Arrive in Sanur (Bali) in the morning and depart for either Padang Bai or Amed, on Bali’s southeast and eastern coasts (respectively), where the ship is anchored and waiting for you. This is a pleasant and beautiful drive of either approximately 1 hour or 2.5 hours (depending on the departure point), and a great opportunity to see a little bit of the island. After boarding the vessel, have a chance to settle in before the captain gives the orders for the anchor to be lifted prior to crossing the Lombok Strait. This deep trench of water between Bali and Lombok marks part of a very important ecological boundary which was first described by Sir Alfred Russel Wallace, the British naturalist. Wallace noticed that the flora and fauna of the islands to the west are home to Asiatic animal and plant species, whereas the islands to the east of the invisible ‘Wallace Line’ have a greater similarity to species found in Australia. In the afternoon make the first stop at one of the three Gili islands, a popular holiday destination just off Lombok’s northwest coast. Spend a few hours here, during which time you can choose from a number of water activities: swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking or simply enjoying the beautiful white-sand beach.

Moored off the coast of North Lombok, enjoy a hearty breakfast before going ashore and boarding a private bus for a trip into the interior of the northern side of the island and the traditional village of Senaru. Here, take a tour led by one of the local women guides of the simple thatched houses and gardens of fruits and spices, which give you an insight into the culture of the indigenous Sasak people. This mellow adventure leads you down a well-trodden flight of steps through the tropical forest to Sindang Gila, a roaring 40-meter tiered waterfall. The small gravel beach and flat rocks at the base of the falls are a meeting place for the local people, and if you want you can take a dip under the full force of the intense flow. The walk continues alongside an old irrigation canal offering panoramic vistas of rice fields stretching towards the sea. The area around Senaru and Bayan was the birthplace of Lombok’s unique Wektu Telu belief system in which ancient animist practices are combined with Islam. Next visit Bayan Beleq, a grass-roofed mosque with woven bamboo walls. Said to have been founded in the 16th century, this is the oldest mosque in Lombok. 

This morning moor off Labuan Aji village on the island of Moyo. Visit the village and then walk to Diwu Mba’i Waterfall, where you can swing on a rope and jump into the deep clear river pool below, or simply bathe in the refreshing cool water. Next stop is Satonda, a strange and mystical volcanic island with a sunken crater lake in its center that was filled with saltwater when the nearby Mt Tambora erupted in 1815, causing a tsunami that flowed into the crater. The eruption was the biggest volcanic explosion in the collective memory of mankind; it had roughly four times the energy of the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa, and gave rise to the ‘year without a summer’ because of the effect on North American and European weather. Local people believe Satonda to be magical, and with this in mind, walk to the lip of the caldera to view the mysterious lake, alongside which are trees believed to be ‘wishing trees.’ Visitors to the island tie a small stone to a tree and make a wish. If your wish comes true, you are bound to return to the island to offer thanks. The seas surrounding the island are rich with soft and hard corals and colorful tropical fish, so spend the afternoon swimming and snorkeling. Another highlight of this 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. 

Today visit Wera, a Buginese settlement on the northeast coast of the island of Sumbawa, where the men build wooden boats along the black-sand shores and the village women spend days weaving brightly colored cloth. Here visit the village and have a look at the hand-built boats in various stages of construction. Some of these boats are colossal in size, and it is fascinating to see how they are constructed. Then proceed to the island of Banta, passing Sangean Island, an active volcano towering 1800 meters above the surrounding waters. Banta Island lies within the boundaries of the Komodo National Park; it is uninhabited and offers perfect swimming and snorkeling.

Wake up at the famous Komodo Island, one of approximately 80 islands that make up the Komodo National Park. Go ashore at the ranger station in Loh Liang for an early morning ranger-led trek through the park searching for Komodo dragons. In this savannah-like setting of dry, rugged landscape, encounter, at a safe distance, these awe-inspiring, giant lizards – Indonesia’s living dinosaurs. Spot deers, wild boar, sulphur-crested cockatoos, butterflies, rare orchids and jungle chickens among the strangle-fig trees and the distinctive lontar palms. After returning onboard cruise around the coast and visit Komodo village, where you can buy some local handicrafts. Later head to the gorgeous Pantai Merah ‘red-beach,’ which takes its name from the particles of red coral mingled with the sand. Here swim and snorkel over one of the richest reefs in Eastern Indonesia, relishing the unforgettable spectacle of the region’s many varieties of coral and marine life.

Today visit the ranger station of Loh Buaya on Rinca Island where you have another ranger-led nature trek in search of more Komodo dragons, which are indigenous to this small group of islands. Rinca is also well known for its diverse wildlife, so you may spot monkeys, wild buffaloes, and deer as well. From the top of the hills, the scenery is breathtaking. In the afternoon you can go snorkeling. With over 1000 species of fish in the waters of the national park, there is much more to this wildlife reserve than just dragons. With your feet in the sand and the stars rising in the vast Indonesian sky, the crew builds a bonfire and prepares a beach barbecue as a final celebration of your memorable voyage.

After breakfast in Labuan Bajo, visit the local market or take a private bus to the inland village of Melo. Here, local ‘strongmen’ perform the ‘Caci,’ a ritual whip-fight between two rivals in which the players, each armed with a rattan shield and a whip, try to hit each other while dancing to the rhythm of traditional acoustic instruments. The men of Western Flores are famous for this test of daring and skill, requiring lightning quick moves to dodge the infliction of a wound. The winner is loudly applauded and cheered by the village. After the performance, enjoy lunch on the boat before transferring to the airport for your flight back to Bali.