An Unforgettable Snorkeling Tour to the Forgotten Islands

This special snorkeling tour takes us way off the beaten path to a chain of islands so remote and so far from population centers that they are collectively referred to as the Forgotten Islands. Geologically part of the Lesser Sundas, the Forgotten Islands are hundreds of volcanic and limestone islands spread eastward from Timor for over 1000 kilometers into the Banda Sea.
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The big draw, aside from being able to really get away from it all, is that the reefs are in excellent condition. The relatively small local populations, most of whom are descendants of the original Austronesian-speaking settlers in the islands, and the lack of strong urban development means that few of the environmental pressures that can adversely affect a reef are present. The results are easy to appreciate. Robust, pristine reefs with healthy populations of reef fish both big and small, predator and prey. Furthermore, only a select number of smaller liveaboards have been offering this itinerary within the last couple of years, so most of the area remains largely unexplored. For the adventurous snorkeler, this destination is an opportunity that is just too hard to resist!
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We may also have the chance to visit several villages and historical/cultural sites such as the stone boat on Yamdena Island and the colorful and chaotic marketplace of Kalabahi on Alor. If adventure and snorkeling are what you seek, please join us for this amazing departure to the Forgotten Islands!

 

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ITINERARY

Our snorkeling tour begins and ends in Bali, Indonesia. Two round-trip internal flights, Bali-Saumlaki; Maumere-Bali. From the Tanimbar Islands (Saumlaki) we follow a northern route before turning west and remaining on that heading until we reach Maumere. Please note that the following is a general itinerary and that weather, tides, and other unforeseen or unavoidable circumstances may affect the schedule at any time.

Day 1: Bali / Hyatt Regency
Meals provided: D
Meet in Bali, Indonesia at our group resort, the Hyatt Regency, Bali for the expedition orientation and welcome dinner. Overnight Hyatt Regency. Our flight departs in the evening for Jakarta, where we ultimately connect with our flight to Saumlaki, Tannimbars.

Day 2: Saumlaki, Tanimbar Islands / Gaia Love
Meals provided: B,L,D
Our overnight flight brings us to Saumlaki, Tannimbars in the mid-morning, we transfer to the Gaia Love. Depending upon flight arrival and port clearance times, we may snorkel around the southern end of Yamdena in the late afternoon. Overnight Gaia Love.

Day 3: Tanimbar Islands / Yamdena
Meals provided: B,L,D
There are about 65 islands in the Tanimbar archipelago and we will have the chance to explore the reefs around several of them including Selaru, Sera, Nitu, and Wuliaru. Many of the reefs are fringing and begin right from shore in only a few feet of water. The extensive reefs flats lead to vibrant reef margins where thousands of tropical fish make their homes in the colorful reefs below. With the usually excellent visibility, we may see sharks, turtles, and rays cruising in the cobalt blue waters. Overnight Gaia Love.

Day 4: Babar Islands
Meals provided: D
The reefs along the southeastern end of Masela, the southern island in the Babar group, are enormous and are home to variety of reef habitats including reef flats, channels, shallow reef margins, and seaward drop-offs. The bonus for us is that many of these habitats are relatively close to one and other, giving us the chance to explore many of them on any given snorkel! Overnight Gaia Love.

Day 5 – 7: Teun / Reong / Romang
Meals provided: B,L,D
We head north, aiming for a tiny volcanic island called Teun. The relatively new island is not old enough to possess a well-developed fringing reef, but the growth of orange cup corals along the sides of the walls makes this place a can’t miss. Turning westward our next tiny island is Reong, a tiny tropical island that possesses a near perfect hard coral garden. Of course, with the variety and abundance of staghorn and boulder corals, there are insane populations of reef fishes including a master’s class in butterflyfish identification! Our third island, as we leapfrog our way westward to the Alor archipelago, is Romang. Like its neighbor, Romang has healthy shallow reefs and look for zebra dartfish in the shallows! Overnight Gaia Love.

