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Peregrine Travel Centre

Asian Island Odyssey: Cruising the Remote Islands of the Philippines & Indonesia, Taipei to Darwin

Asian Island Odyssey: Cruising the Remote Islands of the Philippines & Indonesia, Taipei to Darwin

From AUD $20,895

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Description

Crossing both the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, our adventure begins in Taiwan’s bustling capital Taipei, before we weave our way through hard-to-reach and rarely-visited tropical islands. Discover islands where impossibly blue waters gently lap white sand beaches and pristine coral gardens and walls abound with neon-lit fish, fascinating rare birds and wildlife dwell in primeval jungles, intriguing time-forget cultures and traditions await discovery. In addition to being among some of the most biodiverse regions on the planet and home to rare and endangered wildlife, these remote tropical outposts boast incredible history, heritage and ancient cultures. Escaping the tourist boom due to their hard-to-reach locations makes them perfect for exploration by expedition ship.
Highlights include Taiwan’s Yehliu Geopark and 19-kilometre-long canyon Taroko National Park and Marble Gorge with its 300 feet high marble walls, swimming with Whale Sharks and discovering the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ on Bohol Island. At Banda Neira we plan to delve into the fascinating history of the Spice Islands and explore the iconic five-sided Fort Belgica built in 1611 and pending World Heritage Site status. Observe thousands of stingless jellyfish at Tojoman Lagoon, look for the critically endangered Crested Black Macaque, known for their distinctive pink rumps and jet-black mohawks and the world’s smallest primate the saucer-eyed Tarsier at Bitung.
Discover Indonesia’s secret paradise Kei Kecil Island and postcard perfection of Ngurbloat Beach which are largely undiscovered by modern travellers, snorkel pristine coral reefs, sample local delicacies and experience thrilling cultural exchanges at villages where traditional life continues unchanged on this unforgettable adventure.

Trip Name
Asian Island Odyssey: Cruising the Remote Islands of the Philippines & Indonesia, Taipei to Darwin
Days
19
Overview
Vessel Type: Expedition Ship Length: 124 metres Passenger Capacity: 140 Built: 1991 Heritage Adventurer is a true pioneering expedition vessel of exceptional pedigree. Often referred to as the ‘Grande Dame of Polar Exploration’ due to her celebrated history and refined design, she was purpose-built for adventure in 1991 at Finland’s Rauma shipyard and specifically designed for Polar exploration.Setting a peerless standard in authentic expedition travel, Heritage Adventurer (formerly known as MS Hanseatic) combines the highest passenger ship ice-class rating (1A Super) with an impressive history of Polar exploration. Having held records for the most northern and southern Arctic and Antarctic navigations, and for traversing both the Northwest and Northeast Passages, makes Heritage Adventurer perfect for pioneering New Zealand-based Heritage Expeditions signature experiential expedition travel.Originally designed to accommodate 184 guests, Heritage Adventurer now welcomes just 140 expeditioners ensuring spacious, stylish and comfortable voyages, while a fleet of 14 Zodiacs ensures all guests are able to maximise their expedition adventure. Heritage Adventurer proudly continues our traditions of exceptional, personalised expedition experiences as Heritage Expeditions flagship. Observation Lounge – One of the most celebrated and best-known features of Heritage Adventurer is the awe-inducing Observation Lounge, Library and Bar. Located on Deck 7 and perched directly above the Bridge, enjoy sweeping 270-degree views through floor to ceiling windows, perfect for wildlife spotting and quick access to the outer deck. Bring your binoculars to spot wildlife, observe the ever-changing landscape, write in your journal or relax with a book. Observation Deck – Enjoy 360-degree views from the highest point on the ship. The Observation Deck sits above the Observation Lounge and provides exceptional outside viewing options. Stretching the full width of the vessel, this is the perfect spot to take in the surrounding land and seascapes. Perfect on a sunny day, recline in the comfortable sun loungers protected from the wind and elements and watch your voyage unfold.  The Bridge – No expedition is complete without visiting Heritage Adventurer’s busy nerve centre. Located on Deck 6, Heritage Expeditions’ Open Bridge Policy means you are welcome to observe the Captain and crew at work while enjoying some of the ship’s best views. It’s a fascinating place to learn about navigation and vessel operations, however please note the Bridge will be closed when departing or arriving at port. Dining Room  – Indulge in fine international cuisine from our talented chefs in the lavish surrounds of our Dining Room on Deck 4. Sensational 270-degree views provide a stunning backdrop to meals here along with an international wine list featuring many outstanding regional wines. With relaxed seating arrangements, all guests can enjoy dining in a single sitting from hearty breakfasts setting you up for the day’s adventure to sumptuous lunches and multi-course evening dining. Bistro  – Simple fast and delicious meals and snacks are on offer in our relaxed Bistro on Deck 6. Perfect for early risers to enjoy tea, coffee and light breakfast options the Bistro provides great views and opens directly onto a covered and heated teak-deck outdoor dining area. The Bar and Lounge  – The social hub of  Heritage Adventurer, the Bar and Lounge on Deck 5 features seating for all guests. Enjoy a beverage at the bar, sink into an armchair, relax on one of the many spacious loungers and watch the world go by through the panoramic windows or make new friends at the communal seating. This multi-tasking space also doubles as the location of daily briefings and evening recaps with the expedition team. The Gym – Featuring spectacular ocean views, the well-equipped gym is adjacent to the pool, hot tub and sauna in Deck 7’s wellbeing zone. Maintain your routine with an elliptical cross trainer, treadmill, rowing machine, stationary bikes, TRX as well as free weights, yoga mats and fitness balls. Towels are provided with change room and shower amenities nearby. Sauna and Steam Room – True to her Nordic origins, Heritage Adventurer features a dry-heat Finnish sauna and European steam room on Deck 7. Perfect for warming up post Polar plunge or unwinding after a day’s adventures, the sauna and steam room include change room facilities, showers and towels. Swimming Pool and Hot Tub – Surrounded by relaxed teak seating including sun loungers, the open-air saltwater pool can be heated or chilled. Encased in glass the hot tub ensures all-weather use, perfect for those who like to relax with a view following a day of exploring. Lectures and Presentations – Enjoy informative and entertaining lectures on history, biology, wildlife, and ecology in the comfort of the Presentation Theatre. With state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, our world-renowned expedition team will bring your adventure to life through interactive presentations and discussions.

