Result for : corals cultures dragons north sulawesi to flores

Corals, Cultures & Dragons

Sulawesi and across the Flores Sea to the Komodo National Park, where we will encounter many of Indonesia's iconic highlights among its huge diversity of cultures, landscapes and wildlife.  Cruising from the North Sulawesi port of Bitung and heading south to finish in Flores, we will explore the many islands and atolls of this spectacular region, with the opportunity to visit remote villages and cultures, go trekking and birdwatching, see conservation work in action with local NGOs, do ample snorkelling on coral reefs, swim with manta ...

Bugs, Butterflies, Bats & Dragons

reat evolutionary scientist, J B Haldane was once asked what he had learned from his study of nature and all of its wonders. He replied that if indeed a Creator existed then he had “an inordinate fondness for beetles”.   How right he was, for there are over 350,000 species of beetle and counting, and it is because of this that Ray and Angela Hale, both highly experienced and well-travelled naturalists, are leading a cruise with us as guest experts for the ...

From the Spice Islands to Sulawesi - Sailing the Undiscovered Frontier

to the shipbuilding port of Bitung in North Sulawesi as we travel around the islands that fringe the Molucca Sea. Not only does this brand-new itinerary have an extended cruise programme of 14 days, it also packages so many highlights in the one journey such as birds of paradise, black-crested macaques, remote island cultures, rare maleo birds, Bajau sea gypsies, exotic birdlife, volcanic peaks, and ample opportunity for snorkelling on fantastic coral reefs and in lakes filled with freshwater jellyfish in what is one of ...

From Nutmeg Plantations to Birds of Paradise

to almost-forgotten Banda Islands, which were once the world’s only source of nutmeg, shaping the history of colonialism in the East Indies from the 16th century onwards. Here, we can climb a volcano, marvel at the beauty of the scenery, visit the majestic Fort Belgica, wander through the shady nutmeg plantations, and barter for spice at the market. Cruising north, we will then explore the spectacular region of Raja Ampat, one of the most noteworthy ecological niches on the planet, where ...

East of Flores : The Remote Ring of Fire

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Tribal Weaving of the Lesser Sunda Islands Pre-Cruise

to offer our guests a four-day pre-cruise option to visit some of these villages overland.  We begin on the island of Timor with the first of several encounters with royalty. From there we fly to Ende on the island of Flores where we visit a small Lio weaving cooperative, followed by a traditional mountain village, and one of the most important weaving villages in the region. Sign up for our four-day pre-cruise option, for which we will be using a ...

Wonderful Komodo Cruise

to experience what the Komodo Islands have to offer both on land and in the sea. The natural beauty of these islands and the surrounding waters will unfold before you, from the highest ridges of Rinca Island to the minutest details within the colourful coral reefs. Our focused tour of the small group of islands and atolls around Komodo includes a ranger-led trek through the Komodo National Park in search of the famous Komodo Dragons, and visits to local villages, ...

East Indies Exploration: Culture, Sea & Spice

Flores to the spice entrepot of Ambon in the Moluccas islands offers a fascinating look at the colonial history of Indonesia and its role in the international spice trade during the 17th century. This 12-day tour travels in an eastward arc capturing the maritime route of the early colonials who traversed the Indonesian waters in search of the precious spices found within this small band of islands. As we cruise through the Lesser Sunda islands you will be transported back in time ...

Raja Ampat Through the Lens

ring this ten-day cruise, SeaTrek and Thijs Heslenfeld will take you on a far-reaching photographic exploration of what is without a doubt one of the least visited but most memorable adventure destinations on our planet. With camera in hand and Thijs expert guidance, you will be able to hone your camera skills in one of the most photogenic places in the world for natural history and splendour. Each morning, Thijs will provide a short lecture on a specific topic. After that you can ...

Sailing in the Wake of Wallace

to remote and exotic Indonesian islands in the wake of the legendary British naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of the theory of evolution by natural selection. In 1854, Wallace set off on a voyage to the Malay Archipelago (now Indonesia and Malaysia), where he spent eight years, collecting more than 125,000 specimens. His book “The Malay Archipelago” is the region’s most famous travelogue; it has been in print for nearly 150 years. Wallace’s observations of the marked zoological differences across a narrow strait ...

Indonesia's Exquisite Birds of Paradise

to bird watching, a fully-fledged birder, or a seasoned twitcher, this 10-day (9-night) ornithological adventure through the remote, rainforest-clad islands of northern Raja Ampat and North Maluku, which includes a two-night stay at the famed Weda Resort on Halmahera, is a fantastic opportunity to add some significant numbers to your life lists. No other feathered family is as beautiful, or displays such diversity of plumage, extravagant decoration, and courtship behaviour as the ostentatious Bird of Paradise. In the company of our ...

Wallace Trails & Sails II

to remote exotic Indonesian islands in the wake of the legendary Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of the theory of evolution by natural selection and author of the most famous travelogue about the region, The Malay Archipelago. Like Wallace, we will go in search of the stunningly beautiful Birds of Paradise, which he regarded as “…one of the most beautiful and most wonderful of living things.” Our journey on-board the Ombak Putih will visit some of the places that most ...

Tribal Weaving of the Lesser Sunda Islands with David & Sue Richardson

to make their traditional cloth on back-tension looms but continue to wear it as well. There is kaleidoscopic variety of patterns and designs – every region of every island has its own unique textile culture, its own style of dress, and its own motifs. Together we will explore the extraordinary ancestral traditions of these islands where textiles are the predominant form of artistic expression, still playing a central role in every significant stage of life, especially marriage and death. Some ...

Wallace Trails & Sails

to remote and exotic Indonesian islands in the wake of the legendary British naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of the theory of evolution by natural selection. In 1854, Wallace set off on a voyage to the Malay Archipelago (now Indonesia and Malaysia), where he spent eight years, collecting more than 125,000 specimens. His book “The Malay Archipelago” is the region’s most famous travelogue; it has been in print for nearly 150 years. Wallace’s observations of the marked zoological differences across a narrow strait ...

Jewels of Raja Ampat with Marine Biologist Joe Mueller

to behold in a lifetime, the Raja Ampat archipelago is a region characterised by rugged and steep limestone coastlines covered with virgin rainforest extending right down to the water’s edge. Many of the fish, corals and crustaceans that live in these waters are found nowhere else on Earth. During this cruise, we will take you on a far-reaching exploration of what is without a doubt one of the least visited but most memorable adventure-destinations on our planet. You do not ...

Indonesia's Exquisite Birds of Paradise

to bird watching, a fully-fledged birder, or a seasoned twitcher, this 10-day (9-night) ornithological adventure through the remote, rainforest-clad islands of northern Raja Ampat and North Maluku, which includes a two-night stay at the famed Weda Resort on Halmahera, is a fantastic opportunity to add some significant numbers to your life lists. No other feathered family is as beautiful, or displays such diversity of plumage, extravagant decoration, and courtship behaviour as the ostentatious Bird of Paradise. In the company of our ...

Jeffrey Mellefont

rey Mellefont is a research associate of the Australian National Maritime Museum, where he had a long career as a publisher and editor. Formerly a blue-water mariner, celestial navigator and skipper, Jeffrey became a specialist marine writer and photographer and has made a lifetime study of the fascinating maritime world of Asia and in particular of Indonesia. He has published extensively on these subjects in both popular and academic journals. Jeffrey has been visiting Indonesia since 1975 when he was

David and Sue Richardson

nd Sue are passionate researchers and collectors of Asian textiles and since first visiting Indonesia in 1980, David and Sue have systematically visited every part of the archipelago, both overland and by sea using a variety of local vessels. Over the years David and Sue have assembled one of the finest and most comprehensive private collections of Indonesian and other Asian textiles, many of museum quality. They are members of the Textile Society of America as well as the Oxford

Dr. George Beccaloni

eorge Beccaloni is an zoologist, evolutionary biologist and historian of science, who worked at London’s Natural History Museum (NHM) for more than 20 years on butterflies and other insects. He enjoys natural history photography and travel, and has visited Indonesia five times, twice as a speaker on tours. George has studied Wallace’s life and work for c. 16 years and is the founder and Director of the Wallace Correspondence Project. In 1999 he set up the Wallace Memorial Fund, which

Dr. Kees Groeneboer

nguist, historian and 30-year resident of Jakarta, Dr. Kees Groeneboer is passionate about the spectacular birdlife of his adopted homeland. He has travelled extensively though Indonesia’s eastern isles on countless missions to see, hear, and identify as many as possible of these graceful, colourful and often-endangered denizens of the forests and the cliffs. He often shares his enthusiasm with others by leading specialist bird-watching cruises aboard the Katharina during which he embellishes his bird expertise with his in-depth knowledge of

