Bali to Broome Total Solar Eclipse Cruise

Komodo National Park was originally designed as a refuge for the famed Komodo dragons, the largest lizards on the planet. But the reserve also protects a rich marine ecosystem, offering superb snorkeling and diving opportunities. After heading ashore by Zodiac, you can swim over the island’s perimeter reef, marveling at the coral’s myriad colors, or simply relax and take in the peaceful beauty of this virtually uninhabited paradise. Designated a global priority protected area by both the World Wildlife Fund and Conservation International, the park lies in the Wallacea Region of Indonesia — named for 19th-century naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who identified the transition line between the major biological realms of Asia and Australia. (This was the same Wallace who developed, independently of Charles Darwin, an evolutionary theory of natural selection.)

DATE(S): Monday, April 10, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

ACCOMMODATION: Ponant cruise ship Le Lapérouse

A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1989, the park is almost completely undeveloped; its 30 or so islands are home to only a few small fishing villages. And with one of the lowest annual rainfalls in Indonesia, it’s a perfect environment for the exotic wildlife that characterize the Wallacea region. Areas of dense monsoon forest open onto grassland savannah studded with spiny Ziziphus trees — the preferred habitat of the Komodo dragon. Join your expedition team and park rangers as we head off in search of the giant lizards, spotting unique flora and fauna along the trail.

DATE(S): Tuesday, April 11, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

ACCOMMODATION: Ponant cruise ship Le Lapérouse

As we sail the Flores Sea among the Lesser Sunda Islands, you can work out in the ship’s fitness centre or relax in the spa — or maybe take a dip in the swimming pool or enjoy some reading and sunbathing on deck. This day without a port of call is also your opportunity to enjoy a show or presentation, do some shopping in the ship’s boutique or get a few tips from the Ponant photographers onboard. And if you love the open sea, you can head to the upper deck to spot marine life and just admire the spectacle of wave upon wave stretching to the far horizons. In short, today is a welcome interlude weaving together luxury comforts, entertainment, and rest.

DATE(S): Wednesday, April 12, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

ACCOMMODATION: Ponant cruise ship Le Lapérouse

On the northern coast of the island of Timor, between the central mountains and the Ombai Strait, lies Dili; the quiet seaside city that was thrust into the role of national capital when Timor-Leste became an independent country in 2002. East Timor, as it was then known, declared its independence from Portugal in 1975 following 400 years of colonial rule. Within days, Indonesian forces had invaded Dili and annexed East Timor. During the long guerrilla war that followed, as many as 200,000 East Timorese lost their lives. Today, though, Dili shows no signs of that tumultuous history. The city has a laidback, small-town vibe with a distinctly Portuguese flavour — which our local guides are proud to share as they take you on a tour of historical and cultural sites.

DATE(S): Thursday, April 13, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

ACCOMMODATION: Ponant cruise ship Le Lapérouse

Journeying on to the eastern part of Timor-Leste, we discover its second largest town, Bacau. Set on a plateau overlooking the sea, this bustling market center has a more sedate old quarter filled with reminders of its Portuguese colonial past. Next, we follow a winding road down to the coast, where beautiful white-sand beaches stretch as far as the eye can see. It’s along this lightly traveled shore, in remote villages and sheltered coves, that you experience authentic Timorese life — from musicians in traditional handwoven garments welcoming their honored guests to villagers proudly sharing their culture through performances and artisanal crafts such as fabric dyeing and weaving. And, of course, you’ll have chances to enjoy more swimming and snorkeling in the clear blue waters.

DATE(S): Friday, April 14, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

ACCOMMODATION: Ponant cruise ship Le Lapérouse

Today the focus onboard is our astronomical program while everyone prepares for the April 20th eclipse. As always, you’re welcome to enjoy the ship’s many amenities — or just stroll the deck spotting marine life and taking in vistas of the endlessly changing sea.

DATE(S): Saturday, April 15, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

ACCOMMODATION: Ponant cruise ship Le Lapérouse

Wyndham is the northernmost town in Western Australia and the gateway to the Kimberley Coast. Surrounded by massive landforms, deep river valleys and wildlife-filled wetlands; it’s the ideal starting point for exploring the Ord River and beautiful Argyle Lake (one of the world’s largest human-made reservoirs), as well as Purnululu National Park, with its untouched wilderness overlooked by the Bungle Bungle range. Choose one of three guided tours to venture deeper into this untamed territory.

DATE(S): Sunday, April 16, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

ACCOMMODATION: Ponant cruise ship Le Lapérouse

The Kimberley region is one of the last great wilderness areas — larger than three-quarters of the world’s countries — and a spectacular natural asset for a nation that boasts many. At 424,517 sq km (163,907 sq mi), it’s roughly equivalent in size to California, yet this vast area is only traversed by a single paved road. Our excursions ashore are true expeditions, with each day’s activities determined by the ship’s captain and your TravelQuest expedition leader after looking at weather, the tides and sea conditions. You’ll find details below on the various destinations we may visit during our time on the Kimberley Coast.

