Board the Coral Adventurer for the first section of the inaugural ‘Customs and Craftsmen’ art-themed expedition of Papua New Guinea, West Papua, and the Maluku Islands. This part of the exciting itinerary will spend a fully immersive 12 nights exploring remote villages and historic towns from Darwin to Vanimo, focusing on art and culture and interacting with the local communities along the way, with the option to complete the entire journey or join us for simply the first or second section.
The expedition will be joined by collector and expert on New Guinea tribal art, Richard Aldridge, who will be offering his expertise as a guest lecturer throughout the voyage.
Highlights
Interact with local craftsmen and artists at remote villages and markets
Visit Sultans Palace and enjoy high tea in Ternate overlooking the island
Enjoy high-spirited cultural performances from villages during the voyage
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
As the ship crosses the Timor Sea you may have time to relax and explore the Coral Adventurer, enjoy the Captain’s welcome drinks, and join presentations with the Expedition Team.
An armada of Kora Kora Canoes flanking the Coral Adventurer welcomes you to Banda Neira. Once ashore, you can explore the old colonial town and tour the nutmeg plantations, museums, and markets. There is a great opportunity to snorkel over the lava flow of Gunung Api volcano.
Tonight's dinner is hosted under the stars at the 17th-century Fort Belgica, where the local artists join and display their arts and crafts and dancing. Dine on Bandanese cuisine as the sun sets over the fort.
Saparua has a relaxed and traditional environment, with very few tourists. The Dutch East Indies Company established Fort Duurstedt in 1691, and the island is full of history. The locals greet you with flowers and a welcome dance before joining the guides and guest lecturer for a tour of the fort and village.
In the afternoon, you may visit the beautiful white sands of Molana Island.
Today is spent on cruising South Halmahera, stopping at the lush mountainous islands and snorkeling the colorful fringing reefs with their abundant marine life.
Boarding the Xplorer that cruises to Ternate and journey to the Sultan’s Palace. Built-in 1834 and restored in a semi-colonial style, the Sultan’s Place still houses the Sultan’s family. On a guided walk throughout the palace grounds, you may view numerous artifacts from the Dutch & Portuguese eras and learn about the "magic of the crown."
During the afternoon exploration of Ternate, you can enjoy a high tea with a view over the islands and learn of the clove plantation history. A visit to the unique Fort Tolukko which presides over the foreshore gives impressive views of volcanic Mt. Gamalama.
Awake in Tobelo Bay surrounded by lush green islands and a jigsaw of coral atolls. Today, visit the elementary school and the communal House or Hibualamo, where you can be entertained with cultural performances. Take the opportunity to visit the Tobelo markets today.
Spend the morning crossing the Halmahera Sea before being welcomed to Amsterdam Island with an enthusiastic and colorful grand reception. Amsterdam Island is known for WW2 history, with the shoreline and seafloor displaying remnants of shipwrecks just waiting to be explored.
The Auri Islands lie within Cenderawasih Bay (Cenderawasih means “Paradise” in the Bahasa language). Here relax on beautiful beaches, snorkel the reefs, visit the local fishing camp and explore the islands’ perimeter on board the zodiacs.
Enter the Cenderawasih Marine Park and go in search of the biggest fish in the sea, the extraordinary whale shark. It is possible to swim with these majestic animals and you may have a chance to snorkel among them. Visit Kwatisore Village to learn about the local culture through traditional dances and games and listen to their talented string band. Local handicraft is available also for viewing or purchase at the market.
Today, the Coral Adventurer enters the Mamberamo River. This vast river is the Amazon of New Guinea, an almost completely unexplored region that is home to villages and tribes whose culture is still relatively undisturbed. The visit to this raw and primeval area is exploratory, with the potential to visit local warrior tribes and enjoy the wilderness surroundings.
Known as "Hollandia" until 1963, Jayapura is now a melting pot of sights and exotic aromas. Visit Lake Sentani, home to villagers famed for their distinctive art, and cruise on a longboat to see the stilt towns built over the tranquil lake. Be welcomed at Asei Village by the local dancers and their accompanying traditional instruments, and view bark paintings and other artifacts.
Day 13: Vanimo | Disembark
1 Breakfast
This morning, enter Papua New Guinea at Vanimo and disembark after breakfast.
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.
$7,470
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Coral Deck Stateroom
Identical to the Promenade Deck Staterooms except for their location one deck below. These staterooms have twin portholes rather than picture windows.
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Promenade Deck Stateroom
Located below the Explorer deck and furnished with a junior King size bed which can be separated into two singles. A wardrobe, desk, and armchair are included.
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Explorer Deck Balcony Stateroom
Comfortably furnished with a junior King size bed which can be separated into two singles. A wardrobe, desk, and armchair are included.
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Bridge Deck Balcony Stateroom
Comfortably furnished with a junior King size bed which can be separated into two singles. A wardrobe, desk, and armchair are included.
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Bridge Deck Balcony Suite
Suites are equipped with a lounge area, minibar, and personal coffee machine. They have special King sized beds which can be separated into two singles.
Notes
Important Fare Information:
Rates are posted based off of the current exchange rates from Australian Dollars. Please contact us for current exchange rates
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 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
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
1 day 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
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
