This exciting voyage will take you along the eastern seaboard of Indonesia's best-kept secret, the legendary island of Sulawesi. Cruising from Kendari in the south and finishing in Gorontalo in the north, explore the many islands and atolls of this spectacular region, with the opportunity to engage in a whole host of activities, which include visiting remote villages and meeting hospitable local people, snorkeling on beautiful coral reefs, trekking, as well as having the chance to see birds and fish only found in this region of the world. There will also be ample time for swimming, kayaking, and stand-up paddle-boarding, as well as simply enjoying the pleasure of cruising across the tropical season aboard the splendid traditional pinisi ship Katharina.
Highlights
Visit and climb the Gunung Colo Volcano
Enjoy snorkeling around the small island Bolilanga
Meet the Bajao people who build their homes on stilts over the sea
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive at Gorontalo airport then transfer by car to the harbor, where your ship awaits. After a general briefing, visit the Portuguese-built Fort Otanaha, from where you'll see the beautiful view of the city of Gorontalo and the vast Limboto Lake. Board the boat again and cruise to Una-Una Island.
This volcanic island is great to visit with the option of climbing Gunung Colo Volcano (highest point Sakora Peak 507m, southwest crater 235m), to experience a stunning view over the whole of the Togian Archipelago. In the afternoon, move to Binaguna village for snorkeling.
In the morning enjoy some fabulous snorkeling around the small island Bolilanga. From there, move to Danau (Lake) Mariona, on the north side of the island to snorkel with thousands of multi-hued stingless jellyfish; it still remains a mystery as to how this lake was formed. Spend the afternoon at the paradisical Karina Beach, where you can snorkel and participate in water sports. In the afternoon, enjoy some good snorkeling on the Tumbulawa Reef, and in the late afternoon, visit Desa Tumbulawa to marvel at the sight of dozens of the Knobbed Hornbills flying in to roost in the trees.
Those who feel fit can participate in a four-hour jungle trek from Tanjung Malenge, on the southwest side of the island, ending up on the north side. Others can go snorkeling off the north side of the island. Later, visit the bajo (sea gypsy) village of Desa Kadoda on the island of Papan, accessed via a wooden bridge, hundreds of meters long. These are the Bajao people who build their homes on stilts over the sea. Historically, Indonesia has had many nomadic tribes often referred to as ‘sea-gypsies’ due to the fact that they mainly traveled and lived in boats. These people have now had to adapt to life in a static village. Nevertheless, still being so close to the water, their dependence on the sea is not lost. Their children are introduced to the sea at a young age and grow accustomed to living and playing within the ocean environment. Overnight, cruise to Desa Taima, North Tompotika.
Taima Village is a nesting site of the famous, endemic and nearly-extinct maleo bird. Visit a project by the Alliance for Tompotika Conservation (ALTO). Here, you can hope to see the almost-extinct, huge maleo birds digging in the sand to lay their eggs. Instead of incubating their eggs, the maleos tap the natural resources of the island, relying on heat from thermal vents or sun-warmed sand to incubate their eggs. Furthermore, instead of building up like other megapodes, maleos dig down. You will also visit the nearby bat-island Tangkuladi (Pulau Empat), which is also part of the ALTO-conservation project. At lunchtime, depart for Banggai, stopping to snorkel near one of the islands that we pass on the way.
The best way to tour the village of Banggai is by bentor (motorised pedicab) transport. Visit the market, the Sultan’s Palace, a grave of kings of the past, and the ceremonial house (Rumah Adat) of one of the main indigenous tribes. At the harbor, you might see the beautiful Banggai cardinal fish, hovering in groups in the calm shallows. The tranquil bays of Banggai and its neighboring islands are the only places on Earth where you can see these tiny, exquisite fish in their natural habitat. Sadly, they may soon be gone from the wild because they are being collected for the aquarium trade faster than they can reproduce in nature. The Banggai cardinal fish conservation project is working hard to prevent this from happening. In the afternoon, you will have time for snorkeling at Pulau Potil, north of Banggai. Overnight you will cruise to Morowali to see the Wana Tribe.
An early start today for an interesting trek in the Morowali Nature Reserve hoping to meet the last indigenous tribe of Sulawesi. The semi-nomadic Wana people have a shamanistic, animist culture that’s unique in Indonesia. It’s based on shifting agriculture, hunting with blowpipes and snares, fishing and harvesting forest products such as rattan and damar. Morowali comprises lowland alluvial forest, mountain forest, swamp forest, mangrove forest and moss forest. Your Wana guides lead us up-river and through dense forest – thankfully flat going. From the village, you may get the chance to return using longboats across a fast running river, an unforgettable experience. Overnight, cruise to Salabangka.
Spend a full day exploring the Salabangka Archipelago, including a short stop at the village of Umbele where the residents are a mix of people from the mainland of Sulawesi and the Bajo people. They are mainly fishermen but some are working for a mining company. In the evening, cruise up the eastern shore of central Sulawesi to the islands of Labengki.
Labengki – a pretty cluster of hilly, jungle-clad islands, with deserted white-sand beaches – is renowned as an underwater paradise. The best-known islands are Labengki Besar and Labengki Kecil, where there is a heart-shaped bay called Teluk Cinta (cinta means love) and a stunning view from the top of the hills above. At the Toli Toli giant clam reef, home to a giant clam conservation project, you can enjoy a fantastic snorkeling experience with the opportunity to see dozens of huge clams. You can also visit the colorful village, and the impressive Blue Lagoon. Later, cruise to Pulau Sombori, which offers more blue lagoons, stalactite diamond caves and beautiful turquoise bays filled with coral rock islands. Spend the afternoon snorkeling and exploring the area. In the evening you will have a farewell party with the crew at the beach or on board.
Day 10: Kendari | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Disembark at Kendari and transfer to the airport for the return flight to Bali, Jakarta or elsewhere.
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.
$5,900
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Cabin Deck
Cabin Deck. Spacious, air-conditioned twin-share cabins with twin bunks or double beds. Private bathroom with toilet, washbasin, and hot shower.
Notes
- All rates are quoted in USD and represent cost per person, based on double occupancy.
- Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.75 times the published rate.
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
8 hours ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
