise south and snorkel in the afternoon on a beautifully rich reef in front or Pulau Dua, or ‘two islands’ in the Indonesian language.

Day 6 - Banggai Island

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

Day 7 - The Bokan Islands

The Bokan Islands are an area of unsurpassed beauty and today will 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 once again in another stingless jellyfish lake, the exotically named Danau Piasu Botangan.

Day 8 - Bajau 'sea gypsy' community

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

Day 9 - 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 natural beauty.

As well as snorkelling in the morning and afternoon, 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.

Day 10 - Binongko Island

More fascinating culture and snorkelling awaits us today, as we visit a famous local blacksmiths and do a drift snorkel on the Wakatobi Resort’s magnificent house reef. Snorkelling comes first in the morning, and then during lunch we will 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 for that are highly sought-after right across Indonesia.

Day 11 - Kakabia in the Flores Sea

When you awake today the sky will be 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.

The island where we will be is Kakabia, an uninhabited sea mount in the middle of the Flores Sea, rich in upwelling nutrients and a perfect habitat for fishing and raising their young.

We will spend the day here snorkelling and exploring and we will make an attempt to go ashore (tide depending) for an afternoon of swimming, kayaking, paddling and fun. In the evening (also tide depending) we will have a bbq beach party with our crew providing the entertainment.

Day 12 - Bonerate open-air boatyard

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 outside of SeaTrek, 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 twelve days.

Day 13 - Komodo National Park

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.

Rising early in the Komodo National Park, 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.

After lunch on board we will go in search of manta rays as they glide by as they feed 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 masse on their nightly fruit-foraging missions. Tonight the crew will prepare a beach BBQ for us all as we feast, sing and dance the night away by a roaring fire under the stars.

Day 14 - Local village and disembark

Our final day will be one of snorkelling and culture. After an optional morning swim and snorkel, we will take you on a private tour to a local village high up on a mountain plateau where we will be welcomed in by the elders and offered betel nut and arak, a potent local alcoholic brew.

We will be witness to the traditional ‘caci' whip dance, and the 'bamboo' dance, performed by the villagers for generations.

After a final Indonesian lunch on the boat we will say farewell to our crew, who have looked after us so well for the past two weeks, and transfer to Komodo airport for our flight back to Bali and our onward journey.

The Komodo Islands to Bali

The Komodo Islands to Bali Cruise

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Day 1 - Pre-cruise hotel

Upon arrival at Komodo Airport, you will be escorted to your hotel where you can relax by the pool, swim in the sea, and have a chance to brush up on your snorkelling skills with your SeaTrek tour leader. Gather at sunset for evening cocktails before sitting down to an Indonesian buffet dinner as you get acquainted with the rest of your fellow guests who will be joining you on the cruise ahead.

Day 2 - Komodo National Park

In the morning we will take a short drive to a traditional local village high up in the hills, where we will be witness to the fast and imposing ‘caci’ whip dance by the local villagers. Here we will enjoy their hospitality with coffee, betel nut and a highly potent local ‘arak’ before (not for the faint hearted), before being be treated to a selection of traditional dances by their men and women.

By late morning we will be on the boat, and as we enjoy a buffet lunch we will cruise out into the Komodo National Park where we will have our first snorkel amongst the corals.

In the early evening at cocktail hour we will anchor off Kalong Island to see thousands and thousands of fruit bats emerge from their mangrove homes and fill the sky as they head off to the mainland in search of food.

Day 3 - Rinca Island

Visit Rinca Island and go on a trek in search of the more Komodo dragons. See monkeys, dear, pigs, buffalo, and myriad birds as we walk through the forests and savannahs of this large island.

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

Day 4 - Gili Banta and Sangean Island

Spend the morning on Gili Banta, a deserted island with a beautiful white sand beach. Explore the magnificent coral gardens, hike to the crest of the surrounding hills for a view of the surrounding islands, swim, paddle and kayak.

Cruise across the sea as we get the sails up and set course for Sangean Island, where local villagers are in the process of building a fifty-plus metre, traditional wooden pinisi boat, with the same pedigree and history of SeaTrek’s very own ships. Walking around this small village, get a feel for their simple way of life, chat with the locals and maybe buy some handmade textiles as a momento.

Snorkel on a vibrant coral reef just off the shore filled with fish and marine creatures from all shades of the colour spectrum, including a meadow of hundreds of glass eels.

Day 5 - Satonda and Moyo Islands

Wake up off Satonda Island, an extinct volcano with a brackish lake at its heart, where we will swim, snorkel, kayak, paddle board and explore the surrounding forest if you wish. The lake was created when it the crater was flooded by a tsunami caused by a massive volcanic event from the nearby Tambora Volcano, which in 1815 was the largest eruption in recorded history.

Set sail for Moyo Island and take a walk through a village to a jungle waterfall and play with locals as they take the lead on a rope swing above a cool, deep jungle pool to show us how it’s done.

Day 6 - Sumbawa and whale sharks

Wake up early in the North of Sumbawa, where we will hopefully swim with a group of whale sharks that congregate off fishing platforms, where local fishermen catch small baitfish and keep them suspended in nets, which attract the sharks. Spend the afternoon on a nearby beach where we will snorkel, paddle, kayak and explore our jungle surroundings.

Day 7 - Bajao Sea Gypsies

Visit a village of the famous Bajao ‘Sea Gypsies’ of Southeast Asia, and see how they live their lives on and in the water.

