Bali-based SeaTrek Adventure’s Katharina awaits us in the town of Kaimana, stocked for a 10-day excursion to explore the islands off West Papua and Raja Ampat. Hand-crafted with Indonesian ironwood and sporting seven crimson sails, the striking 38-metre-long, two-masted Katharina is a real head-turner. These traditional Indonesian boats, called Pinisis, are hand-built by generations of island craftsmen and recognized by UNESCO for their unique cultural heritage. Transformed from a commercial freighter into a tourist boat with six air-conditioned, ensuite cabins and comfortable lounging decks, the Katharina honours an ancient seafaring tradition of fishing and the spice trade.

We are greeted by a cheering, all-Indonesian crew of 12, ensuring a seamless layer of luxury for this remote adventure. On offer: freshly-squeezed tropical juice, water toys like stand-up paddleboarding and kayaks, spotless cabins, tasty Indonesian cuisine, pastries at breakfast, well-appointed rooms, free laundry, and a Zodiac to shuttle us to daily excursions and reef snorkels. The reef here is often described as the ‘Amazon of the Seas,’ which invites what I’ll call the ‘Serengeti of Snorkelling.’ Huge, healthy coral gardens shelter marine diversity so vivid it’s tough to know where to look. That is, until something very big swims over to hog your attention. 

Mere hours after setting off from Kaimana, we find ourselves floating off a bagan (a traditional fishing platform), staring into the curious eyes of the largest fish in the sea: a whale shark.

Surveys in Raja Ampat have recorded more than 550 coral species, 1,800 reef fish species, and 700 mollusc species. A fellow passenger sits down with a book about fish pulled from Katharina’s library, which identifies more than 100 species he saw that day, all thriving on a single reef.

Without a doubt, it is the best snorkelling I’ve encountered anywhere, and a welcome respite from the horrendous bleaching that is wiping out more famous reefs in Australia and the Caribbean. Which is not to say the reefs of Raja Ampat and its surrounds are in the clear. Tons of human waste is pumped daily into Indonesian waters, along with plastics and garbage that sometimes find their way into this pristine aquatic world. Large-scale efforts by the government and NGOs are underway to protect this vital marine jewel before it goes the way of the Great Barrier Reef. While the reefs are currently in good shape, rising sea temperatures are a major concern. Coral bleaches when sea temperatures rise just 1°C to 2°C above normal regional temperatures. At one point, an underwater camera records the surface water approaching 31°C. If a healthy reef dies, there’s little chance of it coming back. Future generations have a challenge on their hands. 

Joining me on this trip is my nine-year-old son, Galileo, whose hands are growing by the day. I’ve long subscribed to David Attenborough’s timeless statement: “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” It is the first time Galileo has snorkelled, and the first time he’s encountered fish, turtles, sharks, coral, and other creatures in their natural habitat. A quiet, arty kid prone to motion sickness, our Indonesian adventure swims far outside his comfort zone. Yet travel always has the power to inspire, educate, and transform. Magic happens when you allow yourself to float over your personal boundaries and drift into the unknown.

We reach a hide shortly before sunrise and wait for a sprightly, multi-hued Wilson’s bird-of-paradise to appear, cleaning up a show area (known as a lek) to attract the attention of a female. We sit in long silence, listening to a symphony of birds and watching a natural avian spectacle. My imagination has David Attenborough’s distinctive voice narrating in my head.

Our crew casts rods off the back of the Katharina, and what they catch sometimes ends up on the dinner buffet. One night, they set up a memorable beach barbecue under the stars, performing traditional songs about Indonesia and life at sea. We receive nightly briefings on coral, local history, boat-building, and marine life, and we learn of SeaTrek’s impressive efforts to promote tourism as a positive, transformative force. Our itinerary includes planting coral and restoring a mangrove with ‘local heroes’ that the company identifies and supports.

SeaTrek is a signatory of the UN’s Green Fins and WWF’s Signing Blue conservation programs, educating their guests and empowering local communities to celebrate and protect their culture, along with the reefs that have sustained them for generations. We visit one of two schools SeaTrek has built for island communities, with Anastasia delivering reading glasses for seniors and goggles for the kids, so they can see, appreciate and protect what’s in their waters.