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1: Taipei, Taiwan
 Arrive at Taipei, Taiwan’s capital which is surrounded by mountains and proudly presided over by Taipei 101 – the 1,600-foot-high skyscraper and former Taipei World Financial Center styled on a bamboo stalk, and transfer to your hotel where our group will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening meet your fellow voyagers and expedition guides over dinner at the hotel.
Day 2 - Day 2: Keelung
 Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before we head out to explore this exciting city. Rightly famous for its prevalent street food, be sure to sample its variety of xiaochi (little snacks) while exploring top attractions including the Chinese-influenced Martyrs’ Shrine; Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, commemorating Taiwan’s former president; and the National Palace Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of Chinese art. For those looking for a nature fix, head to Yehliu Geopark with its world-famous surreal landscape of honeycomb and mushroom eroded rock formations and the Japanese-era mining complex turned tourist attraction Gold Ecological Park where hillside walkways connect 1930s offices, workshops and dormitories for an insight into early mining history. This afternoon board Heritage Adventurer, moored in Keelung, settle into your accommodation and familiarise yourself with the ship, then join the expedition team in the Bridge, Observation Lounge or on the Observation Deck as we set sail for Hualien.
Day 3 - Day 3: Hualien
 Taiwan’s second-largest city Hualien, located on its mountainous east coast, is our gateway to the world-famous 19-kilometre-long canyon Taroko National Park and its namesake Marble Gorge. The spectacular marble walls here soar to more than 300 feet high and are surrounded by verdant green bamboo forests promising an unforgettable experience. Comprising some 227,000 acres and varying altitudes, from near sea level at the mouth of the Liwu River to towering more than 12,000 feet high at Mt Nanhu, the park’s dramatic landscape provides a diverse array of vegetation and habitats which boast a third of Taiwan’s vascular plants, half of its mammal species, the rare Nanhu Salamander and more than 140 resident bird species.
Day 4 - Day 4: Calayan Island, Philippines
 One of the most remote, and hardest to reach islands in the Philippines, Calayan Island is a pristine paradise awaiting discovery. Part of Babuyan Islands and nestled between Batane’s province and mainland Luzon, Calayan Island’s unrestrained, rugged beauty offers unforgettable adventures both above and below the water with stunning white sand beaches, iconic lookouts from Nagudungan and Bangaan Hills, sprawling coral gardens, majestic waterfalls and plenty of rarely-visited coves and caves making it an ideal destination for expedition cruising. On land look for the endemic Calayan Rail, at sea share waters frequented by whales and dolphins on this authentic expedition day.
Day 5 - Day 5: Divilacan Bay
 Widely considered among the Philippines most beautiful destinations, Divilacan Bay in the province of Isabela (recently dubbed the Queen Province of the North) combines lush forests and incredible snorkelling opportunities with the locally-famous heart-shaped Honeymoon Island and conservation initiatives working to save the critically endangered endemic Philippine Crocodile. Opportunities here could include exploring forests for wildlife, snorkelling the offshore reefs and Zodiac cruising mangroves to observe the results of the Mabuwaya Foundation’s crocodile programme in action.
Day 6 - Day 6: Polilo Island
 We expect to make history today as the first expedition ship to visit this remote tropical outpost. Snorkelling, waterfalls and wildlife are all good options today as we explore the largest of the Polillo Island group’s 24 islands and islets. Rebounding following large scale logging operations lowland forests are now protected in two reserves, reflecting their importance for some significant wildlife including the Philippine Cockatoo and endemic Philippine Brown Deer, Warty Pig and Large Rufous Horseshoe Bat. The island is also home to the Gray’s Monitor/Butaan Lizard – a tree-dwelling relative of the Komodo Dragon, while Dugong are known to frequent its waters.
Day 7 - Day 7: Caramoan Peninsula National Park
 his coveted tropical dream destination, made relatively famous by television’s Survivor, Caramoan Peninsula National Park will be one of the highlights of our voyage. With jungle-capped towering limestone karst formations, white sand beaches, impossibly clear blue waters offering some of the best snorkelling, deep gorges, snaking rivers, forest trails, an islet lake and underground river are all waiting to be explored – we will be spoilt for choice during our time here.
