Orangutans and Dragons

Arrive in Borneo (flights typically come from Bali or Jakarta). Meet your guide at your hotel lobby at 8 am. From there, take a 40-minute drive to the village of Sei Gohong. Board local canoes to visit Pulau Kaja, a forested island managed by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS), where you can have the chance to observe orangutans in their natural habitat. Afterward, return to Palangkaraya Harbour and board the Rahai’i Pangun riverboat to begin the cruise. During lunch onboard, the boat takes a short cruise through the town as it heads upstream. You’ll then travel 30 minutes by vehicle to the historic towns of Bukit Rawi and Sigi, where you’ll see painted sandungs (Dayak burial structures), receive a Dayak welcome, and learn about the region’s history. Return to the boat and continue cruising downstream, eventually mooring overnight in a peaceful location.

In the early morning, you take motorized canoes to explore the blackwater Lake Bagantung, a unique peatland swamp ecosystem. Here, you can observe birds, wildlife, and the fishing activities of local villagers. Afterward, you return to the village of Pusaka to learn about the local self-defense practice or shadow boxing exercise, which you are welcome to try yourself. Once back on the boat, the cruise continues downstream toward Tumbang Nusa village. Upon arrival at Tumbang Nusa, you take a walking tour of the village to see and learn about their traditional livelihoods. The boat then resumes its journey downstream, passing the forested Selat and Badak Islands, where you may spot orangutans. The day ends as the boat finds a quiet location to tie up overnight.

The boat continues downstream to the village of Pilang where you take a short walk in the forest area near the village to see the process of rubber tapping (Mamantat) and rattan harvesting (Manetes). The village guide also points out some local medicinal plants growing in the forest. Have a walking tour of the village to see some of their traditional livelihoods. Watch the local ladies at their rattan weaving process and meet the villagers. Over a special tea and coffee, with traditional Dayak cakes, you are entertained with a Kacapi (two-stringed instrument) performance. Escaping the heat of the midday sun, you return to the boat for lunch. The boat cruises downstream to find a quiet mooring place for overnight.

Early in the morning, the Rahai’i Pangun sets off upstream to visit the village of Pusaka, where you learn the local self-defense or shadowboxing exercise. Farewelling the villagers, return to the boat for the final village stop at Tundai, a tiny fishing village perched atop raised walkways. On the edge of an expansive blackwater lake, you float through here on canoes, admiring the stunning reflections and learning more about the unique fishing practices. You leave the boat late in the morning to travel to the airport for your onward journey to Bali.

You are greeted by your Tour Leader(s) either at the airport or your hotel if you’ve arrived before the embarkation day. As you settle into your new home, you can head to the first snorkeling session of the trip.

Go ashore searching for the fearsome Komodo dragons found only in the Komodo National Park. This is the world’s largest lizard, growing up to a length of three meters and weighing up to approximately 70 kilograms. Enjoy some magnificent snorkeling on some of Komodo Park’s best reefs. Snorkel at a favorite hangout of sea turtles, where you have a chance to swim with these gentle reptiles as they cruise along the reef’s shallow water.

Wake up off the coast of a beautiful uninhabited island with a beach of pure white sand with some sparkles of powdered red coral, creating the effect of a “pink beach. You spend the morning here, swimming, paddleboarding, and snorkeling on the beautiful coral reef that lies parallel to the beach. Cruise to a nearby active volcanic island where you enjoy a unique snorkeling experience where volcanic gasses escape in the form of bubbles from the sea floor among the corals, with the metallic black volcanic sand below being home to an abundance of very interesting invertebrates. Spend the day at a strange and mystical volcanic island with a sunken crater lake in its center that was filled with saltwater when the nearby Mt. Tambora catastrophically erupted in 1815. Here you swim, kayak, and paddleboard on the lake.

Prepare for an exhilarating opportunity to swim with whale sharks, the majestic gentle giants of the sea. These massive but harmless animals have long congregated here in the bay, but now, thanks to travelers like you, a mutually beneficial alliance has been formed with the local fishermen, who use traditional small floating fishing platforms in the bay that attract the sharks. There are no guarantees, as these are wild animals and animals not on a leash but fingers crossed that you see them. Visit the beautiful village on Moyo Island for an amazing experience. Walk to the stunning waterfall and enjoy a refreshing dip in the cool water.

Visit a nearby active volcanic island where you encounter a large wooden pinisi boat with the same pedigree and history as SeaTrek’s very own ships being built on the beach. Walking around this small village, get a feel for their simple way of life, chat with the locals, and maybe buy some handmade textiles as a souvenir. Entering the Komodo National Park again, you go snorkeling and beachcombing. You can have the opportunity to participate in the coral restoration program, where you see how the corals and fish populations have grown since they were first transplanted in 2015. Experience one of the famous SeaTrek beach BBQs under a night sky filled with millions of stars as you feast on the fantastic local delicacies prepared by the chef, all accompanied by live musical entertainment from the talented crew.

After breakfast on your last day, take on a scenic drive towards Melo Village, where you witness the traditional Caci dance performance. Local strongmen perform a ritual whip-fight between two rivals in which the players, each armed with a rattan shield and a whip, try to hit each other while dancing to the rhythm of traditional acoustic instruments. After lunch on the boat, you say farewell to the crew and your fellow shipmates as you disembark and continue onto your next destination.

Note:
Please be aware that this itinerary is designed to be flexible. The aim to follow the schedule as described, but due to weather, tides, preferences of trip members, and other factors such as the learning of the opportunity to investigate exciting new discoveries, can sometimes need to change course. The boat captain and your Trip Leader make the decisions to maximize trip safety and your overall enjoyment—come prepared to be flexible!