DUNIA BARU UNWRAPS KOMODO NATIONAL PARK & ALOR ARCHIPELAGO IN INDONESIA

THE TRADITIONAL PHINISI S/Y DUNIA BARU offers cruising tours through the beautiful waters of Alor Archipelago and around the wellknown Komodo National Park in Indonesia.

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THE TRADITIONAL PHINISI S/Y DUNIA BARU offers cruising tours through the beautiful waters of Alor Archipelago and around the wellknown Komodo National Park in Indonesia.

Alors Archipelago comes with abundant marine life, where two oceans collide and the rich original cultures house many people, while Komodo National Park provides a thrilling wildlife experience on its wild, volcanic scattering of islands in a riot of life both above and below the water.

With seven cabins accommodating 14 people, Dunia Baru transports guests to this otherworldly spot in luxury for an adventurous trip of discovery. Twenty crewmembers take care of visitors’ comfort with a wealth of knowledge on the region and its inhabitants that consist of over 100 tribes.

One of the most exciting discoveries to be made in the region is the Komodo dragon, and Dunia Baru’s itineraries offer plenty of opportunities to get to know the prehistoric relic. Visitors can experience their encounter when they head out on a nature walk on Rinca Island with a guide from Komodo National Park. Diving with the gigantic potato cod, Malabar grouper and red snapper is an option, while also observing the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat along the shoreline.

Tourists are scarce in this area despite the rich marine life, including coral, large reef fish and various marine mammals. If this part of the world was better known, it could be one of Indonesia’s most prolific dive spots. The first evening of the journey is a sunset walk above the clear anchorage of Gili Lawa Darat, with passengers sipping champagne while viewing the sun merging with the ocean. The deserted white-sand beaches and crystalline waters of the 17 Islands Marine Park are very exclusive thanks to a lack of other visitors.

If there are still people who do whale hunting, many of them can be found on Lambata Island, where people use only hand-carved wooden boats powered by paddle and harpoon their prey with a bamboo spear. The village holds an exemption from the global ban on whale hunting and kills no more than 20 whales a year.

On the Alor main island, the local tribe is known for its headhunting ceremonies, which continue to this day. Elders keep the ceremonial tradition for cleansing the evil spirits of the village, even though they haven’t taken a head in almost a century.

Kumba, known as the fire-breathing monster, puts on a dazzling display of molten lava and thunderous eruptions every 15-20 minutes in front of Dunia Baru. While the journey draws to a closure, passengers can enjoy culinary delights with blue lights of the yacht illuminating in the darkness and watch Kumba light up in front of them. www.duniabaru.com

PHOTOS: DUNIA BARU.