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Wallace Trails & Sails (Katharina)

Wallace Trails & Sails (Katharina)

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Description

This unforgettable cruise will travel 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 Katharina will visit some of the places that most fascinated Wallace, including Ambon, Seram, and the remote Raja Ampat Islands with their pristine incredibly diverse coral reefs and glorious Birds of Paradise.

Note: The price of this cruise does not include any domestic airfares to and from our start and end points. If you are booking by yourself, please check with us first.

Trip Name
Wallace Trails & Sails (Katharina)
Days
12
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 Ambon
Your flight arrives in the port town of Ambon, the gateway to the Moluccas. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the harbour where the Katharina will be waiting at anchor. Once settled into your cabin, you will have time to meet your tour leader, who will then brief you about the trip. We will take an (optional) short tour of the surrounding area. We will srart witha visit to the Commonwealth War Cemetery, where many Allied troops from World war II are buried. We will then head to the north of the island and visit Hitu Lama, the ancient port of the Spice Trade that was in use for centuries before Europeans made it to the Indies. We will visit the market and see a traditional Balieo house. Also on our tour will be the Waipauwe Mosque (1414), the Immanuel Church (1512) and finally to Fort Amsterdam (1514) one of the first European forts built in Maluku. After this we will return to the boat for lunch before heading out and on our way to the Banda Islands.
Day 2 - Day 2 Manipa
This morning will be spent on the island of Manipa, said to have magical powers because the Portuguese, the Dutch and the Japanese never set foot on it despite occupying the surrounding islands. The village we will explore is simple but bright with tropical blooms, while the surrounding gardens, groves and forests yield produce such as cashew nuts and the sago palm. We will visit a distillery for the locality’s famous ‘kayu putih’ oil – a universal panacea that no Indonesian household is without, for all the aches and pains, colds and stomach upsets that afflict us. It is distilled from vats full of the crushed leaves of melaleuca trees.
Day 3 - Day 3 Boano Island
Today we will wake up in front of Boano Island, which is famous for its towering cliffs, karst formations and white-sand beaches. We’ll use the tenders to explore this beautiful coastline. During lunch we will move to a nearby string of uninhabited islands for some spectacular snorkelling.
Day 4 - Days 4 & 5 Seram
Seram (formerly Ceram) is a remote place of hilly jungle, which is rarely visited by outsiders, yet our vessel will allow us access to this most fascinating and mysterious island. Our destination is the village of Sawai, an oasis in itself, but also a perfect land base for us to make the most of Seram’s stunning northern coast and Manusela National Park. We will spend two days trekking, exploring and bird-watching in the area before we continue on our course for the famous Raja Ampat Archipelago.
Day 5 - Day 6 Raja Ampat
Today we will try our best to see not one, but two beautiful birds of paradise in the wild, an unforgettable experience for anyone lucky enough to see them. We will rise around 4am and have a quick breakfast go ashore at Kapatcol, where local guides will be waiting for us to take us through the forest to hopefully see the Lesser and possibly the King birds of paradise as they dance around in their ‘lekking’ trees. We can make no guarantees, however, as we do not have them on a leash. We will have time for a look around the village and possibly a visit to the school and to learn about the way Nature Conservency is working with the village to empower with local women with a fishing practice called sasi. Later that afternoon we will head off to the eastern part of Misool island and the amazing Tomolol Bay.
Day 6 - Day 7 Raja Ampat
Today we will find ourselves anchored in Tomolol Bay on Misool Island. A swim through Tomolol’s mysterious dome-topped cave is undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities. After an early breakfast, our tenders will take us into the heart of the bay to see this partially submerged cave where it is possible to swim, snorkel or simply float while gazing up at the cavernous grotto adorned with astonishing stalactites. The more adventurous can swim or paddle through the dark waters to the other mouth of the cave. After returning to the ship, we will use our tenders to explore more of this impressive maze of karst islands, both above and below the surface, complete with mysterious skull cairns in sea-cave cemeteries, and prehistoric cave paintings, estimated to be anything from 3,000 to 5,000 years old and depicting various human figures and huge human palms, fish, flowers and plants, tools and vessels.
