Indonesia
Tucked into the northern coast of Sumbawa in Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands, Saleh Bay is one of Southeast Asia's most spectacular yet least-visited natural harbors. This vast, almost landlocked body of water — stretching some sixty kilometers from its narrow entrance to its innermost shores — is ringed by volcanic peaks, dense tropical forest, and small fishing villages that have changed little over the centuries. For expedition cruise passengers, it represents Indonesia at its most raw and authentic.
The bay's geological story is written in dramatic form. Tambora, the volcano whose catastrophic 1815 eruption was the most powerful in recorded human history — causing the "Year Without a Summer" across the Northern Hemisphere — looms over the bay's eastern shore. Its caldera, six kilometers wide and over a kilometer deep, remains one of the most impressive volcanic features in the Indonesian archipelago. While a full ascent of Tambora requires a multi-day trek, even viewing the volcano from the bay's waters provides a visceral sense of the forces that shaped this landscape.
Beneath the surface, Saleh Bay harbors a marine ecosystem of remarkable richness. The bay's sheltered waters serve as a nursery for numerous fish species, and its coral reefs — though less famous than those of Raja Ampat or Komodo — support an impressive diversity of hard and soft corals, reef fish, and invertebrates. Dolphins are frequently spotted in the bay's deeper channels, and whale sharks have been recorded in the nutrient-rich waters near the bay's mouth. Snorkeling directly from the ship or from Zodiac landing sites reveals an underwater world of vivid color and surprising abundance.
The small communities around Saleh Bay live primarily from fishing and seaweed farming, their stilt houses extending over the shallows in clusters of weathered wood and corrugated metal. Visits to these villages offer genuine cultural encounters far removed from the polished tourism experiences found in Bali or Lombok. Local fishermen use traditional techniques passed down through generations, and the hospitality extended to visitors is warm and unhesitating.
Saleh Bay is exclusively accessed by expedition cruise vessels and private yachts, as there are no commercial port facilities. Ships typically anchor in the bay and use tenders or Zodiacs for shore excursions and snorkeling expeditions. The dry season from May through October offers the clearest skies and calmest waters, though the bay's sheltered nature makes it navigable year-round. Water temperatures hover around 27-29°C throughout the year, making snorkeling comfortable without a wetsuit in any season.