9 Night Cruise sailing from Kaimana to Sorong aboard Ombak Putih.

Day 1
You will arrive in the West Papuan port town of Kaimana. Make your way to the harbour where the Ombak Putih will be waiting at anchor. Once you have 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 head towards Namatote Passage, stopping for a refreshing swim along the way before watching the sun set on our first day at sea.

Day 2
Today we will cruise through the Namatote Passage. Namatote’s cliffs are 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 then explore the undisturbed coves, caves, and lagoons of Triton Bay, where we will anchor for the night.

Day 3
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 4
Today we will round Cape Papisol to the Karawawi region, where we will stop to refresh ourselves before journeying on to the beautiful 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 continuing north-west along the coastline of West Papua.

Day 5
Today we will visit the village of Sipitnanam, where we will meet the residents, who spend their days fishing the nearby waters and tending their nutmeg plantations. From there, we will make our way to 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.

Day 6
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. 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 spend a quiet night at anchor.

Day 7
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. 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. After a full day, the Ombak Putih will begin her overnight journey north.

Day 8
This morning will present an exciting opportunity for keen birdwatchers. 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 9
Today we will follow in the footsteps of the ‘father of biogeography,’ Alfred Russel Wallace by rising early and walking 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 Ombak Putih 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 of 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 10
In the morning, we will find ourselves at anchor in the harbour of Sorong. After a final, hearty breakfast, we will say goodbye to the Ombak Putih and her crew.

The Ombak Putih is a traditional Indonesian schooner custom built from ironwood by Buginese ship builders in Batulicin, Kalimantan. Her keel was laid in 1995, and she became operational in 1997. In early 2015, the Ombak Putih was the subject of a major interior refit. Working with the unique heritage this vessel represents, her transformation is a conservation exercise back to authenticity, using only the best traditional materials, shaped by highly skilled Indonesian craftsmen. Yet, what goes on behind the scenes is the use of the most up-to-date technology and she is now equipped with a super yacht grade AC station and we are optimizing our systems to the latest safety standards.

The Ombak Putih is 42 metres long, and provides accommodation for up to 24 guests in 12 comfortable cabins. With approximately 400 square metres of public space divided over two main decks, the Ombak Putih offers both open and covered space in abundance, allowing for privacy and serene relaxing. All cabins are located below deck and offer private en-suite bathrooms, portholes, individually controlled air conditioning, and ample storage space including safety deposit box.

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.