Thijs Heslenfeld

h photographer Thijs Heslenfeld has travelled all over the world, focusing on the planet’s most remote and unhospitable corners. His images are characterised by careful composition and an eye for the smallest details that people tend to overlook. He prefers natural light and doesn’t like styling. His work covering seven continents has been published in magazines worldwide such as National Geographic, GEO Saison, Professional Photographer and Holland Herald. He has published six award-winning photo books on remote places like Antarctica,

Ray & Angela Hale

and Angela Hale have travelled the length and breadth of both Indonesia and Malaysia in search of endangered species. They have discovered and photographed hundreds of species from the endearing Orangutans to the tiniest of insects. Over the last 20 years, Ray has delivered many lectures around the world and is passionate about reconnecting people with nature and conserving the Earth’s endangered animals. His aim on this trip is to ensure that the guests, be they entomologists, wildlife photographers, experienced

Joe Mueller

to marine invertebrate zoology, as well as leading field courses from Alaskan tundra to Costa Rican tropical rain forests. His pedagogy has developed from a view of life focused on systems thinking and how interrelationships make up the essential nature of life. Joe’s passion for nature is infectious and, when combined with his encyclopedic knowledge, is inspirational for people of all ages. He’s developed and coordinates the Natural History Program at College of Marin and is the 2008 recipient of the

Here be Dragons! (All You Ever Need To Know About Komodo National Park)

DRAGONS' IN KOMODO IS NOT THE STUFF OF LEGEND - IT'S A MODERN-DAY FACT  In a time when the shape of the world and its boundaries were shrouded in mystery, ancient mariners and map makers would scrawl the warning “Here be Dragons”, along the borders of their parchment charts. The indication of giant lizards and sea serpents was intended to serve as a warning for fellow explorers, suggesting that what lay in the unexplored regions of the earth was as terrifying as it

FROM THE SPICE ISLANDS TO SULAWESI: SAILING THE UNDISCOVERED FRONTIER

to the shipbuilding port of Bitung in North Sulawesi as we explore the islands and seas that fringe the Molucca Sea. Not only does this brand-new itinerary have an extended cruise programme of 14 days, it also packages so many highlights in the one journey such as birds of paradise, black-crested macaques, remote island cultures, rare maleo birds, Bajau sea gypsies, exotic birdlife, volcanic peaks, and ample opportunity for snorkelling on fantastic coral reefs and in lakes filled with freshwater jellyfish in what is one of

Keeping Traditions Alive with Marine Tourism

December 2015 I joined a mixed group of American, European, Australian and New Zealand guests on this handsome motor-sailer, during a 12-day voyage through some of the most historic – and most remote – islands of our vast, archipelagic neighbour, the Republic of Indonesia. My role was to deliver nightly lectures about the maritime history, cultures and traditions of the islands we were sailing through. It’s a truly extraordinary maritime world of 17,000 islands, and one in which the Australian

Pinisi and the Art of Boatbuilding in Sulawesi Recognised by UNESCO

Sulawesi recognised by UNESCO Posted on 24 January 2018 by Jeffrey Mellefont LEFT: Pinisi trading ship on the Barito River, S.E.Kalimantan, 1983. RIGHT: Patorani fishing boat, Makassar Harbour 1985. Photographs: Jeffrey Mellefont. UNESCO heritage-lists Indonesian wooden-boat building Across the 17,000 equatorial islands comprising the Republic of Indonesia, the ingenious arts of timber boat building have been a crucial enabler of human ventures from prehistoric times until today. As ports, kingdoms and states developed, distinctive traditions of boat building and seafaring underpinned trade, politics and warfare, transport and communications as well as

A SEATREK SAILING ADVENTURE TO RAJA AMPAT, THE LAST PARADISE ON EARTH

to milky mint in the narrow, river-like passages, all of which reflect the unrelenting verdure of the thickly forested hills. This combination of elements makes sailing in Raja Ampat one of the most sublime experiences on earth. Raja Ampat has been described as the ‘Last Paradise on Earth’; one of the most noteworthy ecological niches on the planet, on a par with the Great Barrier Reef and the Galápagos. Marine biologists have established that it is home to 70 percent of the

The Fabulous Flying Fox (Fun Facts and How To See Them)

ting on the back deck of the Ombak Putih at Satonda Island at dusk off the north coast off Sumbawa, cocktails in hand, we witnessed an arcane sunset mission as tens of thousands of flying foxes emerged in a steady throng from the forest, reminiscent of a fleet of enemy aircraft intent on avoiding radar detection. Unlike their smaller cave-dwelling cousins, these large fruit bats hang out in camps high above the rainforest floor, keeping cool by fanning themselves with their huge

ONLY IN SULAWESI: THE MIGHTY MALEO BIRD

ground-dwelling, chicken-like megapodes sport a two-tone plumage of coal-black uppers and soft, peach-pink underparts, while the bare, multi-coloured skin of their heads is capped by a strange, bulbous protrusion called a casque – an adornment affectionately described as a football helmet or a walnut. The birds have been threatened with extinction for decades due to the harvesting of their huge, nutritious eggs, as well as the loss of nesting sites and habitat destruction due to encroachment, illegal logging, floods

WHY SULAWESI IS SO SPECIAL

to the Island of Celebes, in many respects the most remarkable and interesting in the whole region, or perhaps on the globe, since no other island seems to present so many curious problems for solution.” (Alfred Russel Wallace 1876)   This quotation from the great Victorian naturalist and explorer, Alfred Russel Wallace, sums up nicely why SeaTrek has chosen Sulawesi as the main attraction of our new 14-day cruises starting in 2020, for it is a mysterious place filled with species found nowhere else on earth. Sulawesi

DOING WHAT YOU LOVE. LOVING WHAT YOU DO. FREEDIVING WITH SEATREK.

to share a little bit about my first love, freediving. Dani Mulyana -- SeaTrek Tour Leader      Enjoying the beautiful underwater world with just a snorkel, a mask and a set of fins and being able to get as close as possible to all the marine creatures that live  down there is such a wonderful and addictive feeling for me. And what makes it possible is that I’m not using any of the bulky equipment that a scuba diver needs when they dive. Without it, it's easier for me

Collaborating to Create Cleaner Seas

to help change that. SeaTrek Sailing Adventures was founded more than 25 years ago and has been headed by Seattle couple, John Priebe and Marla Araki, for the last 18 years. The company is now taking steps to position itself to be a conservation-oriented company driven by marine-based tourism. Director Frank Hyde is heading up the effort utilizing his 20-plus years as an architect, wooden-boat builder, cruising sailor, and wannabe marine biologist. These mix of interests is what brought SeaTrek and Indigo

SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS

North Sulawesi.  We’d travelled 12 hours from Bali, changing planes in Surabaya and Makassar, before finally reaching our destination. When we stepped aboard the boat, we were given the good news that there had been a sighting of whale sharks earlier in the day. “Will they come back tomorrow morning?” I wondered out loud. The answer was “Yes, probably” because the local fishermen were feeding them shrimp shells & heads discarded by a nearby shrimp processing factory.     The following day

The Islands of Spice with Lawrence Blair

to Halmahera, in the surprisingly little-visited North West Moluccas. This was a journey between the ancient sources of the two main spices which fired the spice trading days: nutmeg, from the Banda islands, and cloves from Ternate and Tidore, to the north. The Bandas are fairly frequently visited by live aboards, but the islands to the north are not. They are all staggeringly beautiful, and being close to the centre of the Coral Triangle, their limpid waters are full of life. The

PELAGIC OR REEF? (4 EASY WAYS TO IDENTIFY YOUR MANTA RAYS)

to see plenty of manta rays, and sooner or later you will come across both species:  the Pelagic (Oceanic)  Manta Ray (Manta birostris) and the Reef Manta Ray (Manta alfredi). These massive elasmobranchs (the scientific term for all cartilaginous fishes such as sharks, skates and rays) can often be found around cleaning stations, where they get parasites removed by specialises fishes such as wrasse, and swimming on the currents feeding on plankton.   Pelagic Manta Rays in a chain, where they are feeding

Why More Aussie Families are Choosing Digital Detox Adventures

to switch off in our increasingly connected lives. Research shows that Australians are spending roughly 10 hours a day glued to screens and that number is even higher for Gen Y and office workers. With that in mind, it really is no surprise that the number of Aussies seeking out ‘digital detox’ holidays has increased significantly. SeaTrek Sailing Adventures, a boutique cruise company operating two traditional wooden pinisi boats across eastern Indonesia, has observed this growing trend first-hand. “We have never

