Sacred Dances, Textiles & the Forgotten Islands

Description

Travelling from the culturally outstanding Eastern Sunda Islands to the true gems of nature – the Southern Moluccan Islands, we immerse ourselves into the strong traditions of the islands’ tribes with their famous textiles and tantalising dances. We then meet the last traditional whale hunters before exploring the remote southern Moluccan Islands, known for their exceptional natural beauty – both above and below the turquoise blue ocean. This tour offers a balanced mix of cultural highlights and exploration.

The tour leaders for this cruise are Kees Groeneboer from the Netherlands – a specialist of East-Indonesian nature and culture and long-time resident of Jakarta, and Arifin Pagaka – a much experienced expedition leader in East-Indonesia and resident of Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores.

Note: The price of this cruise does not include any domestic airfares to and from our start and end points. If you are booking flights by yourself, do not book any flights before checking with us first. Our first and last day programmes rely on strict time scheduling, so please confirm with us to ensure that you arrive and depart at your destination with plenty of time to spare and to avoid disruption to other guests’ schedules.

Trip Name

Sacred Dances, Textiles & the Forgotten Islands

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Yacht Length: 40 metres Passenger Capacity: 14 Built / Refurbished: 1995 / 2014 The Katharina is a traditional Indonesian pinisi, built in 1995 in Kalimantan using only the very best grades of ironwood. Her slim hull was originally being planned for commercial sailing carrying freight before we spotted her in the making. We bought her and fitted her out as a cruising vessel, and then again in January 2014, the Katharina was the subject of a major interior refit. Working with the unique heritage this vessel represents, her transformation is a conservation exercise back to authenticity, using only the best traditional materials, shaped by highly skilled Indonesian craftsmen. Yet, what goes on behind the scenes is the use of the most up-to-date technology and she is now equipped with a super yacht grade AC station and we are optimizing our systems to the latest safety standards. Not only is the Katharina very elegant on the water, she is also fast becoming a classic yacht, as very few of these original designs remain. Katharina’s overall length is 40 metres, providing comfortable accommodation for up to 14 guests in six cabins located below decks. All cabins offer creature comforts and necessary amenities including double beds or twins, private en-suite bathrooms, natural light, safety boxes, individually controlled air-conditioning and storage space including a safe. Led by Captain Iwan, the Katharina is catered to by an all-Indonesian crew of 12, with each member dedicated to making your stay aboard truly memorable.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 Maumere

In the early morning we embark the Katharina in the harbor of Maumere. After settling in we take you to the small village of Watublapi, half an hour's drive, to enjoy a village dance and see a demonstration of the local traditional weavings. Back on the boat we depart for the island of Permana Kecil for some first snorkelling in the afternoon. Early evening we cruise off to the island of Lembata.

Day 2 - Day 2 Lembata

We arrive in Lamalera on the south side of the island Lembata. This is one of the few remaining places in the world where villagers hunt whales using traditional methods. On the beach we see the small craft for the hunting of the sperm whales, manta rays and dolphins and perhaps watch their preparation for hunting. This small-scale whaling (no more than 25 per year) is considered sustainable, and the local economy has some dependency on it. We might join a short sailing on one of the boats, admiring the harpooner on the edge of the bowsprit. In the afternoon we sail in the direction of the island of Alor. If time allows we can make a stop at Rusa Island for some snorkelling.

Day 3 - Day 3 Alor

In the morning we reach the enchanting bay of Kalabahi on Alor. We visit the traditional village of Monbang-Kopidil in the mountains where we witness dances around the mesbah, the ritual heart of the village. Here we see the moko drums, which for centuries have been part of a wife’s dowry as well as played for New Year celebrations and are thought to originate from Indochina. Alor produces Ikat cloth famous for its intricate patterns and bright colours. In the afternoon we go snorkelling on one of the local reefs near P. Tera. In the late afternoon we proceed further east, and cross between the Lesser Sunda Islands and the western Daya Islands in the Southern Banda Sea.

Day 4 - Day 4 Wetar

We anchor in a delightful bay where the island of Wetar appears virtually impenetrable from the sea. We find fishermen drying their catch on the beaches, visit the local village Napar or one of the other villages on the island, and we can expect some great swimming and snorkelling in this area, which is known for its sopi, a strong gin-like alcoholic drink. In the evening we move eastwards to the island of Romang.

Day 5 - Day 5 Romang

We will go ashore on Romang for a three-hour three trek to see the lives of villagers in this remote region of the archipelago. Most of the people on this island are farmers and they plant coconut, oranges, cashew, corn, yams, cassava, sago, vegetables and dry rice. Back on the ship we have lunch while we cruise eastward to the tiny island Kital or the island Maopora where we spend the rest of the afternoon snorkelling and beachcombing. Overnight we move further to the east towards the island of Damar.

Day 6 - Day 6 Damar

In the morning we reach the island of Damar, the next destination in our voyage along the volcanic string of islands known as Indonesia’s Ring of Fire. This volcanic island was one of the few islands outside the Banda’s that produced nutmeg. Staple food here are sweet potatoes (ubi), bananas and fish. Tons of cloves, coconuts, nutmeg and sulphur are being exported. Tide and sea allowing, we offer an opportunity for the fit and able to hike across the island from north to south. But of course also a less strenuous trekking is possible through spice plantations, coconut groves and pristine rain forest, ending in a local village. The dominating volcano is the 870-metre-high Wurlali, which has two cones and last erupted in 1892. If time allows we can sail to the nearby uninhabited island Terbang Utara, to enjoy the beautiful beaches, exceptional coral reefs for snorkelling and a lagoon full of birds. Overnight we move southwards towards the Sermata archipelago.

Day 7 - Day 7 Sermata archipelago

The Sermata islands belong to the most isolated in the area and are hardly ever visited. We visit this group of limestone islands and its few coastal villages. After a walk on the main island we can spend some time on the beaches of the tiny island Kelapa, a great place for snorkelling. In the evening we move in the direction of the Babar archipelago.

Day 8 - Day 8 Babar archipelago

The island of Dai in the Babar archipelago is a spectacular limestone mountain towering 650 meters above the sea. The beaches and the reefs are exceptional. We can also trek across the whole island to enjoy the incredible scenery from the summit. The local people still go hunting with bows and arrows in these parts. Overnight we cross over to the Tanimbar archipelago.

Day 9 - Day 9 Tanimbar archipelago

In the morning are sailing along the west coast of Yamdena, the main island of the Tanimbar islands. We pass by islands of quiet beauty with untouched forest, teeming with birds, wild orchids and cuscus. This is another day of nature discovery, coastal explorations and some relaxing time on remote beaches. Passing by the north coast of the island we continue our journey heading for the islands Larat and Fordate.

Day 10 - Day 10 Larat and Fordate

Today we explore the islands Larat and Fordate on the northern side of the Tanimbar archipelago. Village exploration, nature hike and snorkelling are the substance of the day. We try to attend performance of local music and dance. Overnight we sail onward to the Kei archipelago.

Day 11 - Day 11 Kei archipelago

Early morning we arrive at Kei-Tanimbar, the southernmost island of the Kei archipelago. Here we explore coastal villages, search for cultural artefacts as weaving and pottery or trek into the local forest. In the evening we sail onward to Tual, the capital of the Kei archipelago.

Day 12 - Day 12 Kei

After saying farewell to the crew and the Katharina we disembark and transfer to the airport of Langgur-Tual for the return flight to Bali, Jakarta or elsewhere, most probably via Ambon or Makassar.

Day 13 - Please Note:

Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

Visit Maumere
Discover Alor