26 September

Australia: Lacepede Islands

The Lacepede Islands, situated just off Australia’s Kimberley coast, are a fantastic destination for birding enthusiasts, supporting over 1% of the world’s population of brown boobies and roseate terns. Other bird species here include masked boobies, Australian pelicans and lesser frigatebirds, and it’s also a key breeding site for green turtles.

27 September

Australia: Horizontal Falls (Talbot Bay)

Talbot Bay is home to one of the world’s most unusual natural wonders, the ‘Horizontal Falls’. This amazing spectacle occurs when tidal movements force water through the narrow gaps in the ridges either side of Poulton Creek, with the water building up on one side quicker than it can flow through the gap, causing a spectacular waterfall effect.

28 September - At sea

29 September

Australia: Careening Bay

30 September

Australia: Hunter River & Mitchell Falls

The Hunter River region is home to a spectacular system of mangroves surrounded by red sandstone cliffs, providing a habitat for mudskippers, fiddler crabs, saltwater crocodiles and numerous species of bird. Head further inland and you’ll reach the stunning Mitchell Falls, where the waters cascade from one shimmering emerald pool to the next.

1 October

Australia: Swift Bay

2 October - At sea

3 October

Australia: Vansittart Bay

Vansittart Bay lies close to the northern tip of Western Australia, and is home to some interesting examples of aboriginal rock art. You can also take a trip across a lagoon to visit the intact wreckage of a C-53 aircraft that crash landed here during the Second World War.

4 October - At sea

5 October

Australia: Darwin

More of a large town than a city, Darwin is less about what’s contained within the city limits and more about the huge expanse of wild landscape that’s outside it. Closer to Jakarta than Sydney, the city really does feel remote in its tropical perch.

6 October - At sea

7 October

Indonesia: Kai Archipelago

The Kai Archipelago, part of the Maluku islands, is known for its idyllic beaches. The ancestors of the Kai people are believed to have come here from Bali, but there is no written history, with an oral tradition of stories known as Tom-Tad that are passed down from generation to generation.

8 October

Indonesia: Triton Bay

The protected marine reserve of Triton Bay rivals Raja Ampat as one of Indonesia’s premier locations for snorkelling and scuba diving. The biodiversity here is remarkable, with species ranging from pygmy seahorses to mighty whale sharks, and it’s also a nesting site for green turtles.

9 October

Indonesia: Pulau Koon

10 October

Indonesia: Fak Fak (Irian Jaya)

11 October

Indonesia: Misool

Misool is one of the main islands in the Raja Ampat archipelago, surrounded by some of the most spectacular coral reefs on earth. Snorkel, swim and kayak amongst these rich, biodiverse waters, and explore white sandy beaches, mangroves, lakes and jungle-clad limestone peaks.

12 October to 14 October

Indonesia: Raja Ampat

Sparsely populated and spectacularly beautiful, the Raja Ampat archipelago is a treasure trove of jungle-smothered islands, white sand beaches and some of the best diving in the world. The crystal clear waters are teeming with tropical fish, while on land you can see parrots, hornbills and birds of paradise.

15 October

Indonesia: Kri Island

Kri Island is a popular destination for divers, with homestays dotted along the beachfront, and the dive site at Cape Kri holds the world record for the most species recorded on a single dive - 374, to be precise! The island’s terrain makes hiking difficult, but there are some lovely coastal walks.

15 October

Indonesia: Gam Island

Gam is one of the larger islands in the Raja Ampat archipelago, with a landscape of steep limestone peaks cloaked in jungle, home to bird species including the spectacular red bird-of-paradise. Visitors receive a friendly welcome from the local villagers, while offshore lie some superb snorkelling spots.

16 October

Indonesia: Sorong

16 October to 17 October

Arriving in Bali