Dunia Baru’s new Singaporean owners talk about the vessel's thoughtful restoration, the beauty of slow travel, and where to sail in 2021
The months spent grounded in our hometowns have given many of us an appreciation for a slower pace of life, something that will take with us when we travel again. Sailing is one of the best ways to have a slow, meaningful sojourn and few vessels are as spectacular as the Dunia Baru (its name means “the new world” in Bahasa Indonesia), a superyacht that weaves through Southeast Asia’s spellbinding islands.
The 51-metre long, two-masted luxury phinisi yacht has been brought back to its former glory by its new Singaporean owners, siblings Jing-Yi Wee and Teng Wee, who commissioned Deirdre Renniers, interior designer of Aman's private yacht, Amandira, to refurbish the traditional vessel. Built from teak and rare ulin ironwood, Dunia Baru was originally handcrafted in the classic architecture of phinisi wooden sailboats by an ancient tribe of boat builders in South Sulawesi called the Konjo. Every detail has been lovingly restored by its new owners resulting in a vessel that embodies the old-world romance of sailing but equipped with modern amenities suited to multi-generational travellers.