Although Indonesia encompasses 18.000 odd islands, offering a stunning variety of culture, flora, fauna and marine biology, voyages overseas, hopping from one island to the next, are virtually unheard of. Indonesia boasts the largest wooden fleet still in active operation: the Bugis Schooners or Phinisi. These flat bottomed vessels need little maritime infrastructure as their construction allows them to approach even the tiniest islet at close range.
M14725 has used these time honoured craft since 1985 to visit islands unknown to the world. This voyage to the Central and Southest Moluccas will bring you to some of the most remote parts of the archipelago, to places above and below sea level you haven’t dreamt of even existing. Straddling Asia and the Pasific you will set foot ashorea string of islands stretched out along the Ring of Fire, in out time a backwater but some centuries promising the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow where the weight of nutmeg and clove was measured in gold bars.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Flight Denpasar - Ambon. After arrival at Ambon Airport early afternoon, we will cross by ferry Ambon Bay to find the Katharina at anchor or alongside the pier in the harbour of Ambon City. After settling in on board, we embark on the passage to the Banda Archipelago.
Day 2: Around noon arrival in Banda. Our first stop in the Banda group will be Ai Island, one of the locations popular with the early colonialists for growing spices, notably nutmeg. Behind the local village we may find Fort Revenge, a name testifying of the wars waged between colonial powers in the 17th century. Subsequently we will wash away our transpiration over one of the most gorgeous coral reefs of Eastern Indonesia off the coastline of Ai. Midday sail to Bandanaira, the capital of Banda, passing the towering volcano of Gunung Api. With the Katharina tied up to a local palm tree in front of a hacienda style hotel, we may stroll around the small colonial town with its restored planter’s mansions, forts (Fort Belgica!) and churches. The population is an interesting mix of Malay, Arab, Dutch and Melanesian.
Day 3: The fit and ambitious may undertake an early (4.30 am!) hike of the Gunung Api. The vista of the 9 Banda islands strewn over the azure seas, lit by the rose-fingered dawn will be the indescribable reward! After our breakfast we will pay a visit to the last nutmeg plantation still in operation. Here we will happily be guided around and be told how nutmegs and mace grow and are being processed according time honoured techniques.
Day 4: Spare day. We may spend this day to extend our stay in Banda - for attending a ceremony if this would occur or for visiting Hatta or Run Island. The latter was swapped by the Dutch in 1667 with the English for Manhattan. On our way out the ‘Sonnegat” (sun’s gap) between Bandanaira and Gunung Api we hope to be escorted by one or two so-called ‘Kora-Kora’, long sea canoes rowed by over a dozen muscled men and uses in ancient times to attack the invading colonists. Night sail headed southeast over the Banda Sea.
Day 5: After a short early morning stop at Manuk Island, a rock in the middle of the Banda Sea populated by thousands of frigatebirds, sterns and gannets (if tides and local surf allow we briefly will set foot ashore, exposed to feigned attacks by the birds), we sail onward to the tiny islands of Serua and Nila.
Day 6: Today and tomorrow we will make stops at Serua and Nila, two of the three so-called TNS islands, southeast Moluccan islands where populations are closely related and local economies (sweet potato, sago palm, fish) very much look like each other. When we land, we will be ecstatically greeted by the people and finding ourselves to be the major tourist attraction of the year!
Day 7: Night sailing to the west coast Yamdena, Tanimbar.
Day 8: Sailing the islands along the west coast of Yamdena, the main island of the Tanimbar Archipelago. We will disembark on islands of quiet beauty with untouched forest teeming with birds, wild orchids and cuscus. This will be another day of nature exploration, coastal raids with our zodiac, and some relaxing time on remote beaches. Turning east along the north coast of the island we will proceed our journey headed for the north end of the Tanimbars.
Day 9: Going shore at one or two of the islands of Fordate, Larat or Asat. Village and nature exploration and snorkelling will be the substance of the day. With the assistance of local teachers we will try to attend to a performance of local music and dance. Late afternoon onward sailing to the Kei Archipelago.
Day 10: Early morning arrival at Kei-Tanimbar, the southernmost island of the Kei archipelago and allegedly the cradle of the regional culture. Here we will explore coastal villages, search for cultural artefacts such as weaving and pottery or make a trekking into the local forest. In the evening onward sailing to Tual, the capital of the Kei Archipelago.
Day 11: After our early breakfast we say farewell to the crew and the Katharina and will embark a coach for our transfer to the airport of Tual, the capital of the Kei archipelago From Tual we will fly via Ambon and Makassar back to Bali.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- 3 quality meals per day, coffee, tea, snacks, soft drinks, wine at dinner
- Laundry services
- Use of snorkeling gear, use of sea kayaks
- Inland excursions (programmed tours)
- Experience of English-speaking Cruise Director
- Transfer airport-harbor (v.v).
Price Excludes:
- Domestic airfares
- Personal Insurances
- Alcoholic beverages & gratuities.
Also see tour packages in:
Asia
Indonesia
Outdoor: Water Drifter
Boating and Sailing
Cultural Journey
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