Indonesia
BALI & WAKATOBI
PRIVATE EXPEDITION
JUL 2023 • 15 DAYS • 13 GUESTS
Visit local villages and experience Balinese hospitality at its finest. Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the island with serene tropical valleys, rolling landscapes, and awe-inspiring volcanoes. Explore secluded waterfalls on a private scooter tour, and cycle through remote villages. Stroll through colourful temples and watch the myths and legends of Bali come alive in captivating cultural performances. Stay in unique and luxurious villas and bungalows and enjoy exceptional service and cuisine on this Indonesian island adventure. Explore the underwater riches of Indonesia’s marine mecca, Wakatobi. Embark on an exploration into the heart of the planet’s most bio-diverse marine environment, the Coral Triangle. Home to some of the worlds’ most pristine reefs, with spectacular seamounts, steep drop offs, pinnacles, and shallow coral gardens, all covered in a myriad of colourful fish, soft and hard corals.
Known as the ‘Island of the Gods’ Bali is an island boasting diversity. Snorkel and dive in the calm, clear waters in Amed on Bali’s Northeast coast, and luxuriate in your private pool with sweeping panoramic views of the coastline. Enjoy sundowners as you cruise the coastline and feast on delicious locally sourced seafood and authentic cuisine. Travel to the Balinese highlands and experience authentic Bali in the Sidemen Valley. Explore the lush green rice paddies in the foothills of towering Mount Agung volcano; witness unique temples; indulge in a Spa treatment and massage from the comforts of your beautiful Balinese boutique hotel. Learn how to cook traditional Indonesian dishes and experience the genuine Balinese way of life.
Fly on a charter flight to remote Wakatobi in south-eastern Sulawesi and stay at one of the finest island resorts with one of the world’s most magnificent house reefs. Surrounded by stunning island landscapes and a pristine natural environment with world-class marine life, this luxurious resort works at delivering the highest level of service and the most exceptional experiences and memories, whilst providing a sustainable income to the local community. With their Collaborative Reef Protection Program, they are protecting the reefs surrounding Wakatobi, which has allowed the reefs and marine life to flourish and become one of the greatest marine biodiversity hotspots. Spend a week discovering the abundance of colourful reef fish, mantas circling over cleaning stations, patrolling sharks, and pelagic fish schooling off the current-swept walls in search for weird and wonderful critters on exceptional muck dives.
HIGHLIGHTS
Experience exceptional diving and snorkelling at world-renowned Wakatobi, Indonesia’s marine mecca
Immerse yourself in the rolling landscapes, lush green valleys, and majestic volcanos of Bali’s “Island of the Gods”.
Explore pristine reefs, with spectacular seamounts, steep drop-offs, pinnacles, and shallow coral gardens, alive with a myriad of colourful fish, soft and hard corals.
Wander through colourful temples, water palaces and traditional villages, and experience authentic Balinese culture.
Hunt for cryptic sea critters on muck dives.
Be pampered with 5-star cuisine and excellent service at stunning boutique hotels and island resorts.
Dive alongside the mysterious ocean nomad, the Mola mola and Manta rays at Nusa Penida.
POST-EXTENSTION NUSA LEMBONGAN - Mola Mola & Mantas
JUL 2023 ● 5 DAYS ● 13 GUESTS (private expedition)
Come eye to eye with one of the worlds’ most mysterious, odd-looking and elusive ocean nomads, the gigantic Ocean Sunfish, also known as the Mola mola. The Mola mola is a large pelagic fish that frequents the waters around southern Bali between August and November. It is the heaviest bony fish in the world, feeding mainly on jellyfish, weighing a ton and growing up to 3m (9ft) in length. It can be very curious and will often approach divers.
Explore sloping reefs and walls, covered in vibrant and healthy hard and soft corals, sponges and a variety of colorful reef fish. Watch majestic Manta rays as they visit cleaning stations or feed in the nutrient rich waters. Find odd and unique critters, like ghost-pipefish, frogfish, pygmy seahorses and other unusual suspects.
Stay in a gorgeous villa at a boutique resort overlooking the ocean, with the distant silhouette of Mount Agung. When not diving, enjoy a spa treatment, swim in the infinity pool, explore a nearby fishing village and the island by scooter, or simply relax and witness spectacular sunsets while sipping on a cocktail.
ENQUIRIES
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“Seamless... in a word, our trip has been absolutely seamless! Congratulations on your superb product. Thanks to all these years of experience, travel and your constant, insatiable enthusiasm! Loved the diversity of our expedition and the diving was perfect. Ending the trip on the MV Pelagian was the best idea of all. Please keep us on your A-list! With much appreciation for such a splendid holiday.”
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ITINERARY OVERVIEW
INDONESIA – BALI & WAKATOBI
JUL 2023 ● 15 DAYS ● 13 GUESTS (private expedition)
Day 01 | Depart Home / En Route to Ngurah Rai, Bali
Day 02 | Arrive in Bali / Amed / Welcome Cocktails / Sunset Cruise
Day 03-04 | Dive or Snorkel Amed / Explore Amed
Day 05 | Tirta Gangga / Sidemen / Spring Waterfall
Day 06 | Explore Sidemen Valley / Biking & Cooking Class
Day 07 | Besakih Temple or Ubud Markets / Kuta
Day 08 | Fly to Wakatobi
Day 09-13 | Dive or Snorkel Wakatobi
Day 14 | Fly to Bali for an international flight home or continue to Lembongan
Day 15 | Arrive home
POST-EXTENSION NUSA LEMBONGAN – MOLA MOLA & MANTAS
JUL 2023 ● 5 DAYS ● 13 GUESTS (private expedition)
Day 01 | Ferry from Bali / Explore Lembongan
Day 02-03 | Dive or Snorkel Lembongan
Day 04 | Ferry to Bali for an international flight home
Day 05 | Arrive home
WAKATOBI DIVE RESORT
Wakatobi was founded on the principle that discerning marine enthusiasts would gladly visit and support a resort which offered more than just the basics. Wakatobi combines an upscale diving and snorkeling operation delivering exceptional service to its guests with a reef conservation program which, in guaranteeing the pristine quality of the reefs for their guests and delivering a sustainable income and development support to the local communities. Wakatobi’s location was selected for one reason – because the world’s best coral reefs are found here. The isolated nature of the location is of course a hurdle to any operator not prepared to deal with the inherent challenges, making sure that Wakatobi is still the only resort for many miles around. From this uncompromising stand point, they have approached every other aspect of the operation with the same single-minded determination to move beyond what is commonly expected of a ‘dive resort’.
Wakatobi was built from scratch, they generate their own power and fresh water; they have built their own airstrip to make sure that they are easily accessible (previously an overland and local ferry trek of several days was required to get there). A vital part of the ‘infrastructure’ is of course the coral reefs. Wakatobi have set in place extensive conservation efforts including the creation of a unique reef-lease conservation program to protect and enhance the coral reefs for the long-term benefit of the island and its communities. One area where they continue to innovate with great effect is in the area of service. Fine dining, an agreeable wine list and an abundance of culinary choices. Numerous non-diving/snorkeling activities are available to entertain and enrich, from kitesurfing to local cookery classes and Yoga and nature walks. The ‘Wakatobi flow’ is the concept underlying the service and facilities development on Wakatobi – the simple idea that, you, the guest, should be able to connect with nature and quickly settle into a state of otherworldly bliss without hindrance; that service should be transparent – unobtrusive but ever present, anticipating and proactively addressing your needs.
WILD EARTH LEADER
PHOTO CREDIT © Thomas & Natalia Baechtold, Wakatobi, Batu Karang, Adobe Stock