WHALE SHARKS IN INDONESIA

THIS cruise, run by specialist conservation operator Heritage Expeditions, meanders quietly through many of the vast archipelago’s more remote tropical islands.

Wildlife-spotting opportunities abound, from Komodo National Park’s dragons to the rainbow corals and glittering fish at Wakatobi National Park – a place the French marine explorer Jacques Cousteau called ‘underwater Nirvana’.

But the real treat comes when the boat heads towards West Papua. Here, guests can swim among large groups of whale sharks in Cenderawasih Bay.

The graceful animals – the largest fish in the world which can grow to more than 40ft and weigh more than 20 tons – can be spotted roaming here almost every day of the year, often congregating in large numbers like nowhere else on Earth.

But you won’t find huge crowds of tourists, meaning you’re free to share the waters with these gentle giants, gawping at their seemingly cavernous (but totally harmless) wide-open mouths as they feed.

Why so special? The voyage ventures well off the tourist route, exploring islands that are rich in dense, untouched rainforests and home to rare flora and fauna.

What else can I see? Take your pick from dazzling birds of paradise in Raja Ampat, blue-fronted lorikeets on remote Buru Island and rare dugong in the waters surrounding Misool. Dates from October. Fifteen days costs from £7,386pp, including accommodation, meals, activities and lectures (heritage-expeditions.com).