The largest archipelago on the planet, Indonesia has 17,000 islands to its name, boasting scenery that blends rainforests with crystalline waters and endless bleached-sand beaches. With so much to see and do, one of the best ways to cover Indonesia is by superyacht.
To help make choosing a Southeast Asian itinerary easy, Camper & Nicholsons’ charter expert, Frederic Cretin, has lined up the best activities and the luxury yachts that are ready to go in this unmissable location.
Reach secluded diving spots
One of the factors that make Indonesia an unbelievable charter location is its incredible dive sites. To help protect these fragile environments, specially protected marine areas, known as “Hope Spots”, have been created. This is part of an initiative led by Dr Sylvia Earle and championed by industry leaders such as Camper & Nicholsons.
The sparkling waters of Misool and the Western Pacific Donut Hole 1 are just some of these protected zones. Home to coral reefs, stingless jellyfish, sea turtles and coelacanth (also known as living fossils) these safeguarded areas are natural wonders to behold and swim with wildlife up close. One yacht that can explore these areas and any shallow waters, often in places other yachts can’t reach, is the 26.10-metre sailing yacht Sequoia.
The wooden sailing yacht has been custom-made to cruise the islands of Indonesia and is home to an all-Indonesian crew that includes a cruise manager, butler and dive master. With some of the world’s top dive sights lying within sailing distance, for example, the Coral Triangle, where 2,000 species of fish and 76 per cent of all known coral species in the world call home, the opportunity to gain a PADI scuba diving certificate is available for charter guests.
Water sports in the world’s most wave-rich ocean zone
Any avid surfer will tell you that Indonesia is a top destination for catching waves. Positioned northwest of Australia, the Indonesian archipelago is an extraordinary surfing territory, and places like Savu Sea, Timor Island, are dubbed as having some of the best waves on the planet. On the island of Nias, Lagundri Bay is famously known for its long-lasting waves, giving surfers what has been called “the best seven seconds of surfing”.
If surfing isn’t your thing you can enjoy a more serene venture out on a paddle board from a motor yacht such as the 60.35-metre Aqua Blu or the 50-metre Kudanil Explorer. Aqua Blu began life as a British Naval Explorer, HMS Beagle, and is the first western-style superyacht for charter in Indonesia with set itineraries across Raja Ampat, Bali and Komodo National Park. In a similar fashion, Kudanil Explorer was originally launched in 1978 as a safety standby vessel. Sporting an eye-catching design and a brand-new upper and sun deck, Kudanil Explorer’s 2022 refit has enhanced her luxury charter yacht status and ability to explore all the way from the west to the east of Indonesia in comfort and style.
Both Aqua Blu and Kudanil Explorer are kitted out with toys such as scuba equipment, kayaks, paddleboards, fishing gear and a selection of RIBs. When chartering either yacht, guests should try wakeboarding in the warm waters of Sorong, or take a RIB, kayak or SUP around Gili Banta to see the manta rays and hammerhead sharks.
Relax on board and breathe in the landscape
Beyond its famed underwater ecosystems, the animal life found on land in Indonesia is unlike anywhere else in the world. While sailing through areas rich with dolphin life and the occasional migrating whale, charter guests should keep an eye on land to spot tropical birds, waterfalls and untouched beaches. And while relaxing on a sailing yacht such as Sequoia, her shallow 2-metre draft means charterers can get close to intimate hard-to-reach beaches which hug tropical rainforests guarded by macaque monkeys and flying foxes. If a trip around Komodo National Park is on the agenda, guests can alight on land to come toe-to-tail with the world’s largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, or visit orangutans in their natural habitat.
Get close to the country’s history
From the decks of Aqua Blu, Sequoia or Kudanil Explorer, you will be able to see historic volcanoes passing by. This terrain is great for getting lost along hiking trails such as those at Mount Bromo and Ijen and Tumpak Sewu waterfall, whose origins are stories worth knowing. Visitors might take up the chance to take the charter yacht to visit local villages and observe traditional boat-building techniques in Sangeang. Or, for those en route to the Komodo Islands, stopping at the island of Flores will be an enchanting experience of rural Indonesian life. Dotted with Catholic churches and cemeteries, colonial architecture, ancient villages and farms, the island is one very few tourists have touched. With so much historic land to discover, it’s safe to say that there is something for everyone in Indonesia.
For chartering a yacht in Indonesia, or to see more of the available charter fleet, contact the Camper & Nicholsons charter team directly here.
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