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO SWIM WITH WHALE SHARKS? COME, LET US SHOW YOU HOW AND WHEN.

to see whale sharks in Triton Bay in Papua, and not only will you be able to swim with these gentle giants of the deep, you will also get to see flamboyant birds of paradise in their natural rainforest habitat and get to snorkel on some of the world's most diverse and beautiful coral reefs. Check out the whale shark itinerary here   WHAT IS IT LIKE TO SWIM WITH WHALE SHARKS?  A picture is worth a thousand words, so we would like to present to you a

WHALE SHARKS IN OUR MIDST - A TOUR LEADER'S FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT

to wake up really early,” I reminded our guests the night before we were scheduled to (hopefully) swim with whale sharks. I could tell they wanted their sleep, but they were also very eager to get up and swim with these gentle giants of the deep. The group was very relaxed, so I promised them a long nap tomorrow if we managed to actually swim with the whale sharks.   hidgwuidguig   It was June, 2019, and this would be our second time visiting the area where the

The Last of the Sea Nomads

p;                               Marine boy: Enal with his pet shark. Photograph: James Morgan Diana Botutihe was born at sea. Now in her 50s, she has spent her entire life on boats that are typically just 5m long and 1.5m wide. She visits land only to trade fish for staples such as rice and water, and her boat is filled with the accoutrements of everyday living – jerry cans, blackened stockpots, plastic utensils, a kerosene lamp and a pair of pot plants. Diana is one of

What To Bring On Your SeaTrek Cruise

hing The tropical climate means you can safely leave all of your warm weather gear at home. Bring cool cottons, T-shirts and shorts. We cruise during the dry season in each of the regions that we visit but rain is always a possibility so bring a lightweight waterproof jacket; it can sometimes be a bit windy on the boat and this will also help keep you warm. Likewise, a lightweight fleece could be useful for pre-dawn trekking or if there is

Spice Islands Eclipse: Astronomy, Celestial Navigation and the Spice Trade.

to view a total eclipse of the sun in the historic spice islands. In March 2016 a total eclipse of the sun tracked across the Indonesian archipelago, from Sumatra in the west to the remote, eastern group of islands called the Moluccas. It was some three hundred years since a total solar eclipse had taken the same track through these historic islands of spice. At the time of that previous eclipse, the Moluccas were dominated by the United Dutch East India Company.

A Trip to Tenganan Village in East Bali

n the hills, 5km from Candidasa in East Bali, is a remarkable 700-year-old walled village called Tenganan, where the residents practice a time-honoured lifestyle based around ritual and ceremony. Tenganan is one of Bali’s original pre-Hindu settlements and a stronghold of native traditions. The villagers are the Bali Aga people, descendants of the aboriginal Balinese who resisted the rule of the post-Majapahit kings, fiercely safeguarding and maintaining their own culture through the conviction that they are descended from the gods. Ceremonial

Komodo’s Cockatoo

dragons that you miss out on observing some of the beautiful birdlife. A notable white-feathered resident of Komodo Island is the yellow-crested cockatoo (cacatua sulphurea) also known as the lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo and not to be confused with its larger Australian cousin. The parrots’ namesake, Sulphurea Hill, with its spectacular outlook over Loh Liang Bay, is a great place for spotting them, and if you don’t see them you will almost certainly hear them, screeching to each other across the

Island Etiquette: The Protocols of a Village Visit

tour leaders here at SeaTrek would never contemplate bringing a group of guests to a remote island village without first getting the thumbs up from the ‘Kepala Desa’ (the head of the village). It’s very important to establish a relationship with the people that we’re going to be meeting and reassure them that we will be respectful of their privacy.  When we’re researching and exploring new places to add to our itineraries, our tour leaders will go ashore along

Bali's Mt. Agung Volcano Updates

to the latest eruptions in the first week of July 2018. While Bali continues its conversation with the great God of the Underworld residing under Mt. Agung, we at SeaTrek Sailing Adventures want you all to have a better idea of what is going on here from our perspective. While some see disruption, we see opportunity, and we are moving mountains (pardon the pun) to ensure that there is minimal disruption to our operations in the event of further volcanic activity.

Home of the Bugis Boat Builders – Wera, Sumbawa

towering twin masts, streamlined wooden hull and seven billowing sails, the traditional Indonesian sailing ship known as a pinisi evokes a bygone era. SeaTrek’s vessels Ombak Putih and Katarina are built in the pinisi style. Built by hand in the traditional manner, they continue the living spirit of majestic sailing ships from the golden age of sail, which ended in the West in the early twentieth century, but thrived until recently in the waters of Indonesia. Today the name ‘pinisi’ lives

ORANGUTANS, KOMODO DRAGONS, WHALE SHARKS & MANTAS

to add whale sharks, manta rays and Komodo Dragons to that ever-growing list of epic wildlife encounters.    Watch the video below for a sneak preview of what it's like to cruise the rivers of Borneo in search of Orangutans   Then click on the link below to see the full programme for our Orangutans & Dragons programmes in 2020 & 2021 ORANGUTANS & DRAGONS CRUISES WITH SEATREK   CONTACT US AND COME

A MAGICAL MINUTE OF DANCES & DRAGONS

TO JOIN US IN 2020 ON OUR DANCES, DRAGONS & MAGICAL LAKES CRUISES, SIMPLY CLICK THIS

TWO IMPORTANT REASONS TO VISIT RAJA AMPAT THIS DECEMBER

to marine invertebrate zoology, as well as leading field courses from Alaskan tundra to Costa Rican tropical rain forests. His style of teaching has developed from a view of life focused on systems thinking and how interrelationships make up the essential nature of life. Joe’s passion for nature is infectious and, when combined with his encyclopedic knowledge, is inspirational for people of all ages. He’s developed and coordinates the Natural History Program at College of Marin and is the 2008 recipient of

Total Detox...Are You Up For It?

to the bow of the ship Katharina, soft spume hitting our faces. The sun was brilliant, but shadowed by the big canvas covering that provided daytime shade. Around the deck was a variety of chairs, including cushioned areas where you could stretch out and nap. Nap. Come on, man, when’s the last time you did that? Just head to a quiet corner, put your feet up, and snooze a few hours away, rocked quietly into complacency by the smooth movement of a huge sailing

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823 – 1913): Naturalist Extrordinaire

to biology and to subjects as diverse as glaciology, astrobiology, anthropology, and epidemiology. Thank you to the BBC for this short video about AR Wallace, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. Wallace spent eight years (1854 – 1862) travelling in the region he called the Malay Archipelago (Indonesia and neighbouring countries), studying its natural history and human inhabitants. He discovered natural selection half way through his trip and also documented what became known as the Wallace Line: an invisible boundary between the fauna of

OUR STORY IS A WINNER

top travel industry professionals. The Magellan Awards honor outstanding design, marketing, and services in a broad range of industry segments including Hospitality, Travel Destinations, Cruise Lines, Online Travel Services, Airlines and Airports, Travel Agents and Agencies, Tour Operators, and Ground Transportation. The award-winning Cruise Marketing Video by GLP Films, “Exploring Raja Ampat with SeaTrek Sailing Adventures,” takes viewers to the remote, aqua seas of Raja Ampat aboard SeaTrek’s pinisi-style ship, a work of art steeped in local culture and Indonesian tradition.

Recycling for a Better Tomorrow

to 40% of your household waste can be recycled and reused? Here in Bali, Waste Collection & Recycling company, ecoBali, promotes responsible waste management and creates green awareness and eco products with the aim towards achieving zero waste. It is a service that SeaTrek uses in its own office and operations. The company operates its own sorting and material recovery facility ensuring that its customers’ waste (households, villas, offices, businesses, restaurants, hotels, communities and schools) is properly managed and will not

Revisiting Playfulness: Do We Get Old When We Stop Playing

to 14, led us along a tree-lined path. The fenceposts to either side of us as we left the island village were sprouting trees, a testament to the proliferating growth and superb soil of these many islands. You simply cut off a branch, plunk it into the soil, and voila! Another tree leaps into life. Just one of many wonders. As we followed – and ‘we’ included mostly people in their 50s and 60s, all of whom had disembarked from The Katharina, of SeaTrekBali – we

Attenborough: The forgotten story of Alfred Russel Wallace

to become a household name, Alfred Russel Wallace has largely remained in his shadow to this day. On the 100th anniversary of Wallace's death, Sir David Attenborough tells the story of this extraordinary explorer and explains why Wallace is, in Attenborough's opinion, the "most admirable character in the history of science". Continue to the BBC webpage and watch the accompanying video. Images courtesy of The Natural History Museum, London, The Wallace Memorial Fund and The Linnean

