A Day-by-Day Yacht Adventure
Your Exclusive Halmahera Itinerary
Day 1 - Ternate Welcome & sail Out
Your journey begins with a warm island welcome in Ternate, where you're met by our crew and
transferred to the yacht. As you step aboard, a cool tropical drink is placed in your hand and
you’re introduced to the team and your floating home for the next ten days. After a brief
orientation and safety rundown, the yacht eases out of the harbour and sets sail toward the remote reaches of North Maluku.
As lunch is served on the deck, the volcanic silhouette of Ternate fades behind you. The
first afternoon is deliberately unhurried—time to settle in, swim in warm clear waters, or maybe catch your first wave if the conditions are right. As the sun melts into the horizon, the crew serves sunset cocktails and snacks. Dinner is laid out under a sky scattered with stars, the only soundtrack the soft lap of ocean against the hull.
Day 2 – Island Hopping in West Halmahera
The morning brings you to the western isles of Halmahera, scattered like emeralds across the sea. After breakfast, the tenders drop you at a nearby reef break for a warm-up surf session—nothing too heavy, just enough to get your feet moving. For divers, it’s time to complete check dives, allowing instructors to tailor the week’s dive sites to your comfort and skill. If you’re new to diving, try a ‘Discover Scuba’ session over a shallow reef.
By midday, you’re hopping between islets, snorkeling over technicolor corals, and lounging on tiny beaches that vanish with the tide. The afternoon slides into golden hour as you return to the yacht for drinks and shared stories. Tonight’s theme is tropical and relaxed, with freshly grilled fish, coconut rice, and a light breeze drifting through the open-air dining lounge.
Day 3 – Surf, Seafood & White Sands of Tobelo
By dawn, the yacht drifts northward to the scattered outer atolls near Tobelo. This region is a surfer’s dream—long lefts and playful rights peeling over coral ledges that come alive with the right tide. After a morning surf session, grab a snorkel and discover nearby reefs where sea turtles glide through gardens of soft coral.
A pristine white-sand beach becomes your dining room for the day, with a beach BBQ prepared by the crew. Freshly caught seafood is grilled over coals, coconut drinks are served in the shade of palms, and the choice is yours: do nothing at all, or everything. Depending on the swell, the yacht may sail further north toward the fabled surf of Morotai, or begin a gentle loop south to Maba Bay.
Day 4 – The turquoise Paradise of Maba Ba
When you wake, the water around you glows a surreal shade of aquamarine. You’ve arrived at Maba Bay—a place often compared to the Maldives, but untouched by crowds. The morning is yours: paddleboard across a glassy lagoon, explore castaway islands by kayak, or dive along a coral wall where reef sharks cruise below and parrotfish flash past.
The waves here are clean and consistent—perfect for a longboard cruise or some relaxed performance surfing. Midday might bring a surprise visit from local fishermen, who glide up in handmade dugout canoes, eager to show off their spearfishing skills and traditional gear. The afternoon melts into another calm evening, this time with a bonfire ashore, flaming torches, and dinner served with your toes in the sand.
Day 5 - Secret Surf Spots of Morotai
The yacht charts a course toward Morotai, an island cloaked in WWII history and epic waves. Depending on the swell, the captain will guide you either to the eastern coast—where powerful waves crash on reef—or to the calmer western side, hiding our favorite secret surf spot known only to a few.
Morning is spent chasing clean barrels or watching from the tender with a camera and coconut in hand. In the afternoon, you might dive a wreck site or simply float above the reef with a mask and fins, following turtles across the seafloor. As sunset approaches, cocktails are mixed on the top deck, and dinner becomes a storytelling session—surf tales, closeouts, and unexpected barrels all retold with laughter.
Day 6 – Village Life & Surf Culture in Buho Buho
After a morning cruise, the yacht drops anchor near Buho Buho—a village where a small surf community is starting to grow with the help of a local NGO. You’ll come ashore not just to surf but to connect. Join local groms for a session at their home break, share boards and high-fives, and learn how surfing is helping shape their future.
Later, walk through the village where coconut production is the heartbeat of daily life. Under the shade of tall palms, you’ll enjoy a home-cooked meal with the locals, sharing smiles and simple pleasures. Back on board, the night unfolds with a floating open-air cinema, showing a surf film under the stars.
Day 7 – Legendary Waves of Bere Bere
By now, you’ve found your rhythm with the sea, and the legendary waves of Bere Bere await. These reef breaks are not for the faint of heart—powerful, hollow, and perfect when the conditions line up. Beginners can paddle out to “Dugongs,” a softer break with long, forgiving rides—and if you’re lucky, you might spot the shy sea mammal for which it’s named.
Later in the day, swap boards for spears and try your hand at freedive spearfishing, or take a relaxing dive among sea fans and schooling jacks. Dinner tonight is elevated, a chef-curated feast with Indonesian flavors and international flair, followed by nightcaps and sea stories on the aft deck.
Day 8 – North Sopi Bay & Batu Kopi
The yacht cruises to Sopi Bay, where the surf is world-class and the scenery raw. For experienced surfers, the north coast dishes out fast, barreling waves. For those seeking a mellower ride, the crew will guide you to Batu Kopi Beach, where peeling rights break over sand and reef.
Between surf sessions, snorkel the outer reef, nap in a hammock strung between palms, or join a casual beach frisbee match with the crew. As the sun sets, the tenders transform into a floating cocktail bar, drifting in the shallows while music plays and the horizon burns orange.
Day 9 – Farewell Waves & Sunset Crossing
As the journey nears its close, the yacht begins its crossing back south. There’s time for one final surf, a mellow session in the morning light, or perhaps a dive on a nearby wreck from WWII.
With the channels of Morotai and Halmahera stretching behind you, the crew sets the table for a farewell dinner—a long, lazy meal served on the upper deck with sweeping ocean views. Laughter flows, drinks are raised, and plans are made to return. The yacht cruises overnight, stars above and open ocean below.
Day 10 – Return to Ternate
The sun rises over Ternate as the yacht eases into harbour. After breakfast is served on deck, there’s a final debrief, photos exchanged, and hugs shared with the crew who now feel like family.
You disembark full of stories, with sun-bleached hair, salty skin, and memories of waves, reefs, and remote islands that will stay with you long after you've returned home.
