Sail from Maumere to Komodo and discover the textiles of the Lesser Sundas with David & Sue Richardson.
11 Nights: 09 - 20 May 2024
From $9,450/ £7,720 per person*
D A Y 1
Upon arrival from Bali, met at Maumere airport and transferred to the boat, which will be waiting at anchor.
After lunch, you visit a busy local fishing village of Bugis and Bajau people, famous for their stilt houses built above the water.
This evening before dinner, relax over cocktails as David and Sue give an introductory talk about the culture and textiles of the local Sikka People.
D A Y 2
Today, drive up into the highlands to visit a small village where you are welcomed with music and dancing.
After gaining your first insights into the local techniques of spinning, binding, dyeing and weaving, you have the opportunity to purchase some of the finished textiles, while the adventurous among you will be able to try betel nut, tobacco and locally distilled liquor.
Return to the boat for lunch as you sail towards a small island for beachcombing, swimming and snorkelling.
D A Y 3
Early this morning you pass in front of a towering volcano to anchor in a sheltered picturesque bay. After breakfast, go ashore and be welcomed by local Lamaholot villagers who show in detail how they produce their fantastic earthy-brown ikats decorated with small white seashells.
You are guided around this colourful 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, snorkelling and beachcombing. Moor nearby overnight.
D A Y 4
Today, visit two weaving communities on the island of Adonara. One village is on the flank of an active volcano and the other is on the coast. The people of Adonara are also Lamaholot, but their weavings are quite different from those we have seen so far.
After another busy morning, enjoy lunch on board before a refreshing dip.
D A Y 5
Arrive in Lembata next to the gently smoking volcano of Ile Api, where you go ashore to see some of the superb ikat textiles produced in this region, meeting weavers from at least three neighbouring 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.
Guests will also be invited to see an ancient anthropomorphic rock painting in a nearby village. Later, during lunch, the boat will cruise around the headland to a great snorkelling spot.
D A Y 6
Visit the tiny village of Uma Pura on Ternate Island, where you discover how they make around 100 different natural dyes, some using ingredients such as sea sponges, sea anemones and the ink of sea hares, and will have the chance to see and buy many of their fabrics.
Back on board, you have lunch while sailing to the large island of Alor, where you take a short drive to a village inhabited by the Abui tribe. You’ll be invited to join in the hypnotic lego-lego dance before shopping for textiles, baskets and jewellery at a small pop-up market.
You return via the Kalabahi Museum, where you see their fine display of textiles and moko drums from across the island.
D A Y 7
As you wake, approach 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 are escorted into the village clearing by local schoolchildren.
After a welcome by the kepala desa, you are 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 boat sheds as you descend.
After returning to the boat, the local whalers put on a demonstration of how they harpoon whales from their tiny sailboats. Lunch is served as you sail along the coast to a small sandy beach for a refreshing swim.
D A Y 8
Early the next morning, arrive at a weaving village on the island of Solor. They are very enthusiastic about sharing their culture and hospitality with you. They also make super baskets!
Lunch is served as you begin your 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.
D A Y 9
After breakfast, go ashore at Napae Bay, following in the footsteps of Captain Cook who landed HMS Endeavour on the same beach in 1770. You drive to a tiny hamlet in the hills, where local weavers warmly welcome you and show how they still make their beautifully traditional naturally dyed cloths. The men will demonstrate how they climb the tall lontar palms to tap their delicious juice, which of course you be able to sample.
After lunch on board, you return ashore to witness a cleansing ceremony, before being welcomed by ikat-clad horsemen showing you their riding skills.
A short drive takes you to Namata, the most important ritual centre on the island, where you visit the sacred enclosure of priests of the ‘Jingi Tiu’ religion, containing the largest grouping of megaliths on the island.
D A Y 1 0
This morning you land on a sandy beach on the east coast of the island of Sumba and head off to visit two amazing but quite different royal villages, each with megalithic graves surrounded by tall traditional thatched houses.
You meet members of 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.
You return to the Ombak Putih for lunch while you sail north, stopping at a local beach for a late afternoon swim and snorkel.
D A Y 1 1
Today, 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 are still used to welcome important visitors and were used in the past to welcome the warriors back from their headhunting expeditions.
Textiles will be hanging everywhere and you are offered a huge array of jewellery, statues, boxes, baskets and other crafts.
Tonight, as you cruise north, you are invited to dress lavishly in your finest ikat cloths for our farewell dinner party with the captain and crew, who will entertain you on deck with traditional Indonesian song and dance.
D A Y 1 2
Today, make a brief visit to the Komodo National Park and go ashore for a short trek with park rangers, hoping to spot these ancient lizards in their natural habitat.
Back on board, you have an early lunch as you sail towards Labuan Bajo, before saying goodbye to the crew and being escorted to the airport.
Fly from Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali
Fly to Komodo Airport, Flores
D A Y 1
Upon arrival from Bali, met at Maumere airport and transferred to the boat, which will be waiting at anchor.
