Papua New Guinea to Bali

aboard the Clipper Odyssey

December 2 – 20, 2010

From $8,980 per person, based on double occupancy. Solo occupancy rates from $11,980

Trip Overview

"More than 30 canoes with at least six warriors in each sailed out forming a barrier across the river and surrounded our Zodiacs. Painted warriors boarded our boats, drumming and chanting, carrying bows and arrows and shields, and firing lime powder out of bamboo pipes. Given the circumstances, we were glad to be considered welcome guests! We carefully navigated the wooden steps of the dock and were greeted by a large, newly carved soul ship which dominated the area in front of the men’s long house."

Trip Itinerary

Thursday & Friday, December 2 & 3, 2010: En route
Depart on your independent flight to Brisbane, Australia. Cross the International Date Line and “lose” a day. (Meals aloft)

Saturday, December 4: Brisbane, Australia
Arrive in Brisbane and transfer to the hotel for lunch. The afternoon is at leisure to explore Brisbane on your own. Gather this evening for a welcome dinner and spend the night at a hotel. (L,D)

Sunday & Monday, December 5 & 6: Brisbane / Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea / Embark
Fly to Port Moresby in the morning and visit the National Museum and Arts Center, exhibiting one of the world’s finest collections of primitive art, including Sepik River carvings. Board the Clipper Odyssey in the afternoon and set sail into the Coral Sea. Monday will be spent at sea. (B,L,D daily)

Tuesday & Wednesday, December 7 & 8: Thursday Island, Australia
Australia’s northernmost point, Thursday Island lies in the strategic Torres Strait separating New Guinea from Australia. Settled in the late 19th century, its early fame came from pearling, and Australian and American troops were stationed at the base there during World War II. Explore the small, sleepy town and take in sweeping views from high atop Green Hill Fort. Wednesday is spent at sea. (B,L,D daily)

Thursday & Friday, December 9 & 10: Asmat Villages, Indonesia
The remote Asmat region is an expedition highlight. Known for remarkable ritual objects, the Asmat people believe that humanity began with Fumeripits the Creator, who carved humanlike figures and brought them to life by beating on a drum. The Asmat villagers honor this belief by carving everyday items – bowls, spears, paddles, ornate wooden sculptures, and shields – with artistic themes based on their interpretation of life and death. Travel in Zodiacs along narrow waterways lined with the entwined branches. As you make your way upstream, villagers in elaborate warrior gear and war paint paddle vigorously toward you in dozens of intricately carved canoes, waiting to escort you to the village of Agats. A walk along elevated wooden boardwalks leads to the Catholic cathedral and to a museum, which has elaborate displays of ancestor poles, drums, body masks, shields, daggers, and skulls – reminders that the villagers’ ancestors once practiced ritual cannibalism. (B,L,D)

Saturday & Sunday, December 11 & 12: Aru Islands / Tanimbar Island, Spice Islands
Sailing westward, arrive Saturday afternoon at the Aru Islands. Stop to go snorkeling or diving at seascape locales, looking out for Oriental sweetlips and shimmering schools of bluestreak fusliers. Or walk along beaches where green turtles dig large nesting pits in the shadows of wild yam plants, morning glories, spider lilies, and beach almond trees. The spectacular Tanimbars, meanwhile, are the southernmost islands of the Spice Islands (or Moluccas) and home to a mixture of Melanesian races with strong cultural traditions, including Indonesia’s finest boat builders. On Sunday, visit the village of Sangliat Dol where you’ll encounter some of the area’s best megalithic remains. A 150-foot-long monumental stone staircase climbs nearly 100 feet, linking the beach with a village overlooking the sea. (B,L,D daily)