Day 8 - Day 8: Samar Island
 Largely unknown and unexplored, there’s a good reason why Samar Island Natural Park is considered the ultimate frontier. Combining all the remote paradise trappings of stunning cave formations, powder-fine sand beaches and crystal-clear waters with the Philippines largest tract of lowland rainforest and connecting karst formation, the park is home to a staggering 38 species of mammals, 215 bird species including the Philippine Eagle, 51 species of reptiles and more than 1,000 species of plants, of which more than half are endemic. Samar Island promises an extraordinary expedition day.
Day 9 - Day 9: Bohol Island
 An early rise with cameras at the ready is recommended this morning as the sun rises over Bohol Island’s famed Chocolate Hills. Often dubbed the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World,’ during the dry season the grass covering the more than 1,200 conical karst hills scattered across an area of 50 square kilometres turns a chocolatey brown creating this incredible phenomena best enjoyed from a viewing station some 200 steps up, but absolutely worth the effort. During our time here we may explore the lush countryside and famed cacao farms. Other highlights include a visit to a Tarsier Sanctuary to see the world’s second smallest primate the tiny Philippine Tarsier, the threatened species are protected in the Philippines but their numbers are declining due to logging, mining and the illegal pet trade, the coral stone Baclayon Church and National Cultural Treasure, and sampling The Pastry Capital of Bohol’s Fingers. This afternoon unwind on the pristine white sand beaches of Balicasag Island. Ringed by a reef and marine sanctuary enjoy an incredible underwater experience snorkelling impressive coral gardens and underwater cliffs teeming with colourful marine life including, if we are lucky, sea turtles.
Day 10 - Day 10: Bucas Grande Island
 Emerging from the shadow of its popular neighbour surfing hot spot Siargao Island, Bucas Grande Island combines stunning white sand beaches, with waterfalls, emerald green waters, mangroves, expansive limestone cave systems, iron wood forests, inland lakes, elaborate coral gardens, exotic wildlife and rightly famous 60-kilometre Sohoton Cove and National Park. Look for Rufous Hornbill as we explore this pristine tropical island paradise Zodiac cruising the coastline where quiet coves and beaches await discovery. Highlights here include Tojoman Lagoon/Sohoton Jellyfish Sanctuary where thousands of stingless jellyfish thrive, the iconic Blue Lagoon with its labyrinthine waterways comprised of numerous limestone islets and incredible snorkelling and swimming opportunities. At nearby Cinnamon Island, named after its abundance of cinnamon trees, a cup of the local delicacy, cinnamon tea, has become the traditional welcome.
Day 11 - Day 11: At Sea
 Relax on board after our recent adventures, join a lecture or our naturalists on deck, update your photos/journal or watch the world go by in the Observation Lounge.
Day 12 - Day 12: Bitung, Indonesia
 Berthing at the busy, cosmopolitan harbour of Bitung, Manado city, we head for the nearby wildlife-filled jungles of Tangkoko Nature Reserve one of Indonesia’s oldest reserves. Spanning some 8,800 hectares from beaches to the peak of Tangkoko Mountain the reserve is a haven for endemic flora and fauna. Exploring the lowland tropical rainforest with local guides, we’ll be looking for the critically endangered Crested Black Macaque, known for their distinctive pink rumps and jet-black mohawks, symbol of Bitung and smallest primate in the world the saucer-eyed Tarsier and Sulawesi Bear Cuscus. For birders there’s the Knobbed Hornbills, Kingfishers, Sulawesi Myna, Lorikeets and Maleo birds, other flying highlights include the brightly-coloured Forester Moth and the Draco Flying Lizard or Sulawesi Lined Gliding Lizard.
Day 13 - Day 13: Gorontalo
 Sitting on the Equator, Sulawesi’s culture capital and hidden paradise, Gorontalo combines rich history, the mountainous landscape is dotted with 500-year old Portuguese forts, with pristine white sand beaches, is a diving hot spot and has a reputation for being one of Indonesia’s best places to swim with Whale Sharks. At Botubarani, a small seaside village, we plan to enjoy the unforgettable experience of swimming and snorkelling with these gentle giants which are known to grow more than 12-metres in length. Joining local boats and guides we will venture into Gorontalo Bay where plankton and small fish attract the world’s largest fish. This afternoon has been left free for exploration.
