Katharina, Papua's Whale Sharks & Birds of Paradise ex Sorong to Kaimana

9 Night Cruise Only

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*All prices are per person twin share unless stated as solo, triple or quad share.
Cruise Only Map
Cruise Map
Cruise Itinerary
Date Port Arrive Depart
5 Oct 2021 Sorong, Papua New Guinea
6 Oct 2021 Waigeo Island, Papua New Guinea
7 Oct 2021 Waigeo Island, Papua New Guinea
8 Oct 2021 Misool Archipelago, Indonesia
9 Oct 2021 Misool Archipelago, Indonesia
10 Oct 2021 Pisang Islands, Indonesia
11 Oct 2021 At Sea    
12 Oct 2021 Triton Bay, Indonesia
13 Oct 2021 Triton Bay, Indonesia
14 Oct 2021 Kaimana, Papua New Guinea
9 Night Cruise sailing from Sorong to Kaimana aboard Katharina.

Day 1
Embark the Katharina at her mooring in the harbour of Sorong. Once settled into your cabin, your cruise director will familiarise you with the vessel’s facilities and safety procedures. Ready to start our adventure, we will weigh anchor, leave the harbour behind, and enter the marine protected area of Raja Ampat, home to unique birdlife and the most biodiverse coral reefs in the world. We will cruise towards the island of Waigeo, stopping for a refreshing swim along the way before watching the sun set on our first day at sea.

Day 2
While it is still dark, our tenders will ferry those of us who are feeling fit and adventurous to the village of Sapokren, where a local guide will take us on a challenging trek into the forest in the hope of seeing the Wilson’s bird of paradise. The male is red and black with a yellow mantle on his neck, light green mouth, rich blue feet and two violet tail feathers. The featherless crown is turquoise, ornamented with double black crosses. If we are lucky, we may be able to observe the male dancing from a distance of just five metres. Before the dance, he will clear the ground from any leaves or other obstacles that may disrupt his performance. On our way back to the boat, accompanied by the sounds of the jungle coming to life, we will be sure to spot a number of bird species along the way. We will spend the remainder of the day resting from the morning’s activities and enjoying the waters and reefs of Raja Ampat.

Day 3
Today will present another opportunity for keen birdwatchers, as we rise early and walk into the forest on a pre-dawn quest to spot the remarkable red bird of paradise, one of the species that Wallace was most anxious to collect. With a little luck and the help of our knowledgeable guides, we might catch sight of this rare bird’s elaborate courtship display as dawn breaks over the forest canopy. After returning to the ship, we will turn our attention from the sky to the sea as the Katharina makes her way through the Dampier strait, home of some of Raja Ampat’s premier reefs. If the currents are in our favour, we might see some of the area’s larger specimens of marine life, which are attracted to the strait’s nutrient-rich waters. We will end the day by mooring off Pulau Arborek in front Arborek Village. Here, we can easily circumnavigate the tiny island by foot and gain a sense of the Asai culture, which is still kept alive by the villagers living in this isolated place.

Day 4
This morning we will wake to see the sun rise over the picturesque chain of islands that makes up the Misool archipelago. The topography is typical of ‘karst dissolution,’ featuring a great number of tiny islets whose bases have been eroded over time by the relentless motion of the tides. A swim through Tomolol’s mysterious dome-topped cave is undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities. After an early breakfast, our tenders will take us into the heart of the bay to see this partially submerged cave where it is possible to swim, snorkel or simply float while gazing up at the cavernous grotto adorned with astonishing stalactites. The more adventurous can swim or paddle through the dark waters to the other mouth of the cave. We will then move on to the mysterious stingless jellyfish lake, one of only 20 in the world where these amazing creatures exist, and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless animals. After returning to the ship, we will use our tenders to explore more of this impressive maze of karst islands, both above and below the surface, complete with mysterious skull cairns in sea-cave cemeteries, and prehistoric ‘petroglyph’ cave paintings, estimated to be anything from 3,000 to 5,000 years old and depicting various human figures and huge human palms, fish, flowers and plants, tools and vessels.

Day 5
Today we will have a relaxing day in Misool. We will spend the day maximising everything that this fascinating area has to offer by marvelling at both the marine wonderland under the water and the magnificent landscape above the surface. We can test out our paddling skills in the sea kayaks, watch for birds perched on the rocks, or just sit back and take in the glorious scenery. After a full day of island hopping, the Ombak Putih will begin her overnight journey.

Day 6
This morning we will explore the Pisang Islands. These tiny gems isolated in the vast waters of the Ceram Sea offer us a chance to relax and enjoy the sparkling white-sand beaches, clear waters, and vibrant reefs before making our way to the shores of West Papua. Here we will follow the shoreline until we reach the village of Sipitnanam. After visiting the village and meeting the residents, who spend their days fishing the nearby waters and tending their nutmeg plantations, we will continue south along the coastline through the night.

Day 7
Today we will wake up to the beautiful sight of Kitikiti waterfall. Here, in the wilderness, a roaring river cascades down the jungle-clad mountains and crashes into the sea below. We can swim under the waterfall and explore the extraordinary reefs nearby before rounding Cape Papisol to the Karawawi region, where we will stop to refresh ourselves before journeying on to Triton Bay.