AI Identifies Heat-Resistant Coral Reefs in Indonesia

p; A scientist conducts a reef survey using a scooter with a camera set up in Indonesia. Photograph: The Ocean Agency/The Ocean Agency funded by Paul G. Allen Philanthropies Arecent scientific survey off the coast of Sulawesi Island in Indonesia suggests that some shallow water corals may be less vulnerable to global warming than previously thought. Between 2014 and 2017, the world’s reefs endured the worst coral bleaching event in history, as the cyclical El Niño climate event combined with anthropogenic warming to cause unprecedented increases in

Five Tips On How To Pick The Perfect Adventure Vacation After 50

to Give Yourself Permission to Play. But Where on Earth to Begin? With the plethora of choices available, the challenge is picking the perfect adventure. If you’ve never done this before it can be daunting. So much so that we can easily end up going to a safe default, like Hawaii. Or Florida. Or the next state over. This is what having too many choices can do: confuse, befuddle and overwhelm. When we begin our journey, and an international vacation/adventure is indeed a

DID WE FIND A NEW SPECIES?

small tender gently beached as the outboard motor fell silent. The water was crystal clear and warm to our legs as we stepped out of the boat on to the shore. This was Kenawa, a small uninhabited island half way between Lombok and Sumbawa. This was the beginning of an adventure for my self and my fellow travellers. As my new friends marveled at the soft white sand between their toes and prepared their snorkel gear I did what

SAILING TO THE SPICE ISLANDS IN SEPTEMBER 2019

SeaTrek this September on an epic 12-day Spice Islands cruise in the company of our special guest, 'ship's naturalist' Dr. George Beccaloni, a world authority on tropical plants and animals and the Victorian explorer Alfred Russel Wallace, as he leads us on a search for birds of paradise, black monkeys, the world's largest butterflies, and takes us snorkelling along the abundantly rich reefs of the Coral Triangle.     Click here for the full day-to-day schedule   Contact us now and ask how you

Best Tour in Asia in 2013

Tours of a

The Mysterious Caves of Tomolol

topography, with limestone and small karst islets so undercut by waves that they look like mushrooms, covered with rich green jungle to create an extraordinary landscape of rock islands. With all this limestone around, it is not surprising that erosion has also created a labyrinth of fascinating caves and narrow passages to explore, the most famous of which is the mysterious cave system of Tomolol on the east coast of Misool Island, where the karst backdrop reaches an amazing scale. Tomolol

Beware Of The Boogeyman: He’ll Catch You If He Can.

to frighten little children? In many cultures, the allusion to the boogeyman is used by parents to frighten their children into good behaviour, but in Indonesia, the boogeyman or “Bugis” man is real. The Bugis are the master shipbuilders and seafarers of South Sulawesi. Their exceptionally strong pinisi schooners – upon which the design of the Ombak Putih and the Katharina is based – were fashioned from the robust timbers of the islands. These boats were capable of sailing vast distances

Expert Review: Indonesia's Jewels of Raja Ampat

to divers for years, this area is just now being discovered by travelers that like to stick a little closer to the surface. The pinisi motorsailer Ombak Putih—meaning “white wave” in Bahasa Indonesia—was to be my home for exploring Raja Ampat, and I cannot think of a more appropriate ship for the adventure of traveling from idyllic island to idyllic island, as the people of Indonesia have for centuries. Boarding Ombak Putih is a revelation; she is a gaff-rigged ketch

Island to Island – Textile Tour in Eastern Indonesia

to a journey in Indonesia? I met David and Sue Richardson initially through their extensively researched publication on Central Asian textiles – Qaraqalpaqs of the Aral Delta. As we connected on social media I was intrigued by their technical passion for textiles and an upcoming textile tour of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Eastern Indonesia that they had planned. Needless to say, Jack and I marked our calendars anticipating our first travels in this varied culture. Sue and David Richardson partnered

Festive Recipe: Tomato Sambal

tomat / Tomato sambal If you only make one dish from this cookbook, let this be the one! Tomato sambal can be used to accompany a thousand dishes from Indonesia to the Mediterranean. Try it with eggs in any shape or size, grilled fat sausages, fish or any meat, roasted eggplant, tofu or tempeh – not to mention stirred into risotto or homemade mayonnaise or basted over barbecued prawns. It keeps for weeks in the refrigerator and will turn the dullest meal into a masterpiece. 4 long red

Sumba Heart and Soul

to its animist traditions, Sumba Island is a destination seductive to the soul.  Here are a just a few reasons why we find Sumba such a sensational destination. SUMBA- WHERE ANCIENT TRADITIONS RUN DEEP Hanging precariously off of the Nusa Tenggara Archipelago like a delicate pendent on a chain,  Sumba is a gem of an island whose remote obscurity seems to have allowed it to escape the very passage of time. With its rugged rolling savannah and low limestone hills knitted together

SWIMMING WITH STINGLESS JELLYFISH

to experience first hand to snorkel with amongst them in Raja Ampat and Sulawesi on our Eastern Cruises from October through April each year.   See what it's like to swim through a sea of stingless jellyfish as they pulse by in their thousands: Thanks to George Beccaloni for the footage   To find out more about them we sat down with marine biologist, Professor Joe Mueller of the College of Marin in California and resident expert on two of SeaTrek's end-of-year Jewels of Raja Ampat cruises, and

KEEPING YOU SUN SMART

to see you suffering from an unnecessary sunburn. By following these five simple rules for sunscreen application, you can maximise your protection from the sun's UV rays, allowing you to stay safe and comfortable as you soak up the tropical heat.   1) Apply it Early: Sunscreen doesn't have an instant effect, so make sure you apply it at least 30 minutes before you go in the sun, not just the water. 2) Reapply After Swimming: Just because it's waterproof, doesn't mean it doesn't

A MANTA NAMED OMBAK PUTIH

to the family don't come around that often, but in December 2018, SeaTrek Sailing Adventures was delighted to welcome a new and very unexpected member to the fold.   As our tour leaders were leading a snorkelling session in Raja Ampat on a Jewels of Raja Ampat trip, our group came across an individual reef manta ray gliding along in the shallows. Our quick-thinking tour leader Dani Mulyana took out his camera and managed to take the beautuful shots below, capturing her unique markings in the process. He sent the

A RIGHT OF PASSAGE AT TENGANAN VILLAGE

to cheer on the ritual ‘mekare-kare’… Tenganan is one of Bali’s original pre-Hindu settlements; a unique, 700-year-old village, hidden in the hills three kilometres north of Candi Dasa in East Bali. Here, the residents – the Bali Aga people – practise a time-honoured lifestyle based around ritual and ceremony, bound by strict ‘adat’ (customary law) practices to maintain purity. The mekare-kare is an annual theatrical fight between the young men of the village, utilising prickly pandanus leaf whips! Each dual is staged

But I Could Never Do That. That’s Right … Until You Try.

e beach was a long, perfect stretch of sugar sand. No rollers, no pounding surf. Gary and Deborah stood in the warm salt water. “But it’s hardly up to our calves,” Gary said, curious, but still wary. “Precisely, said Frank. Frank Hyde is a partner of SeaTrek Sailing Adventures based out of Bali, Indonesia. The rest of the guests were swimming out on top of the coral, enjoying the breathtaking view. Frank, a lifetime man of the sea, was in his element.

SETTING A COURSE FOR DISCOVERY

to Sulawesi: Sailing the Undiscovered Frontier cruises in 2020 have some very special things to look forward to when they set sail in February and March: things that only SeaTrek can offer.  In September and October this year we took two groups of guests into the heart of the Indonesian jungle in search of two unique, rare and very big insects -- Wallace's Golden Birdwing Butterfly and Wallace's Giant Bee -- two species discovered by the great man Alfred Russel Wallace himself in the 19th Century, and

THE WINDS OF TRADE

to avoid at all costs. It was when the wind would die down to nothing and they would have to sit around in the doldrums – the belt of low air pressure along the Equator – sails flapping, with no prospect of getting fresh food or water any time soon. Fortunately, this was a rare situation because the trade winds tend to blow reliably from the east at an angle to the Equator such that they bring air from higher latitudes

THREE STARS UP - NOW FOR THE FOURTH

cultures and the natural environment of Indonesia (and indeed the planet), and we are committed to helping wherever we can. This is why we are delighted that we achieved Three Starfish out of a possible five in our inaugural audit by WWF in their Signing Blue programme. A WWF-Indonesia initiative to foster Responsible Marine Tourism (RMT), it allows providers to assess their level of sustainable practices, and involves intensive auditing, interviews with staff and crews, and analysis of company documents and best practices. The ranks are

