Triton Bay West Papua Indonesia
27
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Emerald Waterways (12 Cruises)
Emerald Xara
12 Cruises
| 25 September | 22 days | One-way from Broome, Western Australia to Benoa | |
| 25 September | 23 days | One-way from Broome WA to Benoa |
Frequently Asked Questions
You don't, in the usual sense. There is no pier, no welcome party and no shop. Expedition ships anchor in southern Indonesian West Papua and the whole call is lived from the ship, by zodiac, by fin and in silence.
A maze of limestone islets on an emerald-green sea. Hundreds of karst towers capped with dense forest, undercut into mushroom shapes by the waves, their walls dripping with orchids and ferns. Some passages narrow so far that the guide cuts the engine and paddles.
It is possible, with no guarantee at all. Beneath the bagan fishing platforms anchored off Kaimana, whale sharks sometimes come to suck anchovies from the nets. Teams scan the bagans at first light; when the fishermen report a visit, the zodiacs approach quietly.
Shorter than elsewhere, and that is the bargain this sea offers: rich in nutrients, it trades clarity for an astonishing density of life. Soft corals in sweet-shop colours, black coral bushes, fusilier shoals so thick they dim the light.
A small epaulette shark that moves along on its fins as if on legs, found almost nowhere else. Guides point it out to the most attentive swimmers along the drop-offs. Hawksbill turtles, meanwhile, graze on sponges without paying swimmers any attention.
Yes. Between snorkelling stops, the zodiacs run along cliffs where hands, fish and suns painted in red ochre have watched boats pass for millennia. The art, still poorly dated, attests to a very old human presence on shores that are now almost empty.
Sometimes. A few fishing hamlets, including Lobo at the head of the bay, live opposite the painted walls. Depending on the itinerary, a visit allows an exchange of smiles and songs with people who see a handful of ships a year. Restraint is called for: you are the rare guest of a world that is complete without you.
The water turns violet as the sun drops behind the karst towers, and the bagan lamps come on one by one across the horizon like a string of lights laid on the sea. Then, with no light pollution for tens of kilometres in any direction, the sky opens into a star field you rarely get to see.
Yes, on some ships. Certain crews break out kayaks and paddleboards to explore the inner lagoons, those still-water basins enclosed in limestone. It is one of the finest ways to enter the maze at first light.
Everything, since there is nothing ashore: mask and snorkel if you prefer your own, a dry bag, water-resistant sunscreen, a hat. No shops, no ATMs, no signal. The programme depends on swell and tide, and is often settled the evening before.
