An Insider's Indonesia - Absolute Asia Tours

On arrival in Sulawesi, you'll be met by your private guide, who will accompany you to your hotel in Makassar.

Head out by bacak or bus to visit two of Makassar’s local markets with your guide. Stroll between the stalls as your guide helps you purchase fresh ingredients to use in a cooking class later that morning. Laden with supplies, take a local ferry along the river to the village of La’kkang. Surrounded by rice paddies and agricultural fields, it feels much more remote and rural than nearby Makassar, with many of the 300 inhabitants maintaining traditional farming and fishing lives from Buginese stilt houses. Learn to create local specialities in the kitchen of one of these homes, then settle down to tuck into your culinary efforts. Return to your hotel after lunch, stopping en route at the colourful Paotere Harbour where schooners and fishing boats bob on the water, and enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.

Catch your flight to Ambon, where the remainder of your day will be at leisure to explore the city’s mix of modern and historic, perhaps seeking dinner and drinks in the bustling local streets.

Tour Ambon city on a bacak (cycle rickshaw) to find hidden corners of colonial architecture, and local highlights. Dismount for the drive out of the city to Soya Atas, a village sitting half way up the 3,000 feet-high slopes of Gunung Sirimau. Pass Soya’s 19th century Catholic church, then leave the car and climb 300 steps to the sacred hilltop, where you can wander between extraordinary ancient megaliths and take a drink from a blessed water container that’s said to never run dry. Drink in the views before descending, and pause in a local house at the bottom for a typical Ambonese meal of sweet potatoes, coconut and vegetable dishes to re-fortify body and soul. Hop back in the car for the last stretch to Soya Atas itself, where you'll take a gentle 2-3 hour walk to the coast near Hukurila, following narrow trails past villages, fruit orchards and fields of crops.

Board a boat at the port of Tulehu, heading for Amahai harbour on the island of Seram. Head across the island to the coastal fishing village of Sawai, stopping en-route for lunch in a local home. See Sawai’s rows of stilted homes built over the water, and make the last 45 minutes of the journey by longboat, to your secluded, waterside guesthouse, where the rest of your day will be at leisure to relax and soak up the scenic surroundings.

Board a longtail boat to Batu Supun, to spend the morning snorkelling in the crystal waters. Enjoy a BBQ lunch on a nearby island, possibly overlooked by the occasional flying fox, and return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure, relaxing away from the rush of the world. Alternatively, if you’re feeling adventurous, travel further afield by speedboat to Pulau Tujuh’s cluster of uninhabited islands, for white sandy beaches and yet more stunning coral reef.

Spend the day immersed in pristine natural surroundings. Take a longtail boat along the Salawai River, known for its saltwater crocodiles and home to numerous bird species. See local communities making flour from the bark of the Sago Palm tree, take a walk to one of the island’s many beautiful waterfalls, and - if time permits, and if you wish to - enjoy a little snorkelling before sunset.

Travel to Alfuro Haulu village, home to the Alifuru community, stopping at a bird sanctuary along the way. The Alifuru are the oldest known inhabitants of the mountains of Seram, and are known for their animist beliefs and supposed magical skills which include the ability to disappear! Spend the morning preparing lunch with your village hosts, gathering vegetables from the gardens to be cooked in traditional bamboo and helping prepare a (very) fresh chicken. Enjoy lunch together, eating using your hands and bamboo spoons in the traditional custom. Continue your drive south to Masohi, the capital of Seram, to check in to your accommodation and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

Catch the fast boat to Ambon, and enjoy a few hours at leisure settling into your hotel next to Natsepa’s gorgeous sands. In the afternoon, join your guide for a tour of some of the northern region’s hidden coves and inland highlights.

Fly to Sorong in West Papua, where the rest of your day will be at leisure to make the most of your hotel’s facilities or, if you’re feeling a bit more active, head to the top of Stone Hill for sunset views over the city and beaches.

Board the shuttle boat to the small Raja Ampat island of Kri. Check in to the Kri Eco Resort and spend the rest of your day at leisure. Snorkel in the shallows, kayak over the reef, or simply lay back on your terrace and listen to the waves lapping against the shore.

Once you’ve settled into Kri’s unhurried pace, the days are yours to spend at leisure. Get active out in the bay with unlimited dives around the reef (including night dives to see the reef in a breathtaking new light), learn about the resort’s dedicated conservation and sustainability projects, kayak or paddle board to remote bays, head to Kri’s sister resort at Sorido Bay to enjoy blissful spa treatments, and wander inland past wild orchids and flocks of tropical birds.

Relax on & around Kri Island

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.