Day 8 – 9: Alor
Meals provided: B,L,D
Cool, nutrient-rich waters in Alor produce some of the most brilliant reefs in all of Indonesia. Lush soft and hard coral gardens can be found at almost any place along the coastline and where there is even the slightest bit of water movement, thousands of reef fish will be there to grab food particles from the water. Our sites for the next two days will include semi-protected fringing reefs, calm black sand bays, and shallow reef flats with steep walls that plunge hundreds of feet. For the fish-watcher, these sites may put one into overload! Overnight Gaia Love.

Day 10: West Pantar
Meals provided: B,L,D
The southwestern coastline of Pantar is fairly laminar, thus water flowing along the sides travel for many miles unmitigated in its direction or strength. The result are shallow reefs covered like carpets with soft and hard corals. And the strong currents attract the planktivores like anthias and damsels producing schools of the former that count in the tens of thousands! We can drift these reefs for long stretches, never losing sight of colorful corals hidden by a wall of anthias! Overnight Gaia Love.

Day 11: Lembata / Adunara
Meals provided: B,L,D
The large northern bay on Lembata is home to an active volcano and a variety of marine habitats. We have several snorkel sites and weather will dictate our choice for the morning. Sites include shallow reef flats, exposed seaward drop-offs, mangroves-lined fringing reefs, and black sand, giving us the opportunity to see large seaward reef fishes like sharks, unicornfishes, snappers, and groupers, or some of the rare and unusual critters like nudibranchs, pipefishes, scorpionfishes, and juvenile angelfishes and sweetlips. In the afternoon, we’ll snorkel along a seaward fringing reef that emanates from a tiny group of islands along the northeast tip of Adunara. The shallow reef is dominated by branching and table corals and currents running parallel to the reef bring out all of the reef fish including rarer denizens like the lyretail grouper and striped blanquillos. Overnight Gaia Love.

Day 12: Pulau Besar / Ribbon Eel Reef
Meals provided: B,L,D
Pulau Besar is a large active volcano that sits at the eastern edge of the Bay of Maumere. The reef system is generally fringing, though it appears to be transitioning into a barrier reef. The reef margin lies well away from the island and creates a deep lagoon where a network of patch reefs has developed in the protected shallow water. Towards the shore are seagrass beds and mangroves in the tidal zones. Brightly colored table and staghorn corals crowd the shallow reef margins creating a variety of nooks and crannies that support thousands of reef fishes, including the reef’s namesake, blue ribbon eels. Moving from the reef margin across healthy reef flats and into the sea grass communities not only gives us a chance to appreciate the different habitats, but also a chance to see rare critters like octopus, seahorses, and cardinal fishes! Overnight Gaia Love.

Day 13: Maumere / Bali / Hyatt Regency
Meals provided: B,L,D
Disembark in Maumere and transfer to the airport for our flight back to Bali. Farewell dinner at the Hyatt Regency. Overnight Hyatt Regency.

Day 14: International flights or extensions
Meals provided: B

DEPARTURES

May 22 – June 04, 2024←Sold out
Accommodations: Gaia Love
Guides: Ethan Daniels
Length: 14 days

Prices and Payment schedule:
$8700 USD per person, double occupancy
$11,700 USD per person, single occupancy

Reservation deposit: $500 USD
Jan 22, 2024: $4600 USD / $4200 USD single
Mar 22, 2024: $3600 USD / $7000 USD single

Tour cost includes:

• Accommodations on day 1 through day 14
• All meals on days 2 through 13 (dinner on day 1 – breakfast on day 14)
• All internal transfers including international arrival and departure transfers
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• All snorkeling and park fees
• All gratuities

Tour cost does not include:

• Round-trip international airfare
• Additional hotel accommodations and meals as a result of travel outside of the program dates
• Visa requirements including payments
• Alcoholic beverages
• International departure taxes
• Extra / overweight baggage fees
• Trip insurance (recommended; (we recommend Travel Guard, World Nomads, or Travel Insure)
• DAN insurance (required unless personal insurance program has worldwide emergency evacuation services)
• Additional accommodations while on tour in the event of flight schedule changes or events of force majeure
• Fuel surcharges (if applicable)

Cancellation policy:
180 – 91 days prior to departure: 50% of trip cost
90 days or less prior to departure: 100% of tour cost

Please see our Terms and Conditions