Pristine Rowley Shoals: Coral Gardens of the Indian Ocean Cruise

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6 days from

£4499 GBP pp

* Current p/p indicative rate.

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Highlights
Dates & Prices
Itinerary
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Highlights

  • Explore Clerke, Mermaid, and Imperieuse Reefs—remote atolls with pristine coral walls and turquoise lagoons
  • Snorkel or dive among vibrant coral gardens, drift channels, reef sharks, manta rays, and giant cod
  • Five-night small-ship expedition from Broome with just 30 guests

Highlights

  • Explore Clerke, Mermaid, and Imperieuse Reefs—remote atolls with pristine coral walls and turquoise lagoons
  • Snorkel or dive among vibrant coral gardens, drift channels, reef sharks, manta rays, and giant cod
  • Five-night small-ship expedition from Broome with just 30 guests
Capacity: 30
Feture image for Pristine Rowley Shoals: Coral Gardens of the Indian Ocean Cruise

Welcome to the Rowley Shoals – 300 kilometres west of Broome lies one of the most pristine coral reef systems on Earth. Over 5 nights, you’ll explore these remote ocean aquariums with just 30 fellow adventurers. 

Rising from depths of up to 440 metres, three spectacular coral atolls—Clerke Reef, Mermaid Reef, and Imperieuse Reef—create tropical ecosystems teeming with life. These pear-shaped formations, each approximately 7-9 kilometres wide and 14-18 kilometres long, harbour pristine coral walls that plunge into the abyss, lagoons of crystalline turquoise water, and marine biodiversity found nowhere else. 

This expedition is suitable for both snorkellers and divers. Diving is available for those with a minimum PADI Advanced Open Water certification or equivalent. You’ll explore shallow coral gardens teeming with life, drift through channels on incoming tides, and float above coral walls where visibility seems infinite. Each day brings new sites shaped by tides and conditions, from peaceful lagoon snorkelling to exhilarating channel drifts along the outer walls. 

This is expedition snorkelling and diving as it should be: remote, pristine, and utterly extraordinary. Your Rowley Shoals adventure begins the moment you step aboard. 

The highlights below are provided as an example only; nature will be our guide. Our voyages are true expeditions, where each day’s dive sites and activities will be determined by the Expedition Leader, Dive Master, and Captain considering the tide, weather, sea conditions, and marine life encounters.

  • Explore Clerke, Mermaid, and Imperieuse Reefs—remote atolls with pristine coral walls and turquoise lagoons
  • Snorkel or dive among vibrant coral gardens, drift channels, reef sharks, manta rays, and giant cod
  • Five-night small-ship expedition from Broome with just 30 guests

Availability is always subject to confirmation. Please check with us before booking flights

16 September, 2026 to 21 September, 2026 on Paspaley Pearl
Prices

Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.

Ocean Double Stateroom
£4499 GBP pp
Ocean Double Stateroom
14 sqm - Double Bed While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
Ocean Stateroom
£5499 GBP pp
Ocean Stateroom
17.5sqm, 18 sqm - Queen Bed While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
Ocean Twin Stateroom
£4999 GBP pp
Ocean Twin Stateroom
While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. 16 sqm - Twin Bed Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
Pearl Suite
£7499 GBP pp
Pearl Suite
27 sqm incl Balcony - Queen Bed While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
Horizon Suite
£6499 GBP pp
Horizon Suite
20 sqm incl Balcony - Queen Bed While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
31 August, 2027 to 05 September, 2027 on Paspaley Pearl
Prices

Prices quoted here are often dependent on currency fluctuations. Please check with (01432 507450 or info@small-cruise-ships.com) for the very latest price, which may well be cheaper than the one advertised here.

Pearl Suite
£7999 GBP pp
Pearl Suite
27 sqm incl Balcony - Queen Bed While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
Horizon Suite
£6999 GBP pp
Horizon Suite
20 sqm incl Balcony - Queen Bed While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
Ocean Double Stateroom
£4749 GBP pp
Ocean Double Stateroom
14 sqm - Double Bed While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
Ocean Stateroom
£5999 GBP pp
Ocean Stateroom
17.5sqm, 18 sqm - Queen Bed While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
Ocean Twin Stateroom
£5249 GBP pp
Ocean Twin Stateroom
While the experiences encountered ashore are paramount, so too is your comfort onboard. On Paspaley Pearl adventure and elegance combine. 16 sqm - Twin Bed Each of the 15 Staterooms and Suites is designed to provide a relaxed ambiance for you to enjoy during your stay. Comfortable yet practical, with plenty of storage space, fine Aesop toiletries, soft furnishings and quality linen greet you. The interior style reflects the history, destinations and communities we visit, a salute to the era of grand touring when wicker was the signature furnishing, reminiscent of the days when travel was enjoyed only by the privileged few….   Our modern take reflects finishes that are textural – a gentle pallet of rattan, linen and copper add finishing touches that are warm and welcoming. Your relaxing haven after a day of activity.
show reverse itinerary
Day 1 - Broome - Journey into the Blue

