Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Day 1: Brisbane, Australia / Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Arrive in Brisbane and connect with your independent flight to Port Moresby. Gather at your included hotel for a welcome dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Port Moresby / Embark Odyssey
After a morning at leisure and lunch at the hotel, enjoy a city tour, visiting the National Museum which exhibits one of the finest collections of primitive art in the world, including Sepik River carvings. You may also view, and purchase, fine-quality carvings and handicrafts at PNG Arts. This afternoon embark the Odyssey.
Day 3: Halioea Island, Suau Islands
Enjoy a relaxing morning on board and attend informative lectures on the culture and natural history of the region. After lunch board Zodiacs to visit Halioea where you are warmly welcomed by dancers, local children, and fishermen in lakatois, small sailing canoes. Unique gravesites line the shore of the island; traditionally the dead were buried standing up, with their heads poking out of the ground and covered by clay pots. Later, enjoy your first opportunity to snorkel or dive in the warm waters of the Coral Sea.
Day 4: Kitava and Narutu Islands, Trobriand Islands
The Trobriands are legendary for their yam cults, Kula Ring of trading, and overwhelming friendliness toward visitors. Go ashore on Kitava and visit the tidy village lined with fragrant frangipani trees. Dancers greet you with performances that are among the best of the South Pacific. Spend the afternoon at the nearby idyllic island of Narutu, with superb opportunities for snorkeling, diving, swimming, as well as beachcombing from the palm-lined, white-sand beach. Join naturalists for a hike where you may spot flying foxes, helmeted friarbirds, and channel-billed cuckoos.
Day 5: Iwa Island, Marshall Bennett Islands
Approaching Iwa’s beach, watch for traditional Kula Ring trading canoes and local fishermen in small outriggers. Ascend carved steps up a limestone cliff to a plateau for a tour through Iwa’s three small villages: Oporo, Okaito, and Obomatu.
Day 6: Rabaul, East New Britain Island
Six cone-shaped volcanoes, some of which are still active, ring Rabaul’s dramatic flooded-caldera harbor. Visit the bubbling hot springs and take in magnificent views from Observatory Ridge. And, learn about the island’s WWII history—Rabaul was a Japanese stronghold under Admiral Yamamoto. Tonight attend an astonishing performance of the Baining tribe’s fire dance. Tribe members in huge, magnificently crafted masks, leap and dance over crackling, red-hot coals in a centuries-old ritual to honor the local deity-spirits.
Day 7: Tingwon Islands
Completely encircled by an oblong reef, few passenger vessels are able to visit this small group of islands. Land on a sandy beach this afternoon and meet the 350 inhabitants of charming Tingwon—a picture-perfect village—and enjoy their hospitality and dances. After your visit snorkel or dive along the islets’ surrounding reef.
Day 8: Tsoi Islands
Villagers warmly welcome you ashore with a cultural performance and dances accompanied by a superb local choir. Sample traditional foods, then take a walk around the island’s perimeter to find orchids, butterflies, skinks, and birds along the way. On Tsoi Lik search for megapodes nesting along the sandy beach. After lunch your lecture series continues as you cruise toward Micronesia.
Day 9: Cruising the Pacific Ocean
Enjoy a relaxing day at sea as lecturers enlighten you on the natural and cultural wonders that lie ahead.
Day 10: Satawal Island, Yap State, FSM
This afternoon village maidens greet you and present a traditional welcome dance adorned in lava-lava skirts. Meet the men of Satawal, who still navigate their outrigger canoes without instruments, steering by the sun, stars, and swells.
Day 11: Ifalik Atoll
This classic, tiny circular atoll represents the most authentic aspects of Micronesia’s traditional state, Yap. The chiefs are intent upon maintaining cultural integrity—motor-powered boats are banned within the lagoon, as are televisions in the village. After lyrical dances by grass-skirted women, you are free to wander and admire the island handicrafts, or perhaps visit one of the traditional thatched-roofed houses set under shady trees. In the afternoon choose to snorkel, dive, sail in one of the handsome large canoes, or go birding with your ornithologist.
Day 12: Sorol Island
An idyllic, uninhabited island, Sorol offers shady groves of coconut palms bordering a crystal-clear lagoon. This afternoon explore the sandy beaches for nesting sooty terns and white-tailed tropicbirds, or slip into the warm waters for a snorkel or dive excursion.
Day 13: Ngulu Atoll
Ngulu is a large, stunning atoll, its ring-shaped lagoon bordered by tiny islets with swaying palm trees and beaches that offer a nesting ground to sea turtles. Go ashore to meet with the chief and the small number of villagers living on Ngulu Island. Afterwards visit the nearby palm-clad sandy islets for nature walks, birding, snorkeling, and diving.
Day 14: Koror, Republic of Palau / Disembark
Lush, dense jungle covers these stunning islands, while underwater coral “jungles” boast more than 1,400 species of brilliantly-hued tropical fish. This morning take a leisurely hike to world-famous Jellyfish Lake for an extraordinary snorkeling experience. After centuries of biological isolation and subsequent evolution, the melon-sized jellyfish that live here have lost their ability to sting. The afternoon is free to explore Koror, visit the Belau National Museum and the Coral Reef Center, or do a bit of souvenir shopping. After your final dinner on board disembark for a late evening transfer to the airport for your independent overnight flight home.
Dates & Prices
Per person starting at
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is 30% cruise cost, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 130 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
We are so glad that we chose Adventure Life. The service is top-notch. Everything is well taken care of and we just have to print the documents and go. Franny even gave us timely updates on possible airport strike.
KC Chan
TrustScore 4.6 | 108 reviews
TrustScore 4.6 of 5
Based on 108 reviews on
1 day ago
Personal knowledge of the trip I was considering. Patience with our figuring out which dates we could travel.
Brian
2 days ago
Clara and Rhenee were gracious and available. Phone contact is so important to answer questions and discuss all aspects of trip. If not immediately available they scheduled a time to speak.
They were knowledgeable, honest, realistic and very friendly. They are both very professional and take their role seriously.
Happy Camper
2 days ago
Jason has been wonderful. He is full of information and was very willing to listen to what was of interest to us.
Lee
4 days ago
The ability (of Kassandra) to tailor a guided trip to my exact preferences is very valuable to me, as well as the ability (of Kassandra) to provide expert guidance on destinations and travel dates. I also appreciate the ability of the backup staff (Maria Ignacio, Exito Travel) to coordinate all the details to make the travel logistics easy for the customer.
Mark Whalen
4 days ago
Our Costa Rica trip was amazing! Kassandra planned everything and the excursions, hotels, overall organization were outstanding. Everything worked out smoothly, the excursions guides were knowledgeable allowing us to see so much of the fauna and flora of the country. The hotels were great as well, all in fantastic locations and with beautiful views.