Bali to Komodo - In Search of the Dragon!

Tour Code: IDN01

A 13-day wildlife holiday, including a 9-night cruise from the beautiful island of Bali to the Komodo National Park, in search of cetaceans, Manta Rays, the formidable Komodo Dragon and other wildlife.

13 days from
£7,295
Land only price from
£6,495
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Highlights

Summary

Summary

The archipelago of Indonesia comprises a staggering 17,000 islands, of which Bali and Komodo are two. We begin our holiday on the beautiful island of Bali, where we will spend one night before embarking the MV Mermaid which will be our home as we cruise towards Komodo, which is well known to naturalists for being home to the world’s largest species of lizard, the Komodo Dragon. As we cruise, we will be on the lookout for a wonderful variety of wildlife, including cetaceans such as Eden's Whale and Fraser’s Dolphin, as well as birds such as Red-tailed Tropicbird, and the mighty Manta Ray! We will travel by day, and each evening moor in a sheltered spot to allow time for snorkelling before dinner on board. We will cross the ‘Wallace line’ and notice the change in wildlife as Asian fauna gives way to Australasian wildlife, and spend three full days exploring Komodo Island and the neighbouring island of Rinca.

For those that wish to extend their holiday on the island of Bali, we are also delighted to offer a pre-tour extension to Bali Barat National Park.

  • Led by world-renowned marine biologist Dr Chas Anderson
  • Exclusive charter, with a maximum of 16 passengers
  • Superb snorkelling opportunities on the cruise aboard MV Mermaid, which has en suite air-conditioned cabins
  • Look for Komodo Dragons on Komodo Island & neighbouring Rinca Island
  • Cetaceans of the area include Melon-headed Whale, Spinner Dolphins & beaked whales
  • Greater & Lesser Frigatebirds plus tropicbirds among birdlife to be seen at sea
  • Island birds include Green Junglefowl, Flame-breasted Sunbird & Wallacean Drongo
  • Extend your trip with a stay on Bali for pre- or post-cruise relaxation

Grading

Grade A. All island walks and snorkelling excursions are optional.

 

Bali and Komodo are just two of the 17,000 islands that make up the archipelago of Indonesia, the largest in the world. This is a country born of fire, a region shaped over the millennia by huge tectonic forces and the slow, but inexorable, collision of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian Plates. From the tropical paradise of Bali a great arc of volcanic islands stretches to the east including Lombok, Sumbawa, Komodo and Flores. Some of these are now dormant, the heat from beneath having subsided long ago, whilst others still retain their internal furnace and awaken from time to time. All, however, lie in warm tropical seas, home to the most diverse marine-life anywhere in the world with over 3,500 species of fish (more than enough to keep the keenest snorkeller enthralled!) and a wonderful array of tropical whales and dolphins. On the islands themselves, an equally fascinating variety of birds and other wildlife may be found, including their most infamous inhabitant of all, the formidable Komodo Dragon, the largest species of lizard left on Earth!

This exciting holiday is led by marine biologist Dr. Chas Anderson, a leading authority on the cetaceans and fish of the tropical Indian Ocean and pioneer of whale and dolphin-watching in the region. Our home for the 9-night cruise will be MV Mermaid I or MV Mermaid II, comfortable liveaboard motor-yachts featuring seven or eight en suite and air-conditioned cabins for a maximum of 16 passengers.

Our holiday begins with a flight to the palm-fringed island of Bali, where we will spend our first night in a beachfront hotel. Bali is located at the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, between Lombok and Java, and is just as exotic and beautiful as you would imagine! We will board the MV Mermaid, our home for the next nine nights, at Benoa port, located in the south of the island, and from there we begin our journey east. The exact itinerary for this cruise will be kept flexible to take account of such factors as the weather and wildlife sightings; and throughout we will benefit from the unrivalled experience of Chas Anderson and his crew.

As we travel from island to island, past Lombok and Sumbawa, we will stop to enjoy the scenery, cetaceans and other wildlife we meet along the way. Flying fish skitter over the water’s surface, whilst high overhead menacing flocks of Greater and Lesser Frigatebirds circle, occasionally joined by their rare Christmas Island cousin; we may also see the beautiful White-tailed Tropicbird. We will travel by day and anchor early each evening in a sheltered spot to allow plenty of time for snorkelling and to appreciate the wonderful diversity of underwater life that abounds here, including, we hope, Manta Rays! Then, as darkness falls, far from the light pollution that blights so much of the Western world, we can make our way up to the top deck of MV Mermaid to enjoy stunning views of the night sky.

One of the main focuses of this cruise will be the tropical cetaceans that live in these warm waters, especially those in and around Komodo National Park where we plan to spend three full days. Species we are likely to encounter include False Killer Whale and Melon-headed Whale, plus Spinner, Spotted, Risso’s and Fraser’s Dolphins. Other possible species include Blue Whale, Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, Dwarf Sperm Whale and Rough-toothed Dolphin, and we will be keeping a sharp look-out for the little-known Eden’s Whale (a pending split from Bryde’s Whale).

The further east we travel, the drier and more arid the islands become. The wildlife that lives on this archipelago is of particular interest to the naturalist, as it is here that Asian fauna gives way to Australasian wildlife, the boundary being marked by the famous ‘Wallace Line’. The rugged islands of Komodo and Rinca are home to the world’s largest species of lizard, the fearsome Komodo Dragon, which can grow to over 3 metres! We aim to make a landing on both islands and, as well as keeping a careful eye on the local reptilian inhabitants, we will be looking for some of the region’s landbirds including Green Junglefowl, Variable Goshawk, Wallacean Drongo, Flame-breasted Sunbird and the endangered Yellowcrested Cockatoo.

Leaving Rinca and Komodo Islands we continue east to Flores, allowing us additional time to watch for more cetaceans and seabirds, as well as further opportunities to explore a variety of reefs and landings, before we must disembark for the short flight back to Bali and onwards to London.

 

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Depart London.
Day 2
Arrive Bali and overnight.
Day 3/11
Wildlife cruise around Bali and Komodo
Day 12
Disembark MV Mermaid; fly London
Day 13
Arrive London.
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    For our cruises in 2021 and 2022, we have exclusively chartered the 14-berth ‘MV Mermaid I’, a 28-metre motor-yacht featuring seven en suite and air-conditioned guest cabins. For additional information on the vessel, and details of the different cabin grades available, please refer to the tour itinerary. In Bali we use a comfortable beach hotel.

  • Food:

    All food is included in the price except for lunches and dinners in Bali. We recommend allowing around £40.

Reviews
Extensions

Extensions

Bali Barat National Park

3 days from £1,295
View Details
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Thu 23rd Oct – Tue 4th Nov 1 £7,295
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£6,495
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Chas Anderson
CharlesAnderson.jpg

Tour Leader: Chas Anderson

Dr ‘Chas’ Anderson is a professional marine biologist who has lived and worked in the Maldives since 1983, and leads our tropical cruises in the Maldives, Indonesia, Solomon Islands and the Seychelles. Chas is the foremost authority on whales, dolphins and the fishes in the Maldives, and a pioneer of whale and dolphin watching in the region. He has written many books and papers on the marine life of the islands, is an accomplished underwater photographer, and usually presents a series of fascinating evening slide shows on marine life during the course of each cruise.

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Wed 14th Oct – Mon 26th Oct SPACES £7,495
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£6,795

2027

Departures Availability Cost
Sat 11th Sep – Thu 23rd Sep SPACES £8,295
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£7,395

Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

Enquire
Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!