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Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia
  • Ragsandrichestravel
  • Michael Winspear
  • Ragsandrichestravel
  • Michael Winspear

Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

To celebrate Yvonne’s 60th birthday we planned a liveaboard trip to Raja Ampat and West Papua for 12 days. On the way we visited Georgetown Panang Malaysia and Borobudur Yogyakarta Java and afterwards we stayed in Danang Vietnam and Singapore Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 17, 2026
  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Georgetown Penang

    February 19 in Malaysia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    In 1786 Francis light of the British East India Company declared this a free port exempting traders from taxes. Within 6 years the population grew from 100 to 10000 and the incoming cultures of Indian, Chinese Malay and Eurasian intermixed giving rise to the Peranakan culture. Multicultural, hints of a spicy past and crowded with new travellers, it is still a vibrant town.Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Kek Lok Si Temple

    February 19 in Malaysia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Built in 1891 it is one of the largest Buddhist/Chinese temples in Southeast Asia. If you go there during Chinese New Year, as we did, it is lit by over 10000 lights. Could be mistaken for a fun fair!

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Penang History gallery & cat cafe

    February 20 in Malaysia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Chinese New Year ensures lots of colorful displays, fireworks and incense around town. We wandered into the history gallery and it was excellent. They told the story of Penang with lots of 3D displays, artifacts and information about the opium trade, Chinese gang wars, Japanese invasion, colonialism and trade. The cat cafe later was surprisingly enjoyable as was the cocktail in the Eastern and Oriental hotel!Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Borobudur Temple

    February 23 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    Built in 8th century, covered in volcanic ash by 15th century and rediscovered and pillaged by Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles in 1814. It has an extremely clever interlocking stone structure and represents the 3 spheres of Buddhism. It had a very peaceful feeling.Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    All aboard!

    February 25 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Boarded the Wisesa in Sorong this morning with our friends Katie and Andrew and Claire and Mike. Immediately departed for Manta point. Unfortunately the mantas had got the dates wrong and didn’t appear but had an interesting first snorkel with Mike nearly being swept off to a desert island. Lessons learned. We also visited a tiny community and met their resident cus cus. I didn’t even know they existed!Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia
    One Day in Raja Ampat
    One Day in Raja Ampat

    Amazing underwater day

    February 27 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We did 3 snorkels a day on the Wisesa. One was usually about 7a.m. before breakfast. This video was taken on one day. There is a wobegone camouflaged in the large beige coral. It was incredible to see so much life and made it very clear that we must protect the seas which still nurture so many species.Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Love Lake

    February 28 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌬 29 °C

    This place had to be seen to be believed. No AI. It is actually heart shaped. Steps up to the top were precarious but it added to the adventure.

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia
    Kitikiti waterfall

    Karas Village and Kiti Kiti waterfall

    March 4 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Loved this village . The adults and children all came out to greet us and the school children danced with me. It was a bit scarily tough crossing to kitikiti waterfall later especially and wasn’t inviting for a swim - especially when Ann told us Salties ( the huge Australian crocs) swim in these waters.Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Demise of a go-pro

    March 5 in Singapore ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Sadly my new go-pro did not live up to the hype and did not remain waterproof. The photos here were kindly shared with me by Shirin who was also a passenger on board. I hope I will never forget the amazing diversity of life I saw below the surface. Every day brought new wonders, exquisite corals, the full spectrum of colours and fish of all shapes and sizes. It was truly amazing.Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Whale sharks

    March 7 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    This was at first pretty scary but once we realised these huge 30ft long fish are gentle, curious and extremely able to move away from you we relaxed. I took this video with my phone in a waterproof clear pocket! Risky but worth it! The karsts we visited early morning were better thanHalong Bay and our trip ended with a romantic dinner on the beach. It was a once in a lifetime trip.Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Hoi An, Vietnam

    March 10 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Teh Dar is an acrobatic show with lots of energy and is a cross between Cirque de Soleil and ancient tribal culture. Couldn’t take photos inside but it was really enjoyable.
    The rest of Hoi An is an old town turned into Pinnochio’s Pleasure Island. We were led astray. The photos stopped when the drinking and dancing began.Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia
    Abandoned water parkTomb of Tu DucIncense villageHue ancient citadel

    Hue Day

    March 12 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 23 °C

    We took a private tour with Hoi An Day trip company to the ancient capital of Vietnam Hue. The weather was poor but the day was so much fun!

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Ba Na Hills

    March 13 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    A facsimile of a French town with Disney like attractions. Weird but wonderful- except for the enveloping fog! The bridge held up by hands is spectacular in the sun apparently.

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia

    Southern Ridges Walk

    March 17 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Walking from Kent Ridge Canopy to Mt. Faber and down to Harbour front through a green corridor of parks and raised walkways. Saw the ‘black and white’ houses built in 30s for army officers. Now worth a fortune. Lovely cafes on the way and had lunch at top of Mt. Faber beside the cable car. Chose to walk down to Harbour Front as it only took 15mins along a forest trail whereas you can only buy return tickets on cable car currently priced at 33 SGD.Read more

  • Raja Ampat and S.E. Asia
    Pangolin
    PangolinLeopard

    Night Safari

    March 18 in Singapore ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We did this years ago with our children and it was more fun with them in the excitement of the dark. It was still interesting but I really wish all the animals still had the wild places to live in.