Westbound Sailing Adventure from Benoa, Bali

Benoa is the main cruise port on the island of Bali. There are numerous places that can be accessed from here including the party-centric Kuta, Nusa Dua the popular beach resort with it’s luxury hotels and restaurants as well as coffee plantations and rice terraces. Trips to temples, palaces markets and a bat cave are some of the many things also on offer.

Each Star Clippers ship offers a traditional and elegant way to see the world. Feel the wind fill the sails and gently carry you from one gorgeous destination to the next. During your time on board, you can choose to relax on a sun lounger or cool off in one of the pools on the top deck, while more adventurous passengers may enjoy the opportunity to climb the rigging or even have a go at steering the ship. Alternatively, you can wander the interior areas of the ship and discover relaxing lounges and a peaceful library.

To the south of Madura lies a small island, Gili Genteng, a community of four peaceful little fishing villages, where everybody knows each other. The village of Bringsang consists of one small street, a mosque and a few local shops. There are no tourist attractions but it is an authentic fishing village and will give you an insight into the everyday life of this little community. The atmosphere is one of quiet content and the people are remarkably hospitable and friendly, saying hello and waving greetings as they go about their business. The beach here is really beautiful with clear water and pristine white sand.

Probolinggo is a port town whose main activity is fishing. It is also the nearest town of any size to the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park on the east coast of Java, and a stopping point on the way to the Gunung Bromo volcano. The area in and around the park is inhabited by the Tenggerese, an ethnic minority, and one of the few remaining Hindu communities on the island of Java.

In the north of Bali, the Lovina tourist area stretches over 12 km and consists of a string of coastal villages: Kaliasem, Kalibukbuk, Anturan, Tukad Mungga, collectively know as Lovina. Lovina’s black sandy beaches are quite lovely, the sea is very calm here and safe for swimming. The atmosphere on the beach is one of laid-back tranquillity with colourfully decorated traditional outriggers called perahu dotted along the shoreline.

Sengiggi is Lombok’s traditional tourist resort. A large bay forms the centre of the resort and it is one of the busier places on the island of Lombok. The main street comes alive at night and there are many restaurants to dine in as well as plenty of bars for live music and nightclubs to dance in. However one of the most amazing sights on the island can be viewed from Sengiggi Beach, the spectacular sunset. The bright orange sun sinks into the ocean with Bali’s Mt. Agung volcano silhouetted on the horizon.

This is the perfect island getaway, a small “resort” with fine white sand, coral reefs and limpid turquoise waters teeming with marine life including colorful tropical fish and starfish. The island has facilities and there is shade. From here the ship’s zodiac can take you to “Gili Kadiz”, a great snorkeling site.