Our mission is to provide the best experience possible for our guests given the current conditions and when unexpected opportunities for adventure may present themselves along our cruise routes.
11 Nights: 05 - 16 February 2024
From $9,400 /£7,800 per person*
*Trips are priced in the operator's local currency. The amount you pay in sterling will change with currency fluctuations.
Sometimes weather conditions, tides, or other local factors dictate that we need to vary from the published route, and at times there are special opportunities to explore and discover new locations, events, and activities. These explorations will always be a definite enhancement to the published itinerary and will be undertaken after discussion and agreement among guests. Ultimately, the boat captains and your tour leader will make decisions to maximize trip safety and your overall enjoyment, so please come prepared to be flexible!
D A Y 1
Your flight will arrive in Sorong, the gateway to Raja Ampat. From the airport, we will transfer you to the harbour where the Katharina will be waiting at anchor.
Once settled into your cabin, your cruise tour leaders will familiarise you with the vessel’s facilities and safety procedures.
We will weigh anchor, leave the harbour behind and cruise to a small island, where we can enjoy our first snorkel of the trip as we make our way north.
D A Y 2
Today we will rise very early and head off in the tenders to a small village, where local guides will take us on a walk into the forest to spot the gorgeous Wilson’s Bird of Paradise.
Back in the village, there will be time to meet with the community and perhaps visit the school. We will be back on the boat by mid-morning and if time permits we’ll travel over to a nearby island to snorkel.
In the afternoon, we will go snorkelling on the beautiful reefs that fill this area.
D A Y 3
We will rise early once more to see the remarkable Red Bird of Paradise, and with a little luck and the help of our knowledgeable guides, we will see this rare bird’s elaborate courtship display as dawn breaks over the forest canopy.
Once we back to the ship, we will turn our attention from the sky to the sea as the Ombak Putih makes her way through the Dampier Strait, home of some of Raja Ampat’s premier reefs.
There’s a chance that we may get to see some manta rays as we snorkel, but there are no guarantees. We will end the day by mooring off another tiny island, where the local children will perform their traditional dances for us and followed by exploring this charming village.
D A Y 4
Today is a day of exploration and snorkelling and we will spend the day visiting a local village and snorkelling on the many great reefs in the area.
We will visit a replica of Alfred Russel Wallace’s hut that was built by us and call in on the island where a local man has set up a coconut crab ‘sanctuary’ for what is the world’s largest terrestrial arthropod.
We will have another late afternoon snorkel along a reef with some spectacular giant clams (the world’s largest marine arthropod and mollusc) will lead us into dinner at anchor on board.
D A Y 5
Today is another day for snorkelling, Wallace tracking, and exploring some of Raja Ampat’s most beautiful limestone karst islands.
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, before continuing our island hopping northwards to an island where at a duck, tens of thousands of fruit bats fly out to feed.
This night we will find a remote beach where we will have a beach BBQ and party.
D A Y 6
This morning we will wake to see the sun rise over the picturesque chain of islands that makes up the eastern part of the Misool archipelago. Our tenders will take us to a large cave where it is possible to swim, snorkel or simply float while gazing up at the cavernous grotto adorned with stalactites.
We will then move on to a mysterious jellyfish lake and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless animals: undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities.
In the afternoon, 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.
D A Y 7
We will wake early once again and go ashore, where local guides will be waiting for us to take us through the forest to hopefully see the Lesser Bird of Paradise as they dance around in their ‘lekking’ trees.
On the way back, we have time for a stroll around the village and possibly a visit to the school to learn about the way Nature Conservancy is working with the village to empower local women with a fishing practice called ‘sasi’.
D A Y 8
Today we will find ourselves off the extreme southern tip of Halmahera Island, where we will go snorkelling and visit a local Bajau sea gipsy village and learn about their way of life.
D A Y 9
We will wake up off the western coast of Bacan and go ashore to explore the forested slopes in search of Wallace’s Giant Bee and the huge and magnificent Golden Birdwing Butterfly.
During this trip, we might see some of the other endemic animals of these islands, including parrots, cockatoos, lorikeets, hornbills, the elusive cuscus and the endangered Black-crested Macaque.
D A Y 10
Today we will visit the Guarici Archipelago, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches, vibrant coral reefs and some lovely local villages. We will spend a full day here snorkelling, swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding, and pay a visit to one of the villages to meet the local people.
The islands are part of a government-controlled conservation area, designed to protect the reefs and the many beautiful marine species that live there.
D A Y 11
Today we will wake up off the coast of Halmahera and we will head to the village of Dodinga: the very place where AR Wallace was living when he discovered the mechanism which drives evolutionary change – natural selection. His Letter to Charles Darwin was the catalyst that prompted Darwin to publish his book Origin of Species in 1859, which explained the theory in greater detail.
Dodinga is a pretty little riverside village with friendly people, colourful houses and the ruins of an old Portuguese fort, and its importance in the history of science cannot be understated. After spending some time with the villagers, sharing some fresh coconuts and enjoying their hospitality,
D A Y 12
Today marks the end of our adventure, but first, we will head out for a tour of the city, which has retained its commercial and political importance as the administrative and trading centre of North Maluku.
