10 days Cruise Jewels of Raja Ampat

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Cruise Jewels of Raja Ampat

One of the most noteworthy ecological niches on the planet, with views among the most stunning that you are likely to behold in a lifetime, the Raja Ampat archipelago is a region characterised by rugged and steep limestone coastlines covered with virgin rainforest extending right down to the water’s edge. Many of the fish, corals and crustaceans that live in these waters are found nowhere else on Earth. During this cruise, we will take you on a far-reaching exploration of what is without a doubt one of the least visited but most memorable adventure-destinations on our planet. You do not need to be a diver to be able to experience this global epicentre of marine diversity; here you will have the opportunity to snorkel daily in an underwater world reminiscent of a living kaleidoscope. Nor do you need to be a seasoned birdwatcher to see and appreciate the dazzling birdlife that brought Alfred Russel Wallace to this region over a century ago. Witness the curious bobbing, flapping and weaving display dance of the red bird of paradise, hear the shrieks of the crested cockatoo and the loud whooshing wing beats of the hornbills in flight. Float on your back through a mysterious cave; swim with stingless jellyfish; dive into a jungle waterfall; relish the magic of what has been described as the ‘Last Paradise on Earth.’

Many of these cruises fall over either Christmas Day and New Year's Day (or both!), so be sure to check the dates. In the true spirit of the festive season, you can rest assured that we will be pulling out all the stops to celebrate in style.

Departures

2020
16 oktober
17, 28, 29, 30 december

2021
10 januari
4, 16 februari
18 oktober
17, 18, 29, 30 december

Raja Ampat - the last paradise

Included and excluded

Aanbetaling 25%
Restbetaling 3 maanden voor vertrek
Annuleringskosten:
Tot 90 dagen voor vertrek: 25%
90 tot 60 dagen voor vertrek: 50%
Binnen 60 dagen voor vertrek: 100%

Inclusief:
cruise op de Ombak Putih of Katharina
2-persoonshut met airconditioning, eigen douche, toilet.
Thee en koffie, handdoeken, excursies, snorkel uitrusting en zee kano's.
Transfers naar hotel, vliegveld en haven

Exclusief:
Intercontinentale en binnenlandse vluchten
Alcoholische dranken, fooien en was.

RouteRoute

Programme

Dag 1

Your flight will arrive in the West Papuan port town of Sorong, the gateway to Raja Ampat. From the airport we will transfer you to the harbour where your boat will be waiting at anchor. Once settled into your cabin, your cruise director will familiarise you with the vessel’s facilities and safety procedures. Ready to start our adventure, we will weigh anchor and set a southerly course for the Misool archipelago, stopping for a refreshing swim along the way. We will then dine alfresco on the main deck while meeting the other passengers and crew and watching the sun set on our first day at sea.

Day 2

This morning we will wake to see the sun rise over the picturesque chain of islands that makes up the Misool archipelago. The topography is typical of ‘karst dissolution,’ featuring a great number of tiny islets whose bases have been eroded over time by the relentless motion of the tides. We will spend the day maximising everything that this fascinating area has to offer by marvelling at both the marine wonderland under the water and the magnificent landscape above the surface. We can test out our paddling skills in the sea kayaks, watch for birds perched on the rocks, or just sit back and take in the glorious scenery. After a full day of island hopping through this archipelago, the boat will spend a quiet night at anchor in Misool’s Tomolol Bay.

Day 3

A swim through Tomolol’s mysterious dome-topped cave is undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities. After an early breakfast, our tenders will take us into the heart of the bay to see this partially submerged cave where it is possible to swim, snorkel or simply float while gazing up at the cavernous grotto adorned with astonishing stalactites. The more adventurous can swim or paddle through the dark waters to the other mouth of the cave. 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. After returning to the ship, we will use our tenders to explore more of this impressive maze of karst islands, both above and below the surface, complete with 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 palms, fish, flowers and plants, tools and vessels. Overnight, our boat will cruise north to the island of Batanta.

Day 4

After our days of marine exploration, the jungle-clad island of Batanta offers us a change of scenery and a chance to stretch our legs on an adventurous trek into the island’s interior. We anchor at the foot of Arefi Village, nestled on the north coast of the island, where we will find local guides to escort us through the mangrove waters to the start point of our trek. A short walk along the riverbed brings us to the first of two jungle waterfalls complete with a refreshing pool for cooling off. The fit and adventurous may choose to continue the uphill climb along the rocks to where a second, larger cascade awaits. After leaving the wilderness behind us, we will find a nearby spot to swim and snorkel before moving north to the islands of Wayag.

