Indonesian Island Cruise

Day 1 Depart London
You’ll fly overnight, arriving in Bali in the following day.

Day 2 Arrive Bali
Upon arrival you’ll be met at the airport and taken you to your hotel near Sanur for the next 2 nights. Set in luxuriant gardens descending to a white sand beach, the Segara Village Hotel is the perfect place to unwind after your journey. Cool off in one of the pools maybe or watch the sun set from the open-air Jacuzzi. Located in one of Bali’s most elegant seaside resorts, Sanur, you could also take a stroll into the centre to the Le Mayeur Museum and admire the impressionist style work of Adrien Jean Le Mayeur; a Belgian artist who married a local Legong dancer.

Day 3 In Bali
Your hotel offers an array of activities on its private stretch of beach; or you may want to indulge in a traditional Balinese massage in the Aroma Spa. Alternatively, explore the island independently. There so much to discover in its verdant interior and along its sandy beaches that are pounded by crashing surf. Cliff top temples like Tanah Lot and Pura Luhur Ula Watu offer a fascinating insight into Balinese culture as well as offering up some breathtaking scenery.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Bali – Lombok
A scenic 2-hour drive north brings you to Amed, where you’ll board the Katharina; an elgant traditionally styled phinisi and your home for the next 7 nights. After unpacking in your air-conditioned en suite cabin, why not enjoy the scenery from the teak canopied sundeck as you sail through the Lombok Straits? This stretch of water is famous for being a botanic frontier; heading south from here the flora and fauna species have a greater similarity to those found in Australia than Asia. After lunch on board, you’ll stop at one of the small islets off the coast of Lombok for snorkelling and swimming. In the evening you’ll enjoy your first dinner on board as you sail on towards Sumbawa.

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Day 5 Sumbawa
This morning, you’ll wake up to the breathtaking panorama of the rugged, volcanic coastline of Sumbawa. After breakfast, you’ll go ashore to visit two small islands off its dramatic shoreline. First stop Pulau Bungin, where the narrow streets are lined with houses on stilts and where you will be welcomed by a musical performance from the local schoolchildren. After returning to the ship for a lunch on board, you’ll stop in Pulau Moyo in the afternoon for swimming and snorkelling off its white sand beaches. Tonight as you dine, the ship will sail onwards along Sumbawa’s eastern coast.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 Sumbawa – Komodo
Today you’ll alight at the village of Wera; a cluster of houses on stilts nestled in palm groves on Sumbawa’s eastern shore to watch local craftsmen building traditional wooden boats by hand the way they have done for centuries. Your own boat, the Katharina, was constructed in this way. After a lazy lunch on board, you’ll reach the coral reefs and limpid waters of Gili Banta by the afternoon. A diver’s paradise, you’ll enjoy some free time to sunbathe or snorkel in search of turtles and manta rays; before enjoying another dinner on board sailing towards Komodo in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 Komodo – Labuan Bay
This morning you awake at anchor in Komodo; the largest of the 80 islands that make up the Komodo National Park. Recognised by UNESCO for its biodiversity, the park boasts one of the richest marine environments in the world and is home to over 1,000 species of fish and over 300 different corals and sea sponges. On land it is most famous for being the natural habitat of the Komodo dragon. After breakfast, you’ll go ashore to explore on a guided nature trek. Walking through a savannah dotted with jujubi trees and lontar palms, you may spot wild boar, Timor deer and of course the famous Komodo dragon itself. In the afternoon you sail on to Pink Beach, named after its crescent of fine pink sands, where you can enjoy some snorkelling off the coral reef. Sailing west that evening, you anchor in the Bay of Labuan overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 Labuan Bajo – Rinca
Still sailing through the national park, this morning you’ll reach the lush island of Flores, characterized by its thick forests, waterfalls and volcanic peaks. Your first port of call today is the village of Lanbuanbajo on the island’s western tip. Little has changed in this sleepy fishing hamlet for centuries; you’ll pass timber framed houses and outrigger boats bobbing in the harbour as you come ashore. Here, you’ll be welcomed with a performance of the renowned ‘caci’ or warrior dance. The afternoon is spent cruising nearby islets for some excellent snorkelling and swimming, before sailing on towards Rinca where the Katharina weighs anchor at Loh Buaya overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9 Rinca – Gili Lawa
One of the main islands in the Komodo National Park, the rugged interior of Rinca is one of the best places to spot Komodo dragons in the wild. Together with a knowledgeable guide you’ll walk through a rolling landscape of wild kapok, prickly pears and tamarind trees in search of them; maybe also spotting monkeys, sulphur-crested cockatoos and water buffalo. In the afternoon you’ll sail on to the islet of Gili Lawa. From here a panoramic hike through orchids and jujubi trees takes you to the island’s summit from where the Komodo Archipelago is laid out before you. You’ll then return to the Katharina for a relaxing sun downer on deck before dinner, as you sail on towards Satonda this evening.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 10 Satonda – Lombok
Your first port of call this morning is the lush, volcanic island of Satonda. An exciting jungle hike, where fruit bats flit through the trees, gets you to the stunning crater lake at the island’s heart. Afterwards there’s time to explore its pristine coral reefs that are home to pygmy seahorses and giant frogfish on a snorkelling trip. In the afternoon, you’ll sail on to Moyo, and watch the sun set over Kromo. This evening as you enjoy dinner on board, the Katharina will plot its course for Lombok overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 11 Lombok – Kondo
This morning you’ll wake up in Lombok. Docking in Labuha Lombok on the island’s eastern shore, you’ll disembark to visit a traditional Sasak village; a collection of timber-framed dwellings thatched with ‘alang-alang’ (elephant grasses). You’ll discover the ceremonial beruga with six columns and the four-columned lumbung or grain store. As well as seeing local pottery, watching traditional dance performances and savouring a local lunch. You’ll then rejoin the ship and sail on to Kondo, where you’ll enjoy some free time swimming and snorkeling over the coral reef where you might spot groupers and sea cucumbers before sailing on to Lombok’s south western shore this evening.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 12 Gili Naggu – Bali
You’ll spend your final morning on the Katharina, relaxing on the white sands of a deserted beach on the beautiful islet of Gili Naggu. The fish are so tame here, that snorkellers can feed rice to them as they swim along. You’ll then relax with a leisurely afternoon on board as you sail back into Bali where you’ll end your holiday with a further night at the Segara Village Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 13 Depart Bali
We take you to the airport for your flight home.

Day 14 Arrive London
You arrive in London in the early morning.

Tour includes:

All flights specified
Private transfers
Local expert guides in resort
Inspirational sightseeing programme
11 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners
Komodo National Park dragons
Craftsmen building wooden boats
Visa on Arrival $25

On a Journey of Distinction, you are not merely a bystander. They believe that the wonders, customs and cultures you experience will live on in the core of your being. They even go so far as to say that one of their holidays will change your life forever.

Their combination of Tour Managers and Local Guides is what makes Journey of Distinction so distinctive. When you’re embarking on a voyage of discovery, it’s reassuring to know that a seasoned traveller is with you every step of the way; planning, organising, checking details and offering their advice and support. Their groups all depart from the UK, and no one joins us along the way, so you have the reassuring constancy of always knowing your travelling companions.

Our Opinion
“Limited to just 25 travellers per departure, every Journeys of Distinction escorted tour has an intimate, personal feel that makes for a more enjoyable experience.”