Cruise - Orion, Borneo Discovery ex Benoa Return

Journey

10 Night Cruise sailing from Benoa roundtrip aboard Orion.

Ship

Orion   (More about the ship)

Departure Date

29-Sep-2013

• Itinerary

  Cruise Itinerary

  Day	Date	Port		Arrive	Depart
  Day 1	29 Sep 13		Benoa, Bali, Indonesia
  Day 3	1 Oct 13		Semarang, Indonesia
  Day 5	3 Oct 13		Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan, Indonesia
  Day 6	4 Oct 13		Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan, Indonesia
  Day 8	6 Oct 13		Pare Pare, Indonesia
  Day 9	7 Oct 13		Pare Pare, Indonesia
  Day 11	9 Oct 13		Benoa, Bali, Indonesia

  
  ** Itinerary may vary by sailing date

• Your cruise in detail

  10 Night Cruise sailing from Benoa roundtrip aboard Orion.
  
  Nestled in the heart of the Malay Archipelago, Borneo is the third largest Island in the world. The southern two-thirds of the island is divided into the four provinces of West, Central, South and East Kalimantan. The northern coast is divided into the states of Sarawak and Sabah. The tiny nation of Brunei is wedged between these two Malaysian states. Borneo is home to the world's oldest tropical rainforests which, until recently, covered the entire island. Since 1950 almost 50% of the Island has been cleared to satisfy the western world's appetite for cheap timber and palm oil.
  
  Amongst the planet's most biologically diverse ecosystems, prepare to feel as though you have just stepped into a zoological paradise, such is the diversity of Borneo's floral, faunal, and cultural ecology. Relax, sit back and fathom these numbers.15000 plants (400 only recently discovered), 222 species of mammals, 420 resident birds, 100 amphibians, and 394 species of fish. Borneo falls within the "Coral Triangle', and this implies even more, 500 species of reef building corals, a global epicentre of marine biodiversity - no wonder the WWF has put this region on the top of its list for marine conservation.
  
  Highlights of this cruise:
  
  Bali
  The Indonesian island of Bali represents an oxymoron. The city centre of Denpasar is crammed with hotels and tourist activity. It is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.
  
  The countryside is picturesque incorporating rice paddies flooding the hillsides and volcanoes reaching to the skies. The rain-forests are lush and tropical, and the beaches are washed by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. The island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority.
  
  Semarang
  Semarang is one of several major ports in Java. For us we use Semarang purely as a way to access Central Java and in particular for the spectacular 9th century Mahayana Buddhist monument of Borobudur just outside of Jogjakarta.
  
  This famous Buddhist monument serves as both a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and a shrine to the lord Buddha. The six square platforms, layered one on top of the other, topped with a further three circular platforms are decorated with over 2,500 reliefs and over 50 statues. The top level has a large circular dome surrounded by 72 seated Buddha statues each inside an individual stupa. This UNESCO World Heritage listed monument is still used as a pilgrimage site today and is Indonesia's single most visited attraction.
  
  Not far from Borobudur is the 9th century Hindu Temple complex of Prambanan, also UNESCO World Heritage listed. Prambanan is dedicated to the Trimurti of Hinduism, being Brahma the Creator, Visnu the Sustainer and Siva the Destroyer. It is one of the largest and often considered to be one of the most beautiful Hindu temple complexes in all of South East Asia. Prambanan both complements and contrasts with nearby Borobudur. Prambanan was severely effected by the 2006 Java earthquake although a lot of restoration work has been completed since that time.
  
  Pare Pare
  In Pare Pare we will disembark the ship to travel inland to Tana Toraja, staying overnight in Rantepeo. With majestic panoramas, captivating villages and dramatic ceremonies, Tana Toraja is the undisputed highlight of any journey to Sulawesi. This unique culture, the scenic beauty, cool climate and gentle people are the main reason that Toraja is gaining popularity as a tourist destination.
  
  Tana Toraja, often referred to as the "Land of the Heavenly Kings" is home to an ethnic group who believes that their forefathers descended from heaven onto a mountain some twenty generations ago. The Torajans have a unique culture based on animistic beliefs. Known for their grand burial ceremonies on cliffs or hanging graves, they practice an ancestral cult even today where death and afterlife ceremonies are great feasts. Buffaloes are sacrificed in the final death ceremony, after which the deceased's remains are placed in a coffin and interred in caves hollowed out in high cliffs. The mouth of the cave is guarded by lifelike statues, looking out from a "balcony". "Tongkonan" (family houses) are built on stilts with roofs on each end rising like the prows of a ship, representing the cosmos.

• Travel dates

  Departure date	Departs from	Price from
  29-Sep-2013	Benoa, Bali, Indonesia	Ask