Itinerary Details
MT Sobek: Indonesia Raja Ampat Adventure Cruising
Day 1 Board Your Phinisi Boat in Sorong
Meet your guide at the hotel this morning and travel to the harbor to board the boat. Settle into your new home for the next ten days as we set course for the southernmost islands of Raja Ampat National Park. Enjoy an alfresco lunch and then stop for our first swim and snorkel of the voyage on a coral reef. Celebratory pre-dinner cocktails will be served on the back deck as the sun goes down and brings an end to our first day on the boat.
Accommodation: Katharina
(L, D)
Day 2 The Picturesque Misool Archipelago
Kayaking and snorkeling
Today we wake up at the eastern end of the Misool Archipelago, a picturesque chain of jungle-covered limestone islets with spectacular corals reefs, which offer some fantastic snorkeling. We will spend the day exploring the many inlets and bays and beaches with some hiking, swimming and snorkeling. We will also break out the kayaks and paddle boards for some seaborne adventuring. Spend a quiet night at anchor under the stars.
Accommodation: Katharina
(B, L, D)
Day 3 Stingless Jellyfish Lake
Snorkeling
After an early breakfast, start our day with a swim and a snorkel through a giant dome-roofed sea cave filled with massive stalagmites and stalactites. We will then travel to mysterious, stingless jellyfish lake, one of only 20 such lakes in the world where these amazing creatures exist, and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless sea creatures. Using our tenders, we will visit some mysterious skull cairns in sea-cave cemeteries, and prehistoric cave paintings, estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old.
(B, L, D)
Day 4 Bird Watching and Snorkeling
Snorkeling
Today we will set out to catch sight of the Lesser Birds of Paradise in the wild, an unforgettable experience. We will rise early and walk through the forest to hopefully see the birds as they dance around in their 'lekking' trees. In the afternoon, we will explore underwater as we snorkel around one of the best coral reefs in the world with school of fish hanging out in the deep and colorful sea fans sticking poking out of the walls. Watch the sunset as we sail towards Batanta Island.
(B, L, D)
Day 5 Explore Batanta Island
Snorkeling
The island of Batanta offers us a change of scenery and a chance to stretch our legs today with an adventurous jungle trek filled with birds, butterflies and insects. Starting at a local village, our guides will lead us through the forest on a short walk to the first of two waterfalls, where we can swim and cool off. Those who desire can keep heading upriver where a second, larger cascade awaits. After lunch on the boat, it's an afternoon of snorkeling, paddle boarding and kayaking before sailing overnight to a beautiful group of uninhabited islands north of the equator.
(B, L, D)
Day 6 Discover a Pearl Farm
In the morning, we will visit a pearl farm tucked away in a protected, deep water cove and tour the facilities to learn how this precious commodity is produced and harvested. Pearling is an important industry in the local area and provides employment for many. We will spend the afternoon snorkelling and kayaking amongst three small islands linked together by pristine coral reefs. Relaxing on the beach is always an option.
(B, L, D)
Day 7 Limestone Islands and Underwater Life
Snorkeling
This morning will explore a small group of limestone islands filled with coves and beautiful reefs. After breakfast we will go ashore for a short climb to a vantage point where we can survey the surrounding area, before heading out to snorkel on the spectacular reefs. During lunch we will sail to a small island located inbetween Gam and Mansuar, where the currents bring rich nutrients to the coral reefs. The three famous jetties offer much underwater life: schools of fish; shy, black tip reef sharks; elegant spadefish and giant clams.
(B, L, D)
Day 8 Mansuar Island
Snorkeling
Central Raja Ampat and Mansuar Island stores many magical underwater gems. Today, we explore some of them, starting with a visit to a local village which promotes sustainability through their education center, solar-powered street lights and sustainable fishing practices through local community effort. Its house reef offer an abundance of marine life. We will spend the rest of our morning snorkeling here and, if we're lucky, maybe catch sight of a wobbegong shark. In the afternoon there will be schools of humphead wrasse and a school of giant trevalley swimming next to each other and we may be greeted by the resident hawksbill turtle. Today is capped off with a beach BBQ and party with the crew under the stars.
(B, L, D)
Day 9 Red Birds of Paradise, a Local Village and Gam Island Snorkel
Snorkeling
Today we get a super early start as we head off into the forest in search of the stunning Red Bird of Paradise. The walk takes about 40 minutes and, if we are lucky, we will see the incredible mating displays of these birds in the canopy of the rainforest. We will then walk through a colourful local village and meet the people who call this corner of paradise home and see how they live. Back on the boat we will head off for some more snorkeling at the famous wall on the east side of Gam Island before sailing overnight to an island near Sorong.
(B, L, D)
Day 10 Visit Doom Island and Disembark in Sorong
We will wake up anchored in Sorong and have one last hearty breakfast on board of the boat before venturing on our very last adventure to Doom Island by a traditional bicycle rickshaw called a becak. During the First World War, the island served as an administrative center for the Dutch Empire in West Papua, and 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. After our last adventure, we bid farewell to the ship and her crew, before transferring ashore to your hotel or the airport.
(B)
