2 October

Indonesia: Moyo Island

Mostly uninhabited and rarely visited by tourists, Moyo lies off the north coast of Sumbawa, and the majority of the island is a protected nature reserve. Look out for long-tailed macaques, wild cattle, boars and 20 different species of bat, amongst a landscape of white sand beaches, savannah, forests, caves and idyllic waterfalls.

2 October

Indonesia: Satonda

The tiny uninhabited island of Satonda was created by a volcanic eruption several million years ago, just off the north coast of Sumbawa. The island is surrounded by coral reefs teeming with colourful tropical fish, and was declared a protected Marine Nature Park in 1999.

3 October to 4 October

Indonesia: Komodo Island

Komodo Island is situated within an area of spectacular natural beauty, home to the famous Komodo dragon. The stunning beaches are tinged with pink thanks to the high concentration of red coral just offshore, and the waters draw intrepid divers from all over the world.

5 October - At sea

6 October

Indonesia: Wakatobi National Park

7 October

Indonesia: Alor Island

The Alor Archipelago is a fantastic destination for snorkelling and diving, much less well known than Raja Ampat and Komodo. On the main island, also called Alor, you can learn about the traditions of the Takpala indigenous people and visit the Museum of a Thousand Mokos in Kalabahi, with its collection of bronze kettle drums known as mokos.

8 October

Indonesia: Larantuka (Flores)

The island of Flores is home to some of the most staggeringly beautiful scenery in the Indonesian archipelago, a lush landscape of smouldering volcanoes, spectacular lakes and verdant paddy fields. Flores is also culturally distinct from the other islands, with a population that is 95% Catholic.

9 October

Indonesia: Ende, Flores

10 October

Indonesia: Kupang

The city of Kupang is the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province, and lies at the southwestern end of Timor island. It’s more of a transit hub than a tourist destination, although there are some interesting markets, and there are some nice beaches nearby - just watch out for the crocodiles!

11 October - At sea

12 October to 14 October

Australia: Darwin

More of a large town than a city, Darwin is less about what’s contained within the city limits and more about the huge expanse of wild landscape that’s outside it. Closer to Jakarta than Sydney, the city really does feel remote in its tropical perch.

15 October to 16 October - At sea

17 October

Arriving in Adelaide

Residents of Adelaide still take pride in the fact that their city was freely settled rather than founded as a penal colony, and the city traditionally had a reputation as a stuffy and pious sort of place. Adelaide has moved on, however, and these days it’s a thriving cultural hub with a superb culinary scene.