Asia Pacific

Secrets of the Coral Triangle: West Papua and Raja Ampat cruise

12 Days aboard SH Minerva. From AUD $11,583pp.
Small Ship Expeditions
Details

Overview

Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime expedition cruise through one of the most remote and biodiverse regions of the Indonesian archipelago — the untouched wonders of West Papua and Raja Ampat. This extraordinary voyage reveals the raw natural beauty, vibrant marine ecosystems, and deeply rooted island cultures of a region few travelers ever reach. Sailing through secluded lagoons, coral atolls, and jungle-covered coastlines, you’ll explore the heart of Indonesia’s hidden paradise by small ship, where nature reigns supreme and discovery awaits at every turn.

Your curated itinerary takes you far beyond the usual routes, from the crystal-clear waters of Cenderawasih Bay — home to graceful whale sharks — to the surreal limestone karsts of Wayag and Misool. Snorkel among vibrant coral reefs, relax on golden sand beaches only accessible by sea, and immerse yourself in the rhythm of local island life. April and May offer ideal conditions to navigate this untouched region, with calm seas and warm, humid days providing the perfect backdrop for exploration and connection with nature.

Designed for curious and conscious travelers, this Raja Ampat cruise offers an unparalleled blend of adventure, cultural immersion, and pristine beauty. Whether you're swimming with giant whale sharks, trekking through lush rainforests, or engaging with remote island communities, every moment is unforgettable. Discover West Papua’s most breathtaking landscapes and marine sanctuaries in a style that is refined, intimate, and deeply enriching.

Itinerary Highlights

  • Sail along jungle-clad coastlines and coral atolls only accessible by sea
  • Encounter gentle whale sharks in Cenderawasih Bay and meet remote communites whose lives revolve around the sea
  • Snorkel vibrant reefs and trek rainforest trails with expert guides

Itinerary in Brief

  • Day 1: Bali (Hotel Night)
  • Day 2 and 3: Fly to Jayapura, Papua and embark
  • Day 4: Pulau Padaidori, Papua
  • Day 5: Kwatisore
  • Day 6: Pulau Roon, Cenderawasih Bay, Papua - Auri Islands, Cenderawasih Bay, Papua
  • Day 7: Manokwari, Papua
  • Day 8: Ayu Atoll, Raja Ampat, Papua
  • Day 9: Waigeo Island, Aljui Bay, Raja Ampat
  • Day 10: Wayag Island, Raja Ampat
  • Day 11: Pulau Misool, Balbulal Lagoon,Raja Ampat - Pulau Misool, Yapap, Raja Ampat
  • Day 12: Sorong, Papua

Ship Information

For more information on the SH Minerva please view the ship page.

View SH Minerva

Travelling with Eclipse

Peace of Mind
  • Eclipse Travel is Australian owned and run, and an ATAS accredited travel agent.
  • 24/7 emergency numbers and local contacts provided for support while you’re abroad.
  • We provide all the information you need to organise your visas and vaccinations, making travel preparation stress-free.
  • No currency surcharges. Once your deposit is paid, your price is guaranteed.
Specialists
  • Our consultants are true destination experts, with firsthand experience and extensive travel in the regions we offer.
  • Expect quick, professional responses and dedicated service from our knowledgeable team.
  • We conduct regular checks on destinations, hotels, and services to ensure quality for every trip.
Authentic Travel
  • Tailor-made itineraries designed around your unique requirements.
  • Freedom to select your preferred style and standard of accommodation.
  • Unique itineraries that take you beyond the major highlights, immersing you in each location.
  • Committed to responsible travel: we reinvest in the environment and local communities across our destinations.

Day 1: Bali (Hotel Night)

You will be met by a cruise representative on arrival at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The evening is free for you to explore.

Day 2 and 3: Fly to Jayapura, Papua and embark

After an early breakfast, you will transfer to the airport for your flight to Jayapura, Papua. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the ship for embarkation.

