Explore some of the highlights of southern Indonesia on this 8-day cruise from Komodo island to Bali. Board Ombak Putih after spending time looking for the famed Komodo dragon, then set sail for nearby islands to visit local villages, snorkel around vibrant coral reefs, and more. Hike for stunning views of the lush islands, then cool off with a swim in crystal clear waters with colorful fish. Learn about traditional ways of life and shipbuilding techniques with a village visit, and swim in a lake at the heart of an extinct volcano. As you swim, snorkel, kayak, and paddleboard, look for countless tropical fish species and keep an eye out for the majestic gentle giants, whale sharks. End your journey in famed Bali, an island known for its rich culture and spectacular natural beauty.
Highlights
Visit local communities to learn about their way of life
Snorkel vibrant coral reefs and spot bright tropical fish
Enjoy a barbecue picnic on the beach
Learn about unique species that can be found in this area
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 Komodo airport and transfer to your hotel, where you can relax by the pool, swim in the sea, and brush up on your snorkeling skills with your tour leader. Gather at sunset for evening cocktails before sitting down to an Indonesia buffet dinner as you get acquainted with your fellow guests who will be joining you on the cruise ahead.
In the morning, take a short drive to a traditional local village high up in the hills, where you will be witness to the fast and imposing caci whip dance by the local villagers. Here enjoy their hospitality with coffee, betel nut and a highly potent local arak (not for the faint-hearted!), before being treated to a selection of traditional dances by their men and women. By late morning board the boat, and as you enjoy a buffet lunch it will cruise out into the Komodo National Park where you will have your first snorkel amongst the corals. In the early evening at cocktail hour, the ship will anchor off Kalong Island to see thousands of fruit bats emerge from their mangrove homes and fill the sky as they head off to the mainland in search of food.
Visit Rinca Island and go on a trek in search of Komodo dragons. See monkeys, dear, pigs, buffalo, and myriad species of birds as you walk through the forests and savannahs of this large island. Swim with schools of manta rays as they feed on the current and circle the so-called "cleaning stations," where small fish remove parasites from their skin. Hover above these giant and noble beasts for as long as you like. Later, snorkel at Siaba Island, a favorite hangout of sea turtles, where you will have a chance to swim with these gentle reptiles as they cruise along the shallow water of the reef.
Spend the morning on Gili Banta, a deserted island with a beautiful white sand beach. Explore the magnificent coral gardens, hike to the crest of the surrounding hills for a view of the surrounding islands, swim, paddle, kayak and play. Cruise across the sea as the crew raises the sails and sets course for Sangeang Island, where local villagers are in the process of building a fifty-plus meter, traditional wooden pinisi boat, with the same pedigree and history of your ship. Walking around this small village, get a feel for their simple way of life, chat with the locals and maybe buy some handmade textiles as a memento. In the afternoon, snorkel on a vibrant coral reef just off the shore filled with fish and marine creatures from all shades of the color spectrum, including a meadow of hundreds of glass eels.
Wake up off Satonda Island, an extinct volcano with a brackish lake at its heart, where you can swim, snorkel, kayak, paddle board and explore the surrounding forest if you wish. The lake was created when it the crater was flooded by a tsunami caused by a massive volcanic event from the nearby Tambora Volcano, which in 1815 was the largest eruption in recorded history. Set sail for Moyo Island and take a walk through a village to a jungle waterfall and play with local kids as they take the lead on a rope swing above a cool, deep jungle pool to show you how it’s done.
Wake up early off the coast of Sumbawa, where you can hopefully swim with a group of whale sharks that congregate off fishing platforms, where local fishermen catch small baitfish and keep them suspended in nets, which attract the sharks. Spend the afternoon on a nearby beach where you can snorkel, paddle, kayak and explore the lush jungle surroundings.
Visit a village of the famous Bajao "Sea Gypsies" of Southeast Asia, and see how they live their lives so close to, on and in the water. Another relaxing afternoon awaits as you land on a nearby uninhabited island, where once again you can relax and enjoy snorkeling, kayaking and paddle boarding. Enjoy Indonesian hospitality as your crew hosts a beach barbecue this evening. On offer is plenty of good food, music, cocktails, dancing, and frivolity as you dance and sing the night away next to a bonfire under a clear tropical night sky.
Day 8: Bali | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Wake up at anchor off the coast of Bali under in the shadow of Bali’s Mt. Agung, the mother mountain of all Balinese people, and the most imposing figure on the whole landscape of Bali. Enjoy an early morning swim or snorkel before saying goodbye to the crew and starting your tour back to the south of Bali. Along the way, experience the best that East Bali can offer can offer with a tour of its deep culture and glorious landscapes. Visit water palaces, ancient villages, see lush rice terraces and jungles and the islands volcanic peaks, and dine on some of Bali’s freshest and most delicious traditional cuisine.
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.
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Cabin Deck
Cabin Deck. Spacious, air-conditioned twin-share cabins with twin bunks or double beds and private bathroom with toilet 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 | 251 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 251 reviews on
9 hours ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 day ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
Mary Warren
2 days ago
Jess was very easy going and answered all our questions. It’s not easy dealing with 6 people at once but she did an outstanding job!
Diane Foster
4 days ago
Kassandra and the Adventure Life team have been incredible! Kassandra was very knowledgeable and attentive to our asks while making sure we kept within our budget. This was our first experience with a travel agent and we were blown away by the booking/initial exploration service. We will use Adventure Life again.