Dances, Dragons and Magical Lakes I

Embarkation in Serangan (Turtle Island), east Bali. We will meet at 9:00 am at the wooden jetty in front of the Dolphinarium. After boarding and settling in on board, the Ombak Putih will depart sailing up along the east coast of Bali. After lunch we disembark on the bay of Ambo (Teluk Ambo). Here we will visit the Water Palace of Amlapura and will admire the rice terraces of a rarely visited region of Bali (northeast). At night we will cross the famous Wallace Line. The Lombok Strait between Bali and Lombok marks an important ecological boundary, first described by Sir Alfred Russel Wallace, the famous 19th century Welsh naturalist. Wallace noticed that islands west of this demarcation are home to Asiatic animal and plant species, whereas the islands located on the east side display a greater similarity to species found in Australia.

Docked in Labuhan Lombok, east Lombok, we will board after breakfast a local coach for a tour into the interior of east Lombok, untouched by the crowds frequenting the west part of the island (Senggigi, Gilis). We will visit a pottery village, attend a local dance performance and enjoy a real Sasak (indigenous people of Lombok) lunch on the way. After re-embarkation we move to the small island of Kondo, where we will visit a coral conservation project and have a refreshing swim and will snorkel inspecting the local reef.

Today well set foot on the island of Satonda with its stunning craterlake and beautiful coral gardens along the coast line. Located just a couple of miles off the north-west coast of Sumbawa, Satonda is what remained of an extinct volcano of which the caldera was filled with water when nearby Mount Tambora erupted in 1815. This was the biggest volcanic eruption in the collective memory of mankind, much larger than Krakatoa. With an estimated volume of 160 cubic kilometers of rocks and ash ejected from the volcano the following year became known as the year without a summer because of the effect on North American and European weather. A highlight of our visit to Satonda is the sight of thousands of flying foxes that commute at dusk from the island to feed on the mainland, returning before first light the next day. Immediately after sunset, Ombak Putih leaves for an overnight passage on a course due east.

Arrival in the morning at Wera on the east coast of the island of Sumbawa. Wera is a Buginese settlement famous for its boatbuilding. Here we will see all kinds of craft in various stages of construction, much the way the Katharina was built in 1998. We will stroll through the village and make a chat with the friendly local people. If weather would prohibit a safe landing, we sail to Sangean island, an active volcano towering 1800 meters above the surrounding waters. We will meet the people of the tiny settlement on the island and make a short hike testing the steepness of the volcano. In the afternoon we proceed to the island of Banta, the first within the boundaries of the Komodo National Park, uninhabited and perfect for some excellent swimming and snorkelling. We will spend her a quiet night

We wake up with the boat at anchor off Komodo Island, one of 80 odd islands of Komodo National Park. We will go ashore at the ranger station in Loh Liang for an early morning trek through the Park searching for the Komodo Lizards. In the setting of a dry and rugged landscape we will meet the enormous creatures that come closest to anything you ever fancied of prehistory. After re-embarking we will sail to a beach, called red-beach because of the particles of red coral mingled with the sand. Here we will swim and snorkel over one of the richest reefs in Eastern Indonesia. We will be stunned by the incredible variety of coral and fish on display underneath our arms and legs.

Today we will visit the ranger station of Loh Buaya on Rinca Island. This island is well-known for its diverse wildlife. Apart from Komodo dragons, we may spot monkeys, wild buffaloes and deer. From the top of the hills, the scenery is spectacular. In the evening our crew will prepare an evening beach barbecue and we will enjoy a star studded night sky. Late at night we will sail to the bay of Labuhanbajo where we spend a quiet night.

After a last early morning swim we say goodbye to the crew and leave the boat. Time permitting we will visit the market or attend a demonstration of the whip dance in the village of Melo a 30 minute drive from the centre of Labuhanbajo.