The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Win a dream holiday
Worth £25,000
Enter The Telegraph Travel Awards 2017 for the chance to discover Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on a 17-day luxury cruise with Silversea
This Silversea voyage, on one of the most luxurious ships at sea, will visit off-the-beaten-track villages and connect with local cultures. The winner and their guest can explore remote bays and secluded beaches, spot dozens of bird species and discover a variety of corals and marine wildlife on unique, smallgroup shore excursions led by a team of expert guides. The allinclusive 17-day voyage on board Silversea’s ultra-luxury Silver Discoverer starts in Cairns and returns to Darwin. Flights from the UK for two people are included in this fabulous prize.
The prize
On this incredible once-in-a-lifetime expedition voyage, the winner and their guest will be immersed in the local cultures of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia while enjoying the comforts of Silversea’s award-winning ultra-luxury experience. Guests can explore Tuam, an uplifted coral atoll which is surrounded by a protective wall of palm branches made by islanders; present school supplies to the local community on a Zodiac cruise to the village of Kopar, home to 200 people; watch traditional dancing in Vanimo and discover the handicrafts produced in Sandaun Province.
In Indonesia the winner can see extensive fields of ancient rock art on the southern shore of the Fakfak Peninsula, discover the intricate system of reefs in Raja Ampat and experience authentic interactions with the local people. The voyage will also call at Triton Bay, which is surrounded by a 6,000sq km Marine Protected Area. The marine biodiversity in the region is extensive, and guests can marvel at everything from tiny pygmy seahorses to large whale sharks. Considered the epicentre of the Coral Triangle, this area contains more fish and coral species than anywhere else on the planet.
The voyage is accompanied by a team of highly qualified Silversea experts including marine biologists, ornithologists and historians. The expedition team is on hand to assist and educate guests; they will lead excursions and activities including Zodiac explorations in addition to hosting lectures on the ship itself.
On board the all-inclusive 120-guest Silver Discoverer, the winner and a guest will enjoy the personalised service of a butler, a generous selection of amenities, complimentary beverages, wines and spirits, a stocked in-suite fridge and a complimentary Wi-Fi package. Silver Discoverer’s shallow draft allows her to navigate closer to shore, and with a fleet of 12 small Zodiac boats, guests can land on isolated shores and explore wetlands and submerged ecosystems, up-close and in-depth. In their suite, guests enjoy beautiful Italian marble bathrooms, can watch on-demand movies on the in-suite flat-screen television or relax under fine Pratesi bed linens.
The voyage will call at Alotau, Kafure, Tuam Island, Kopar Village and Vanimo in Papua New Guinea before calling at Jayapura, Pudaidori Island, Auri Islands, Palau Roon, Missool Island, Den Weg Islands, Triton Bay, Aiduma Islands and the Kai Archipelago in Indonesia.
The provider
Silversea Cruises (0844 251 0837; silversea.com) which is chaired by Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, is recognised as an innovator in the
Guests can land on isolated shores and explore wetlands
ultra-luxury cruise line industry, offering guests large-ship amenities aboard its intimate, all-suite vessels: Silver Wind, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, Silver Spirit and Silver Muse – all designed to offer an atmosphere of conviviality and casual elegance. With the inclusion of the expedition ships Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos, Silver Discoverer, and Silver Cloud which joins the Expedition fleet in November 2017, Silversea’s itineraries encompass all seven continents and feature worldwide luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, Caribbean, both Polar Regions and a thousand fascinating destinations in between.