KUPANG, fortuna.press – Mick Fogg, Leader of the Cruise Pearl Discovery Darwin Group, expressed great satisfaction and joy when visiting Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia for the first time through the port of Kupang, Sunday, January 4, 2025. A total of 20 tourists used the Paspaley Pearl, a luxury cruise ship that brought them from Australia to Indonesia.
Despite only spending a day in Kupang, Mick and his friends felt very happy because they were welcomed with joy from the moment the ship docked at Tenau port until they returned to the ship to continue their journey to Alor and Lembata districts.
“This city with its friendly people has created a thousand sweet memories for us, an incredibly rich culture, creative economy products and beautiful souvenirs, the story of the productive lontar tree and of course the joy of the masses with dances and songs that are very captivating,” said Mick.
It was said that this was the first visit led by his team, out of a plan of 12 visits to NTT and Indonesia in 2026. He hoped that the hospitality and extraordinary cultural richness would remain the best offering for Australian guests visiting NTT in the coming months.
Mick Fogg also expressed gratitude to Flobamor Tours, led by Abed Frans, and the team for their excellent welcome to Kupang, including the opportunity to meet the friendly and pleasant Governor of NTT, Melki Laka Lena.
The Paspaley Pearl is a cruise ship with a special design for comfortable holidays for tourists. In addition to being a means of transportation, the ship also serves as a place to stay, eat and drink, and entertainment while touring several tourist destinations in a complete and luxurious package
First of 12 Trips in 2026
Abed Frans, Leader of PT. Flobamor Tours, said that they are handling guests from the Paspaley Pearl ship for a long-term cooperation in 2026, with 12 trips planned. The ship will travel from Darwin, Australia to Raja Ampat in Papua, then to NTT through Kupang.
Mick Fogg will bring foreign guests to enjoy NTT’s tourism charm every month for the next 4 months, with two trips planned for March 2026. “If they are satisfied in these 4 months, the program will continue until the end of the year. But if they’re not, it means I’m not lucky, brother,” said Abed, former Chairman of ASITA NTT.
Abed thanked Mick Fogg for trusting Flobamora Tours and hoped that their services meet expectations. He also thanked the NTT Governor and officials for welcoming the tourists. Abed hopes that Mick Fogg’s Group Cruise Pearl Discovery Darwin will be a gateway for collaboration, especially in supporting the government’s plan for Sister City cooperation between Kupang-Darwin and/or Kupang-Palmerston
Ikat Weaving and Mass Dance that Captivates
The Paspaley Pearl ship’s tourist visit on Sunday, January 4, 2026, started at 1:00 PM WITA. After CIQP document checks at Tenau port, the tourists spent about an hour at the Dekranasda NTT gallery, hunting for ikat weaving and beautiful local souvenirs, before heading to the NTT Regional Museum.
From the museum, they went to Lasiana Beach to witness palm sugar production demonstrations, followed by a joyful coffee gathering while enjoying the sunset at La Cove Resto Lasiana. Here, they were treated to Sasando music performances by Maestro Sasando, Jitro Pah.
Upon arrival at La Cove Resto, they were welcomed with traditional Timor dances and music, and enjoyed local food such as boiled corn, boiled bananas, fried bananas, and hot tea and coffee while relaxing.
NTT Governor Melki Laka Lena, accompanied by Tourism Office Head Noldy Hosea Pellokila and NTT Tourism Office Secretary Agustinus H.Bano, arrived at the location. After greeting the tourists and speaking with Mick Fogg, Governor Melki welcomed the participants, promoted NTT’s tourism potential, and invited tourists to share their experiences with friends and acquaintances, encouraging them to visit NTT
