Borobudur Samudraraksa Ship Museum is a museum which displays the historical large sailing vessel, Samudraraksa,  complete with its utilities, that was used for expedition from Indonesia to Africa between 2003 – 2004. The museum is located inside the complex of Borobudur Temple. The 18-meter long vessel was constructed with vast amounts of imagination, research and speculation based on five bas relief carvings found on Borobudur monument.

It all started in 1982 when Philip Beale came to visit Borobudur Temple. During his visit, he came across the five bas relief carvings found on the temple. The carving displays a traditionally built double outrigger vessel that was used for the voyage known to history as “The Borobudur Ship Expedition”, carried out in the 8th century. The voyage demonstrated the ancient trading links between Indonesia and Africa during that moment.  Inspired by the epic voyage, Beale thought of the idea to reconstruct the vessel and prove the verity of history.

Beale started his mission by contacting Nick Burningham in 2002, who was asked to design a vessel resembling that of the Borobudur Ship that was displayed in the carvings. He completed the design before 2003, where it was taken to Assad Abdullah, an experienced and skilled boat maker residing in Madura.  Abdullah, with his remarkable boat making ability, was able to build the historical replica of The Borobudur Ship in less than 6 months in 2003 using only traditional technology in doing so.

The Borobudur Ship Expedition II took place during August 2003 – February 2004, starting from Jakarta, the ship sailed through Sunda Strait until southern Maldives and from there onwards to northern Madagascar, covering an approximate distance of 11,000 miles. The main purpose for this expedition was to revisit the cultural influences that Indonesia had on Africa, and to prove that a trade between Indonesia and these two African regions could have actually been accomplished via outrigger sailing vessels before Borobudur was constructed in the early 8th century. The route followed has been called the “Cinnamon Route”, and while it is known that boats from the Maldives and Madagascar came here to buy spices, bringing iron-ore, ivory and skins in trade, very little is known about the ships themselves.

After the expedition, the ship  was dry-docked in Ghana for several months while arrangements were made to dispatch it back to Indonesia. After experiencing several delays it was finally dismantled and shipped to Indonesia, on the grounds of Borobudur Complex, and was given its own place named Samudraraksa Museum.

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