Aboard Seabourn Odyssey with Seabourn
Cruise Overview
Bali really is as alluring as everyone says.
This island, slightly bigger than Delaware, has it all: beaches, volcanoes, terraced rice fields, forests, renowned resorts, surfing, golf, and world-class dive sites.
But what sets Bali apart from other nearby tropical destinations is Balinese tradition, and villagers dedicated to celebrating it.
The hundreds of temples, dances, rituals, and crafts linked to their ancient Hindu faith aren't a show for tourists, but a living, breathing culture in which visitors are warmly received by the Balinese, who cherish their own identities.
Neolithic sites recently discovered in West Sulawesi bear witness to man's presence on the island for millennia.
Buddhist artifacts dating from the 4th & 5th centuries were discovered in South Sulawesi.
This region was with its protected bays an ideal spot on the trade routes to drop anchor.
In fact, the Bugis are reputed for their gift of boat building.
The first Western visitors were Portuguese and, as many of their ships were wrecked off the coast of Minahassa, they gave the name "Celibes' (formidable) to the island.
The Portuguese were followed by the Spanish who came preaching Christianity from their base in the Philippines.
When the Dutch arrived, they chased all foreigners from the island and established trade monopolies.
Despite the foreign influences, some tribes preserved their ancient pagan ceremonies and today fascinate the ever-growing number of visitors to the island.
These are in particular the Toalans and the Torajans.
Pare Pare is South Sulawesi's second city with a population of 100,000 although it feels more like a market town.
It is used by cargo ships to unload goods destined for the local population.
The town runs up the coast in a long narrow strip and is only 2 or 3 streets wide.
The center is marked by a statue of a man standing on a map of Indonesia "Monument Rkayat Rejuan".
In the mountainous northern region of South Sulawesi live the 320,000 Toraja people at an altitude of 1200 meters.
These mountain people remained isolated from the outside world until the 20th century, and many of their traditions still remain.
The Toraja world consisted of three classes of people: To Parengnge (nobles), the Makaka (commoners) and the Kaunan (slaves).
Their life cycle is based around complementary elements of life and death, East and West, sunrise and sunset, morning and afternoon, left and right, etc.
The Rituals of the East (rambu tuka) are the life giving elements - smoke ascending; rice, exorcism, birth, first haircut.
The Rituals of the West (rambu solo) are death rituals.
The Toraja life centers around the death rituals, which often involve two ceremonies, the second taking place several months to years later.
They can be prohibitively expensive for families and involve elaborate wrapping and lamentation rites, funeral rituals involving the slaughter of many bulls.
Spoken of with awed reverence in scuba-diving circles, Coron's dramatic rock protrusions, which jut from emerald seas and glorious sweeps of sand, make it a destination that you can't help but dive into.
The perfect base for an adventure holiday, Coron's exquisite setting means you'll face taxing choices on a daily basis - to spend the day relaxing on the soft sand, or to pound through the jungle on horseback?
Whether you choose relaxation or all-out-action, you're sure to fall head over heels for Coron's beauty.
This island, slightly bigger than Delaware, has it all: beaches, volcanoes, terraced rice fields, forests, renowned resorts, surfing, golf, and world-class dive sites.
But what sets Bali apart from other nearby tropical destinations is Balinese tradition, and villagers dedicated to celebrating it.
The hundreds of temples, dances, rituals, and crafts linked to their ancient Hindu faith aren't a show for tourists, but a living, breathing culture in which visitors are warmly received by the Balinese, who cherish their own identities.
Neolithic sites recently discovered in West Sulawesi bear witness to man's presence on the island for millennia.
Buddhist artifacts dating from the 4th & 5th centuries were discovered in South Sulawesi.
This region was with its protected bays an ideal spot on the trade routes to drop anchor.
In fact, the Bugis are reputed for their gift of boat building.
The first Western visitors were Portuguese and, as many of their ships were wrecked off the coast of Minahassa, they gave the name "Celibes' (formidable) to the island.
The Portuguese were followed by the Spanish who came preaching Christianity from their base in the Philippines.
When the Dutch arrived, they chased all foreigners from the island and established trade monopolies.
Despite the foreign influences, some tribes preserved their ancient pagan ceremonies and today fascinate the ever-growing number of visitors to the island.
These are in particular the Toalans and the Torajans.
Pare Pare is South Sulawesi's second city with a population of 100,000 although it feels more like a market town.
It is used by cargo ships to unload goods destined for the local population.
The town runs up the coast in a long narrow strip and is only 2 or 3 streets wide.
The center is marked by a statue of a man standing on a map of Indonesia "Monument Rkayat Rejuan".
In the mountainous northern region of South Sulawesi live the 320,000 Toraja people at an altitude of 1200 meters.
These mountain people remained isolated from the outside world until the 20th century, and many of their traditions still remain.
The Toraja world consisted of three classes of people: To Parengnge (nobles), the Makaka (commoners) and the Kaunan (slaves).
Their life cycle is based around complementary elements of life and death, East and West, sunrise and sunset, morning and afternoon, left and right, etc.
The Rituals of the East (rambu tuka) are the life giving elements - smoke ascending; rice, exorcism, birth, first haircut.
The Rituals of the West (rambu solo) are death rituals.
The Toraja life centers around the death rituals, which often involve two ceremonies, the second taking place several months to years later.
They can be prohibitively expensive for families and involve elaborate wrapping and lamentation rites, funeral rituals involving the slaughter of many bulls.
Spoken of with awed reverence in scuba-diving circles, Coron's dramatic rock protrusions, which jut from emerald seas and glorious sweeps of sand, make it a destination that you can't help but dive into.
The perfect base for an adventure holiday, Coron's exquisite setting means you'll face taxing choices on a daily basis - to spend the day relaxing on the soft sand, or to pound through the jungle on horseback?
Whether you choose relaxation or all-out-action, you're sure to fall head over heels for Coron's beauty.
Cruise Itinerary
Aboard Seabourn Odyssey
Launch Year: 2009 Length: 198 Width: 26 Currency: USD Capacity: 450 Crew Count: 330 Deck Count: 10 Cabin Count: 229
Seabourn Odyssey was built by the Italian company T. Mariotti S.p.A., located in Genoa, Italy and named in Venice. On that occasion, the guests on board for the maiden voyage were all honoured as the ship’s godparents, and a plaque with their names was permanently mounted on a wall inside the ship. Seabourn Odyssey was designed by the same architectural team, Petr Yran and Bjorn Storbraaten, who designed the original Seabourn ships.
Seabourn Odyssey Facilities
Seabourn Odyssey Includes
Cabin Details
Seabourn Odyssey offers nine types of suites, eight of which feature verandas. Designed as home away from homes, these suites aim to be the place for you to unwind at the end of the day. Featuring a range of traditional cabin amenities, each also benefit from a Personal Suite Stewardess who will welcome you with Champagne and canapés, draw you a relaxing bath and assist you with anything you might need during your stay.
