East of Wallace Tours
Adventures in East Indonesia

Holiday in the Moluccas

Dreamlike adventure holidays to Indonesia's Spice Islands

Hey, Adventurer,

 

Ready for a trip to the Moluccas, the original Spice Islands, for an unforgettable experience in one of Indonesia's last untouched paradises? ? Our travel services open the door to the amazing Moluccas, the legendary Spice Islands. Are you adventurous? Then active volcanoes, deep green and dense jungle, untouched beaches, crystal clear water, friendly people and a fascinating culture await you on the Spice Islands. Dive into the colorful underwater world, explore secret bays or let yourself be seduced by the aromas of Spice Islands' cuisine. Are you an enthusiastic birder and watching exotic birds makes your heart beat faster? Then follow in the footsteps of Alfred Russel Wallace and find the Halmahera Bird of Paradise. However, your holidays in the Moluccas will become an extraordinary journey through a tropical archipelago that has preserved its authentic beauty to this day. 

Our tailor-made travel packages are designed to make your dreams of the ultimate Spice Islands adventure come true. So, let's plan your individual Moluccas Islands trip for you! If our example travel tours don't quite fit the bill or if you still have questions, just let us know.  Contact us and we will create your individual offer for you.

 

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Moluccas travel offers

Indonesia: Halmahera Bird of Paradise alias Wallace Standardwing
Moluccas: Fortification on the island of Ternate
Sailing cruise Indonesia East of Wallace Ombak Putih
Moluccas, Spice Island Ternate: Sultan Palace
Indonesia, Moluccan Island of Bacan: Wallace's Giant Goldwing
Indonesia: Endemic black-crested macaque
Indonesia, Raja Ampat: Lesser Bird of Paradise
Sailing through Indonesia East of the Wallace Line: Lonely Bay along the way
Sailing through Indonesia East of the Wallace Line: Lonely bay along the way
Sailing cruise Indonesia: View from deck of the yacht
Indonesia, Raja Ampat: Pianemo View Point
Indonesia, Raja Ampat: Dancing kids
Raja Ampat, Coral Triangle: Small fish between corals
 Coral Triangle, Indonesien: Manta in Raja Ampat
Ship's galley of the Ombak Putih on your sailing tour through Indonesia East of the Wallace Line
Double-bed cabin on Ombak Putih
Triple cabin on Ombak Putih
Twin-bed cabin on Ombak Putih

Sailing Adventure Tour Moluccas - Raja Ampat

From € 8.600,-* per person (12D/11N)

Sailing adventure tour Moluccas - Raja Ampat: On the trail of Wallace with birds of paradise and black-crested macaques, large butterflies and giant bees. Sailing through an enchanting remote island world. Encounters with wonderful people and their local customs. Snorkelling along colourful coral reefs with manta rays and more...

  • Duration:
    12 days/ 11 nights
  • Start I End:
    Ternate I Sorong (also vice versa)
  • Departure:
    Fixed dates
  • min. # Traveler:
    1 person
  • Travel date Ternate-Sorong:
    04.10.-15.10.2026  I  04.10.-15-10.2027
    with Dr. George Beccaloni on the 'Ombak Putih' yacht
  • Travel date Sorong-Ternate:
    05.02.-16.02.2026 I. 05.02.-16.02.2027
    Yacht 'Katharina' 
Tour description

Sailing Adventure Tour: Moluccas - Raja Ampat

Go on a discovery tour: On this marvellous journey, you will not only get to know the natural beauty of Indonesia, but also the life and observations of the famous Victorian naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace, co-discoverer of the theory of evolution by natural selection. Walk in his footsteps and sail from the legendary Spice Islands to the realm of the birds of paradise. Let yourself be enchanted by a dreamlike island scenery in one of the most remote island regions of our planet. Sail on board a yacht through Indonesia east of the Wallace Line and enjoy the breathtaking landscape full of palm beaches with dream views and the magical underwater world of the Coral Triangle.


Your fitness level: This trip requires a normal level of fitness. You will be moving around on the deck of a yacht and will go on numerous snorkelling trips and some shore excursions during your Moluccas - Raja Ampat holidays. You will be travelling in temperatures of around 30 degrees. However, as you will be travelling a lot by water, you will always be accompanied by a light breeze, which will make your trip pleasant. And you will have plenty of time for the few metres on foot that lead to the places to see, in particular the viewpoints.

Our services
  • 12 days sailing adventure from Ternate, Moluccas to Sorong, Raja Ampat (or vice versa) - tour as advertised.
  • All activities take place exclusively for the yacht's passengers and are accompanied by a personal guide.
  • 11 nights on board the yacht.
  • Meals with breakfast, lunch and dinner included, starting with lunch on the day of arrival and ending with breakfast on the day of departure.  
  • All transfer services are accompanied from Ternate airport/hotel and to Sorong airport/hotel or vice versa, depending on the travel date.
  • There are English-speaking staff at your disposal on board and on the land and snorkeling excursions you will be accompanied by an English-speaking tour guide or even a scientist. Let him know if you have any questions.
  • Travel insurance certificate

We recommend taking out travel insurance (travel health insurance, travel cancellation insurance).