KEEPING A CHECK ON OCEAN PLASTICS

to help change that. SeaTrek Sailing Adventures was founded more than 25 years ago and has been headed by Seattle couple, John Priebe and Marla Araki, for the last 18 years. The company is now taking steps to position itself to be a conservation-oriented company driven by marine-based tourism. Director Frank Hyde is heading up the effort utilizing his 20-plus years as an architect, wooden-boat builder, cruising sailor, and wannabe marine biologist. These mix of interests is what brought SeaTrek and

WHALE SHARKS - GENTLE GIANTS OF THE SEAS

to the group called Chondryichtyes, which includes sharks, rays, and skates. The enormous whale shark can grow up to 12 metres in length and weigh up to 20 metric tonnes, which is about the size of a small bus, but on average they grow to between 5.5 and 10 metres.     Whale sharks' heads are flattened and have a blunt snout above the mouth, with short whisker-like sensory organs protruding from their nostrils. Their backs and sides are greyish brown with white

The Prettiest Flight

to be flying from Bali to Labuan Bajo for the start of SeaTrek’s Dances, Dragons & Magical Lakes’ cruise, make sure you get a window seat and don’t even think about reading a book. Instead, sit back and relish one of the world’s prettiest flights. If it’s a clear day you’re in for a treat, and – if you’re on the left-hand side of the plane – you’ll see a string of volcanoes, beginning with Mt Agung in Bali followed

SAILING WITH THE FAMILY : SEATREK IN THE UK PAPERS

to adventure. Abandon your cabin, they said, and sleep on deck. Dream under a canopy of southern stars and wake up in the rose-gold bliss of daybreak at sea. I didn’t need asking twice." - Sarah Oliver. CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY   TO GO STRAIGNT TO THE ITINERARY FOR DANCES, DRAGONS & MAGICAL LAKES, CLICK THE HIGHLIGHTED

Swimming with Manta Rays

to New Atlantis Wild for the footage. To see more from them, please click here One of the highlights of a SeaTrek Dances, Dragons and Magical Lakes is the opportunity to snorkel with giant manta rays in the park, which despite – and because of – the strong currents, is one of the most interesting places in Indoneaia to see them. One of the sites we visit is a cleaning station, a specific location where manta rays come to get cleaned

THE ALLURE OF THE KOMODO DRAGON (11 FUN FACTS)

to see male Komodo dragons fighting. Footage courtesy of Chris Bray Photography.   1 - The period between May and August is when you might be lucky enough to witness the fierce fighting of rival Komodo dragon males. During this time - which is the  dragon mating season – the large dominant males will fight each other intensely over females and territory 2 - Komodo dragons, called ‘ora’ or ‘land crocodile’ by the locals, are the world’s largest living lizards. They can grow up to 3m long and weigh

Indonesia’s Living Dinosaurs

to the dragons that have no enemies apart from their own kind. The reason why these primeval apex predators have survived unmolested for so long is attributed to the fact that the treacherous whirlpools and rip currents in the seas around Komodo and Rinca have ensured their isolated endurance in a habitat that is free from invaders. Heading along the banks of a dry riverbed, we were accompanied by the sound of bird song and chirruping cicadas. There was a sweet

The Garden of Good and Evil – Indonesia’s Fabled Spice Islands

ne if you will, a tropical paradise: a miniscule string of emerald green islands immersed in an aquamine equatorial waters, far from the cares of outside world. The shorelines of these lush island gems playfully alternate between dense jungle, volcanic lavaflow, dramatic cliffs, and white dreamy beaches. The warm equatorial sun, and rich volcanic nutrients have all magically combined to create pristine and colorful sub-aqua wonderland In fact, the water is so clear that one can see the brilliant coral

WHITE EYES, BURNING LIKE FIRE

fter a long debate, the Wakatobi white-eye is finally considered its own species. Seán Kelly Say hello to the bird world’s newest additions: the Wakatobi white-eye and the Wangi-wangi white-eye. Discovered in the Wakatobi Archipelago southeast of Sulawesi, Indonesia, these birds could reveal more about how other species of white-eye have evolved. Zoologists from Trinity College Dublin led by Nicola Marples, along with researchers from Halu Oleo University in Sulawesi and with support from research expedition organization Operation Wallacea, had been studying birds in and around

COME SAIL AWAY WITH SEATREK

to the wind, you really know what it's like to feel at one with the rhythm and melody of the ocean - add the right music and it just gets even better. 'Come Sail Away With Me' by Styx is a song that we think perfectly captures what it's like to sail on Ombak Putih or Katharina on the seas of Indonesia, so click the image below, turn up the volume, and let the wind take you away to paradise.     If we have inpired you to

SPERM WHALES OFF THE STARBOARD BOW - 8 FUN FACTS ABOUT THESE GIANTS OF THE DEEP

to start the video.   SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT SPERM WHALES 1) HOW DO SPERM WHALES GET THEIR NAME? Sperm whales are named after the white waxy substance located in their heads called spermaceti, which is produced by a barrel-shaped organ in the and gives them their distinctive shape. Early whalers suspected was used in reproduction and named it accordingy - the word meaning 'whale seed'. Modern biologists now suspect otherwise, and have postulated that it might be used for either for vocalization, a shock absorber to protect the brain of rutting

The Manhattan Transfer and the Rhunhattan Tearoom

to become the Dutch East Indies and therefore gained a complete monopoly over the nutmeg trade. The nutmeg fruit showing the nut with its bright red outer covering of mace (Ian Burnet) This was not just the real estate deal of the century but probably of the millenium. Who would have believed that Manhattan would become the ‘capital of the world’ and the valuable nutmeg island of Rhun would sink into obscurity? The last page of the Treaty of Breda, 1667 (Dutch Nationaal

THE GENTLE DUGONG (8 FUN FACTS)

to 900 kilos. Dugongs have a flat tail and flippers like a whale, but are more closely related to the elephant. Dugongs are purely vegetarian and have large, wide mouths with an upper lip designed for feeding on the roots of sea grass, of which it can eat up to 40kg a day. Dugongs are not a very fast swimmers, only travelling at around six miles per hour, although they are capable of speeds of up to 14mph when necessary. Dugongs have very dense and heavy bones which

Nutmeg: Facts & Figures

he sixteenth century it was worth its weight in gold. The early history of Southeast Asia was driven and moulded by the Arab, Chinese, Malay and European adventurers who sailed in search of the fabulous wealth that it offered. The exotic nutmeg – or Pala as it is known in Indonesia – has a very rich heritage.  Read on for some fascinating facts: Nutmeg is indigenous to the volcanic soils of the Indonesian Banda Islands, and in the 15th and 16th centuries,

The Dutch Church in Banda Neira

to serve the residents of the Dutch colonial occupation of the remote Banda Islands. Behind the building can be seen the summit of the volcano named Gunung Api ,or Fire Mountain. The original wooden church was destroyed by an earthquake and rebuilt in 1852 in this neo-classical style. With its solid Doric columns, white plaster and sturdy brickwork, it is a good example of a provincial Dutch-era church and is now  one of the sights to see in the tiny port

WALLACE'S GIANT BEE

may have already seen one of the many news reports about the recent ‘rediscovery’ of Wallace's Giant Bee, the largest species of bee on planet Earth. Well, it never really went missing as there have been a number of sightings over the years since 1859 when Alfred Russel Wallace discovered it on Bacan Island. In fact one of our experts, George Beccaloni (a very experienced entomologist), is 95% sure he saw one in October last year. It flew across

Ten Tales Of Ternate & Tidore

to Bugis Shipbuilders – commence or conclude at the clove-perfumed island of Ternate. Ternate and neighbouring Tidore are ancient Islamic sultanates. They were once the world’s only source of cloves, through which their rulers became among the wealthiest and most powerful sultans in the region. Much of their wealth, however, was wasted on fighting each other. Ternate’s volcano, Gunung Gamalama, erupts with unsettling regularity. It dominates the entire island leaving only a narrow coastal strip and the lower slopes of the mountain

The Life-Giving Lontar Palm

to 30 metres in height and to a thickness of about 90 cm is hewn for beams and posts; its branches are cut for walls and fences; and its broad leaves are woven into baskets, birdcages, water vessels, fans, hats – including some that have been inspired by the designs of 16th and 17th century Portuguese helmets – umbrellas, belts, knife-sheaths, thatch, cigarette papers, musical instruments, and even bags for transporting chickens to market. When interlaced, lontar leafstalks, which can

iNDONESIA'S SPICE ISLANDS – A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

to Banda each year in September-October, is an extraordinary time capsule: a voyage into a fascinating past that comes vividly to life virtually everywhere we anchor. For a start, we’re in the island realm of history’s greatest mariners. The people of the Moluccas are descended from a race of seafarers whose ancestors sailed out of China 5,000 years ago. They spread through all of island South-East Asia – including the 17,000 islands of today’s Republic of Indonesia – and then navigated

