Raja Ampat

Magia II will be mooring 30 minutes way from the airport, making your transfer by car and tender a relatively short journey. Settle in and enjoy a late lunch as we sail to Pulau Gam. Relax, unwind and have an early night.

Rise early and set off on a trek to Sawinggrai village in search of the rare red birds of paradise, which perform an elaborate courtship display as the sun rises. Puffing up their feathers, vibrating and buzzing, the birds also tip upside down to show off their long tail feathers, which form a heart around them. Explore the village and observe traditional village life. Enjoy breakfast back on board as we we cruise to Air Borek, where manta rays congregate to be cleaned by wrasse fish. Take to the water with a snorkel or diving gear and watch the mantas as they dive, glide and hover over the coral ‘cleaning stations’. Enjoy cocktails on the deck as the sun sets. Overnight sail to Pulau Yanggelo.

While away the day at this world-class snorkeling spot, with its brightly colored corals, abundance of fish and the occasional wobbegon shark. Explore the edge of the mangrove and the underwater ledge before jumping in a kayak and paddling around the islands. Keep an eye out for whales, which are a familiar sight in the straits. Overnight sail to Penemu.

Following breakfast, head off snorkeling or diving before a leisurely lunch. In the afternoon, take your pick between watersport or relaxing on board. Then take the tender to visit a secret bay and embark on a short trek on foot which ends in a blaze of color at sunset. Overnight sail to Wayag.

Climb the peaks of Wayag to survey the limestone outcrops from above – an iconic vista full of lush greens and turquoises. After lunch, choose between snorkeling, diving or any other watersport before a cocktail party on the beach beside a roaring bonfire, watching hundreds of stars appear in the night sky.

Set sail early in the morning to Kawe. Cross the equator underwater while you snorkel or dive surrounded by huge manta rays. After lunch, sail to Aljui Bay, home to the best night-diving in Raja Ampat. Enjoy a relaxed dinner on board.

Learn how cultured pearls are made at the Atlas pearl farm in the morning. After lunch, explore the bay with a boat tour taking in limestone cliffs, rocks, pinnacles, dolphins and exotic birds. Snorkeling, diving and watersport may fill the rest of your afternoon, before cocktails and a BBQ on a peaceful beach. Overnight sail to Selat Kabui.

Follow in the footsteps of the famous British naturalist, explorer and anthropologist Alfred Russel Wallace, renowned for independently conceiving the theory of evolution by natural selection and co-publishing a paper on the subject with Charles Darwin in 1858. Explore the tiny sea strait between Gam Island and Waigeo, admiring the scenery and islets of rock. Wallace explored this hidden, river-like channel of water in 1860 to study birds of paradise – it is also home to the world’s largest butterfly. Tow the kayaks into the lake and drift back down with the current. Overnight sail to Pulau Pef.

Pulau Pef’s small inlets, bays and crystal-clear lagoons make the ideal setting for kayaking. Surrounded by giant ancient trees, paddle right up to the mangrove roots reaching into the water. Marvel at pre-historic hand paintings on the limestone cliffs. Snorkel or dive any range of habitats from caverns and overhangs to hard and soft corals, keeping an eye out for pygmy seahorses and the endemic walking shark. After lunch, sail to Yang Efo to dive or snorkel with turtles, stingrays and schools of snapper and fusilier fish before sailing to Yen Beser overnight.

Before dawn breaks, set off into the jungle to observe endemic trees and rich fauna, with another chance to spot the red bird of paradise in the branches overhead. Snorkel at Myoscon, pause for lunch then relax on a short sail before snorkeling again with manta rays. Overnight sail to Sorong.

After breakfast, pack and prepare to disembark, returning to the airport by tender and car.