Day 5

Few areas in Indonesia can lay claim to such unsurpassed natural splendour as Raja Ampat’s Wayag islands. The beauty of these picturesque karst spires is perhaps only equalled by the brilliant colours and vibrancy of the reefs and the marine life that flourishes below. Nature has carved these islands into a series of coves and lagoons, narrow channels and inlets, caves, jagged rocks and shaded, sandy beaches. For those who dare, there are some spectacular but nearly vertical climbs that are rewarded with magnificent panoramas. We will spend a quiet night here at anchor.

Day 6

The Wayag islands are Raja Ampat’s best, and we will make the most of this unique region for one more morning, navigating the maze of mushroom-shaped islands, and stopping for swimming and snorkelling. In the afternoon, we will set our compasses to return to the southern hemisphere and the island of Waigeo.

Day 7

Another full day of adventure awaits us along the convoluted western coast of Waigeo. We will begin the morning by exploring Wofoh, three island gems linked together by stretches of pristine coral reef. You can use the tenders or kayaks to navigate the islands, or put your newly-acquired fish identification skills to use in exploring this vibrant reef. Or you may prefer to simply just relax on the beach. In the afternoon we will move northwards to Aljui Bay, home to the Cendanda Pearl Farm, one of the larger producers of high quality seawater pearls in the region. Pearling is an important industry throughout Indonesia and a number of farms can be seen in the waters of Raja Ampat, where the farmers may grant us permission to visit their facilities and receive an explanation of the pearling processes that we have seen during our voyage.

Day 8

We will wake up in front of the island of Penemu, a dramatic location with a short hilltop climb to take in the amazing views. After some great snorkelling on the island’s reefs, we will set course for the tiny Aborek Island, where the local children will perform their traditional dances for us. We can also walk around the village and gain a sense of the Asai culture, which is still kept very much alive by the villagers living in this isolated place. There's a chance that we may get to see some manta rays as we snorkel, but there are no guarantees.

Day 9

After waking up, before sunrise, we will follow in the footsteps of the famous naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in a pre-dawn quest to spot the remarkable Red Bird of Paradise, one of the species that Wallace was most anxious to collect. We hope that the efforts of our trek through the forest will pay off, enabling us to catch a rare and privileged sight of the bird’s elaborate courtship dance as the day breaks over the forest canopy. Whether we spot the birds or not, for sure we will experience a wonderful trek. After lunch, we make our way through the Dampier strait, home to some of Raja Ampat’s premier reefs.

Day 10

After our last breakfast, we will stroll around on dry land at the Doom island with a traditional transportation called Becak. During the First World War, Doom island served as an administrative center 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 this we will say goodbye to our crew and captain and head to the airport for our onward flights.

Your stay

KatharinaDe Katharina is een originele Buginese schoener met 6 luxe 2-persoonshutten en één family suite, elk met AC en eigen badkamer. Aan dek kunt u heerl... meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

Ombak PutihDe Ombak Putih is een originele Buginese schoener met 12 luxe 2-persoonshutten, elk met AC en eigen badkamer. Aan dek kunt u heerlijk genieten van de... meer info more info Informations supplémentaires

KaimanaKaimana is a pleasant little town with an atmosphere of bygone Dutch times. In 1962 the last Dutch soldiers left Kaimana, after the Netherlands had handed over New Guinea to the United Nations.

In the area you will find ancient petroglyphs in beau... Meer infoMore infoInformations supplémentaires

Raja AmpatRaja Ampat is an archipelago in West Papua (former Irian Jaya) and consists of 610, mostly uninhabited islands. The four largest islands are Waigeo in the north, Salawati (southwest of Sorong), Batanta (north of Salawati) and Misool in the southwest.... Meer infoMore infoInformations supplémentaires

SeramSeram (or Ceram) is the largest island in the south Moluccas. It is 17,148 km², more than three times the province of Gelderland, and the highest point is 3,027 m. It is one of the greenest islands on the Moluccas.

Nusa Ina was the name of the isl... Meer infoMore infoInformations supplémentaires

SorongSorong is the westernmost city on the island of New Guinea. The city is located on the Sele Strait of the Pacific Ocean on the Vogelkop Peninsula. It is the base for trips to the Raja Ampat Islands.

Two hours' drive south of Sorong is the rainfore... Meer infoMore infoInformations supplémentaires

10 dagen Cruise Jewels of Raja Ampat -