Jayapura, Papua's provincial capital, serves as a base to explore the rugged Baliem Valley. Winding trails lead through verdant highlands to secluded waterfalls and saltwater springs. Traditional life endures in tribal villages hidden in the rainforest, featuring religious ceremonies or mock tribal wars. In Jayapura, museums recount the intense WWII battles, where Allied and Japanese forces clashed for control of the Pacific theatre.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 4: Pulau Padaidori, Papua

Pulau Padaidori is one of a cluster of tiny, mostly uninhabited islands and atolls off the northern Papuan coast. This remote stop combines secluded Pacific Rim beaches with a rich, protected marine ecosystem in its calm sapphire waters, where schools of shimmering tropical fish weave amid colourful coral gardens. Mangrove forests shelter snakes and crabs in their twisted root systems and swaying coconut palms decorate white-sand beaches.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 5: Kwatisore

Kwatisore, along the mainland shore of Cenderawasih Bay, is the bay’s most renowned spot for close whale shark encounters. Here, the gentle giants gather beneath local fishing platforms (bagans), drawn by the catch. This unique interaction site offers rare, up-close experiences with resident whale sharks in calm, clear waters, making it a world-class destination for marine wildlife enthusiasts.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 6: Pulau Roon, Cenderawasih Bay, Papua - Auri Islands, Cenderawasih Bay, Papua

Pulau Roon in Indonesia's Papua province is an island paradise within The Gulf of Cenderawasih, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for rich biodiversity. The island's hilly terrain offers pristine beaches and vibrant coral reefs with diverse marine life like dugong, reef sharks and schools of reef fish Pulau Roon also boasts a rich cultural heritage, showcasing intricate craftsmanship and traditional music.

The Auri islands, a gateway to Cenderawasih Bay and its marine park, host diverse coral reefs teeming with fish species - butterfly fish, damselfish and clownfish- and resident whale sharks. Named after birds of paradise, Cenderawasih is a haven for these brightly plumed birds, alongside cassowaries, hornbills and crested pigeons. Dense rainforest and tiny fishing villages define the remote charm of these islands in Cenderawasih Bay.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 7: Manokwari, Papua

Overlooking tranquil Doreri Bay, where palm trees line sheltered coves and ghostly shipwrecks rest on the seabed, Manokwari is West Papua's coastal capital. In town, artists craft carvings and shell handicrafts, while the market and harbour provide immersion in local commerce and culture. Hiking Mount Arfak, the region's highest point, offers stunning mountain vistas and sightings of birds of paradise, cuscuses, and rare tree kangaroos.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 8: Ayu Atoll, Raja Ampat, Papua

Pulau Ayu, the main island in the Ayu Atoll, is a remote jewel of Raja Ampat. Fringed by ivory beaches and lush rainforest, and surrounded by vibrant coral reefs, it’s a sanctuary for nesting leatherback turtles. Beneath its clear waters, tropical marine life flourishes, while the villages of Ayu and Imbik Kuan welcome visitors with warm Papuan hospitality. Once a WWII outpost, its isolation made it a key strategic base for Japanese forces.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 9: Waigeo Island, Aljui Bay, Raja Ampat

Aljui Bay on Waigeo Island in Indonesia's Raja Ampat archipelago is an extensive mangrove-lined inlet filled with pocket coves. Home to a pearl farm, the bay also offers sights like saltwater crocodiles, hornbills, cockatoos, and diverse marine life. Inland, the island features orchid-draped cloud forests and waterfalls, rare birds like the Wilson's bird of paradise, and opportunities to experience Papuan culture.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 10: Wayag Island, Raja Ampat

One of Raja Ampat's most remote islands, Wayag offers spectacular limestone karst formations surrounded by sapphire sea. Steps lead up to the panoramic Wayag Viewpoint overlooking the bullet-shaped stacks erupting from the ocean. Wayag's unusual landscape exists both above and below the surface with deserted white-sand beaches and underwater gardens packed with soft corals, darting tropical fish and black-tipped reef sharks.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 11: Pulau Misool, Balbulal Lagoon,Raja Ampat - Pulau Misool, Yapap, Raja Ampat

With roughly 1,000 coral and over 1,200 reef fish species, the crystalline waters around jungle-woven Raja Ampat, Indonesia's easternmost islands, comprise the most biodiverse marine habitat unparalleled on the planet. Meaning 'four kings,' Raja Ampat refers to Waigeo, Salawati, Batanta and Misool, yet spreads across 1,000 atolls and islets. Originally joined to Australia, Raja Ampat is home to tree-dwelling marsupials and 500 bird species.

