Papua’s Whale Sharks And Birds Of Paradise

Take an early morning trek in the jungle to see the Red Bird of Paradise and the Wilson’s Bird of Paradise in their jungle home as they perform their mating rituals in the trees and on the forest floor.

Visit small islands for some fantastic snorkelling and beach time, swimming, paddling, and kayaking. We will explore the jungle-clad coastline by dinghy, enjoying the scenery and looking for birds before enjoying cocktails on the upper deck, waiting for the hornbills flying back to their roosting trees.

Visit a locally initiated programme where the villagers are replanting mangroves in their coastal areas to prevent erosion and to provide safe environments for juvenile fish to thrive. We will get our hands on and plant a few of them for ourselves, and hear from the founder of the project.

Snorkel on a nearby reef and visit the traditional village of Marandanweser, where the locals will perform some traditional songs and dance for us. Bring your dancing shoes because you will be invited to join in.

Trek to a viewpoint high above an aquamarine lagoon that overlooks a picturesque limestone karst chain of islands.

Enjoy more relaxing time snorkelling on the reefs, exploring the inlets and local areas by paddle board and kayak, or swimming and sunbathing from the white sand beaches of this beautiful piece of paradise.

Visit the Pisang Islands, a small group of picture-perfect islands, where we will spend the morning exploring the beaches, crystal clear waters, and vibrant reefs with our snorkels.

On the mainland of Papua, where we will visit a local village and meet the residents, who will welcome us into their village, sharing with us their way of life, which consists of fishing and growing nutmeg.

We have the chance to swim with wild dolphins and also enjoy some spectacular snorkelling and beach time on a remote white-sand beach.

Experience a most serene and primal scene of a jungle waterfall, where a roaring river surrounded by virgin rainforest pours into the sea. Here we will swim and play in the waterfall and the sea as we take in this most tranquil tropical scenery.

Triton Bay is a place of unsurpassed natural splendour, where time and tides have sliced the limestone landscape into tall cliffs and numerous islands separated by lagoons and narrow channels. Heading through the Namatote Passage, we will see an impressive collection of ancient cave paintings high up on the cliffs.

It is also home to fishermen who collect baitfish and keep them in nets attached to specially built platforms, also known as ‘bagans’. It is these and their fish that attract whale sharks. We will head out in the tenders in the early morning light to see if the sharks are around, and if we are lucky, we will spend a couple of hours in the water with these magnificent creatures.

Take a short walk into the forest to see a most spectacular jungle waterfall surrounded by virgin rainforest, and take a dip in its cool refreshing waters.

Our mission is to provide the best experience possible for our guests, given the current conditions, and when unexpected opportunities for adventure may present themselves along our cruise routes. Sometimes, weather conditions, tides, or other local factors dictate that we need to vary from the published route, and at times, there are special opportunities to explore and discover new locations, events, and activities. These explorations will always be a definite enhancement to the published itinerary and will be undertaken after discussion and agreement among guests. Ultimately, the boat captains and your tour leader will make decisions to maximize trip safety and your overall enjoyment, so please come prepared to be flexible!