Embark on your extraordinary adventure to one of the world’s most pristine coral reef systems. 

Your Rowley Shoals expedition begins late afternoon in Broome, where you’ll step aboard Paspaley Pearl—your home for the next five nights. As the sun sets over the Indian Ocean, we’ll depart for our overnight passage to Clerke Reef, 300 kilometres west into open ocean. 

This evening, meet your fellow adventurers and expedition team over a light dinner as we discuss what lies ahead. Our specialist dive masters and marine biologists will brief you on the dive and snorkelling sites, marine life encounters, and safety protocols that will guide our exploration of these remote atolls.

Days 2 - 3 Clerke Reef - Vertical Walls and Crystal Lagoons

Dawn reveals Clerke Reef rising from 390 metres—an 18-kilometre atoll with impossible turquoise clarity. Your first session is an equipment check in calm lagoon waters, meeting giant potato cod and Maori wrasse. 

The outer walls offer world-class snorkelling and drift diving. Snorkellers float along reef edges gazing into the abyss. Divers descend to 25-30 metres where corals cascade down vertical walls. Tidal currents sweep you past schools of trevally, mackerel, hammerhead sharks, and manta rays.

Day 4 Mermaid Reef - Natural Reserve Snorkelling

Mermaid Reef, rising from 440 metres, is a Commonwealth Marine Park with highest protection. No fishing means marine life shows no fear, creating extraordinary encounters. 

Outer walls rival world’s best destinations. Snorkellers drift where lagoon meets abyss above plate corals. Divers explore vertical drops sheltering reef fish, patrolling sharks, barracuda schools, and passing sailfish or whale sharks. Inside the lagoon, staghorn coral forests, giant clams, and resting turtles create remarkable diversity.

Day 5 Imperieuse Reef - Final Snorkel and Journey Home

Imperieuse Reef rises from 230 metres. Though it lacks a navigable channel to the central lagoon, we’ll access the outer walls and use small tenders to enter the lagoon for snorkelling when tidal conditions permit. 

The walls here feature particularly dramatic spur and groove formations—fingers of coral extending into deep water separated by sandy channels. It’s in these grooves that you’ll often encounter the reef’s larger residents: sleeping nurse sharks, giant groupers, and schools of pelagic fish moving between reef and open ocean. Optional fishing is permitted around the outside of Imperieuse for those who wish to try their luck.

Day 6 Broome - Journey’s End

This morning you’ll arrive in Broome carrying memories of one of the world’s most pristine snorkelling and diving destinations. 

You’ve snorkelled and dived where no rubbish floats, where marine life shows no fear, and where coral reefs thrive in conditions that seem impossible in our modern world.

Please note:

Itineraries are subject to change. 

Day 1 - Broome - Journey into the Blue

Embark on your extraordinary adventure to one of the world’s most pristine coral reef systems. 

Your Rowley Shoals expedition begins late afternoon in Broome, where you’ll step aboard Paspaley Pearl—your home for the next five nights. As the sun sets over the Indian Ocean, we’ll depart for our overnight passage to Clerke Reef, 300 kilometres west into open ocean. 

This evening, meet your fellow adventurers and expedition team over a light dinner as we discuss what lies ahead. Our specialist dive masters and marine biologists will brief you on the dive and snorkelling sites, marine life encounters, and safety protocols that will guide our exploration of these remote atolls.

Days 2 - 3 Clerke Reef - Vertical Walls and Crystal Lagoons

Dawn reveals Clerke Reef rising from 390 metres—an 18-kilometre atoll with impossible turquoise clarity. Your first session is an equipment check in calm lagoon waters, meeting giant potato cod and Maori wrasse. 

The outer walls offer world-class snorkelling and drift diving. Snorkellers float along reef edges gazing into the abyss. Divers descend to 25-30 metres where corals cascade down vertical walls. Tidal currents sweep you past schools of trevally, mackerel, hammerhead sharks, and manta rays.

