DAY 1
ARRIVAL SORONG - MISOOL
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 harbor and set off to Misool Archipelago by the luxury Ombak Putih or Katrina. Ready to start our adventure, the cruise director will familiarize you with the vessel’s facilities and safety procedure. You may unwind yourself with a refreshing swim along the way. Then, We will dine alfresco on the main deck while meeting the other passengers and crew and watching the sunset on our first day at sea. Meals Included : dinner
DAY 2
MISOOL
Morning in the picturesque 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. Afterward, will spend a quiet night at anchor in Misool’s Tomolol Bay. Meals Included : breakfast, lunch & dinner
DAY 3
MISOOL
After an early breakfast, we will head to Tomolo’s mysterious dome-topped cave. 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 jellyfish lake where you can swim amongst a thousand of stingless animals and 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. Overnight, our boat will cruise north to the island of Batanta. Meals Included : breakfast, lunch & dinner
DAY 4
BATANTA ISLAND
We will have an adventurous trek to Batanta Islands that offer us a change of scenery from yesterday’s marine exploration to a jungle-clad island adventure. Start from the north coast of the island at the foot of Arefi Village, we will start tracking through the mangrove water and two jungle waterfalls with refreshing pool escorted by the local guide. The fit and adventurous ones may continue to the uphill climb where larger cascade awaits. After leaving the wilderness behind us, we will find a nearby spot to swim and snorkel before moving north to the Island of Waigeo. Meals Included : breakfast, lunch & dinner
DAY 5
WAIGEO
Wake up in the biggest island of Raja Ampat—Mayalibit Bay— at the heart of Waigeo which nearly splits the island into two parts! It eventually engraved a fjord-like channel that will look like a swift-powerful river when the sea tides. After breakfast, we will head to Lopintol Village where one of the villagers will guide us on a morning spelunking expedition: visit two dramatic-contrasting caves that highlight the fascinating underground formations of the karst landscape. After lunch, we will freshen up with a swim and snorkel before visiting Sapokren Village to meet with a local NGO leader and discuss some issues regarding illegal logging, community development and (hopefully) details of a new FFI (Flora & Fauna International) project in these areas. Meals Included : breakfast, lunch & dinner
DAY 6
WAIGEO
Before sunrise, we will trek to the forest to spot the remarkable Red Bird of Paradise, one of the species that Wallace, the famous naturalist, was most anxious to collect. We might luckily witness 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. Afterward, we will go to Dampier Strait, home to some of Raja Ampat’s premier reefs. We may snorkel amongst some of the larger specimens of marine life there. We will end our day by mooring off Pulau Arborek in front Arborek Village. Here, we can easily circumnavigate the tiny island by foot and gain a sense of the Asai culture, which is still kept alive by the villagers living in this isolated place. Meals Included : breakfast, lunch & dinner
DAY 7
WAIGEO - WAYAG
Today we are going to have a full day adventure through the convoluted western cost of Waigeo. Begin with exploring Wofoh, the three island gems linked together by stretches of the pristine coral reef. You can navigate the islands by tenders or kayaks, and may calmly relax on the beach. In the afternoon, we will move northwards to Aljui Bay, one of the larger producers of high-quality seawater pearls in the region, 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. In the evening, we will make our way across the equator to the northern hemisphere on our journey to the Islands of Wayag. Meals Included : breakfast, lunch & dinner
DAY 8
WAYAG
We will spend the day in a natural splendor of Wayag Island that spreads its charm through the vibrancy of its reef and the marine life which flourishes below. You may have a look to series of coves and lagoons, narrow channels and inlets, caves, jagged rocks and shaded, sandy beaches. There are also some nearly vertical climbs with magnificent panorama once you dare to get on the top. We will spend a quiet night here at anchor. Meals Included : breakfast, lunch & dinner
DAY 9
WAYAG
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 on our way back to mainland West Papua. In the evening we will have our farewell dinner with our captain and crew. Meals Included : breakfast, lunch & dinner
DAY 10
DEPARTURE
After a quick stop for a last swim and refreshments on one of the nearby islands, we will make our way back to the harbor of Sorong. Here we will bid farewell to the ship and the crew. Our tenders will take you ashore for your transfer to the airport for your onward travel. Meals Included : breakfast