Sulawesi Scops-Owl.— Photo: Susan Myers

We will visit three of Sulawesi's national parks: Tangkoko, Lore Lindu, and Dumoga-Bone. These evocative names conjure up images of all sorts of exciting birds, and we won't be disappointed! From cool mossy cloud forests to luxuriant lowland rainforests, our targets will include the extraordinary Maleo, a suite of endemic raptors, some cracking kingfishers, the unusual Purple-bearded Bee-eater, the colorful Knobbed Hornbill, some tricky forest-dwellers like Geomalia and Great Shortwing, many amazing endemic starlings, and many more. There are some great mammals, too, including three endemic black monkeys, the delightful Sulawesi tarsier, and the bizarre but very rare Babirusa.

Our jumping-off point for Halmahera is the small island of Ternate. Dominated by a gently smoking volcano, it is the most important town of the fabled "Spice Islands." These islands are much drier and have more affinities with the Australasian region than Sulawesi, but an equally rich selection of endemics, including the famous Wallace's Standardwing, certainly one of the strangest of the birds-of-paradise. We should be able to watch this fabulous bird at a display site, but we'll also be keen to find the huge and stunning Ivory-breasted Pitta, as well as other endemics like White Cockatoo, Goliath Coucal, Moluccan Owlet-Nightjar, and the rare Moluccan Scrubfowl.

Travel in Sulawesi and Halmahera is a real adventure and, although not especially difficult, certainly off the beaten track. Indonesia is one of the most exciting birding destinations on earth and these fascinating islands should not be missed.

Accommodations excellent to basic, but all clean with private facilities (no camping); good food; travel by minibus and 4-WD vehicles; moderate pace with some day-treks, but often with midday breaks; generally birding on the flat or on downhill slopes except at Lore Lindu where we will hike uphill on a gentle grade on a wide path for one day; climate hot and dry with a chance of rain.