Day 4 Mermaid Reef - Natural Reserve Snorkelling

Mermaid Reef, rising from 440 metres, is a Commonwealth Marine Park with highest protection. No fishing means marine life shows no fear, creating extraordinary encounters. 

Outer walls rival world’s best destinations. Snorkellers drift where lagoon meets abyss above plate corals. Divers explore vertical drops sheltering reef fish, patrolling sharks, barracuda schools, and passing sailfish or whale sharks. Inside the lagoon, staghorn coral forests, giant clams, and resting turtles create remarkable diversity.

Day 5 Imperieuse Reef - Final Snorkel and Journey Home

Imperieuse Reef rises from 230 metres. Though it lacks a navigable channel to the central lagoon, we’ll access the outer walls and use small tenders to enter the lagoon for snorkelling when tidal conditions permit. 

The walls here feature particularly dramatic spur and groove formations—fingers of coral extending into deep water separated by sandy channels. It’s in these grooves that you’ll often encounter the reef’s larger residents: sleeping nurse sharks, giant groupers, and schools of pelagic fish moving between reef and open ocean. Optional fishing is permitted around the outside of Imperieuse for those who wish to try their luck.

Day 6 Broome - Journey’s End

This morning you’ll arrive in Broome carrying memories of one of the world’s most pristine snorkelling and diving destinations. 

You’ve snorkelled and dived where no rubbish floats, where marine life shows no fear, and where coral reefs thrive in conditions that seem impossible in our modern world.

Please note:

Itineraries are subject to change. 

Itinerary also available in reverse
Paspaley Pearl
PASPALEY PEARL marks a milestone in the development of boutique expedition travel, offering a benchmark-setting standard of excellence in the Asia Pacific region. As a modern boutique expedition vess…

Paspaley Pearl

Length 53 m
Max passengers 30
Built/refurbished: 2021/2024

PASPALEY PEARL marks a milestone in the development of boutique expedition travel, offering a benchmark-setting standard of excellence in the Asia Pacific region. As a modern boutique expedition vessel in the Kimberley featuring private balconies, we have the ability of reaching exotic destinations previously inaccessible by larger vessels. You’re invited to ignite your sense of discovery, all whilst travelling in comfort and safety that has been designed to create the smallest possible footprint, with a philosophy of empowering local people and creating ambassadors for the destinations visited.

Designed to feel like your home away from home

Marrying PASPALEY’s heritage of over 80 years in the Kimberley and Northern Australia with PONANT’s 35-year history of luxury expedition travel, PASPALEY PEARL emerges as the embodiment of comfort and adventure.

Featuring 15 staterooms and suites and hosting a maximum of 30 guests per voyage, PASPALEY PEARL emerges as the newest and only boutique expedition motor yacht in the Kimberley with private balconies.

The perfect place to relax while exploring

Main Dining, Lounge and Bar

Nestled on the Ocean Deck is our main dining area, lounge, and bar. As our skilled chefs craft your locally-inspired dinner, take a moment for a pre-dinner drink before being spoiled with the finest produce Australia has to offer. If you’re interested in exploring some of PASPALEY’s exquisite offerings, you’ll be delighted by their showcase of the world’s most beautiful pearls, available for purchase as a cherished memento of your time on board.

Outdoor Dining, Lounge and Bar

When journeying through the tropics, immersing yourself in the outdoors becomes essential. Indulge in breakfast and lunch daily within a relaxed yet refined setting. With two expansive dining tables and abundant lounges, relish the idea of dining amidst the natural surroundings you explore. Craving a refreshing drink after a day of exploration? Our friendly staff at the Outdoor Bar have you covered. The Outdoor Lounge doubles as the perfect space for afternoon briefings with your expedition team, ensuring you receive all the information needed for the following day’s adventure.

Sun Deck Lounge and Jacuzzi

Bask in the sunshine on the Sun Deck, furnished with sun beds, lounges, and an 8-person jacuzzi. Whether you prefer reading a book under the shelter of the protective shade cloth or engaging in conversations with newfound friends, the Sun Deck promises a haven of pure relaxation.

Sunset Lounge

Located ahead of the bridge, you can savour panoramic views rivaling those of the captain at the Sunset Lounge. Order a drink from one of the bars downstairs and relax as you witness some of the most breathtaking sunsets you’ve ever seen.

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6 days from £4499 GBP pp

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