Cruising in Indonesia

There are various ways to travel by boat to some of Indonesia's 17,000 islands.

You may go on an island-hopping trip along the coast's blue seas, or you can cruise the rivers of Tanjung Puting National Park in search of the orangutan, the country's most well-known native. In many parts of Indonesia, cruising is the only option for visitors, but it is also the most time- and money-efficient. Discover the distinctive beauty of this varied archipelago with the help of an Indonesia travel guide and make the most of your boat trip.

Take a two-night river cruise to find orangutans

Come to Tanjung Puting National Park and get near to wild orangutans

Located on the extreme southern tip of Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo, Tanjung Puting National Park is best experienced by taking a klotok boat ride along the park's many rivers.

Camp Leakey, a rehabilitation facility for orangutans, is located in this secluded area, and many of the animals in its care may be seen at any of the site's many feeding stations. This is the primary purpose for a voyage here, and the excitement develops the night before you visit the camp. You can hear the creatures communicating with each other as you make your way through the canals.

Camp Leakey is a near-certain place to see anything. Despite the park's size, the orangutans will make the trip to the feeding stations as part of their recovery. With just a rope separating you from the animals, this is an "up close and personal" encounter.

During my stay, I noticed between 15 and 20 primates. I'll never forget the orangutans peering at me from the trees above as we set up camp. We returned to the boat for lunch and found that the aroma of the food we were preparing had drawn in yet another bunch of these docile animals.

Boat options for Tanjung Puting National Park

Take a trip in a klotok, a traditional boat

The local mode of transportation in Tanjung Puting is the klotok: a refurbished wooden schooner, yours only with a small crew for an up-close and personal experience. From the top deck, you may see everything from proboscis monkeys and crocodiles to various birds.

Though the boats are very modest, they do feature air-conditioning and a Western-style bathroom, as well as a crew of six, including a captain and chef who dishes up excellent, locally sourced meals like fish and tofu.

There is just one cabin, but the crew may also set up a bed for you on the upper deck. You may sleep under the stars and forest noises with little more than a mosquito net between you and the environment.

The best time to cruise in Tanjung Puting

Between June and September, when the weather is often dry, is the best time to go on a cruise through Tanjung Puting National Park. For those long nights in the forest, it's a good idea to have an excellent book or a deck of cards and a flashlight.

Take a seven-night cruise from Bali to Komodo Island

Komodo dragon

The trip from Bali to Komodo Island is one of the most well-liked cruise itineraries in all of Indonesia. The Komodo dragon is a famous native of Komodo and the tiny neighboring island of Rinca, where sightings are almost assured.

The greater concentration of dragons is on Rinca, namely at a cook station next to the ranger base. They are easy to spot because of the stench. Komodo's dragon population is far more significant and dispersed than Rinca's.

Seeing a Komodo dragon is best done first thing in the morning or last thing at night when temperatures are milder, and they are more active. Komodo also has excellent snorkeling, and the island's rocky terrain is perfect for hiking and exploring on foot.

Local market, Lombok

The northern part of Lombok is where you will find the native villages where most of the population still practices farming, pottery, and weaving. You'll also take a detour to Sumbawa, an Indonesian island that few Westerners visit, to visit a Buginese community.

In this community, males work on boats while females make vibrantly colored textiles. Labuan Bajo, a fishing port on Flores easily accessible by airplane from other parts of Indonesia, is the point of departure.

If you need more time, you can visit Komodo Island in only two days.

Boat options to Komodo Island

A member of the SeaTrek fleet, the Ombak Putih

There are two vessels available for voyages to Komodo Island. You may take a lengthier voyage on one of the SeaTrek fleets, which departs between April and September, or charter a boat for your use, as in Tanjung.

On this trip, you may choose between two boats from the SeaTrek Fleet. The Katharina is a two-masted sailing ship in the Indonesian phinisi style, and it can carry up to 14 guests in its six staterooms. If the wind is favorable, the captain of the Katharina will set the ship's deep crimson sails. The Ombak Putih can carry up to 24 guests because of its 12 staterooms—the Indonesian version of the schooner.

Both ships have great kitchens and provide all meals. Every room has a private bathroom and air conditioning.

Renting a houseboat for a few nights is a more affordable alternative. Houseboats, similar to klotoks in appearance, are modest wooden vessels that are my preferred mode of transportation due to their freedom in planning the itinerary. Spend as much time as you desire with the Komodo dragons, and even request a snorkeling stop if you'd like—unlike on a SeaTrek tour.

Cruise around the Raja Ampat Islands

Above a field of seagrass, a broadclub cuttlefish watches

Every year, from October to December, the SeaTrek fleet does a round of the Raja Ampat Islands. Located in Indonesia's northeast, this beautiful archipelago has more than 1,500 individual islands. It is a critical element of the Coral Triangle, an area teeming with marine life and designated as a conservation zone.

Crossing the Wallace Line to reach these islands will transport you to an entirely different bioregion than the rest of Asia, with landscapes and wildlife more akin to Australasia. Manta rays, cuttlefish, and eels are familiar sights.

These cruises are for those particularly interested in animals, culture, cuisine, or the great outdoors. There is no established route. However, there are regular departure times. Many of these trips also include lectures and presentations from onboard experts on topics like birds of paradise.