After lunch, you visit a busy local fishing village of Bugis and Bajau people, famous for their stilt houses built above the water.
This evening before dinner, relax over cocktails as David and Sue give an introductory talk about the culture and textiles of the local Sikka People.
D A Y 2
Today, drive up into the highlands to visit a small village where you are welcomed with music and dancing.
After gaining your first insights into the local techniques of spinning, binding, dyeing and weaving, you have the opportunity to purchase some of the finished textiles, while the adventurous among you will be able to try betel nut, tobacco and locally distilled liquor.
Return to the boat for lunch as you sail towards a small island for beachcombing, swimming and snorkelling.
D A Y 3
Early this morning you pass in front of a towering volcano to anchor in a sheltered picturesque bay. After breakfast, go ashore and be welcomed by local Lamaholot villagers who show in detail how they produce their fantastic earthy-brown ikats decorated with small white seashells.
You are guided around this colourful 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, snorkelling and beachcombing. Moor nearby overnight.
D A Y 4
Today, visit two weaving communities on the island of Adonara. One village is on the flank of an active volcano and the other is on the coast. The people of Adonara are also Lamaholot, but their weavings are quite different from those we have seen so far.
After another busy morning, enjoy lunch on board before a refreshing dip.
D A Y 5
Arrive in Lembata next to the gently smoking volcano of Ile Api, where you go ashore to see some of the superb ikat textiles produced in this region, meeting weavers from at least three neighbouring 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.
Guests will also be invited to see an ancient anthropomorphic rock painting in a nearby village. Later, during lunch, the boat will cruise around the headland to a great snorkelling spot.
D A Y 6
Visit the tiny village of Uma Pura on Ternate Island, where you discover how they make around 100 different natural dyes, some using ingredients such as sea sponges, sea anemones and the ink of sea hares, and will have the chance to see and buy many of their fabrics.
Back on board, you have lunch while sailing to the large island of Alor, where you take a short drive to a village inhabited by the Abui tribe. You’ll be invited to join in the hypnotic lego-lego dance before shopping for textiles, baskets and jewellery at a small pop-up market.
You return via the Kalabahi Museum, where you see their fine display of textiles and moko drums from across the island.
D A Y 7
As you wake, approach 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 are escorted into the village clearing by local schoolchildren.
After a welcome by the kepala desa, you are 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 boat sheds as you descend.
After returning to the boat, the local whalers put on a demonstration of how they harpoon whales from their tiny sailboats. Lunch is served as you sail along the coast to a small sandy beach for a refreshing swim.
D A Y 8
Early the next morning, arrive at a weaving village on the island of Solor. They are very enthusiastic about sharing their culture and hospitality with you. They also make super baskets!
Lunch is served as you begin your 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.
D A Y 9
After breakfast, go ashore at Napae Bay, following in the footsteps of Captain Cook who landed HMS Endeavour on the same beach in 1770. You drive to a tiny hamlet in the hills, where local weavers warmly welcome you and show how they still make their beautifully traditional naturally dyed cloths. The men will demonstrate how they climb the tall lontar palms to tap their delicious juice, which of course you be able to sample.
After lunch on board, you return ashore to witness a cleansing ceremony, before being welcomed by ikat-clad horsemen showing you their riding skills.
A short drive takes you to Namata, the most important ritual centre on the island, where you visit the sacred enclosure of priests of the ‘Jingi Tiu’ religion, containing the largest grouping of megaliths on the island.
D A Y 1 0
This morning you land on a sandy beach on the east coast of the island of Sumba and head off to visit two amazing but quite different royal villages, each with megalithic graves surrounded by tall traditional thatched houses.
You meet members of 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.
You return to the Ombak Putih for lunch while you sail north, stopping at a local beach for a late afternoon swim and snorkel.
D A Y 1 1
Today, 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 are still used to welcome important visitors and were used in the past to welcome the warriors back from their headhunting expeditions.
Textiles will be hanging everywhere and you are offered a huge array of jewellery, statues, boxes, baskets and other crafts.
Tonight, as you cruise north, you are invited to dress lavishly in your finest ikat cloths for our farewell dinner party with the captain and crew, who will entertain you on deck with traditional Indonesian song and dance.
D A Y 1 2
Today, make a brief visit to the Komodo National Park and go ashore for a short trek with park rangers, hoping to spot these ancient lizards in their natural habitat.
Back on board, you have an early lunch as you sail towards Labuan Bajo, before saying goodbye to the crew and being escorted to the airport.
Temperature in this sailing area varies little (27° to 33° Celsius year-round) with mostly blue skies and light winds. We suggest you bring the following:
Light cotton/ linen clothes, including a pair of long trousers for visits to the villages
Water shoes (boots or plastic shoes)
Hiking shoes
Camera
A plastic / waterproof bag for your camera when disembarking
High-protection suntan lotion
A hat
Insect repellent
Dive/snorkelling equipment if you have your own (there is plenty on board)
A sweater for cool evenings
