In January 2018, experienced naturalist and Wallace expert Dr George Beccaloni will be leading a unique and incredible 12 day cruise to some of the most magical and remote places which Wallace visited in his epic journey around the Malay Archipelago. The itinerary was carefully designed by George and SeaTrek in order to see the maximum possible number of Birds of Paradise and other amazing animals, as well as some of the most spectacular places and best coral reefs in Indonesia (and indeed the World). The cruise ship is a small but luxuriously modernised traditional Indonesian trading vessel and in it we will travel in style to places that very few tourists ever visit.
SeaTrek have very generously donated a cabin to raise much needed funds for the Wallace Correspondence Project (WCP) The cabin can accommodate two adults and a child (minimum age is 4) and the regular cost would be US$5950 per person - so the entire cabin would cost US$11,900 (currently £9,118 GBP). Please note that children under 12 go free! This price includes all meals, non-alcoholic drinks, laundry service and everything else whilst on board - you will not be disappointed! If you would like to help the WCP, then George will be accepting offers for the cabin of over US$8,330 (£6,382) up until 1st August 2017 (i.e. 12 midnight on the 31st July). That's up to 30% off the cost! The highest offer will win. In the event of two or more identical offers, the one I receive first will be the winning one. Please send your offer to George at blaberus1@ntlworld.com The highest offer will win the cabin and all proceeds will be used to further the work of the WCP.
For LOTS more information about the trip please CLICK HERE. You can, of course, simply book a cabin directly with SeaTrek and pay the regular price, but that means that the proceeds will not go to the WCP.
Here is the Cruise Summary:
How I wished that I had the brain of a Russel Wallace and could read more clearly the illuminated page of Nature. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This unforgettable cruise will travel to remote exotic Indonesian islands in the wake of the legendary Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, co-discoverer of natural selection and author of the most famous travelogue about the region, The Malay Archipelago. Like Wallace, we will go in search of the stunningly beautiful Birds of Paradise, which he regarded as “…one of the most beautiful and most wonderful of living things.”
Our journey on-board the Ombak Putih will visit some of the places that most fascinated Wallace: the remote Raja Ampat Islands with their pristine incredibly diverse coral reefs and glorious Birds of Paradise, then on to the magical island of Halmahera where Wallace discovered evolution by natural selection; finally ending our journey on the Spice Island of Ternate, Wallace’s base for his eastern travels and once the centre of the World clove trade.
Along the way, we hope to see some incredible animals, including four (possibly six) species of Birds of Paradise (about the same number Wallace saw), giant clams, massive manta rays, humongous coconut crabs, endangered black macaque monkeys, and if we are very lucky, dugongs. The landscapes will be spectacular: from remote palm-fringed coral islands, to majestic rainforests, to huge smoking conical volcanos. On-board the Ombak Putih we will have comfortable cabins and delicious food. For us there will be none of the hardships that Wallace experienced: more than once he had to make a small parakeet last for two frugal meals as he sat in his small leaking ant-infested hut in the pounding tropical rain.
To see more please go to https://www.seatrekbali.com/#!/pages/in-search-of-wallace-and-his-living-treasures-with-dr-george-beccaloni/cruiseId/272/#/tabSummary
Male Wallace's Standardwing Bird of Paradise