Ponant partners with pearling company to launch Australia yacht

The 30-guest vessel, Paspaley Pearl, will sail year-round to regions spanning the Kimberley, Australia’s Far North, East Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Ponant said the ship will be the only boutique yacht in the Kimberley with private balconies.

The ship’s inaugural voyage will be from East Timor to Bali in January 2025 after multi-million-dollar refit. The yacht will have a crew of 21, including four naturalist guides.

The inaugural 10-night expedition will take guests from Dili in Timor Leste to Bali, offering the chance to encounter whale sharks and Komodo dragons. Highlights include swimming and snorkelling in Seventeen Islands Marine Park, visiting the remote Lembata Island and discovering traditional Alorese culture. 

Paspaley operates a network of pearl farms across north-west Australia and dives for wild pearls.