Kendari (Sulawesi) - Bima (Sumbawa)


Kendari - Tukangbesi Archipelago - Island of Kakabia - Island of Batu Ata - Komodo & Rinca National Park – Bima

Sail and dive in some of the best dive sites of two of the most precious jewels of the Indonesian diving paradise, Tukangbesi and Komodo, linked in this unique cruise by a superb and outstanding sail through some enigmatic isolated islands where very few people have dived before.

Archipelago of Tukang Besi: Situated in the Banda Sea, is without any doubt one of the best places to dive in the world as Mr. J.Y.Cousteau said during his pioneering visit in the middle of the 80s.

The Operation Wallacea, a group of scientific and English volunteers who, since some years ago, have been performing field studies in the island of Hoga, confirms the incredible variety of this underwater ecosystem.

The name of the four main islands, Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomea and Binongko form the acronym of Wakatobi, well known name for this archipelago. Smaller multitude of islands configure an intricate labyrinth of reefs that include everything that a diver desires: a true paradise of biodiversity.

All the archipelago is surrounded by deep waters so during the cruise sometimes it will be difficult to see the sea bottom in some dives. In that area we will find a very peculiar type of reef, call "crest". A narrow and long submarine mountain chain rising and descending to different levels, sometimes almost to surface level, with deep waters surrounding the walls at both sides.

The waters of the Tukang Besi are inhabited by a great quantity of species, from the largest to the smallest one, all the imaginable marine creatures may be found here: from pygmy seahorses to whale sharks. Barracudas, carangids, tuna, groupers, large napoleon fish, hunchback parrot fish, turtles, sea snakes, reef sharks, eagle rays, mobulas, all are frequent encounters in the cruises in this area. Several species of whales are also sighted occasionally from the ship while sailing. This is also the kingdom of the macro-photography, with very rare species like the leaf scorpion fish, the ghost pipe fish or the blue ring octopus, besides an infinite number of nudibranchs and small crabs, shrimps....etc, not to mention the exceptionally rich fixed life, hard and soft coral colonies, sponges and gorgonias.

One of the most exuberant underwater areas of the Indo Pacific!

Between The Tukangbesi Archipelago and Komodo & Rinca National Park, we will go through 3 isolated islands in the middle of the Flores Sea:Sangisangiang, Kakabia y Batu Ata. The 3 of them are surrounded by deep waters and are a real adventure diving promise land! Vertical walls decorated with large blocks of gigantic gorgonias and black coral, caves and crevices richly decorated. Eagle rays, manta rays, sharks, barracudas and carangids can easily be seen in the blue. In the night dives in one of those incredible and vertical walls over very deep waters we can assist to an unusual marine show: flashlight fishes coming up from the very deep to feed. These small fish with a bioluminescent organ under the eyes light the dark waters like fireflies giving us a unique experience in our diving life.

Komodo & Rinca National Park: The narrow straits between these two islands communicate the Flores Sea with the Indian Ocean. Their tide currents provide a continuous exchange of water and nutrients between the inner sea and the ocean creating a unique ecosystem, favoring the biodiversity and the proliferation of peculiarities like the frog fish or endemic species that can only be observed here, like the sea apple. The depths are densely populated with fixed life, with great underwater variety of landscapes, from diving in vertical walls covered with soft corals resembling the Red Sea gardens to stone structures resembling the cold water reefs of the North Sea. Due to the high degree of protection that this National Park enjoys, it is also an area of great abundance of fish, with thick schools of carangids, sweet lips and butterflies, as well as frequent encounters with manta rays and reef sharks.

LAND EXCURSIONS: additionally to the traditional fish barbecue in the beach, in this route the following visits are carried out:
- One of the main attractions of this route is the mandatory visit to the Komodo & Rinca National Park for the observation of the famous Komodo Dragons, a carnivorous variety of lizard (Varanus Komodiensis) which can grow up to 3 meters of length. Due to the strong currents of the straits surrounding these islands, and in spite of the fact that the dragons can swim, they have remained isolated in these two remote islands of prehistoric look. The visit is a two - three hours walk in one of the two islands, Komodo or Rinca, accompanied by a National Park guide, depending on how lucky we would be that day we will see, apart from the dragons, deer, wild boars, water buffalos, parrots and fowls. Wooden dragons carvings of different sizes and pearls from nearby farms can be bought to the natives of the island.
- During the cruise we will disembark in desert islands and secluded bays where we will see the flying foxes fly at dusk and also visit some fishing villages during our sail through this incredible and unique place on earth.

- The island of Kakabia is inhabited by thousands of marine fowls, from frigates to albatross and various types of seagull. Strolling around the island literally covered with guano, is possible to recognise (and to photograph) the nests of those fowls with their chicks, the seagulls stinging the waters for their prey falling full speed from tens of meters high, the albatross stealing their catch without compassion after a cruel flying, in the middle of the deafening shouting.

- In the island of Binongko there is a small population dedicated to a humble craft industry of forges of iron. With some primitive ovens, aired by hand, they melt old pieces of steel and shape them with heavy hammers to manufacture knives and "kriss", the legendary Asian knife with snake shape blade and with magic properties. We can collaborate with the local economy buying some of those kriss or fabrics directly woven by hand by the locals.

In the island of Hoga, we will visit a village on stilts where the sea-gypsies live. This ethnic group, the Bajo, is found all over Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand and are not included in the census of any of these countries due to its semi nomad way of life, in continuous contact with the sea, dedicated to the pearl farming, recollection of trepang and underwater fishing. Small fishing spears and hand crafted wooden diving goggles can be bought to the locals..