Cruising this area of the world is compelling, with so much to see and do.

The mountainous Indonesian islands are stunningly beautiful, with wonderful temples such as Borobodur on Java, and Ubud on Bali. In the rainforests of Borneo you can seek out the gentle orang-utan, spot pygmy elephants and marvel at the astonishing proboscis monkey. Komodo dragons dominate the ecosystems of five small islands. And in Papua New Guinea over 700 tribes, dating back to prehistoric times, live lives that have hardly been touched by the modern world.

As for the ecosystems in the air, sea and on land, small wonder that this region is so fascinating - right across the middle is the boundary that separates the ecozones of Asia and Australasia, with distinct plant and animal groups on either side. The divide was first identified by Alfred Russel Wallace, a contemporary of Darwin, who arrived at the exact same conclusions about the origin of the species, at the same time, from the other side of the globe.

To make the most of your time here, local experts, guides and naturalists are a must.