Subak – The Cultural Landscape of Bali

to the sea. Known as ‘sawah’, the padi fields of Bali are a thousand years old, and achieved through an ancient system of aquatic engineering. Irrigation is critical to Balinese wet-rice agriculture because of the long dry season that extends from April to October, while the substance of rural life is dependent on the accuracy of the water flow as it is diverted from the rivers that gush from Bali’s crater lakes. The water is then channelled through an elaborate system

Pearl Culture

to reflect the soul of an oyster, a natural pearl is an accident of nature, formed when an irritant – such as a parasite or a piece of debris – causes the mollusc to secrete a fluid that coats the invader. This irritant forms the nucleus of the pearl, then layer upon layer of the coating, known ‘nacre’, is deposited on the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed. A cultured pearl undergoes the same process. The only difference is that

INDONESIA'S BEAUTIFUL BIRDS OF PARADISE

to see the Wilson's Bird of Paradise mating display - Video courtesy of The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.   No other bird family is as beautiful or as rich in diversity of plumage and courtship behaviour as the flamboyant birds of paradise, of which there are 39 species, ranging from the size of a starling to the size of a crow, with certain types sporting tails of up to one metre in length. Over the centuries, these fantastical trailing plumes and brilliant

In Search of the Five Holy Springs

to be called the “Lost Coast”, a string of fishing villages, collectively known as Amed – the start-point and finish-point for Seatrek’s Komodo cruises – on Bali’s eastern tip. Hugging a dramatic coastline of steep headlands, coves and coral reefs, Amed is a wonderful destination for those who wish to escape. We had heard a story about Toye Masem – five sacred springs, all within close proximity of each other, with each one purported to spout a different taste. Knowing that

Manuk Island – A Bird Sanctuary in the remote Banda Sea

e last stop on our East Indies Spice Exploration Voyage 2016, before reaching the Banda Islands, is the tiny island of Manuk which is just the tip of a volcano which pokes itself above the Banda Sea. The Ombak Putih approaches Manuk Island Manuk is an andesitic volcanic island that rises 3000 meters from floor of the Banda Sea at the easternmost part of the Indonesian island arc. Because of its steep cliffs and rocky coast it is almost impossible to land

A Day at the Races

to death by a pair of magnificently decorated bull buffaloes. We were at Negara in West Bali, watching the famous buffalo races. The sport, believed to have originated as a simple ploughing contest, is staged every year between July and November. Despite my near-death experience at the side of the track, the non-existent safety measures, the unfathomable race rules, and the absence of a beer tent, this was a truly thrilling and spectacular event. The contest features Bali’s sleekest, most handsome water

In a Nutshell

towering old-growth canopy. The nutmeg tree is sun-sensitive and therefore cultivated under the cover of the soaring kenari trees, which can reach up to 50 metres in height. Many of them are more than 300 years old with buttressed roots that grow out from the base of the trunks to provide anchorage. These majestic giants complement the nutmeg trees by providing shade and acting as windbreaks in an ancient and ingenious form of agroforestry. The kenari trees yield, as a

So Beautiful, They Can Only Have Come From Paradise.

to see a short video on each bird. Wilson's Bird of Paradise Red Bird of Paradise Wallace's Standardwing Bird of Paradise King Bird of Paradise   Credits to the illustrious Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Explore more at

Six Tips for Isolating Yourself in Paradise

to travel when you have options and a bit of time can be daunting. All too often we fall into default mode, which is Disney World, or Costa Rica (because it’s close) or choices that are easy, or seemingly accessible. The problem with this kind of planning is that everyone else does the same thing. As a result, you’re guaranteed large crowds of tourists. I know: not only did I grow up in Tourist Central (Florida) I also worked for Disney

The Funeral of a King

Tour get to meet many Indonesian people wearing fabulous local costumes and ask us if this is what they wear every day. The answer is no – just like us they keep their best costume for special occasions for ceremonies. Fortunately for our guests, our visits during the Textile Tour count as a special occasion. The importance of textiles for ceremonial occasions was drummed into us on our latest visit to the island of Sumba. During our previous visit there in

Balinese Feasts and Travel Tales Aboard Katharina

to join and contribute with some literary input, storytelling and thought-provoking conversation. For this cruise, Tony Wheeler – co-founder of Lonely Planet, and Janet De Neefe – Founder and Director of UWRF, restaurateur, and owner of Casa Luna Cooking School, were the celebrities. Janet and her team handled all of the catering on board, bringing with them 50 kilos of local ingredients, with Janet hosting morning cookery presentations and serving up wonderful Balinese buffet lunches and dinners, including freshly caught fish,

Bali’s Secret Fleet: a Glittering Armada

could be the world’s most spectacular traditional fishing craft, but their home port is a remote estuary on the Indonesian island of Bali that few visitors ever see. SeaTrek expert lecturer, Jeffrey Mellefont, unveils a boatbuilding tradition steeped in ritual, religion and magic. Article reproduced with permission of the Australian National Maritime Museum, from its quarterly journal Signals (No. 110 March 2015). View

FEARLESS IN RAJA AMPAT - EPISODE 2 OF RAW TRAVEL TV

RLESS IN RAJA AMPAT WITH RAW TRAVEL TV     This October 19 and 20 across the USA, join host Rob Rose, as he sets sail once again on SeaTrek Sailing Adventures’ Ombak Putih in the second episode of his Raja Ampat series for Raw Travel TV. Episode two is called "Fearless In Raja Ampat", and in it Rob challenges himself to conquer his own personal fears, and one of the particular highlights is watching Rob overcome his fear of snorkelling and the underwater,

A Magical Wishing Lake

to the day since Tambora had erupted and caused the tsunami that had filled Satonda’s crater with seawater. I was standing at the side of the lake, and I had a dilemma. In 2000, I had visited the lake for the first time. I had made a wish and it had come true. It was the type of wish that doesn’t come true immediately – along the lines of “I wish I could still be living in Indonesia and still

Wayan And The Turtle King

d The Turtle King… Whereabouts in the world are you based, Yvette? Right now, I`m based in Canada. I`ve been a scuba diving instructor and English teacher for most of my life, which means that I`ve lived in lots of countries, from Indonesia to Egypt. Teaching is a great way of exploring our beautiful planet, above and below the waterline. How often do you get into the ocean? My life is usually arranged around being near water. I first learned scuba diving and freediving

Wallace Trails and Sails

to say goodbye to everyone in Sorong – it’s amazing how close you can get to fellow passengers during an 11-day cruise which just throws random people together. This year’s cruise had many of the elements of the two previous Wallace cruises but together with the cruise leader, Caroline Delman, we introduced new activities (e.g. snorkelling with manta rays) and locations this year. As the small print indicates, the itinerary is only an indication of what will happen and we

A Rarity: Whale Shark Researchers Tag Female of the Species

hark Researchers Tag Female of the Species “Susi” the whale shark, pictured above, swimming in the Pacific after being tagged. (© Abraham Sianipar) Editor’s note: In March, a team of scientists from Conservation International Indonesia tagged a female whale shark — the first ever tagged in West Papua. The shark, named “Susi” after Indonesia’s Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), Susi Pudjiastuti, will give scientists new insight into how the diving and movement behaviors of female whale sharks differ from those of male whale

Made's Magical Margaritas

MAN BEHIND THE MARGARITA Those of you who have been on the Ombak Putih will know this man in an instant. It's Made, our head purser and mixologist extrordinaire. Those who have not yet had the pleasure of meeting him will fall into a deep state of awe and appreciation once you venture aboard and try one of his fantastical margaritas - only one of many specialties. We'd like to say that you can make a Margarita a la Made like this at

Huge New Turf Marine Reserve Established in Raja Ampat

tourism to industry, not to mention illegal fishing, pollution and climate change to take into account! The bottom line is that a lot of stakeholders all need to come on board in order to establish marine reserves - and more importantly, to manage them effectively in the long term. That takes time and a lot of sensitive negotiation.  Over the past year, USAID has partnered with the Indonesian government and US NGO Rare to work with local communities in the Dampier Strait - specifically the Maya Tribe

