Bali is famous for its volcanic mountains, rice paddies, and beaches. The island has notable Hindu temples like Uluwatu Temple, Tanah Lot, Goa Gajah in Ubud, and Ulun Danu Beratan in Bedugul. The Kuta to Legian area is known for its bars and dining options, while Seminyak, Sanur, and Nusa Dua are popular resort spots.

Paspaley Pearl docks at Benoa Harbour, Bali.

The port of Badas is in Sumbawa Besar on Sumbawa Island. The people here strongly maintain their cultural identity, influenced by the Makassarese from Sulawesi, who have shaped local traditions over time.

Enclosed by Moyo Island and the imposing Tembora Peninsula, the serene Saleh Bay is far from the regular tourist trail. In 2017, Conservation International assisted in the development of eco-tourism ventures focused on swimming with the world’s largest fish. Still in its infancy, visitors can swim with the whale sharks in the clear, calm waters of Saleh Bay all year round. In addition to the presence of these majestic marine creatures, numerous uninhabited islands fringed by coral reefs are scattered across the azure waters of the bay.

Komodo National Park was granted UNESCO World Heritage status in 1989. With one of the lowest rainfalls in Indonesia, its climate provides the perfect habitat for the exotic wildlife of Wallacea. Dense monsoon forests in the protected gullies give way to open grassland savannas studded with prickly Ziziphus trees, providing the perfect habitat for the infamous Komodo dragon. Originally designed to provide refuge for the Komodo dragon, the park now protects one of the richest marine ecosystems. This has resulted in an abundance of world-class snorkeling and diving locations available to travelers.

This diverse string of islands sits just off the northern coastline of the island of Flores. Ironically, there are in fact 23 small islands that comprise the archipelago, but government authorities decided on the number 17 as a convenient tie-in with Indonesia’s Independence Day, which is August 17, 1945. Largely uninhabited, except for the odd fishermen’s camp, the islands boast spectacular white sand beaches and turquoise waters fringed by colorful coral reefs.

Floresians have an ancient culture stretching back millennia before the first arrival of Europeans in search of trade opportunities. Their history is shared through oral traditions and is recreated in song and dance. The mountainous terrain of Flores has preserved the diversity of cultures, and Maumere has kept its charming atmosphere, an eclectic mix of a bustling trading town and a coastal paradise.

Located on the south coast of the island of Lembata, Lamalera remains one of the last traditional whaling villages on earth. As traditional tools and methods are still used, whale hunts are exempt from the international ban on whaling. Whaling is essential to the continued subsistence existence of this rarely visited remote village. The island is dry and barren, so very little food can be grown on its soil. Villagers depend almost entirely on what the sea provides.

The unique culture of the Alorese continues among the Takpala indigenous group, who have preserved their traditional housing construction that resembles a pyramid, covered with coconut leaves, bamboo plaited walls, and four main wooden pillars. The island of Alor is also known as the island of a Thousand Moko’s. The Moko is a small bronze kettledrum that is believed to have originated in the Dong Son culture of Vietnam. However, it remains a mystery as to how these prehistoric Dong Son drums arrived in Alor. Local legend says that the Moko’s were discovered buried in the ground, and indeed, the Moko's are still being uncovered today.

Perched on the southwestern corner of the island of Timor lies the provincial capital of Kupang. Formerly known as Koepang, it is the largest city and port on the island of Timor, with a population of just under 500,000 people. It was an important port and trading post during the Portuguese and Dutch colonial eras, and many ruins and remnants of the colonial presence remain today. During the twentieth century, the city was used for landing and refueling long-distance flights between Europe and Australia. It was under Japanese occupation between 1942 and 1945, and much of the Old Town was destroyed by Allied bombing during that time.

Dili, on the northern coast of Timor Island and squeezed between the central mountains and the Ombai Strait, became the capital of Timor Leste when it gained independence in May 2002. It has a relaxed, small-town feel with a touch of Portuguese influence.

Paspaley Pearl docks in Dili, and disembarkation starts after breakfast.