Book now!
Tour Plan

The travel date Ternate - Sorong: 04.10.-15.10. will be guided by Dr George Beccaloni, head of the Wallace Correspondence Project and leading Wallace researcher. Under his guidance, you will have the opportunity to learn many research-backed details about the travels and discoveries of Alfred Russel Wallace.


Day 1: Arrival in the Moluccas, Visit of the Spice Islands of Ternate and Halmahera

  • Ideally, you had already traveled to the small Moluccan island of Ternate a few days earlier and were able to acclimatize a bit in the meantime. Your sailing adventure tour starts today. Now it's time to check out of your Ternate accommodation, where your local tour guide is already waiting to welcome you and accompany you to your sailing yacht, which is the stately Ombak Putih.
  • Once there, you can stow your luggage before setting off on your first discovery tour. You now have the opportunity to gain an insight into the still economically and politically important island of Ternate and learn about Wallace's work here. The small island of Ternate is the only one of the four sultanates of the Northern Spice Islands where the sultanate has existed without interruption since the beginning.
  • On your tour you will visit the beautiful Fort Tolukko, built by the Portuguese, as well as the imposing Fort Oranje, built by the Dutch East India Company, the VOC. You will also visit the Sultan's Palace, where you can marvel at the rich collection of royal gifts to the local ruler of his time. You will also visit the probable site of Wallace's house (the precise location is still under research), where the Victorian naturalist wrote his 1858 essay on the natural selection of species and sent it to Charles Darwin.
  • Your lunch will be served on the yacht.
  • After the lunch break, we continue to the pretty little village of Dodinga, situated on the banks of a river on the island of Halmahera, where Wallace was staying when he discovered the mechanism of evolutionary change while suffering from malaria delirium. It was here that Wallace's theory on natural selection was born. A memorial plaque now honours this historic moment.
  • Dinner is served on the yacht.
     

Day 2: Exploration of the Guraici Archipelago

  • While your yacht sets course for the South in the morning, you can enjoy a cosy breakfast and take in the enchanting scenery as it passes by and get in the mood for your exciting sailing tour through Indonesia east of the Wallace Line.
  • Today is all about exploring the Guraici archipelago, a chain of islands with white sandy beaches, lively coral reefs and some pretty villages. The islands are part of a government-controlled marine reserve, established with the aim of preserving the reefs and the beautiful marine life in all its diversity.
  • You can spend the whole day here exploring, swimming, snorkelling, walking on the beach or simply reading and relaxing. A holiday just the way you like it :-)
  • Lunch and dinner on your boat.


Day 3: Following Wallace's Footsteps in the Sultanate of Bacan

  • This morning you will wake up off the Western coast of Bacan, one of the Spice Islands that make up another historically significant Moluccan sultanate. Bacan ist zudem derjenige Ort, an dem Wallace einige seiner herausragendsten zoologischen Entdeckungen machte.
  • After breakfast, you will explore the wooded slopes where Wallace discovered the Wallace Standardwing Paradis bird, the Moluccan Cuscus, the largest bee in the world, the Megachile Pluto, and one of the largest butterflies, the magnificent Golden Birdwing.

    For Wallace, the latter was the most beautiful butterfly in the world, prompting him to add the following to his diary after his first sighting in 1859: ‘When I took it from my net and opened its magnificent wings, I was nearer fainting with joy and excitement than ever before in my life; my heart beat violently, and the blood rushed to my head, so that I had a headache for the rest of the day.’ Be one of the few Westerners, who will have the chance to see this rare butterfly species. As these are free-living creatures, we can't give any guarante
Prices

* The EUR prices listed are approximate and based on the USD prices of our partner. In the case of a booking, the exchange rate applicable at the end of the day (CET) of the confirmed booking will be applied to determine the actual EUR amount. We will be happy to provide you with the USD price.
 

Price 2026

  • 10.050,- USD → ca. 8.600,- EUR per person (based on 2 persons sharing a cabin)
  • 5.025,- USD → 4.300,- EUR for 3rd person sharing three-bed cabin
  • Solo traveller -cabin for single occupancy- price on request
  • plus 200,- EUR fuel surcharge per person
     

Price 2025

  • 10.250,- USD → ca. 8.800,- EUR pro Person (basierend auf 2 Personen, die sich eine Kabine teilen)
  • 5.125,- USD → 4.400,- EUR für die 3. Person in der Dreibettkabine
  • Einzelreisende/r -Kabine zur Alleinnutzung- Preis auf Anfrage
  • zzgl. 200,- EUR Kraftstoff-Zuschlag pro Person
     

Our tailor-made Sailing Adventure Tour: Moluccas - Raja Ampat is suitable for children (ideally age 12+). 
In addition to this sailing tour and our Sailing Adventure Trip Moluccas-Sulawesi, we also offer numerous other sailing tours, e.g. from North Sulawesi to Komodo or from Maumere/Flores to Ambon or from Maumere/Flores or Komodo to Alor or from Borneo to Komodo. Talk to us about this :-)

The prices are from/to the starting point of the tour. They include all services according to the respective tour description. Higher prices may apply especially during Indonesian holidays like Ramadan or Idul Fitri. All prices are in Euro and per person based on 2 persons traveling together in a double room/ accommodation. Our terms and conditions apply.


