The pioneer of expedition cruising in Australia, Coral Expeditions announced an extensive series of 7 expeditions for 2021 to the East Indies exploring enchanting small islands like Misool (Raja Ampat), Alor (Lesser Sundas), Buton (Sulawesi).
The collection of cruises onboard the state-of-the-art expedition ship Coral Adventurer will include extended explorations of the wildlife, history, and culture of the region. Some of the highlights include walking through the markets of Banda Neira, the world’s spice trade epicenter 350 years ago.
At Lamalera village, passengers will get an appreciation of the lifestyles and traditions of one of the world's last subsistence whaling communities. Guests can take a bus to the top of the Kelimutu crater and throw in stone into the tri-colored volcanic lake for good luck. An overnight stay allows enjoying the dawn tranquillity of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Borobodur temple. A behind-the-scenes Camp Leakey encounter features the famed orangutans of Borneo.
The voyages also include some of the greatest marine parks in the world like Bunaken and Lembeh. At Roon Island, travellers can snorkel around a Japanese Zero plane wreck sheltering marine life in crystal shallow water.
Details of the 2021 schedule include:
- 12-night “Raja Ampat & Spice Islands” from Darwin to Biak (January 6, 2021) Biak to Darwin (January 18, 2021)
- 10-night “Island Realms of the East Indies, Darwin to Bali” from Darwin to Bali (January 30, 2021)
- 10-night “Ancient Kingdoms of the East Indies, Bali to Singapore” from Bali to Singapore (February 9, 2021)
- 14-night “Into the Wilds of Borneo” from Singapore to Makassar (March 5, 2021)
- 20-night “Circumnavigation of Sulawesi” from Makassar to Makassar (March 19, 2021)
- 14-night “In the Wake of the Makassans” from Makassar to Darwin (April 8, 2021).