Day 7 - Day 8 Raja Ampat
In the morning, the boat will be moored in front of the island of Penemu. The heart of the island is home to the famous ‘Hidden Bay’. We will take a short hike here to experience one of the most famous views that Raja Ampat has to offer. The rest of the day we will spend exploring, kayaking, paddle boarding and snorkelling in the surrounding areas.
Day 8 - Day 9 Raja Ampat
Today the Katharina will make its way through the Dampier strait, home of some of Raja Ampat’s premier reefs. With a bit of luck, we hope to snorkel with some of the larger marine life attracted to the strait’s nutrient- rich currents. We will end our day in front Arborek Village, where we can easily circumnavigate the tiny island by foot and get a sense of the Asai culture, which is still kept alive by the villagers living on this tiny isolated island. Arborek is also home to a local manta conservation project where volunteers will happily show us around and explain their efforts and programmes in more detail.
Day 9 - Day 10 Raja Ampat
This morning we wake up on the north coast of the jungle-clad island of Batanta. The jungle-clad island of Batanta offers us a chance to stretch our legs on a trek into the island’s interior. We will anchor at the foot of Arefi Village, nestled on the north coast of the island, where we will find local guides to escort us through the mangrove waters to the start point of our hike. A short walk along the riverbed brings us to the first of two jungle waterfalls complete with a refreshing pool for cooling off. The fit and adventurous may choose to continue the uphill climb along the rocks to where a second, larger cascade awaits. After leaving the wilderness behind us, we will find a nearby spot to swim and snorkel.
Day 10 - Day 11 Raja Ampat
We will wake offshore of Sawinggarai Village. It will be an early morning start as the dinghy takes us in the dark over to the village and a local guide will take us on a 20-minute walk into the forest. As dawn breaks in the forest canopy, we should get good views of the bright ‘Cendrawasih Merah’ or Red Bird of Paradise. Back in the village there will be time to meet with the community and perhaps visit the school. We will be back on the boat by mid-morning and if time permits we’ll travel over to Pef Island to snorkel and motor around the convoluted coast, while learning the myth about the prehistoric hand print still visible high on a limestone cliff. In the afternoon we’ll head towards Sorong and should have time for a snorkel before dinner.
Day 11 - Day 12 Sorong
After breakfast we will say goodbye to the the crew and our sea-based home, the Katharina. We will take the tenders ashore where you will be transferred to the airport for your onward travel.
Day 12 - Please Note:
Every effort will be made to carry out our cruise itinerary as planned; however, our itineraries are subject to change at the captain’s discretion. When touring at sea, weather, currents, and even harbour masters don’t always co-operate with our planned itinerary, which sometimes make our planned schedules challenging or even impossible to carry out. For that reason, our written itineraries must be approached with reasonable flexibility. We reserve the right to make alterations due to circumstances beyond our control and/or other factors, in the best interests of all. It’s all part of the adventure.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type

Inclusions

    • Visit Ambon. This island group situated off southeastern Sulawesi is widely recognized as having the highest number of reef and fish species in the world.
    • See Seram. Rarely visited by outsiders, the pristine island of Seram (Ceram) is the largest and main island of Indonesia’s Maluku Province. This small and remote mountainous eco-region is covered with dense rainforests, with trees that reach 30m or more.
    • Enjoy Raja Ampat. Described as the ‘Last Paradise on Earth’, Raja Ampat National Park straddles the Equator off the northwestern tip of Indonesian Papua, in the heart of the Coral Triangle. Raja Ampat is a globally-significant biodiversity hotspot, presenting a wealth of marine life, wildlife and exotic bird life, with hornbills, parrots, and many different bird-of-paradise species, as well as a vibrant culture and network of local villages.
    • Travel to Misool. One of four largest islands in Raja Ampat, the wild territory of Misool is a visually breath-taking sight, heavily forested with beaches of pure white sand lapped by turquoise waters.

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