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| [ Cruising the archipelago ] |
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| Timor - Roti - Savu - Komodo - Bali |
starting from
1659 €
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| 10 days / 9 nights |
The ethereal tones of the sasando, a 12-string lontar-leaf harp, evoking the nostalgia of the Portuguese era on the island of Roti. The beach of Savu under the gracious feet of virgins dancing at a thanksgiving ceremony following harvest. The earth of Sumba being trampled by horses carrying ferocious warriors. Digging deep into the pre-islamic past of Indonesia. All this and a sure meeting with Jurassic monsters in Komodo National Park, will make this trip unforgettable. the kind of experience this cruise to Indonesia prior to monotheism is made of.
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| TRIP SCHEDULES |
| #December 11, 2009 - December 20, 2009 |
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| Day 1
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| Arrival by air in Kupang, West Timor. After our transfer from the airport to the harbor and embarkation aboard Katharina, we will set sail to the nearby island of Semau. Here we will have a stroll on the long white sandy beaches, do some snorkeling or hike to an inland village. Night sailing to the island of Roti. |
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| Day 2
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| Arrive in Baa, the capital of Roti Island. Roti has been long under the influence of Portugal, which is demonstrated by the local handicraft. Here is your chance to buy silver ornaments, distinctive Rotinese ikats, and pinnacled hats plaited from lontar leaves. We may be entertained by music and dances produced by the sasando, a 12-string lontar-leaf harp originating from this tiny island. The music is reminiscent of the Fado music and the Saudade sentiments of Portugal. Evening sail to the island of Savu. If time allow we will attend a music and dance performance. |
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| Day 3
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| Arrive in Sepa, Savu. Here we may be greeted by ikat-clad tribesmen on horseback who might escort us to the sacred gathering place of the elders of Savu, which only a few outsiders are allowed to visit. We’ll ask for permission from the local elders to visit this place. The impressive circle of stones commands respect to the wise men which ensure the continuance of timeless adat traditions. The ikat of Savu are some of Nusa Tenggara’s finest and there will be opportunities to shop for them. Admire the female of Savu who are reputed in the whole archipelago for their beauty. We wander by foot or on horseback about the interior of Savu, breathing the timeless atmosphere of the island, visited and admired by Captain Cook and his crew in much earlier days. Late afternoon we sail onward to either the island of Raijua or to Sumba. If sea conditions allow, we make a stop in Raijua Island. As it is anywhere else in the Savu area, for the casual visitor it surely looks like a return to a strictly rural and animistic society. All villages are built and organized in a strictly traditional way, giving everyone a sense of belonging in a sort of garden of Eden. Expect a midday sail to uninhabited Dana Island for a true Robinson Crusoe experience and a beach BBQ in splendid isolation. If conditions do not permit we will sail straight to the island of Sumba. |
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| Day 4
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| If Raijua was skipped we will arrive today in Waingapu, the capital of Sumba. After a short inspection of the bustling centre, we will make a bus ride (non-AC) to the traditional villages of Rende and Prailiu, where we will admire the intricate and long-winded art of ikat weaving. The local population is stark and dark and inspires a strong sensation of being half way between Asia and Polynesia. Upon re-embarkation night sail along the north coast of Sumba to from Waingapu to Waikelo, West-Sumba. |
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| Day 5
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| Arrival at Waikelo, West Sumba. Today we will visit by local bus (non-AC) some of the traditional villages of West Sumba, where time seems to have lost direction and life appears not to have changed for ages. We will admire the megaliths erected on ancestral tombs and will have time to shop for ikat weavings, the distinctive Sumba motifs stunning the modern visitor. Along the way we will find a place to picnic and eat our lunchbox prepared by the crew. Late afternoon re-embarkation aboard Katharina and departure heading north for the Komodo Archipelago, where our first stop will be on Rinca Island. |
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| Day 6
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| Early morning we will trek on Rinca Island, the second largest island of the Park, offering a wider variety of wildlife than Komodo Island. Wild horses, water buffalo, feral deer & boars, rare birds, and, of course the famous Komodo dragons. Rinca’s unsurpassed savannah scenery is accentuated by deep blue coves and inlets. At midday we’ll sail to Padar island for an afternoon of careless swimming and snorkelling or a short trek up to the summit of the grassy hill for superb panoramas of the surrounding islands. In the evening, we’ll barbecue on a deserted beach under the blinking gaze of a million stars. |
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| Day 7
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| Early morning another opportunity to spot the giant Komodo Lizard. After a short trek into the interior of Komodo island proper, we will almost stumble over the bloodthirsty creatures, who likely will cross our path. After this meeting we will go for swimming and snorkelling on one of the best reefs of the area at the so-called ‘red beach’. Night sailing to Wera, east Sumbawa. |
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| Day 8
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| Arrival in Wera, a traditional east Sumbawanese village famous for their boat building We will see all kinds of craft in various stages of construction under the palm trees on the beach. The same way the Katharina was built in 1998. Around noon sailing to Sangeang Island, a volcano towering 1.600 meter over the sea. After a short visit of the local village, where we wonder how people manage to survive, we will head west to islands north of Sumbawa. |
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| Day 9
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| Arrival at Satonda island, the tip of an ancient volcano; here we see the huge crater-lake just a few minutes from the beach. Reefs around the island are spectacular and mostly in pristine conditions, excellent for snorkelers. Before noon sailing to Moyo. Upon arrival at Moyo, we will hike through the monsoon forest to a lovely three-tiered waterfall for a dip or a swim in complete wilderness. Later afternoon onward to Lombok. |
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| Day 10
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| Early morning arrival at the harbor of Lembar, southwest Lombok. From here you will venture out over west Lombok, visiting a few original Sasak villages where we will admire the local arts of pottery and hand weaving. Before noon we re-embark the Katharina to set sail to Serangan (turtle island). Serangan is connected with the mainland of Bali. Arrival in Serangan before sunset. End of the cruise and individual transfer to your hotel. |
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