Between Timor Leste & Bali: Ancient Islands, Living Traditions

Board Paspaley Pearl on this island paradise where Hindu traditions create distinctive cultural landscapes of terraced rice fields and ancient temples. Meet fellow adventurers while our expedition team prepare you for encounters with traditional communities and remarkable wildlife across Indonesia’s remote eastern archipelago.

Witness traditional buffalo races (Barapan Kebo) staged specially in your honour, where decorated buffalo pairs thunder across muddy fields while riders balance on wooden plows. Experience ceremonial events rooted in ancient agricultural traditions while observing traditional rice pounding, weaving demonstrations, and possible wedding processions.

Experience intimate encounters with magnificent whale sharks around traditional floating fishing platforms called “bagans.” Swim in crystal-clear waters alongside gentle giants reaching over 12 meters in length, known locally as “gurano bintang,” while supporting sustainable eco-tourism initiatives protecting these remarkable marine creatures.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site where the world’s largest lizards roam free. Join park rangers for guided walks through savanna grasslands searching for Komodo dragons growing over 3 meters long, exploring dramatic landscapes while learning about conservation efforts protecting these prehistoric predators and surrounding marine ecosystems.

Visit Pink Beach—one of only seven such coloured beaches worldwide—and snorkel vibrant coral reefs teeming with over 1,000 fish species. Continue dragon tracking while understanding how this Wallacea eco-region location creates remarkable evolutionary combinations of Australian and Asian fauna through millions of years of isolation.

Explore pristine islands featuring stunning limestone formations scattered across crystalline waters. Board expedition vessels to discover secluded beaches with powdery white sand, explore dramatic karst caves, and snorkel vibrant coral gardens while most islands remain uninhabited sanctuaries for nesting seabirds.

Meet the Sikka people whose culture blends indigenous traditions with Portuguese-influenced Catholicism. Join village tours witnessing stunning ikat weaving demonstrations creating bold geometric patterns that tell ancestral stories, observing life centred around traditional “Sa’o” clan houses with characteristic high-peaked roofs.

Visit one of Earth’s last traditional whaling communities where skilled seafarers practice subsistence hunting using methods unchanged for centuries. Explore traditional wooden boats called ‘peledang’ while learning about community structures, boat-building techniques, and protocols expressing deep respect for marine creatures.

Journey to Takpala Village where Abui people maintain ancient traditions in thatched-roof houses built on stone foundations. Witness cultural performances, learn about mysterious “Thousand Mokos” bronze drums from Vietnam’s Dong Son culture, and observe traditional weaving and craft demonstrations preserving ancient techniques.

Explore this bustling port city blending Portuguese and Dutch colonial heritage with modern development. Tour vibrant markets showcasing unique eastern Indonesian cuisine while walking streets where historical buildings create fascinating architectural contrasts in this important regional transportation hub connecting remote islands.

Conclude your expedition in South-east Asia’s youngest nation, where Portuguese colonial heritage blends with independence resilience. Visit the iconic Cristo Rei statue overlooking the Timor Sea while exploring museums documenting the remarkable 20-year struggle for independence, carrying memories of extraordinary cultural exchanges.

Itineraries are subject to change.