Another relaxing afternoon awaits as we land on a nearby uninhabited island, where once again we will relax and enjoy snorkelling, kayaking and paddle boarding. Enjoy Indonesian hospitality as your crew host a beach barbeque in your honour this evening. On offer is plenty of good food, music, cocktails dancing and frivolity as we dance and sing the night away next to a bonfire under a clear tropical night sky.

Day 8 - Bali tour and disembark

Wake up at anchor off the coast of Bali under in the shadow of Bali’s Mt Agung, the mother mountain of all Balinese people, and the most imposing figure on the whole landscape of Bali. Enjoy an early morning swim or snorkel before we say goodbye to the crew and start our tour back to the south of Bali.

Along the way, experience East Bali with a tour of its deep culture and glorious landscapes. Visit water palaces, ancient villages, see lush rice terraces and jungles and the islands volcanic peaks, and dine on some of Bali’s freshest and most delicious traditional cuisine.

Jewels of Raja Ampat

Jewels of Raja Ampat

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Day 1 - Arrive Sorong and embark 

You will be greeted by your tour leader at the airport in the morning and taken to the boat, and after settling into your new home for the next ten days we will set course for the southernmost islands part of the Raja Ampat National Park. 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. Pre-dinner cocktails will be served on the back deck as the sun goes down and brings an end to our first day as we cruise on through the night.

Day 2 - Misool archipelago and Island hopping

Today we wake up at the eastern end of the Misool archipelago, a picturesque chain of jungle-covered limestone islets with spectacular corals reefs offering some fantastic snorkelling. We will spend the day exploring the many inlets and bays and beaches with some trekking, swimming and snorkelling. We will also break out the kayaks and paddle boards for some seaborne adventuring. After our full day of island-hopping we will spend a quiet night at anchor under the stars.

Day 3 - Sea-cave cemeteries

After an early breakfast, our day starts with a swim and a snorkel through a giant dome-roofed sea cave filled with massive stalagmites and stalactites, undoubtedly one of the areas most memorable experiences. We will then move on to the 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 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.

Day 4 - Lesser Birds of Paradise

Today we will try our best to see the Lesser Birds of Paradise in the wild, an unforgettable experience for anyone lucky enough to see them. We will rise early and walk through the forest to hopefully see the birds as they dance around in their ‘lekking’ trees. In the afternoon, an underwater exploration will take place as we snorkel around one of the best coral reefs in the world. School of fish hanging out in the deep and colourful sea fans sticking out of the wall. Late in the afternoon, we will be watching the sunset while sailing our way to Batanta island.

Day 5 - Batanta Island

Today, the island of Batanta offers us a change of scenery and a chance to stretch our legs with an adventurous jungle trek filled with birds, butterflies and insects. Starting at a local village, our guides will lead us through the forest on a short walk to the first of two waterfalls, where we can swim and cool off. The fitter of the group can keep heading upriver where a second, larger cascade awaits. After getting back to the boat and having lunch, we will go snorkelling and get the paddle boards and kayaks in the water, before heading north later in the afternoon and overnight cruise to a beautiful group of islands.

Day 6 - Visit a Pearl Farm 

In the morning, we will visit a pearl farm tucked away in a protected, deep water cove and tour the facilities to learn how this precious commodity is produced and harvested. Pearling is an important industry and provides employment for many people in the local area. We will spend the afternoon snorkelling and kayaking amongst three small islands linked together by some pristine coral reefs, or you can simply choose to relax on the beach.

Day 7 - Islands around Gam ad Mansuar

This morning will explore a small group of limestone islands filled with coves and beautiful reefs.  After breakfast, 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. During lunch we will head to a small island located between Gam and Mansuar where the currents bring rich nutrients to the coral reefs. The three famous jetties offer so much underwater life scenery – schools of fish, the shy black tip reef sharks, the elegant spadefish and the magnificent giant clams.

Day 8 - Mansuar Island 

Central Raja Ampat stores many magical underwater gems. Today, we will be exploring some of them. Starting with a visit to a local village in the central of Mansuar island which promotes sustainability through their education centre, solar-powered street lights, and sustainable fishing practice through local community effort. Its house reef offers an abundance of marine life which is why we will spend the rest of our morning snorkelling here and if we’re lucky, maybe a sight of a wobbegong shark. Another underwater adventure awaits in the afternoon as we make our way to the eastern point of Mansuar. Famous for its school of big fish, you can see humphead wrasse and school of giant trevalley swimming next to each other, maybe greeted by the resident hawksbill turtle.

Tonight, we will have a beach BBQ and party with the crew under the stars.

Day 9 - Birds of Paradise and Gam Island

Today sees a super early start as we head off into the forest in search of the incredible Red 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. We will then walk through a colourful local village and meet the people who call this wonderful corner of paradise home and see how they live their daily lives.

Back on the boat we will head off for some more great snorkelling in the famous wall on the east of Gam island before we sail overnight to an island nearby Sorong.

Day 10 - Sorong

We will wake up anchored in Sorong and have one last hearty breakfast before venturing on our very last adventure in the Doom Island with traditional transportation called Becak. During the First World War, the island served as an administrative centre of Dutch Empire administration in West Papua and continued to become the core of Sorong for some time before the city grew in mainland Papua. During the Second World War, Japanese forces occupied and fortified the island, building a network of tunnels and bunkers. The island was attacked by American and Australian aircraft throughout the war. Following the war, a fishing station was briefly established on the island before it was moved to Manokwari.

After our little adventure, bid farewell to the ship and her crew. Our tenders will take you ashore for your transfer to the airport for your onward travel.