OFF THE BEATEN PATH
IN THE TROPICS
ESCAPE TO EASTERN LESSER SUNDA
EASTERN LESSER SUNDA,
RASCAL-STYLE
Meet local woman using backstrap looms to weave traditional textiles known as ikat, and shop for an exquisite hand-made sarong; join the reef fisherman as they set their bomboo traps or free-dive with local children as they fish for the daily catch; enjoy breakfast with a spectacular view of Kawula Island's smoking volcano; take part in an upcoming conservation project to protect the thresher shark - on of the fastest predators in the ocean which can reach speeds over 20mph, and use their immense tails to create undersea shock waves to stun schools of fish during hunting.
WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHT:
THE ACROBATS OF THE OCEAN
On this voyage, we are almost guaranteed sightings of Spinner dophins who live in these waters in large pods numbering dozens, even hundreds and sometimes thousands. They are best-known for their extraordinary acrobatic skills - including jumping, flipping and spinning multiple times in a single leap (as many as seven spins per second.) Marine biologists believe they do this for a number of reasons: icluding courtship, communicating location and direction, showing their dominance, shaking off sucker fish, and porribly just for the sheer fun of it.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE:
DANCE THE LEGO-LEGO
The Lego-Lego is the ceremonial dance of the Abui people. Performed to greet guests (including Pascal passengers who are welcome to join in), participants move in a circle holding each other's shoulders, a symbol of unity. Both Abui men and woman wear straw purses that conatain betel nuts; chewed with limepowder to relarecoline (which gives a nicotine-like buzz), betel nuts are believed to be a conduit to communicating with ancestors ( the Abui speak mantras to the dead as the chew); and when mixed with salvia and expelled, they are thought to scare away evil spirits.
EXPLORE OUR YACHTS
EXPLORE other destinations in indonesia
KOMODO NATIONAL PARK
Covering almost 2,000 sq km, Komodo National Park consists of 29 islands that offer superb opportunities for hiking and wildlife spotting including the iconic Komodo dragon. Offshore, the park’s rich marine ecosystem (which includes 1,000 species of fish and 260 types of coral), affords unforgettable undersea adventures for divers and snorkellers on a par with Raja Ampat.