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Text: Mark Bernie - Photos: DR

Bali, the island of the gods

Situated in the Indonesian archipelago, between Java and Lombok, the is-land of Bali is a real gem, sitting on a necklace of pearls. The archipelagoincludes around 17,000 coral islands, between Asia and the Pacific Ocean.Bali is perhaps one of the most beautiful, in any case one of the most well-known for offering exceptional scenery – from its terraced rice fields toits inextricable jungle via its volcano…which is particularly active at themoment. And then there are Bali’s beaches, praised the world over fortheir beauty. The seabed is amongst the most beautiful in the world, anddivers – with tanks or without – don’t hesitate to spend many hours in aplane to be lucky enough to come and play around the coral and themulti-colored fish. In short, the island is a delight. However the offer fromthe nautical industry is rather small, given the potential. There are noboats being offered bareboat (without skipper), but a few private ownersoffer to take you cruising by chartering the whole boat, or on a per cabinbasis. More often than not, the cruise consists of sailing between Bali andthe neighboring island of Lombok. These two islands offer white sandbeaches bordered by turquoise waters where manta rays, turtles, giantmoon fish and a multitude of clown fish like to bask.

Cruising in Bali means allowing yourself to discover a new adventure everyday, with an incredible panorama at each anchorage. The beaches atSanur, Nusa Lembongan, the islands of Gili, Senggigi, Gili Nanggu, GiliGede, Nusa Penida and Pulau Serangan are a few of the wonders to bediscovered by boat. Don’t miss Mushroom Bay on Nusa Lembongan, so

called because of the shape of its coral. From afar, Nusa Penida couldseem to be deserted, but Crystal Bay is one of the most famous and popular dive and snorkeling sites in Indonesia. Gili Meno, the smallest ofthe three Gili islands, has its own turtle sanctuary, where small pools onthe beach serve as nurseries for the baby turtles.

D E S T I N A T I O N

LOGBOOK

Bali is famous for the beauty of its scenery and the quality of its underwater life. Its surfspots are amongst the most beautiful on the planet. In a word, it’s a perfect destination.Since a short while ago, you can even charter a catamaran here…

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1 : In each village, you will find a temple…

2 : A few rare private owners’ catamarans are available

for charter with a skipper, and just a few charter

companies have set up locally.

3 : Sublime colors like no others – here is Bali's seabed.

4 : At each stop, you can enjoy encounters with the local population.

5 : Bali is known throughout the whole world for its sublime beaches.

6 : The interior is quite simply sublime. Not to be missed under any circumstances.

7 : On Bali, the volcanos are not just there to be attractive, they thunder!

8 : A simple mask and snorkel and Bali’s underwater beauties are yours for the taking.

9 : At each anchorage, a sublime beach. It’s up to you to find your favorite.

10 : Tradition is firmly-rooted on Bali..

11: The catamaran is the best way to discover Bali’s riches by sea.

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POLYNESIA IN A CATANA 50Maui is a Catana 50 aboard which its skipper is offering to help you discover the Polynesian archi-pelago. From the Tuamotus to the Leeward Islands,via the Marquesas and even the Australes or theGambiers, all destinations can be envisaged withthis particularly seaworthy and comfortable boat.www.chartermaui.com

THE LAGOON SEVENTY 7 FOR CHARTERYou’re not dreaming; the flagship of the Lagoonfleet is available for charter at Simpson Yacht Char-ter in the Mediterranean from August 2018, then inthe Caribbean for the 2018/2019 winter season.Joy – the name of this Seventy 7 which will be laun-ched next June – will then return to the Mediterra-nean in the summer of 2019, after which it will begoing to Asia.www.simpsonyachtcharter.com

SRI LANKAWe have presented Sri Lanka as a destination,where a catamaran (and only one!) was availablefor charter. Sri Lanka is now offering six catamaransalong its 1,340 km of coastline… Boats built locally,to conform to the company’s wish to promote apermanent activity locally.www.sail-lanka-charter.com

SUNREEF 74In the series of very big top of the range boats available for charter, here is the Sunreef 74 Calmao,which those of you who visited the Cannes BoatShow were lucky enough to see. The catamaran iscurrently on the way to the West Indies, where itwill be available for charter from December toApril. For lovers of big, (very) beautiful boats…www.sunreef-charter.com

OUTREMER 4XACM Catamarans has just launched its new website dedicated to short or long-term charter in theWest Indies. You will find here the offers of coursesand training, leaving from Le Marin, in Martinique.Note that the charter company has, exclusively, an Outremer 4X locally for this winter.Acm-caraibes.com

