Indonesia to Papua New Guinea Expedition Cruise

For centuries, Bali has captivated the imagination of artists, writers, and travelers with its landscapes of emerald terraced rice fields back-dropped by the sacred volcano of Mount Agung. Make your way to the hotel where the group will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening, meet your fellow voyagers and expedition guides over dinner at the hotel.

Explore the cultural and historical delights of Bali's capital. This afternoon you'll transfer to the Heritage Adventurer where your Captain and Expedition Team will welcome you aboard as the ship sets sail for Sumbawa Island.

East of its more famous sibling Lombok, mountainous Sumbawa Island blends laid-back island life with spectacular volcanic ridges, terraced rice fields, tangled jungles, and beautiful sandy beaches replete with stunning coral reefs and remote bays awaiting exploration. Historically divided between east (Bimanese speakers) and west (Sumbawanese speakers), this isolated island that time almost forgot juxtaposes luxurious mansions alongside old wooden huts, remote wilderness, and traditional Adat law and lore. Today you will experience a number of time-honored traditions and cultural encounters including meeting the creators of the famed intricate hand-woven ikat fabric and observing ancient tribal rites for a truly authentic immersion in the local culture.

In Komodo National Park, a sanctuary for the giant monitor lizard, the Komodo dragon, walk along a forested pathway to a viewing area for a closer look at these prehistoric reptiles that can grow up to more than 9 feet in length and weigh over 300 pounds. The surrounding forest is home to Timor deer, the favorite prey of the dragons, as well as elegant yellow-crested cockatoos. Enjoy snorkeling off splendid Pink Beach, a world-class experience often described as “swimming in an aquarium.”

Famously described by legendary underwater explorer and conservationist Jacques Cousteau as an “underwater nirvana,” Wakatobi is home to breathtaking coral walls. Today's snorkel excursions reveal an incredible array of marine reef inhabitants; underwater photographers will appreciate a bizarre macro world among the corals. Highlights include colorful frogfish, octopus, marbled snake eels, cockatoo waspfish, flying gurnards, multitudes of crab specie,s and dazzling anemones.

Fascinating and seldom visited, Buru Island is located at the boundary between the biogeographic zones of Australia and Asia. A high proportion of the species of birds and mammals that occur here are found nowhere else, with 10 endemic bird species and 4 endemic mammals as well as a number of near-endemic species. This morning you will explore these remote shores together with your expert naturalists and guides. Enjoy opportunities to hike in the forests in search of wildlife and many of the endemic species and enjoy the hospitality of local communities during village visits.

Lapped by stunning turquoise waters, Raja Ampat’s collection of 1,500 tiny, jungle-cloaked islands are among Indonesia’s most beautiful. The planis to spend 3 days exploring the bounty of rainbow corals, shoals of multi-colored fish, intriguing ocean-carved limestone formations, and jungles of this tropical paradise of forgotten islands. Believed to contain the most bio-diverse marine habitat on the planet, the waters surrounding Raja Ampat are home to 600 species of hard coral and 1,200 types of reef fish and make for exceptional snorkeling and Zodiac cruising. On land, spotting the brilliant Wilson’s bird-of-paradise and red bird-of-paradise will be high on the agenda here, with early morning visits planned to ensure the very best opportunity for all to see these remarkable birds in their natural habitat and, hopefully, witness their rarely-seen mating dance around their "lekking" trees. Other activities could include beachcombing, visiting villages, engaging in cultural exchanges with locals, and forest walks.

Part of the Sultanate of Tidore during the spice trade wars, Misool Island is the second largest island in the aquatic wonderland that is Raja Ampat (also known as Four Kings Islands, named after its four main islands). Rich in heritage, it was colonized by the Dutch, however it still maintains its cultural essence and traditional ways of life with indigenous constructions, folk dance, and respect for nature prevailing. On land, discover caves hidden among verdant forests featuring rock art dating back more than 5,000 years, while under its protected waters, bumphead parrotfish, clownfish, manta rays, ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp, pygmy seahorse and more can be found among spectacular coral gardens and sea-cave cemeteries. Over the course of the day you will explore the labyrinth of caves and passages, and hike up to the viewing platforms to enjoy the spectacular vistas.

Today is a full day of exploration planned at the seldom visited Bomberai Peninsula, which is also often referred to as the Bird's Beak Peninsula for its location to the south of Bird's Head Peninsula. A lush tropical forest blankets the hills that rise to the remote Kumafa Mountains.The turquoise waters sculpting the karst limestone coast are renowned for the abundance and diversity of tropical fish species. Join your expedition team ashore discovering the unique plants and wildlife of the region before snorkeling among enormous colorful soft corals and a thousands-strong cast from Finding Nemo attracted by the rich food source delivered via underwater channels and currents.

Enjoy the unforgettable experience of swimming with the iconic whale sharks of Triton Bay, one of the best places in the world to snorkel with these gentle giants. You'll visit the local fishermen’s bagans (handmade floating platforms) where these mega-fish (known to grow more than 40 feet in length), hopeful of catching some of the smaller fish escaping fishermen’s nets, are known to congregate. This afternoon the ship drops anchor off Aiduma Island, one of the most remote islands in Indonesia and world-renowned underwater wonderland and dive site. Discover dazzling soft coral forests teeming colorful reef fish including dinner plate-sized blue-ring and six-bar angelfish, and impressive red and white striped lionfish, among others, on a snorkeling highlight.

This morning, embark on an exploration of seldom visited Etna Bay. Indenting the coastline of the Kaimana Regency and described by those who have visited as a “tropical fiord beneath mountains that rise abruptly from the sea,” an authentic expedition adventure awaits. Local mythology claims that Indonesia's legendary Garuda bird and national emblem lives in these mountains.

Ten thousand square miles of mangrove forest, bamboo, and sago palms have long sheltered the Asmat region from outsiders. At high tide, the ship enters the shallow channel of the Flamingo River to anchor near the village of Agats, the regional capital of the Asmat. A remote riverine world is revealed as Zodiacs carry you along narrow waterways lined with the entwined branches of thick mangrove forests, home to Torresian imperial pigeons, sulphur-crested cockatoos, and bright red lorikeets. As you make your way upstream, villagers — whooping and chanting in elaborate warrior gear and paint — paddle vigorously toward you in intricately carved canoes to escort you ashore where an enthusiastic welcome awaits. A walk along elevated wooden boardwalks leads to a cathedral with superb carvings, and a museum with displays of ancestor poles, drums, body masks, shields, daggers, and skulls; a reminder that cannibalism and head-hunting was practiced by the ancestors of some villagers. Asmat woodcarvings are known for their powerful lines and coarse, expressive motifs, and are widely considered by collectors and scholars to be among the world's finest carvings and can be purchased directly from the village artisans.

Relax on board after your adventures, join a lecture, update your photos/journal, or watch the world go by from the Bridge with the Captain, in the Observation Lounge, or from the poolside. Day 16 will see you bidding farewell to Indonesia as the ship makes its way to Papua New Guinea, while on Day 17 the ship will be navigating the maze of reefs and islands of the Torres Strait that links the Coral and Arafura Seas with the Gulf of Carpentaria with prime spots being the Observation Deck, Lounge, and the Bridge.

Arrive in Port Moresby, bustling gateway and capital of Papua New Guinea where village and urban life exist side-by-side. After breakfast, board your flight to Cairns.

Note: During the voyage, circumstances may make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. This can include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed.