In Search of Wallace - the Malukus, Misool & Raja Ampat

Day 1 : Ternate

Arrive on the small island of Ternate, the capital of the North Maluku Province. You will be met at the airport and transferred to the stately Ombak Putih, moored off Ternate City. There will be time for you to get settled into your rooms, have a quick safety briefing, and enjoy an alfresco lunch while meeting the other passengers and the crew.
This afternoon venture into the city, to visit Fort Toluko built by the Portuguese and the ‘Kedaton’, the palace of the Sultan, with its rich collection of heirlooms. We will also see the impressive Fort Oranje built by the VOC (Dutch East India Company) and the probable site of the house where Wallace was living when he posted his essay on natural selection to Charles Darwin in 1858. After our tour we will move back to the boat ready to start our journey.

Day 2 : Ternate > Dodinga

Today we will wake up off the coast of Halmahera, with the mighty peaks of Ternate and Tidore as our dawn backdrop. Visit the village of Dodinga: the very place where Wallace was living when, in a fit of malarial delirium, he discovered the mechanism which drives evolutionary change – natural selection. Once he had recovered, he promptly wrote a detailed essay explaining his theory, which he posted to Charles Darwin as soon as he returned to his base on Ternate. His essay, which was published together with Darwin’s thoughts on the subject in August 1858, prompted Darwin to publish his book Origin of Species in 1859, which explained the theory in greater detail. Dodinga is a pretty little riverside village with friendly people, colourful houses and the ruins of an old Portuguese fort, and its importance in the history of science cannot be understated.

After spending some time with the villagers, sharing some fresh coconuts and enjoying their hospitality, we will head back to the boat for lunch and then go off for an afternoon of snorkelling and relaxation.

Day 3 : Guarici Archipelago

This chain of islands offers white sandy beaches, vibrant coral reefs and some lovely local villages. Spend a full day here snorkelling, swimming and pay a visit to one of the villages to meet the local people.

The islands are part of a government-controlled conservation area, designed to protect the reefs and the many beautiful marine species that live there. These protected waters also provide the perfect location for beginner or rusty snorkellers to become familiar with the water and to home their skills for the many days of snorkelling that lie ahead.

Day 4 : Bacan

Wake up off the western coast of Bacan, another of Indonesia’s historic spice sultanates. We go ashore to explore the forested slopes where Wallace made some of his greatest zoological discoveries, including the Moluccan Cuscus, the Standardwing Bird of Paradise, the world’s largest bee Megachile pluto, and the huge and magnificent Golden Birdwing Butterfly. Very few Westerners have ever seen this species alive and no groups of tourists have ever been taken to see it before. Of course there is no guarantee we will see it – but we will try very hard and will be employing as our guide the one person on Bacan who knows exactly where it can be found.

We will also keep a close watch for these and a host of other animals, some of them endemic to these islands, including parrots, cockatoos, lorikeets, hornbills, the elusive cuscus and the endangered black macaque – the only monkey in Maluku.

Day 5 : Pisang Islands > West Misool

In the morning we make landfall at 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 Misool.

Day 6 : Misool

Today we will try our best to see the Lesser Birds of Paradise displayed in the wild, an unforgettable experience. We will rise around 4 am and have a quick breakfast and go ashore, where local guides will be waiting for us to take us through the forest to hopefully see the birds as they dance around in their ‘lekking’ (courtship display) trees.

We will have time for a look around the village and possibly a visit to the school and to learn about their way of life. Mid-afternoon we will set off to the eastern side of Misool to Tomolol Bay.

Day 7 : Tomolo Bay

We spend today in the picturesque chain of islands that makes up the eastern part of the Misool archipelago, with its tiny islets whose bases have been eroded over time by the relentless motion of the tides. Visit a 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 a mysterious jellyfish lake and swim amongst the many thousands of stingless animals: undoubtedly one of Raja Ampat’s most memorable activities. 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 cave paintings, estimated to be anything between 3,000 to 5,000 years old and depicting various human figures and huge human palms, fish, and plants, tools and vessels.

Day 8 : Batanta & Dayang Island

The jungle-clad island of Batanta offers us a change of scenery and a chance to stretch our legs on an adventurous trek into the island’s interior. We anchor at the foot of Arefi Village, nestled on the north coast of the island, here we can visit the village and the school, and watch the children’s performance.

For those who wish, and only if the tide is right, we will take a short walk along the riverbed to the first of two jungle waterfalls complete with a refreshing pool for cooling off. The fit and adventurous may choose to continue the uphill climb along the rocks to where a second, larger cascade awaits. After this, the boat will move to Dayang Island for another great snorkelling opportunity.

Day 9 : Penemu Island > Arborek Island

We will wake up in front of the island of Penemu, a dramatic location with a short hilltop climb to take in the amazing views. After some great snorkelling on the island’s reefs, we will set course for the tiny Arborek Island, where the local children will perform their traditional dances for us. We can also walk around the village and gain a sense of the Asai culture, which is still kept very much alive by the villagers living in this isolated place. There’s a chance that we may get to see some manta rays as we snorkel, but there are no guarantees.

Day 10 : Penemu Island > Yenbeser Village

Today 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 will see this rare bird’s elaborate courtship display as dawn breaks over the forest canopy.

After returning to the ship, 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 spend the afternoon in Yenbeser village where Wallace spent some months and (if the tides are right) we’ll visit a faithful replica of Wallace’s small hut, which was built by the villagers using plans from FFI (Fauna & Flora International) and a grant from SeaTrek.

We will also visit a nearby small island where a local man has set up a coconut crab ‘sanctuary’. The island is home to a small number of these monsters (Birgus latro, the world’s largest terrestrial arthropod), and you can get up close and personal with these magnificent yet docile beasts. Another late afternoon snorkel along a reef with some spectacular giant clams (the world’s largest bivalve) will lead us into dinner at anchor on board, ready for an early morning venture for the Red Bird of Paradise.

Day 11 : Saporkren Village > Mansuar Island > Mioskon Island

Today we will rise at 4.30am, off Saporkren village. The dinghy will carry us across to the village in the dark and a local guide will take us on a short drive into the forest on a pre-dawn quest to spot the gorgeous Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. We hope to catch a rare and privileged sight of the bird’s elaborate courtship dance as the day breaks over the forest canopy.

Back in the village there will be time to meet with the community and perhaps visit the school. We will be back on the boat by mid-morning and we will head to Yenbuba at Mansuar island for some snorkelling before lunch. We then move to Mioskon island for more snorkelling and the opportunity to watch a multitude of bats flying overhead just after sunset. Tonight we will enjoy a farewell party.

Day 12 : Sorong

Today is the end of our adventure, but there is still one last chance for a swim and a snorkel at a small offshore island before we cruise into the port. Alternatively, we can explore Doom Island. Once at anchor we will say goodbye to our crew and our sea-based home, the Ombak Putih before taking the tenders ashore where you will be transferred to the airport for your onward travel.