SOME QUIET MEDITATION IN A BIG BLUE SEA

TO PUT YOURSELF HERE, THEN SIMPLY CLICK THIS

SNORKELLING WITH SEATREK

to explore the splendour of Indonesia’s underwater world, home to the greatest marine biodiversity on the globe. This is why snorkelling is a daily activity on our Seatrek cruises. A mask and snorkel allows you to breathe at the surface with your face underwater, giving you a glimpse into an extraordinary kaleidoscopic world you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see.     Regardless of one’s fitness level, snorkelling is something that nearly everybody can participate in, including kids, which makes it the perfect

MAJESTIC MANTA RAYS (12 FUN FACTS)

to go underneath the water with these gentle giants of the deep. Video by Michael Lim.   1)  There are two known species of manta rays: the reef manta (Manta alfredi) and the giant oceanic manta ray (Manta birostris). It is suspected that there might be a third, similar-appearing species inhabiting the Caribbean and Atlantic.   2)  Giant oceanic rays are slightly larger than reef rays, and are believed to migrate from place to place with greater frequency.   3)   Both species are classified as

Carry on Snorkelling

to themselves in creaks and sighs. Ours is a phinisi, a classic Indone­sian Bugis schooner with gaff-rigged sails and soaring bowsprit that looks like something from the pages of Joseph­ Conrad’s novels. Below decks, however, the 42m vessel is air-conditioned, with 12 ensuite cabins and twin marine diesels. Modernity notwithstanding, Ombak Putih’s ribs and planks still speak in the same tongue-and-groove groans that wooden hulls have uttered forever. I fall asleep to their rhythmic gossip as we depart Gorontolo in Indonesia’s northern Sulawesi

Komodo to Bali – Our Voyage Continues!

Flores to Bali. Day 3  We awake anchored off Loh Liang village, Komodo Island. We’re treated to another stunning sunrise over our buffet breakfast, then we’re into the rubber duckies and zooming ashore for another island trek to see the wildlife. We set out with a guide through scrub and forest. Vegetation here is more lush than the previous island Rinca. We spot a wild boar, warily eyeing a fat dragon close by. Most prey animals are pretty twitchy in these parts, and with good

A Better Way to See Indonesia

nese women carrying their ceremonial offerings, a daily sight on the island. (Photo from iStock) For most travellers, Indonesia starts and ends with Bali. It’s the hub of tourism in the country and a worldwide surfing and diving destination. The waves, nature, cheap lodging and easy-going vibes attract visitors from all over the world. But with Bali’s rise and development has come a desire to discover less-visited, lesser known areas of the country. After all, Indonesia has more than 17,000 islands under its domain,

Dragons, Mantas And Pink Sand

to Komodo National Park, and it’s not just the lure of the dragons, there’s so much more… Text & Images: RACHEL LOVE I’ve been to Komodo eight times now. You’d think that once you’ve seen one dragon you’ve seen them all, but each one of my Komodo adventures has been a unique and wonderful experience.The first time I visited the National Park was in 2001. Landing at the bay of Loh Liang on Komodo Island, all those years ago, I was struck

Sailing Off The Grid

to go. With 15 – 18,000 islands depending upon your source, to see more then just the bits connected by airports, you are going to need a good ship beneath your feet. Preferably one that has a capable captain, a strong crew, is super-seaworthy and has a good ship to shore radio. If you then throw in some super luxury cabins, gourmet meals, a cruise director, some sun loungers and 12 days of sunshine and exploration with no Wi-Fi or

Close encounter met de dragons in Komodo

tot zelfs zes komodo varanen die zich letterlijk een weg eten door het dier. Een kadootje tijdens onze reis. Van sommige dragons rond de dode buffalo is alleen nog de staart te zien, ze duwen elkaar weg in de door henzelf gemaakte lichaamsopeningen en glibberen door het water en het dier. Afzichtelijk en walgelijk, maar waanzinnig fascinerend evenzeer. Onze close encounter met deze varanen, neefjes van de T-rex, had niet beter gepland kunnen worden. Eten en gegeten worden Massatoerisme is gelukkig uitgesloten in

Cruising the Komodos and Beyond

to recess, we tear out of our cabin, and spring on to the tender whisking us out to a snorkelling hotspot. Soon we’re kicking away in the Komodo Sea, gliding over reefs teeming with multi-coloured tropical fish. We’re in a remote part of eastern Indonesia; our new home, the Ombak Putih, a glorious 12-cabin wooden schooner built in the traditional pinisi-style. For seven days, we’re island hopping with 18 passengers and 13 crew, exploring parts of the Indonesian archipelago most tourists never get

Bugis Shipbuilders of Sulawesi

to visit Stu's blog to read the full story of his visit to Bira in South Sulawesi. For more of Stu's great work on his worldwide travels (79 countries and counting), visit his blog here and let your mind

Makassar: The Indonesian City We Are Not Paying Attention To

To By: Trisha Velarmino    Photo: LEE ROSALES (@ILOVEPAARS) Between the islands of Borneo and Sulawesi in Indonesia, there is an undiscovered gem that people need not confuse with Bali: Makassar, the fifth largest city in Indonesia after Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung and Medan is one of the uncongested islands of this wonderful country. As a port city, Makassar is rich in waters and has been the primary hub of the Eastern Archipelago. It plays a big role in international and domestic connections, not just in Indonesia

Here be Dragons: the Million-Year Journey of the Komodo Dragon

to know about Komodo Dragons as reported in The Guardian. Click here for the full story on their evolution, mating habits, food preferences and their million-year-old

Whip Fighting Symbolises Life for Manggarai Flores

to climb 450 metres above sea level to reach the Manggarai tribe on Flores Island. I’m trying to focus straight ahead and not on my rising queasiness. Relieved and pale faced, we finally arrive at Melo Village where an excited community greets us, draping intricately woven textiles around our shoulders as we’re led to a long wooden hut. It’s our final morning of a 12-day cruise sailing around Indonesia on the luxury phinisi schooner, the Ombak Putih (white wave) with SeaTrek Sailing Adventures.

A SAILING ADVENTURE IN INDONESIA

uise director lets out a yell and within a minute we are on the ship’s starboard side, to see what is going on. A fisherman has drawn up to our ship in his dugout canoe, hoisting a bag of fresh squid, hoping for a sale. “Whenever they see our ship has arrived, they always come to sell us their fresh fish,” explains our guide, Arie Pagaka. Just as he hands the silvery haul to our ship’s chef, another fisherman paddles

Spice Islands Eclipse

ONOMY, CELESTIAL NAVIGATION AND SPICE-TRADE HISTORY. By Jeffrey Mellefont.ANMM research associate Jeffrey Mellefont leads a voyage on board a traditional Indonesian sailing ship, to view a total eclipse of the sun in the Moluccas – the historic spice islands. IN MARCH THIS YEAR A TOTAL ECLIPSE of the sun tracked across the Indonesian archipelago, from Sumatra in the west to the remote, eastern group of islands called the Moluccas. It was some 300 years since a total solar eclipse had taken

Flores, Indonesia: A literary mini-festival at sea

to be featured in The Sydney Morning Herald and Traveller.com this February.  Susan Wyndham truly captures the beauty and fun of this specialty culinary cruise with Janet DeNeefe and fellow writers from the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival. Joining Janet in 2015, will be Lonely Planet founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler. We look forward to another fantastic cruise with the UWRF. Click the link below for the article and photos: Flores, Indonesia:  A literary mini-festival at sea by Susan

20 holiday destinations the experts say not to miss.

to travel photographers, train aficionados to tour guides, these globe-trotting experts have seen the world. They share their favorite destinations, and why they think they shouldn't be missed for your next holiday. Click here for the full

The Archipelago Journal: Ternate to Sorong

to Sorong Colours hops on a cruise in eastern Indonesia to trace the travels of Victorian British explorer Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-discoverer with Charles Darwin of the theory of evolution through natural selection. Words by Dr Tony Whitten Photography by Edmund Lowe “Oh, how I wish I had known Alfred Russel Wallace.” That was my overwhelming feeling after first reading The Malay Archipelago, the book he wrote about his travels through Indonesia and Malaysia between 1854 and 1862. Read full article

What Is the Coral Triangle?

al Triangle is a vast network of coral reefs that dot the waters surrounding the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. Also known as "the Amazon of the ocean," this expansive underwater ecosystem in Southeast Asia is a hotspot for marine biodiversity, hosting 30 percent of the world's coral reefs that span 2.3 million square miles (6 million square kilometres). From humpback whales to humphead wrasses, a wide variety of sea creatures survive and thrive along the reefs in the

Ternate Tales of Natural Selection

Spice Islands are wrapped in an aromatic history of cloves, mace and nutmeg, Kings and Sultans, spice wars, and the rise and fall of invading armies. By Stephanie Brookes As I travelled through the Spice Island chain, I saw massive groves of cloves and nutmegs clinging to the perfect cone-shaped volcanic islands dotted across the Maluku Sea. In the 8th century, Chinese merchant ships sailed through the Moluccas (Maluku), and the Arabs followed later. The spice wars involved the Portuguese, the Dutch