Extend your Trip

…and explore destinations beyond the wonders of the Spice Islands. Extending a trip creates even more unique experiences and breathtaking moments for you and your travel companion. Combine your cultural trip with a volcano experience or a beach vacation or even more adventure. Make your trip a unique experience and extend it to experience Indonesia east of the Wallace Line to the fullest.


Expand your Options


Design your Tour

We are happy to supplement this sailing trip with an individually planned combination program according to your wishes for a subsequent tour on land. Talk to us :-)  

 


Just get in contact with us

Travel to the Moluccas – Untouched Nature and Paradisiacal Beaches

A Moluccas tour takes you to the most beautiful beaches and pristine coral reefs of Southeast Asia. A Moluccas island holiday typically begins in Ambon or Ternate – small but central islands that, thanks to their respective airports, serve as the perfect starting point for discovery tours. After the long journey, the exploration tours start either after a restful night in a comfortable hotel or immediately, as soon as you've picked up your suitcase from the baggage carousel. Either way: We're ready when you are to explore the diverse facets of this unique archipelago on your tour.
 

Landscape, Culture and Authentic Encounters 

The Spice Islands offer ideal conditions for diving and snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, where colourful coral reefs and a species-rich underwater world await your discovery. While traveling across the various islands, you'll experience an impressive variety of exotic landscapes - from white and also dark sandy beaches, through tranquil clove and nutmeg groves along the cone-shaped volcanic mountains, to dense jungle and repeatedly spectacular views of the sea with a picture-perfect island backdrop. Also keep your eyes open for the unique wildlife with its endemic species. Your Moluccas holidays will be enriched by visiting traditional villages and local markets, where you can experience the warm hospitality of the locals. By boat, you'll reach hidden bays and remote islands that few tourists ever get to see. Come and discover this exciting island archipelago!

Experience Indonesia's Spice Islands Up Close: Round Trips in the Moluccas

A Moluccas round trip enables you to experience the historic Spice Islands of Indonesia in all their wonderful facets. Islands such as Ternate, Tidore, Banda Neira and Ambon tell the fascinating story of the spice trade, which once shaped world empires. Even today, you can explore historic fortresses and experience firsthand the colonial past of these once so significant islands. Today, the eastern Indonesian archipelago forms an absolute highlight of any round trip east of the Wallace Line, not least due to its breathtaking landscape as well as its fascinating history and enchanting underwater world.

 

Off the Beaten Path

While traveling between the islands of this exciting archipelago, you'll be overwhelmed by the attraction and beauty of the Spice Islands. However, be aware: you're visiting a very remote island world. Your familiar comforts such as hotels and regulated transportation are not part of the daily routine here. Therefore, be prepared for spontaneous adjustments to given circumstances. However, we're certain that the unplanned events will also contribute to unforgettable vacation impressions.

Our Moluccas tours not only take you to historically significant sites; they also lead you to hidden lagoons and secluded beaches, where you can explore the pristine underwater world while diving and snorkeling, through remote villages with people who sometimes haven't yet seen a stranger, and even more remote jungle regions where you can observe unique endemic animal and bird species or be very close to active volcanoes. Each visit to the different islands reveals new facets of this tropical paradise that has preserved its authentic culture and nature over centuries.

Book Individual Tours to the Moluccas

For your perfect holidays in the Moluccas, we offer tailor-made Moluccas tours based on your ideas. Whether you want to…

  • dive or snorkel in pristine reefs, e.g. around Halmahera or Morotai,
  • explore historic sites such as Ternate, Tidore, Ambon or Banda Neira,
  • discover the endemic biodiversity of the region,
  • experience impressive volcanic mountains and jungle areas,
  • or enjoy the paradisiacal tranquility of the Spice Islands

we design your individual Moluccas trip entirely according to your wishes

Your Moluccas vacation is enriched by carefully selected hotels and accommodations as well as professional guides who introduce you to the secrets of this incomparable archipelago. For your exploration tours of the Spice Islands of Indonesia, you'll use – depending on the travel arrangement – a mix of local flights, inter-island connections via boat, and private vehicle.

Each visit becomes an unforgettable experience when you discover the authentic culture and untouched nature of the Moluccas along the way. Contact us for your personal Moluccas round trip or let yourself be inspired by our range of individual tours in Indonesia East of the Wallace Line!

 

Contact us!


Do you have your dream travel destination present in mind? Our travel offers don't quite fit the bill or do you still have questions? Then contact us and we will create your individual offer for you.