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SeaTrek the Remote Ring of Fire: East of Komodo
Cruise Highlights
Sail with us through the Komodo National Park, a World Heritage Site renowned for its rich marine biodiversity in Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands, to the Alor Archipelago, an undisturbed realm of white-sand beaches and mountainous landscapes, and rich, authentic culture. We’ve created an exclusive itinerary that explores the natural wonders and rich cultural traditions of these stunning islands in Indonesia’s spectacular Pacific Ring of Fire where you will awaken to volcanic peaks jutting dramatically from the land and sea, seek out the famed Komodo dragon in the wild, snorkel in kaleidoscopic underwater seascapes specially chosen for their marine life, and explore ancient villages and their traditional crafts. Relaxing evenings will perfectly complement our active days as we enjoy the ship’s exceptional level of service, fabulous onboard presentations, and tropical sunsets dipping below the horizon.
Snorkelling with SeaTrek
Whether it’s swimming with whale sharks & mantas rays, or leisurely gliding along a stunning tropical reef surrounded by myriad fish and corals, snorkelling lies at the very heart of what we do at SeaTrek. We do it well and we do it often – usually twice a day for an hour or more at a time. No matter if you are a novice or a seasoned pro, our tour leaders will ensure that you have everything you need to have some of the best underwater experiences of your life.
Want to add on a Wildlife or
Cultural Excursion to Your Trip?
Our four-day orangutan programme that features in our Orangutans & Dragons itinerary can be worked into any of our SeaTrek cruises throughout the year, regardless of length or location, so just let us know if this is something you would like to do when visiting Indonesia and we will happily arrange it for you. We are also a wealth of information on other great destinations and wildlife and cultural excursions in Indonesia that can be added on to your SeaTrek cruise. The possibilities are endless so all you have to do is ask.
Textiles & Weaving
This part of Indonesia is famed for its traditional tribal groups where ikat textile production still lies at the heart of their cultures. On this journey, we have the pleasure of visiting two different villages; Uma Pura (Day 3) & Watublapi (Day 6), each with very distinct practices and beliefs, to gain a glimpse into their daily lives and the ancient spinning, binding, weaving and dyeing techniques that they have practiced for generations. Using all natural fibres and colours, including around 200 different natural dyes, using ingredients such as sea sponges, sea anemones and the ink of sea hares, these finished items are a wonder to behold, and we will have the opportunity to purchase some of the finished textiles as souvenirs of our journey. We will also visit the village of Tapkala in Alor, where although they do not weave, the ikats still play an integral part of their ceremonies.
Note: For those guests with a stronger interest in textiles, SeaTrek can arrange multi-day land-based trips to explore more of the fascinating and diverse weaving cultures across this region of Indonesia.
Be Prepared to be Flexible
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. 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!
Important Note
Because of the flight schedules to Alor from Bali, guests must fly to Alor the day before the journey and stay in a local resort for one night. This overnight stay is included in the ticket price and will be booked by SeaTrek on your behalf.
The more You Know the more You See
Our tour leaders are a wealth of information on the regions we visit and will prepare you for each activity with on board talks and presentations to give you a greater understanding of the different experiences you will have each day. They will also act as your cross cultural bridges to all the people we meet along the way, so feel free to ask them to translate when talking to local Indonesian people on your travels.
Cruise Itinerary
Day 1
– You will be collected from your hotel in the morning and taken to the boat.
– After lunch, we will visit Takpala village for a fascinating cultural performance.
– Later this evening we will head west to Pura Island, where we will spend a quiet night at anchor.
Day 2
-After breakfast we will snorkel at Clown Valley, home to many sea anemones and their resident guardian clown fish.
-In the early afternoon we will have a second snorkel at Buaya Island, a location with a beautiful drop off and lots of fish.
We will then head to a local quiet bay to spend the night at anchor.
Day 3
– After breakfast we will visit the ancient Muslim village of Uma Pura, where we will stroll around, meet the people and see their way of life. The village is well known for using sea sponges for the dyeing of their textile, and we will get a chance to see the process in action.
– After this, we will head to a local reef and go snorkeling.
– After dinner, we will depart to the uninhabited active volcanic island of Komba.
Day 4
– After breakfast, we will explore the (hopefully) belching Komba volcano with our dinghies, and go for a snorkel on the surrounding reefs. Late morning we will head south and cruise towards the mainland and the beautiful Lewaling Bay.
– Later this afternoon we will go ashore and drive to a local village to see some prehistoric rock art. Later that afternoon we will snorkel and see the sunset over Ile Apé, another active volcano.
– After dinner, the boat will head east in the direction of Adonara.
Day 5
– In the morning we will explore the beautiful underwater reefs on the northeast of Adonara island.
– We will head to Solor Island as we have lunch, enjoying the beautiful views of the volcanos and islands of this stunning inland passage.
– We will visit the ruins of a 16th-century Portuguese fort on Solor, and later that afternoon we will head off on an overnight cruise to Maumere.
Day 6
– We wake up at anchor in Maumere Bay against the backdrop of an extinct volcano and enjoy a leisurely breakfast before the day’s activities begin.
– We will take a short drive to the scenic Iwang Gete highlands to visit a small village of Watublapi, where we will be met with singing and dancing by the local people. Famed for their unique textiles, we will be shown firsthand their ancient techniques of spinning, dyeing, and weaving their famous fabrics.
– Here we will have the chance to view (and purchase) some of the local textiles, try their betel nut, and brave their locally produced liquor.
– In the late afternoon we will head off to Riung conservation area
Day 7
– Today we explore the beaches and the underwater world of the 17-island, Riung Conservation Area, home to myriad species of land animals and rich coral reefs, as the boat moves from island to island throughout the day.
– Enjoy swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkelling and relaxation throughout the day.
– At around sunset, we will head east in the direction of the Komodo National Park.
Day 8
– Today we are already in the Komodo National Park, and after breakfast we will have a fabulous snorkeling at the area of Hatamin Island, home to many baby sharks and beautifully restored coral gardens.
– After snorkeling we depart to Rinca island, where we will have an afternoon walk through the local village with a visit to a local bat cave.
– At dusk we will gather on the back deck at cocktail hour to see the sunset and witness the evening departure of tens of thousands of fruit bats as they leave their forest homes to forage on the mainland.
Day 9
– We will go ashore onto Komodo island for an early morning, ranger-led walk through the dry, rugged landscape of the island encountering wildlife along the way.
– After lunch we will go in search of manta rays to snorkel with these mighty creatures.
– We will have our day’s second snorkel in the north of the park, with the chance to watch the sunset from a hilltop vantage point, before spending a quiet night at anchor.
Day 10
– After a leisurely breakfast, we will visit a nearby island for some beach time.
– Later in the morning, we will head back to port, where we will say goodbye to the crew and your fellow shipmates and head to the airport for the flights back to Bali.
