I recently read an article about Alila Purnama, a handcrafted Phinisi Ship that sails the waters of East Indonesia, and after doing some research and reading up on this ultra-modern, über luxurious sailing boat, I can confirm that this has gone straight to the top of my bucket list!

Offering customised itineraries throughout the Indonesian archipelago, Alila Purnama visits Raja Ampat, which is widely believed to be one of the best snorkelling and diving spots on planet earth.  Made up of around 1,500 small of islands in Indonesia’s West Papua province, just off the coast of New Guinea, Raja Ampat homes over 1,600 fish species and some 600 coral species, so the diversity of marine life is quite spectacular.

After a day of swimming and enjoying the beauty of the underwater world, you can make your way to one of the many secluded beaches for an island trek, before indulging in a seaside picnic complete with crystal glasses, white linens, and Indonesian cuisine to die for…

Alila Purnama also visits Komodo Island, the only place in the world where you can get up close and personal with 3 metre long Komodo Dragons.  After taking a tour of the island, you will be whisked away to Pantai Merah, Indonesia’s famous Pink Beach, where you can spend the rest of your day relaxing on the fine pink sand, or head back into the water for some more world-class snorkelling.

There are plenty of other islands to visit during your sailing, and you can either go with one of Alila Purnama’s sample itineraries, or create your own tailor-made sailing holiday.

Of course, luxury like this comes at a price, and you can expect to pay around $2,700 per room per night for your sailing holiday aboard Indonesia’s most exquisite ship, but that does include all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, scheduled excursions, unlimited dives, national park entry fees, and snorkelling equipment…

Alternatively, you can charter the ship for a private tour, with 4-night trips starting at $11,000.

Will we get to sail on Alila Purnama one day?  I certainly hope so, but in the meantime, we will have to make do with a few images instead (all of which are courtesy of the official Alila Purnama Website: alilapurnama.com)