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Venturing to The Asmat of Papua New Guinea with the Consummate Guide

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Seeing the seldom-seen in a remote region

He followed in the footsteps of the great naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace to the island of New Guinea in search of the bird of paradise. Encountered the Komodo dragon in the Lesser Sunda Islands. And ventured to Western New Guinea to meet the Asmat people, where he will accompany you if you join Lindblad-National Geographic's Exploring Indonesia expedition. And who is he? Dr. Lawrence Blair, explorer, anthropologist, filmmaker, author, 35-year resident of Bali, and public speaker on the peoples and creatures of Indonesia.

See this video clip of Dr. Blair introducing the Asmat on our 2015 expedition.

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Some may remember his 10-year adventure odyssey, begun in 1972 together with his late brother Lorne, documented in the Emmy-winning BBC/PBS series Ring of Fire, and the book by the same name. For those who have never seen the series (a digitally remastered DVD was released in 2003, but a newly upgraded version is in the works and will soon be aired again on TV), it is an exhilarating experience. A true Indiana Jones story, alternately hair-raising and heart-gladdening, it vividly reminds us of the eternal vastness and strangeness of our world.

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His adventures headed in a different direction when he accepted Lars-Eric Lindblad's invitation to accompany guests of the Lindblad Explorer—in his words, "the first genuine exploratory ship"—to explore the Spice Islands in 1978. Since then, Dr. Blair has accompanied and led expeditions in this region of the world accompanying luminaries in the field of science, and including celebrities: Mick Jagger, Larry Summers, and Richard Dawkins to name just a few.

Travel in Excellent Company

Travel with Dr. Blair and our knowledgeable expedition team—all excellent companions—and your sense of adventure will be kindled, and your curiosity and appreciation for this kaleidoscopic region of the planet greatly rewarded.

See this 2015 Daily Expedition Report clip, including Dr Blair's own archival footage of bringing Mick Jagger and others to the Asmat.

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Interested in traveling to one of the most interesting regions of the world on a riveting exploration? Join us on our 2022 return to Indonesia on our 21-day Exploring Indonesia: Bali, Raja Ampat and Papua New Guinea.