Entries by Ombak Putih

Third Adventure and Counting

By Joanne Hunt  The day had finally arrived that we’d board Ombak Putih for our 3rd adventure and we were just so excited knowing what was to come! Seeing Arie and then Anas, our previous guides, was like coming home to family. It had been 6 years and we’d dreamed about this day for a […]

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A Dugong Called Mawar 

By Rachel Lovelock Back in the 17th century, when the European spice traders were sailing through the waters of the archipelago now known as Indonesia, the sailors would hear voices – hypnotic voices looping over the becalmed waves, singing songs with seductive melodies. Sometimes the homesick sailors, three months out from port and living on […]

30-day SeaTrek Super Trip for My 30th Wedding Anniversary  

By Barry Clarke  How would you celebrate your 30th wedding anniversary?  By tradition, the gift of a pearl would be appropriate. I wanted to do something untraditional, so I booked a 30-day (and 30-night) vacation to Indonesia.  The SeaTrek Super Trip  I booked and planned everything around a back-to-back SeaTrek cruise on the Ombak Putih […]

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A Trip to the Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue Centre

Exactly a month before leaving on a 14-day cruise along a new route, I was communicating with the people from Tasikoki Wildlife Rescue Centre, which is located in North Sulawesi (just a ninety-minute drive outside of Manado city centre). We were planning to visit Tasikoki as a part of our new route, called From The Spice […]

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Bayu: The Smile You Expect to See on Katharina 

By Genoveva Diva  Whenever you come aboard the Katharina, there is a high chance that you’d meet this lovely, bubbly guy standing on the deck welcoming you on board with a big smile on his face. Whenever you visit the lounge in the boat, you’d see him behind the bar, ready to bring out just […]

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Time Travel in Ternate

By Per B. Hintze  Einstein postulated in his famous theory of relativity, that you could slow down time by traveling out to space. I have found an easier way to travel back in history: travel east of Bali in Indonesia. The further you go, the more you travel back in time. Here, there are no […]

From the Director: Lots of Optimism 2024 (Here’s Why)

By Frank Hyde In a Clamshell:  Things are looking good and why it matters:  There is nothing like traveling to a place as beautiful as Raja Ampat to wrap up a good year and set the stage for new things to come. This trip with my family and a boatload of switched-on and energetic people […]

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SeaTrek History: Opening Indonesia to the World

In the 1970s, traveling in Indonesia was basically restricted to overland travel between Bali, Java, and Sumatra. The other 17,000-odd other islands were out of reach. Yet, it was not impossible, as intrepid Dutch backpacker, Dick Bergsma was about to discover in 1977 when he happened upon a wooden boat, a Bugis schooner, or pinisi, in the […]

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Chef Ari: Story From The Man Behind The Katharina’s Kitchen

By Sally Sorongan Remember those moments when the food made us smile?   Chef Ari’s journey reminds us that doing what you love can lead to something miraculous. His story is proof that with passion and a bit of creativity, you can achieve anything.  The Chef  Chef Ari’s cooking adventure began in Manggarai, Flores—where he grew […]

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Two Poems by Maura Mazzer from Komodo-Bali Trip 

In September 2022, Maura Mazzer joined the SeaTrek’s trip from Labuan Bajo to Bali. She was inspired and wrote two poems from her trip.* Trekked aboard the Katharina what an awesome experience! The ship has such charm, and the crew is top-notch! There were only seven guests, which was just perfect!   We sailed from Labuan […]