02 Jul 2024

Whale watching and snorkelling in Banda Neira

We had an exhilarating morning approaching Banda Neira on our Undiscovered Philippines & Indonesia voyage. It was a sight to behold as the island resembling a green giant rose from the ocean on our approach, however, only a few kilometres out and Heritage Adventurer was turning around!

BING BONG, “Good morning everyone, as you may have noticed we have turned Heritage Adventurer around, and that is because a Blue Whale has been spotted off our stern and we are going to take the chance to enjoy some whale watching.”

What an incredible opportunity to observe the biggest animal on the planet! Eventually, we said goodbye to our big blue friend and entered the protected bay of the island of Banda Neira. We set off for a snorkel and, a first for many of us, were snorkelling an old lava flow. Lifting your head out of the water we saw the black dense rock left over from the lava flow, scarring the island down into the water. As we put our faces under, the black was transformed to colour as a vibrant coral reef was making the most of the new space the volcanic rock had created.

We spent the afternoon exploring the local town and after a musical welcome, walked through the streets to meet the people and enjoy the culture with highlights being the fort, the local vegetable and fish market and the refreshments provided at a beautiful luxury hotel. It was a fantastic day out that continued long into the afternoon!

Images © M. Potter & C. Finch, Heritage Expeditions