An Ancient Boatbuilding Tradition in Makassar Gets a New Lease of Life

he relative cool of the late afternoon, Makassar’s Paotere Harbour is a hive of activity. At first glance, this historical wharf in South Sulawesi, next to the city’s bustling fish market, doesn’t give the impression of a modern working dockyard. There’s a distinct absence of the ubiquitous shipping containers, vast metallic tankers and giant cranes. Instead, lines of colourful boats gently bob on the water. They are connected to land by a network of long wooden planks. Deckhands bend under

Boats, Books and Flying Machines

Tony Wheeler, co-founder of Lonely Planet guides hasn’t stopped travelling since he sold the company. He has a fascination with Bad Lands, Dark Lands (the titles of two of his books) and edgy travel. He was recently in Bali for the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival and the pre-festival Komodo National Park cruise in partnership with Seatrek Sailing Adventures aboard the traditional pinisi schooner, Katharina. Here he imparted some of the wisdom he has learned along the road. WHAT I FIND

In Search of Dragons

Source: Expat Magazine

Yachts to Charter Now

to a Caribbean superyacht cruise, here are nine new ways to get on the water this season, in some of the world’s dreamiest yachting destinations. Many of the most beautiful and remote locations in the world are best seen from the sea, making chartering a yacht an endlessly appealing notion. 2015 is a particularly great time to get out on the water: Nine of our favorite vessels, from handmade sailboats to high-tech superyachts, have recently undergone renovations or added new routes. Source:

7 Days to Komodo

to a couple of quick conclusions. One, it’s vast. Two, there’s a lot of water to cross if you want to have a good look at it and you are probably going to need a boat. FRV Bali finds a very nice one with SeaTrek Adventures. Another thing to consider is the inverse relationship that exists in the quality of food and accommodation and the distance you travel east of Bali and Lombok. That’s fine for young and intrepid backpackers, but

Sojourn For A Photojournalist

BEYOND THE GALAPAGOS AND INTO THE CORAL TRIANGLE

In Search of Dragons

Source: Cruising

The Launch Of A Pinisi

towers over the tiny shipbuilding village of Sangeang Wera – a Buginese settlement in northeast Sumbawa. Here the men build wooden boats along the scruffy shores, while the village women weave brightly coloured textiles. Today, something huge is happening in Sangeang Wera, and just for once, the nonchalant volcano fails to dominate the scene. On this auspicious day, when the king tide is expected to reach its peak at 1pm, all eyes are on ‘Al Fatah,’ an enormous pinisi boat that

Ship Shape – Giving Katharina a Facelift

ng a house is easy. Call a contractor, buy the materials, and get them delivered to your house – all you have to do is pay for it. But what do you do when that project is a 40m long, wooden phinisi schooner named Katharina that still needs to keep sailing and she’s moored in the harbour off Bali? You plan your time with military precision, you get creative, and you bring in the Bugis Men. One of two ships owned

Indonesia’s Spice Islands by Schooner

to Ternate, a cruise aboard a Bugis-style ironwood schooner proves the ideal way to tour Indonesia’s fabled Spice Islands, whose long-faded fortunes have given way to fascinating ports of call By Johnny LangenheimPhotographs by Jack Wyllie The sun is already hot and high by the time Run comes into view. Perched on the prow of the Ombak Putih, I have to squint to make out the island, a tiny smudge on a languorous blue horizon that stretches otherwise unbroken in every direction.

Meeting Ring of Fire Explorer Lawrence Blair

to watch the BBC TV series, Ring of Fire. This Indonesian odyssey documented the ten-year voyage of two English adventurers, Lawrence Blair and his late brother Lorne, through the world’s largest and least-known archipelago. Dr Lawrence Blair Travelling across uncharted lands, through islands where no white-faced people had ever set foot, they explored places still blank and unknown on maps. The brothers sailed with pirates, got lost at sea, encountered primitive tribes and exotic creatures, lived with shamans and headhunters, and delved into the

In Search of the Forgotten Indonesian Islands that Shaped the Modern World

to grace not only The Telegraph's 'Travel on Sunday' supplement, but to have been given the cover shot as well. Thanks to Sarah Baxter for putting into such beautiful words our journey through the Spice Islands in the footsteps of the great Victorian explorer and scientist, Alfred Russel Wallace, and thank you to all concerned. It is a fantastic achievement.   Click here to read the full story in the Sunday Telegraph.   If you would like to know more about SeaTrek's cruises that go to the

Indonesia’s Bajau People: The Free-Diving Sea Gypsies

To read the story on In Bajau people on the South China Morning Post website, simply click the link

Paradise takes many forms on this Indonesian archipelago.

to trace Wallace’s journey through the four main islands of Raja Ampat and find his beloved birds-of-paradise. Along the way, Mark Johanson would discover a startlingly virgin archipelago that remains little changed in the 150 years since Wallace left. Read all about Mark's wondrous journey in the footsteps of Wallace on the Katharina here at this link to the Chicago Tribune and his story.  Click here to link to the

THE MAGIC EELS OF AMBON

a sailing voyage through the Maluku Islands, I found myself in Ambon. The Portuguese sailed into these waters in the 16th century with their tall ships, on a quest to conquer the islands. They built forts and attempted to monopolise the spice trade, which was already well entrenched on the tiny island. As I was exploring one of the forts, I struck up a conversation with a local who asked me if I had heard of the sacred eel that sometimes

When You See the Southern Cross for the First Time

to myself. The other passengers were below, having dinner and drinks. However, I didn’t want to miss the light show. Instead, I lay quietly under the blackening night sky. I had maybe an hour. All around me, drying laundry hung tightly pegged to the lines, lightly flapping in the evening breeze. Fish splashed nearby. The lines hummed and sang when the wind came up. The previous night’s stunning tropical full moon had obliterated the entire lightplay of stars. I’d been awake

8 Adventure Cruises for People Who Hate Cruises

to appeal to an older crowd with the tackiest entertainment imaginable. But that's not the whole story. Come onboard one of these smaller adventure cruises with just as much to offer off the boat as they do at sea. Click here for the full

Adventure Through The Spice Islands

tourism map that few people know of either their existence or their major historical importance. Click here for the full

Exploring the Lesser Sunda Islands & Komodo with Seatrek Sailing Adventures

From Ubud Life Magazine Full

Dancing The Cakalele

to the audience gathered in a semi-circle on the beach. Click here for the full

Better Than New

to do a refit or full restoration is a popular way to obtain the yacht of your dreams. By Glen Watson. from Asia Pacific Boating May/June 2016 full

A Whale of a Time

TO SWIM WITH WHALE SHARKS, CHECK OUT OUR WHALE SHARK ITINERARY HERE AND SEND US AN EMAIL. WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ON

Oh, The Places You’ll Go

to visit, and an even greater selection of vessels to make your boating holiday perfect. By Craig Hurst. from Asia Pacific Boating May/June 2016 full

Ambon Sacred Spears and Magic Eels

towering forts, and attempted to monopolize the spice trade, an ancient practice was well entrenched in the tiny island of Ambon. By Stephanie Brookes I had read some sketchy reports of a sacred eel that occasionally appears in a pond tucked away in a village just out of Ambon. The pond was in a small village called Waai, only one-hour drive along the coast from Ambon city, so I headed out along the coast to see for myself. On arrival in Waai, I

The Loss of a Friend

Tony Whitten in early December. He was and will always remain an inspiration to the SeaTrek spirit of adventure and exploration, and we will miss him dearly. Here he is in the image above looking dashing in goatee and sarong alongside one of SeaTrek's owners, Marla Araki, on a recent trip to Raja Ampat aboard his beloved Ombak Putih. His obituary in the Guardian newspaper linked here can convey his life and times better than our words. Our thoughts are

My Jungle Dream: Meeting a Bird of Paradise.

other feathered family is as beautiful, or displays such diversity of plumage, extravagant decoration, and courtship behaviour as the ostentatious Bird of Paradise. Click here for the full

My Old Man and the Sea

to go in 2015” issue of AFAR Magazine. Accompanying her is a lively article by Josh Dean entitled, “My Old Man and the Sea.” He says: “Watching scenery from a more traditional cruise ship is a little like watching it in high definition on a movie screen. It’s stunning but also distant; you’re an observer, not a participant. On the Katharina, though, the water is only a few feet below and you can hear every ripple. Looking down from a cruise ship

Kreuzfahrt zu den vergessenen Trauminseln indonesien