Exploring the Kimberley Coast

 

King George River and Falls

The journey up the deep rock valley carved out by the King George River is breathtaking. The gorge’s 80 m (260 ft) sandstone walls display varying degrees of weathering, and the colors and textures change constantly as you travel upriver. The culmination of this unfolding spectacle is your arrival at the famed twin falls of the King George, the highest single-drop cascade in the Kimberley region. Your expedition team takes you by Zodiac to the foot of the falls as our guides explain the fascinating geology of the surrounding canyon.

 

Swift Bay

The Bonaparte Archipelago is a maze of islands, peninsulas, bays and rivers along a remote stretch of the Kimberley Coast. Among the highlights of this remarkably pristine area is Swift Bay (named for Jonathan Swift, the author of Gulliver’s Travels), a T-shaped inlet with steep walls of dramatically fractured sandstone. The bay has been a place of refuge for millennia. Hidden among its many rock shelters are superb examples of art by the early Wandjina people, some dating back several thousand years. Your expedition team arranges an expert-guided walk to several of these extraordinary rock art galleries.

 

Mitchell Plateau and Falls

The Mitchell Plateau is one of the most scenic and ecologically significant areas of Australia. Small patches of rainforest grow around its margins, where they thrive in the wet conditions created by runoff. Cutting across the plateau is the Mitchell River, which has etched steep gorges into the sandstone and spills over the plateau’s edge in several waterfalls. The most celebrated is four-tiered Mitchell Falls, which flows year-round over a series of massive stone steps.

 

Montgomery Reef and Collier Bay

The tidal movements along the Kimberley Coast are among the most dramatic on the planet, and Montgomery Reef is a showcase for their effects. As the tide drops, a torrent of water is drawn away from shore and the entire reef appears to rise from the sea. Covering nearly 400 sq km (about 150 sq mi), it is Australia’s largest inshore reef, comprising shallow lagoons, extensive seagrass beds and multi-hued corals. Your expedition team guides you (tidal conditions permitting) through the exposed reef system to see its mini-waterfalls and fascinating marine life up close.

 

Horizontal Falls, Talbot Bay

Described by Sir David Attenborough as “one of the greatest wonders of the natural world,” the Horizontal Falls are created when the tide in Talbot Bay pushes through two successive narrow gaps, just a few hundred metres apart, in the coastal McLarty Range. When the water builds up faster on one side of the gap than the other, it forms a fast-moving, whitecapped wave up to 4 m (13 ft) high. Our Zodiac excursion is timed to coincide (when possible) with the greatest tidal movement through the gaps — though the volume naturally depends on changing daily conditions.

 

The Lacepede Islands

The Lacepede Islands are Western Australia’s most important breeding habitat for green sea turtles. The chain of four islands has also been designated a globally important bird area by BirdLife International. The Lacepedes’ colony of brown boobies, for example, is possibly the largest in the world; naturalists have also recorded up to 20,000 roseate terns here. Other bird species breeding in the islands include masked boobies; Australian pelicans; lesser frigatebirds; Eastern reef egrets; silver gulls; crested, lesser crested and bridled terns; common noddies; and pied and sooty oystercatchers. While landings are prohibited to protect the sensitive environment, your expedition team takes you in close by Zodiac to view the incredible profusion of birdlife.

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE DAY – THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2023

Everyone is up early this morning as the ship nears our carefully chosen spot in the Timor Sea and we prepare to view the total solar eclipse. It’s an experience you’ll never forget — and we’ll mark it appropriately with a celebration on deck!

Centerline viewing site in the Timor Sea: 14°50’S, 120°52’E

Duration of totality: 1 minute, 12 seconds

2023 Eclipse Weather Prospects on the Timor Sea
By TQ eclipse meteorologist Jay Anderson

The Timor Sea is a very good location from which to watch a solar eclipse. April comes on the heels of the wet season, when precipitation and cloud cover are descending from their February maximums. The dry season is on its way. Satellite observations reveal that average cloudiness is less than 40% over much of the sea; in more southerly parts, it sinks still further, to only 25%. Even more enticing, the largest part of this meagre cloud cover comes from small cumulus buildups — cloud formations that are easily avoided on a ship. Archived satellite images since 2000 show that a shipboard position in the central Timor Sea would have been able to view an April 20 eclipse on all but one of those years — among the most promising records in eclipse-viewing annals.

DATE(S): Monday-Sunday, April 17-23, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner daily

ACCOMMODATION: Ponant cruise ship Le Lapérouse

Broome, “the pearl of Northwest Australia,” is the gateway to the Kimberley Coast wilderness and a destination in its own right, thanks to the magnificent white sands of Cable Beach. You awake to views of the charming resort town this morning, as Le Lapérouse is already moored alongside the wharf. After a final breakfast onboard, it’s time to exchange farewells before disembarking and heading to the airport (airport code BME) for your flight homeward — or on to further adventures in Australasia.

DATE(S): Monday, April 24, 2023

MEALS: Breakfast