Monday & Tuesday, December 13 & 14: Leti Island Group / Alor Island
Cruise among the islands in the Wallacea region – a bio-geographical designation denoting the meeting of the Pacific and Asian continental shelves. At the Leti Island group, step ashore on Lakor for a traditional welcome ceremony and walking tour of the village. Alor, meanwhile, had been cut off from the cultural and historical changes occurring practically right around it. Today, the island’s population is divided among Islamic peoples and large numbers of indigenous ethno-linguistic groups that live in the rugged mountainous interior. Cruise the protected waters of the 10-mile-long bay, keeping watch for dolphins that ride the swift currents. Upon arrival in the town of Kalabahi, venture into the countryside to visit a traditional and remote hilltop village. At first, you'll be confronted with war cries and spears, before the colorfully dressed villagers welcome you with traditional music and lively dances. (B,L,D daily)

Wednesday & Thursday, December 15 & 16: Lomblem Island / Maumere, Flores Island
The ship will anchor in the remote town of Lamalerap, whose boat shed-lined harbor sits at the base of a volcanic peak where basalt columns reach down into the crashing surf. Children crowd onto the black sand beach to welcome the Zodiacs. A welcome dance in a banyan-shaded square leads into a mock whaling ceremony, during which songs and play-acting illustrate the taking of a sperm whale. In the afternoon, snorkel or dive in the warm waters off the island. Portuguese explorers named these next set of islands Cabo das Floras ("Cape of Flowers") after the shimmering, colorful coral formations that lie in the surrounding sea. Cone-shaped volcanoes, still active on occasion, and palm-fringed beaches backed by thick tropical forests make it a veritable island paradise. Wildlife includes species of lizards, monkeys, and parrots; the surrounding coral gardens and caves are home to giant clams and hundreds of types of tropical fish as well as reef sharks, sperm whales, and dolphins. Arrive in Maumere to the warm welcome of a dance presentation at the pier, then lunch and snorkeling. (B,L,D daily)

Friday, December 17: Rinca Island, Komodo National Park
Rinca Island in the Flores Sea is a national park and sanctuary for the fabled prehistoric giant monitor lizard, better known as the Komodo dragon. Called the oras by locals, the monitor lizard exists here and on nearby Komodo Island. Walk along a forested pathway to a viewing area for a close inspection of these enormous reptiles, which grow up to 10 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. The surrounding forest is also home to elegant sulfur-crested cockatoos, friarbirds, megapodes, and sambar deer. In the afternoon, enjoy snorkeling or diving or take a glassbottom boat tour. Look for shimmering tropical fish, including striped clownfish nestled among the protective tentacles of its sea anemone host and spotted groupers careening by sea fans. (B,L,D)

Saturday, December 18: Kananga Village, Sumbawa Island
Zodiacs take you ashore to the small village of Kananga, home to about 500 traditional fishermen and their families. You’ll be greeted with drumming, dances, and pole-climbing competitions by local boys. Spend the afternoon at sea. (B,L,D)

Sunday, December 19: Benoa, Bali / Disembark Clipper Odyssey / Sanur
For centuries, Bali has captivated the imagination of artists, writers, and travelers with its landscapes of emerald terraced rice fields, lush forests dwarfed by the sacred volcano Mt. Batur, and exquisite Hindu temples. Disembark in the morning in Benoa, and drive to Ubud, where artisans display their expertise in painting, sculpture, silverworking, and batik. Enjoy visiting galleries and artisan workshops before continuing on to Sanur, an expansive beachfront area. Have dinner and spend the night at a hotel. (B,L,D)

Monday, December 20: Denpasar / USA
Following breakfast, enjoy the morning at leisure. Have lunch at the hotel before transferring to the airport for independent flights home. (B,L)

Optional Extension

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
November 26 – December 5, 2010

From spectacular lowland rain forests on the coastal plains to 15,000-foot-high peaks, Papua New Guinea is rightly called “the land of the unexpected.” The lush green canopy of the tropical rain forest is home to 38 species of the ornately plumaged bird of paradise and more than 2,700 species of orchids. Museums and collectors consider the Sepik region one of the best sources of primitive art in the world. Explore the fascinating culture and villages along the Karawari River and enjoy the splendid setting of the lodge, designed as a traditional ancestral worship house, or haus tambaran. In the Southern Highlands, the Ambua Lodge offers a bird’s eye view of paradise and showcases massive Sepik carvings.

Extension cost: $3,880 per person, based on double occupancy; single supplement: $480.

WWF