Indonesia By Boat: Komodo, Rinca & Flores, Luxury Holiday

Day 1

Excursion starts:

Flight to Komodo Airport. Tiger Blue will be moored 20 minutes from the airport, making your transfer by car and tender an easy journey. Sail to Sabayor Kecil, keeping an eye out for dolphins, which love to swim alongside the bow. Dive or snorkel around the coral reef, full of colourful fish, sponges, Napolean wrasse, groupers and the odd stingray. Or enjoy the water from above, kayaking, waterskiing, kneeboarding or fishing. Later, relax on board with a good book or film before a leisurely supper.

Day 2

Excursion starts:

Early morning sail to Rinca. After a light breakfast, take the tender to the shore to see the famous Komodo Dragons. Accompanied by a park ranger, explore the giant lizard’s habitat on foot and learn about its hunting habits. The island is home to about 2,500 dragons as well as monkeys, Sunda deer, wild pigs and jungle fowl, so there is plenty to see on the trail. Rejoin the boat and enjoy lunch while sailing for a couple of hours to Karang Makassar. Stop by Manta Point, a feeding ground for manta rays and one of the top diving and snorkelling spots in the park. On this relaxed drift dive, watch the mantas gliding gracefully through the water with their mouths open, feeding on plankton. Enjoy a second dive at Batu Balong, a massive underwater rock with pinnacles and rifts surrounded by grey reef and white tip sharks, giant trevallies and emperor fish. The coral garden on its top can also be enjoyed by snorkellers, who have a good chance of seeing the larger fish. In the late afternoon, relax on a quiet sandy beach or hike up the grassy hill behind for panoramic views across the islands. Then settle in to the comfortable bean bags on the beach while the crew mix you up a cocktail and build a giant bonfire before heading back to the boat for a hearty supper.

Day 3

Excursion starts:

Spend a lazy or an active day, as your mood dictates. A climb up Padar’s verdant slopes will yield spectacular views across the park landscape and the island’s four bays, fringed with grey or white sand. Resident wildlife includes sea eagles, deer and goats. Successful anglers will be rewarded with melt-in-the-mouth sashimi or ceviche prepared by the chef. Under the water, Pillarsteen has four large pinnacles covered in soft corals, as well as canyons, caves, swim-throughs and chimneys. Watch out for the brightly coloured red and purple fire urchins. As the sun begins to disappear over the horizon, take the tender to a secret beach for refreshing cocktails and a BBQ. Overnight in Padar.

Day 4

Excursion starts:

Sail for a couple of hours in the morning to Pink Beach. The sand has a soft pink hue, tinged by the high quantity of organ pipe coral growing on the surrounding reefs, which breaks off and washes up on shore. While other corals normally fade, this retains its bright red colour and mixes with the usual white sand. Enjoy freshly-caught fish for lunch. Snorkel or dive looking out for macro sealife such as blue-ribbon eels and crocodile fish. A night dive here is world-class, full of colourful basket stars, bobtail squid and spanish dancers. Overnight at Pink Beach.

Day 5

Excursion starts:

Crystal Rock and Castle Rock are only 300m apart yet both are superb dive sites in their own right. The two submerged pinnacles are also accessible for snorkellers, offering the chance to see eagle rays, white tip, black tip and grey reef sharks, huge schools of snappers and fusiliers, batfish and Napoleon wrasse. Enjoy a cool beer or a freshly-made lemon and soda before a traditional Indonesian feast comprised of many small dishes with bold flavours, sweet or spicy sauces and plenty of rice. Set off for a 14-hour, overnight sail to Maumere.

Day 6

Excursion starts:

Explore the Pemana chain of islands - including Babi, Pangabatang and Besar - in the bay of Maumere. The islanders are descendants of the seafaring Buginese people, evident in their ocean-focused life and boat building skills. As well as being of cultural interest, the islands’ secluded beaches and bays offer an ideal setting for swimming, diving and watersports.

Day 7

Excursion starts:

Rise early (4am) to hike up to the multi-coloured crater lakes and to watch the stunning sunrise over the Kelimutu volcano. Red, brown, milky turquoise or green, the three lakes change colour according to the volcanic activity and varying mineral content. Savour local dishes for lunch before driving back towards the shore and Tiger Blue, where the rest of the day can be spent at leisure or snorkelling in the bay.

Day 8

Excursion starts:

Enjoy one last dive, swim, snorkel or beach visit or take a stroll in the city of Maumere. Pack and prepare to disembark, returning to the airport by tender and car. A flight back home.

For longer journeys, there is an optional stop at Riung, which has beautiful white sandy beaches and coral gardens Flying fox colonies hang in the trees until dusk - their mass exodus in search of food is an unforgettable spectacle, as they soar overhead in their thousands.

Alternatively, you can extend your holiday by staying a few nights in Bali. Check our luxury hotels in Bali.

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Indonesia By Boat: Komodo, Rinca & Flores

| Indonesia | Komodo | Rinca | Flores |

Summary

Itinerary

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8