Day 8
Triton Bay is a place of unsurpassed natural splendour, where time and tides have sliced the limestone landscape into tall cliffs and numerous islands separated by lagoons and narrow channels. It is also home to fishermen who keep masses of baitfish in nets that attract a migratory group of whale sharks, which we may have the chance to swim and snorkel with. We can’t make any promises, as we don’t have these wild animals on a leash, but fingers crossed we will. We will also spend our time swimming from secluded beaches, snorkelling the vibrant turquoise waters and kayaking amongst the rocky outcrops. We can also enjoy watching the birdlife from the comfort of our tenders as we explore this extraordinary maze of karst islands, before visiting the village of Lobo, which is a friendly place at the foot of a 1000-metre-high cliff.

Day 9
We will make the most of our last morning in Triton Bay by cruising through the undisturbed coves, caves, and lagoons before heading north through the Namatote Passage. Namatote’s cliffs are also well known as a gallery of prehistoric art, boasting an impressive collection of cave paintings, glyphs and pictorial signs left by ancient nomads high upon the rock walls. We will spend our final evening on the ship resting at anchor and enjoying a farewell dinner with our captain and crew.

Day 10
In the morning, we will find ourselves at anchor in the harbour of Kaimana. After a final, hearty breakfast, we will say goodbye to the Katharina and her crew.

The deck area of Katharina is dominated by the 25m tall main and top masts and a large central table around which we enjoy our meals alfresco. Just aft is the main lounge and bar, accessible on the port side. On top of this main cabin there is a sun deck, where you find several additional deck chairs and comfortable day beds.

Below decks there are 4 double cabins (with one extra single upper berth) and 2 twin cabins (upper/lower berth). In addition there is one family cabin on the aft deck behind the wheelhouse. This cabin has one king size bed (1.80m wide), a normal single upper bed and an additional smaller bench/bed). All cabins are air-conditioned (individually controlled) and have private bathrooms with warm and cold water. Obviously, we provide all hotel amenities you may require.

Each cabin has a wardrobe, a built-in mini safe, individually controlled cooling systems and soft lightning. All cabins have their own private bathroom with (warm & cold water) shower and toilet. Unlike typical ship accommodation, your cabin provides ample space to store your stuff and still move about with ease.

Katharina is a mix of traditional and modern design. Her hull and rigging are traditional, while the deck house and interior were custom designed to adapt to Western tastes of space, privacy and comfort. While Indonesian traditional sailing vessels are customarily referred to as Bugi Schooners, strictly speaking Katharina is rigged as a Ketch, the foremast being higher than the aft mast.

We know from experience that during a cruise in the tropics some of our guests discover the pleasure of sleeping under the stars and there is plenty of room to sleep on the upper deck. Mattresses as well as light blankets are available for that purpose.


Ship Profile & Stats
  • Length: 33 metres
  • Beam: 8.5 metres
  • Draft: 3.5 metres
  • Speed: 8 knots
  • Ship registration: Indonesia
  • Passenger capacity (dbl): 17
  • Crew nationality: International
Ship Amenities
  • Private Bathroom
  • Safety Box
  • Individually Controlled Air Conditioning
Ship Facilities
  • Dining Table
  • Lounge
  • Laundry
  • Sun Deck
  • Outside Dining
  • Bar
Sea Trek’s sailing adventures bring you to ‘the ends of the Earth’. In the wake of discoverers like Magellan, Cook, Tasman and Wallace our sailing adventures explore the area known as the ‘Ring of Fire’, in particular the string of volcanic islands stretching out east of Bali as far as the Philippines.

You will set foot ashore in Lombok and Sumbawa, meet the dragons of Komodo, hike up to the coloured volcanic lakes of Flores and visit traditional tribal whale hunters in Lembata. For those with a true taste for adventure, SeaTrek voyages drift into the distant timeless regions of Papua where to this day it is possible to meet tribes living in quasi-stone age conditions.

For those seeking to experience history first hand, we offer adventures that follow the spice trade to the Banda Islands and north to Ternate and from Halmahera all the way to Raja Ampat, following in the wake of legends who made history with their perseverance and discoveries.

Cabin Deck

Main Deck

Top Deck

Family Cabin Photo
Family cabin located on the aft deck behind the wheelhouse. This cabin has one king size bed (1.80m wide), a normal single upper bed and an additional smaller bench/bed).

All cabins are air-conditioned (individually controlled) and have private bathrooms with warm and cold water. Obviously, we provide all hotel amenities you may require.

Each cabin has a wardrobe, a built-in mini safe, individually controlled cooling systems and soft lightning. All cabins have their own private bathroom with (warm & cold water) shower and toilet. Unlike typical ship accommodation, your cabin provides ample space to store your stuff and still move about with ease.

Double Cabin Photo
4 Double Cabins (with one extra single upper berth).

All cabins are air-conditioned (individually controlled) and have private bathrooms with warm and cold water. Obviously, we provide all hotel amenities you may require.

Each cabin has a wardrobe, a built-in mini safe, individually controlled cooling systems and soft lightning. All cabins have their own private bathroom with (warm & cold water) shower and toilet. Unlike typical ship accommodation, your cabin provides ample space to store your stuff and still move about with ease.

Twin Cabin Photo
2 twin cabins (upper/lower berth).

All cabins are air-conditioned (individually controlled) and have private bathrooms with warm and cold water. Obviously, we provide all hotel amenities you may require.

Each cabin has a wardrobe, a built-in mini safe, individually controlled cooling systems and soft lightning. All cabins have their own private bathroom with (warm & cold water) shower and toilet. Unlike typical ship accommodation, your cabin provides ample space to store your stuff and still move about with ease.