- Formalities: a 30-day visa is issued by the authorities in return for 25 dollars, on arrival. In addition, a passport valid for 6 months after you leave Indonesian territory is necessary. It is alsopossible to obtain a 60-day visa, but in that case, you must visit the Indonesian embassy in your country.- Weather: It is fine and hot all the year round on Bali. The period from June to September is cooler and dryer. The weather remains wetter from January to March. The wind blows all the yearround, keeping you cool and allowing good sailing.- Temperatures: between 25 and 32°C- Cruising conditions: Information and guides are rare. This is the reason why only boats with skippers are offered for charter on Bali. - Buoyage: Random. As is often the case, night sailing is to be avoided.- Diving: world class sites. The waters around Bali contain a large variety of corals and a great number of fish. But snorkeling is already wonderful.- Getting there: Several companies serve Bali (Emirates, Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines).- Languages spoken: Indonesian Bahasa is the official language, since independence in 1945, but in tourist spots everyone speaks English. - Currency: The Indonesian Rupee (1 US$ = 13,500 IDR) Credit cards are accepted in mid-range establishments. For cash, the easiest to change is the US $.- The local charter companies: Dream Yacht Charter – Bali Yacht Charter - Bali Charter Boat

If you fancy it: it’s a 13m jump intothe Blue Lagoon…

NEWS FROMTHE CHARTER COMPANIES

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TYPICAL ITINERARY

Dream Yacht Charter is offering Bali as a destination in a cata-maran from its fleet. Bare boat charter is not available, but theskipper will take you to visit his secret spots… Here is a typicalitinerary proposed by the charter company.

DAY 1: BENOA MARINA – SANUR (6 nm / 1 h)Embarkation at 5 pm in Benoa Harbour Marina. After settlingin aboard, you sail for around 1 hour to Sanur Beach, almost 5km long, on the east coast of Bali. Here the safety briefingtakes place, then you eat aboard. A night in the anchorage offSanur.

DAY 2: SANUR – NUSA LEMBONGAN (20 nm / 3 h)After a first swim, you set sail for Nusa Lembongan and Mush-room Bay, so called because of the shape of the coral, and well-known for its luminous white sandy beach in the shape of acrescent. Its inhabitants are for the majority Hindus, buildingtraditional wooden boats and making use of the red seaweed(carraghenane).Short sail to the ‘Manta Ray Bay’. Then anchorage for thenight in the Cennigan channel.

DAY 3: NUSA LEMBONGAN – GILI ISLANDS (40 nm / 6 h)Early departure for the Gili Islands, 3 small islands with whitesand beaches, bordered with coconut trees and surrounded byturquoise waters: a glimpse of paradise. In the south of GiliMeno, the smallest, calmest and most welcoming island in thearchipelago, you can take the time to explore the island anddive with mask, fins and snorkel. It takes about two hours towalk round the island. You can visit the turtle sanctuary and itssmall pools on the beach, teeming with baby turtles. The under-water life in the Gilis, surrounded by coral reefs, is incredibleand full of turtles, manta rays, clown fish and innumerable verycolorful species. Gili Air was the first to be inhabited by fishingfamilies. The coconut plantations and fishing are still themainstays of the local economy. Here you will discover themost beautiful beaches and the most beautiful snorkeling spots,just next to some perfect beaches.

DAY 4: GILI ISLANDS - SENGGIGITo the west of Lombok, Senggigi is one of the most beautifulspots visited during your cruise. Lombok is a unique blend ofBalian, Chinese and Arab influences. Senggigi offers spectacu-lar scenery: huge bays, fine sand beaches fringed with coconuttrees, tropical jungle, and exceptional snorkeling sites.Excursion possibilities (extra): half-day to the island of Lom-bok; visit to the monkey forest, the local market and LingsarTemple, built in 1714 right in the middle of the delightful décorof the rice fields.

DAY 5: SENGGIGI – POH – GILI NANGGUSail to Poh Island, for a snorkeling session. Then you cruise toGili Nanggu, a small island off the west coast of Lombok, withlush vegetation. Swimming; night at anchor.

DAY 6: NANGGU – GEDECruise along the south-west coast and stops on some wonderfulsmall islands for swimming and snorkeling. This coast has anabundance of deserted beaches with crystal-clear waters, smallislands surrounded by turquoise seas, pearl farms and oldmosques. The welcome by the local population is very warm.Night at anchor off Gede Island.

DAY 7: GEDE – NUSA PENIDA – PULAU SERANGANSail to Nusa Penida (Crystal Bay). Crystal Bay is a superbbeach on the north coast of the island of Nusa Penida. Timeseems to have stopped here, the population still lives accordingto its secular traditions. The afternoon is spent in the serenity ofthis little bay with crystal-clear waters, whose white sand beachis one of the most beautiful on Bali, and one of the best snor-kelling spots. In the afternoon, you sail to Pulau Serangan la-goon, where you spend your last night aboard.

DAY 8: PULAU SERANGAN – MARINA BENOA HARBOUREarly departure for Benoa Harbour Marina, where you disem-bark after breakfast. It’s finished already!

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