We will visit a couple of old Portuguese and Dutch forts and pay a visit to the Sultan’s Palace with its rich collection of heirlooms.
Domine Eduard Osok Airport Sorong (SOQ)
Ternate Airport
D A Y 1
Your flight will arrive in Sorong, the gateway to Raja Ampat. From the airport, we will transfer you to the harbour where the Katharina will be waiting at anchor.
Once settled into your cabin, your cruise tour leaders will familiarise you with the vessel’s facilities and safety procedures.
We will weigh anchor, leave the harbour behind and cruise to a small island, where we can enjoy our first snorkel of the trip as we make our way north.
D A Y 2
Today we will rise very early and head off in the tenders to a small village, where local guides will take us on a walk into the forest to spot the gorgeous Wilson’s Bird of Paradise.
Back in the village, there will be time to meet with the community and perhaps visit the school. We will be back on the boat by mid-morning and if time permits we’ll travel over to a nearby island to snorkel.
In the afternoon, we will go snorkelling on the beautiful reefs that fill this area.
D A Y 3
We will rise early once more to see the remarkable Red Bird of Paradise, and with a little luck and the help of our knowledgeable guides, we will see this rare bird’s elaborate courtship display as dawn breaks over the forest canopy.
Once we back to the ship, we will turn our attention from the sky to the sea as the Ombak Putih makes her way through the Dampier Strait, home of some of Raja Ampat’s premier reefs.
There’s a chance that we may get to see some manta rays as we snorkel, but there are no guarantees. We will end the day by mooring off another tiny island, where the local children will perform their traditional dances for us and followed by exploring this charming village.
D A Y 4
Today is a day of exploration and snorkelling and we will spend the day visiting a local village and snorkelling on the many great reefs in the area.
We will visit a replica of Alfred Russel Wallace’s hut that was built by us and call in on the island where a local man has set up a coconut crab ‘sanctuary’ for what is the world’s largest terrestrial arthropod.
We will have another late afternoon snorkel along a reef with some spectacular giant clams (the world’s largest marine arthropod and mollusc) will lead us into dinner at anchor on board.
D A Y 5
Today is another day for snorkelling, Wallace tracking, and exploring some of Raja Ampat’s most beautiful limestone karst islands.
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, before continuing our island hopping northwards to an island where at a duck, tens of thousands of fruit bats fly out to feed.
This night we will find a remote beach where we will have a beach BBQ and party.
D A Y 6
This morning we will wake to see the sun rise over the picturesque chain of islands that makes up the eastern part of the Misool archipelago. Our tenders will take us to a large cave where it is possible to swim, snorkel or simply float while gazing up at the cavernous grotto adorned with stalactites.
We will then move on to a mysterious jellyfish lake and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless animals: undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities.
In the afternoon, 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.
D A Y 7
We will wake early once again and go ashore, where local guides will be waiting for us to take us through the forest to hopefully see the Lesser Bird of Paradise as they dance around in their ‘lekking’ trees.
On the way back, we have time for a stroll around the village and possibly a visit to the school to learn about the way Nature Conservancy is working with the village to empower local women with a fishing practice called ‘sasi’.
D A Y 8
Today we will find ourselves off the extreme southern tip of Halmahera Island, where we will go snorkelling and visit a local Bajau sea gipsy village and learn about their way of life.
D A Y 9
We will wake up off the western coast of Bacan and go ashore to explore the forested slopes in search of Wallace’s Giant Bee and the huge and magnificent Golden Birdwing Butterfly.
During this trip, we might see some of the other endemic animals of these islands, including parrots, cockatoos, lorikeets, hornbills, the elusive cuscus and the endangered Black-crested Macaque.
D A Y 10
Today we will visit the Guarici Archipelago, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches, vibrant coral reefs and some lovely local villages. We will spend a full day here snorkelling, swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding, and pay a visit to one of the villages to meet the local people.
The islands are part of a government-controlled conservation area, designed to protect the reefs and the many beautiful marine species that live there.
D A Y 11
Today we will wake up off the coast of Halmahera and we will head to the village of Dodinga: the very place where AR Wallace was living when he discovered the mechanism which drives evolutionary change – natural selection. His Letter to Charles Darwin was the catalyst that prompted Darwin to publish his book Origin of Species in 1859, which explained the theory in greater detail.
Dodinga is a pretty little riverside village with friendly people, colourful houses and the ruins of an old Portuguese fort, and its importance in the history of science cannot be understated. After spending some time with the villagers, sharing some fresh coconuts and enjoying their hospitality,
D A Y 12
Today marks the end of our adventure, but first, we will head out for a tour of the city, which has retained its commercial and political importance as the administrative and trading centre of North Maluku.
We will visit a couple of old Portuguese and Dutch forts and pay a visit to the Sultan’s Palace with its rich collection of heirlooms.
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 in 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