Pulau Misool, a remote island in Raja Ampat, showcases wild beauty with white-sand beaches and lush hills. A highlight is Yapap, a secluded lagoon surrounded by towering limestone karsts. Known for its glassy turquoise waters and white-sand seabed, it's ideal for snorkeling, swimming, and photography. Its serene atmosphere makes it a peaceful escape from more crowded spots.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 12: Sorong, Papua

After breakfast, you will disembark and transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Bali DPS.

The bustling port city of Sorong in West Papua is known as the gateway to the crystalline waters of Raja Ampat, the world's most biodiverse marine habitat, home to over 1,500 species of fish and 75 percent of the world's known coral species. In town, the Buddhist pagoda of Sapta Ratna stands tall on a hilltop overlooking the harbour. Local fishing boats come in with their catch at the bustling Pasar Jembutan Puri fish market.

Breakfast included.

Next Departure Date: 17 Apr 2026
DatesCabinFromAdditional
17 Apr 2026 - 28 Apr 2026 AUD$11583ppExpand to view prices
Triple Oceanview M4AUD$11583ppContact us
Oceanview D4AUD$13225ppContact us
Triple Balcony M5AUD$13791ppContact us
Oceanview M4AUD$13900ppContact us
Balcony D5AUD$15875ppContact us
Balcony M5AUD$16550ppContact us
Balcony D6AUD$17200ppContact us
Quadruple SuiteAUD$17363ppContact us
SuiteAUD$23150ppContact us
Premium SuiteAUD$26475ppContact us
  • Please note that cabins Balcony D6, Premium Suite and some Balcony D5 can also be converted into Triples. The Third person will pay only 50% off fare.
  • Triple Cabins can also be converted into Quads for 2 children.
  • When sharing a cabin, children up to the age of 16 pay only 35% of the fare. Those aged 17 and above will pay 50% of the fare.

Ask us for specific pricing.

**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply

Cabin Details

Oceanview D4

19 m2
Oceanview staterooms features 2 single beds, bedroom and living room and a luxurious ensuite bathroom.

Oceanview D4
Oceanview D4
Oceanview M4

19 m2
Oceanview staterooms features 2 single beds, bedroom and living room and a luxurious ensuite bathroom.

Oceanview M4
Oceanview M4
Balcony D5

28 m2
Located at the forward and aft of the ship, these balcony staterooms feature 2 single beds or double bed bedroom with living room area, a luxurious bathroom and your own private 6m2 balcony

Balcony D5
Balcony D5
Balcony M5

28 m2
Located at the centre of the ship, these balcony staterooms feature 2 single beds or double bed bedroom with living room area, a luxurious bathroom and your own private 6m2 balcony

Balcony M5
Balcony M5
Balcony D6

28 m2
Located on deck six, these balcony staterooms feature 2 single beds or double bed bedroom with living room area, a luxurious bathroom and your own private 6m2 balcony

Balcony D6
Balcony D6
Suite

44m2
Our Suites features a superking bed and separate living room with and a soothing flame-effect fireplace a luxurious ensuite bathroom and a 12 sq.m. private balcony.

Suite
Suite
Premium Suite

49m2
Our grandest suites features a superking bed and separate living room with and a soothing flame-effect fireplace a luxurious ensuite bathroom, spacious walk in wardrobe and a 12 sq.m private balcony.

