Issue link: https://www.balharbourdigital.com/i/1543791
hulls stark against the bright blue water, bobbing with anchors dropped in isolated bays. Many are simply built, aimed more at keen divers wanting a convenient perch from which to reach untrafficked reefs, with few luxuries. Dunia Baru can reach those reefs, too—but the experience of doing so on this extraordinary vessel is unlike any other, anywhere. It's fitting that the name means "New World" in Bahasa Indonesia. It's also only offered for charter for a few months a year to cruise around the Jurassic Park–like islands of Raja Ampat, or go seeking sight of the dragons in Komodo. Phinisi were originally built to service the global spice trade in the 19th century, ferrying nutmeg and mace from these shores so that Europe's demanding aristocrats could scatter them on banquet tables. In recent years, though, they've been co-opted as leisure vessels, whether operating for charter or as shared liveaboards. Most are quickly built, requiring no more than three years from start to finish. It required almost eight years and millions of dollars—not to mention patience—to achieve Robba's dream. First, he hired Michael Kasten, the American naval architect who also designed the Aman-operated Amandira, to supervise the project. Building began in rural Kalimantan, known for its shipwrights. Robba went up dozens of times to see it under construction from his base in Jakarta. At one point, the half-finished boat was seized by local authorities on a trumped-up pretext, and he was forced to buy it back before it went up for auction. Once the hull was finished, it was handed over to another team to complete the interiors. Everything was built in full-scale mockup so that craftsmen could follow more than on-paper plans. (Three of those who helped build it remain onboard today as part of the maintenance team.) Robba swerves when quizzed about the final cost, though he has admitted it ballooned to more than six times what he'd budgeted at the outset. "It becomes more major, the further you get drawn into it," he says, keen to emphasize he wouldn't cut corners. "The bill just keeps running up." It's a remarkable achievement—not least because the entire structure is made from wood, whether the planks of the deck or even the hinges on the doors. Look closely and you'll understand the painstaking thought behind the process: the hinges use curly-grained teak, which doesn't crack as easily under strain. The keel is a single, almost 115-foot–long trunk of ironwood, a tree that grows about one-tenth of an inch a year—prized for its density, durability, and resistance to fire, water, and insects. Dunia Baru isn't just beautiful, but also a stalwart, able to hit 12 knots at top speed. And its artful construction doesn't curtail modern comforts. There's an ice bath on the highest deck, a nod to the latest wellness fad, while an exercise bike is onboard because the architect Norman Foster once chartered the boat and requested one. Among the seven guest cabins, the standout is the 484–square-foot primary suite on the upper deck overlooking the stern, with dual vanities, a sitting area, and a private outdoor patio—the perfect spot for an al-fresco massage from the onboard beauty therapist. The other six cabins are more modest and sit below deck, but still have en suites and portholes framing the crashing waves. Dunia Baru can drop anchor off almost any island, so you can choose whatever adventure appeals. Perhaps it's kayaking through the mangroves on Pulau Yanggelo, the water shimmering in the sunshine, a deep turquoise blue. Then you can plunge into the same bay to snorkel among reefs teeming BALHAR B O U RSH O P S .CO M C O U R T E S Y D U N I A B A R U It's a seductively adventurous experience to linger between these islands in such luxury.