Pulau Lintang, Anambas Islands, Indonesia, 9/1/2023, National Geographic Orion
Aboard the
National Geographic Orion
Indonesia & Papua New Guinea
On the final expedition morning of our voyage from Bali to Singapore we absorbed as much sun, sand, and sea as possible at our exquisite island location in the Anambas archipelago. Pulau Lintang is a small, uninhabited island within this group between Malaysia and the island of Borneo. This group of islands consists mostly of weathered granite rocks and associated sediments; it was formed at least 60 million years ago, deep within the Sunda shelf.
The vast patch of coral reef stretching out from our beach base provided many delights for those keen to snorkel the waters and explore. We found a variety of marine life, including small blacktip reef sharks, moray eels, and curious damselfish guarding their algae gardens.
Erin Katie is a biologist from the Northern Territory Australia. Having grown up in remote parts of the country such as the Kimberley and Central Australia where she developed a curiosity for landscapes, ecology and particularly the wildlife.
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After a hearty helping of fresh blueberry pancakes, we continued our northward journey to the Badas Islands. With a few hours at sea we had the opportunity to hear from our naturalist team about some of the creatures that make this archipelago so unique. Erin O’Brien brought the magnificent Komodo dragon to life, telling us a little more about this gargantuan King of the Lizards. Phil Chaon, one of our newest naturalists, followed this with an explanation of Wallace’s Line, a now invisible barrier that divides the faunas of Asia and Australia. In the early afternoon we arrived at Pulau Mentebung — a slice of paradise that you could skip a stone across with a strong arm. We were not the first to arrive on the beach that day, as a set of tracks revealed that a hawksbill sea turtle had recently ventured up the beach to lay eggs. Unlike many of our recent arrivals, we were not met with fanfare but with a relaxed and warm hello as we strolled into the village during the languid hours of mid-afternoon. The 100 or so residents of Mentebung showed us around the brightly colored town, under the shade of coconut palms and beach almonds. Our shipboard photo experts, Dan Westergren and Fiona Wardle, gave us some valuable photo tips and helped us capture this idyllic afternoon. On the beach we were treated to some of the finest snorkeling and most stunning reefs of our trip. We swam among neon blue corals and a kaleidoscopic array of tropical fish; time slipped away as we shared the beautiful waters with the friendly residents of the Badas Islands. After working up an appetite on shore, we enjoyed a gourmet seven-course meal back on the ship.
As we sailed towards Pulau Belitung this morning, we enjoyed some lectures on board. National Geographic photographer Dan Westergren spoke about his work and connecting with people he meets while on assignment; undersea specialist Rory Mulloy shared information on mangrove ecology and the challenges facing restoration. After lunch we arrived and were greeted with an overwhelming welcome by the people of Tanjung Kelayang, on Belitung Island. Everywhere we have visited on this trip through Indonesia, the people have greeted us with extraordinary openness and genuine hospitality. This time our welcome was exceptional, and many of us were left speechless. There were choreographed dances and rehearsed performances, all set to the hypnotic drum beat that has become synonymous with our time ashore here. Afterward we were presented with an array of local treats to enjoy. After enjoying the welcome and showing appreciation for the kindness of the local community, we cooled off with a swim in the clear waters, chasing fish amongst the patches of coral. We had a small beach on Pulau Kelayang to ourselves, with a spectacular backdrop of granite rock formations, smoothly carved by the wind and seas. Before sunset we had the chance to assist in a local turtle conservation project by releasing hatchlings into the ocean. Once back on board, we enjoyed an Indonesian barbecue dinner on the sundeck. Then our guests experienced what was surely the highlight of the trip — the famous National Geographic Orion “Crew Show.”