Premium Suite
Premium Suite
Triple Oceanview M4

19 m2
Located on Deck 4 at the bow. Light, bright and crafted from natural materials Oceanview staterooms features 2 single beds or a double bed, a bedroom and living room and a luxurious ensuite bathroom.
To make it a Triple room, the third guest will sleep on a Single Sofa bed – Dimensions of the Sofa: 1860 X 1230 mm
This cabin can also be converted into Quad on request.

Triple Oceanview M4
Triple Oceanview M4
Triple Balcony M5

28 m2
Balcony stateroom is a Swan Hellenic guest favorite. Located on Deck 5 at the centre of the ship, staterooms features 2 single beds or a double bed, bedroom, living room, luxurious bathroom and your own 6 m2 balcony.
To make it a Triple room, the third guest will sleep on a Single Sofa bed – Dimensions of the Sofa: 1900 X 1380 mm
This cabin can also be converted into Quad on request.

Triple Balcony M5
Triple Balcony M5
Quadruple Suite

44 m2
Located on Deck 5 and 6 at the centre of the ship, our spacious Suites with a 12 sq.m. private balconies are a favorite with discerning guests, and those that prefer a little more space and comfort.
To make it a Quad room, the third and fourth guests will sleep on a Double Sofa bed – Dimensions of the Sofa: 1900 X 1380 mm

Quadruple Suite
Quadruple Suite

SH Minerva Deckplan

deck plan

Specifications

Passengers: 152

Crew: 122

Decks: 9

Length: 372.3ft (113.5m)

Draft: 17.8ft (5.45m)

Breadth: 79.7ft (24.3m)

Gross Tonnage: 10617

Registered: Liberia

Service speed: 12 knots

Lifeboats: 2 (fully closed)

Propulsion: Hybrid Diesel Electric, Polar Class PC5

Zodiacs: 10 MK5 + 2 MK6

What's included?

  • Group transfer from Bali DPS Airport to Bali hotel
  • Group transfer from hotel to Bali DPS Airport for charter flight to Jayapura
  • Group transfer from Jayapura Airport to ship
  • Group transfer from ship to Sorong Airport for charter flight to Bali DPS
  • Charter flight from Bali to Jayapura pre cruise
  • Charter flight from Sorong  to Bali post cruise
  • One-night pre-cruise accommodation with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel in Bali
  • All meals onboard
  • 24-hour room service
  • Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and selected alcoholic beverages available 24 hours per day
  • Lecture programs by our experienced expedition team and guest speakers
  • Standard Wi-Fi (Free upgrade to Gold)
  • Onboard gratuities and port taxes
  • One selected shore excursion/expedition activity per port of call
  • Backpack and stainless-steel water bottle

What's not?

  • Any items not mentioned as included.

Important notes and additional information

  • Please note that cabins Balcony D6, Premium Suite and some Balcony D5 can also be converted into Triples. The Third person will pay only 50% off fare.
  • Triple Cabins can also be converted into Quads for 2 children.
  • When sharing a cabin, children up to the age of 16 pay only 35% of the fare. Those aged 17 and above will pay 50% of the fare.

Ask us for specific pricing.

Price Assurance

At Eclipse Travel, our expert destination knowledge and decades of travel planning experience come at no extra cost to you. While many think booking through a tour operator is more expensive than planning a trip independently, that’s not the case. We’re paid by our travel partners—such as hotels, activity operators, and cruise providers—via commissions, not by our clients.

Our team negotiates the best rates for you and ensures you receive unbiased advice, with no preference for any particular supplier. In fact, where we secure higher commissions, we often pass the savings on to you, giving us a competitive price edge.

Additionally, we lock in exchange rates at the time of your deposit, ensuring no surprise costs when it’s time for final payment. You can rest easy knowing we’ll handle the details with our suppliers. The only exceptions are national park fee increases or fuel surcharges imposed after your booking, though these are rare.

Take advantage of our team’s expertise and let us help you plan the perfect holiday—hassle-free!

Secrets of the Coral Triangle: West Papua and Raja Ampat cruise

12 Days aboard SH Minerva. From AUD $11,583pp.