Day 14 - Day 14: Seho & Taliabu Islands
 This morning we plan to explore the unspoiled paradise of remote and rarely visited Seho Island where beautiful sandy beaches and stunning coral reefs meet forested, wildlife filled hills and jungles. Explore the island with options for jungle hikes searching for birds and wildlife, beachcombing and snorkelling among an amazing carpet of multicoloured soft corals. This afternoon visit the township of Bobong on Taliabu Island before making our way to the local markets, spice plantations and experiencing the rich culture of this tropical outpost.
Day 15 - Day 15: Buru Island
 Fascinating and seldom visited, Buru Island is located at the boundary between the biogeographic zones of Australia and Asia. A high proportion of the species of birds and mammals here are found nowhere else with 10 endemic bird species and 4 endemic mammals as well as a number of near-endemic species. This morning we will explore these remote shores together with our expert naturalists and guides. Enjoy opportunities to explore the forests in search of wildlife and experience the heart-warming hospitality of local communities during village visits.
Day 16 - Day 16: Banda Neira
 Under consideration as a World Heritage Site due to its fascinating history as the centre of the Spice Islands trade and incredible biodiversity, Banda Neira is the main island in the archipelago of 10 tiny volcanic Banda Islands. Once the world’s sole source of nutmeg due to the islands’ native Myristica trees, the principal town of Banda Neira offers a glimpse into bygone days with its charming 17th Century European relics including the five-sided Fort Belgica overlooking the harbour. Built in 1611 by the first Governor General of the Dutch East Indies and refurbished in the 90s it was designed to guard against sea threats and to protect the colonialists from any uprising locals. Across a narrow strait lies the 640-metre cone of active volcano Gunung Banda Api which sits on its own island and is home to a variety of wildlife and bird species. Below the sparkling sapphire water the islands’ location near the centre of the Coral Triangle is evident with sprawling coral fields where myriad fish species including Scorpion, Ghost Pipefish, Napoleon Wrasse, Mandarin Fish, Hammerhead Sharks and more can be observed. Village visits and cultural immersion rounds out our time here including observing Banda’s famous Kora Kora canoes in action.
Day 17 - Day 17: Kei Kecil Island
 Today we explore Indonesia’s secret paradise – Kei Kecil Island, the crowning tropical jewel in the Kei Archipelago in the southeastern chain of the Maluku Islands. Located on the edge of the Coral Triangle’ Kei Kecil is home to some of Indonesia’s finest beaches where powdery white sands meet gin-clear turquoise waters, stunning coral reefs and palm-fringed tropical jungles. Most famous is Ngurbloat Beach, known locally as ‘Pasir Panjang’ the insta-worthy combination of flour-soft white sand luxuriously stretches some 5-kilometres flanked between thousands of coconut trees and glassy calm ocean. Located among some of the world’s most biologically rich waters snorkelling the extensive fringing and barrier reefs is exceptional and rewards with numerous colourful reef fish, Nudibranches, cephalopods, Dogtooth Tuna, Eagle and Manta Rays make up the mesmerising marine life.
Day 18 - Day 18: At Sea
 Take the time to relax and reflect on an amazing experience as we recap the highlights and enjoy a farewell dinner this evening.
Day 19 - Day 19: Darwin, Australia
 This morning we arrive in Darwin, Australia’s ‘northern gateway’ famous for its glittering harbour, World War II history and enviable tropical outdoor lifestyle. After breakfast there will be a complimentary coach to a central hotel or to Darwin International Airport. To allow time for disembarkation procedures and travel from Darwin, we do not recommend booking flights departing before 1300 hours.
Day 20 - Please note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
09-06-202527-06-2025AUD $20,895Main Deck Triple
09-06-202527-06-2025AUD $21,355Superior Triple
09-06-202527-06-2025AUD $23,685Deck 4 Superior
09-06-202527-06-2025AUD $25,285Deck 5 Superior
09-06-202527-06-2025AUD $28,795Main Deck Single
09-06-202527-06-2025AUD $30,895Superior Single
09-06-202527-06-2025AUD $32,865Worsley Suite
09-06-202527-06-2025AUD $39,000Heritage Suite

Inclusions

    • Taiwan’s Yehliu Geopark and 19-kilometre-long canyon Taroko National Park and Marble Gorge with its 300 feet high marble walls
    • Swim with Whale Sharks
    • Discover the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ on Bohol Island

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