Labuan Bajo boat trip: phinisi or speedboat
A Komodo liveaboard is a boat trip of two or three days on a phinisi, the traditional Indonesian wooden sailing boat. It starts and ends in Labuan Bajo, and you sleep on board. In a labuan bajo boat trip of this kind, the boat anchors in bays in the evening and moves on after breakfast, so you see Padar and other islands at a slower pace than on a day trip.
The alternative is a speedboat day trip, which is quicker but leaves little room for quiet anchorages. A phinisi under engine needs about 3 to 4 hours to Padar, a speedboat about 1 to 2 hours. The slower crossing is part of the idea, since the days are planned around anchorages, snorkel stops and sunsets. Compare both formats on the day trip page.
Our picks: liveaboard and sailing trips
The 2-day shared boat is the simplest way to sleep on board. The 3-day sailing tour adds Padar, Pink Beach and the flying foxes. The sailing and overland tour combines two nights on board with a land day.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
3-day sailing tour with two nights on board
- 2 nights on a sailing boat
- All meals on board
- Photographer and bilingual guide
Stops include Padar, Pink Beach, Komodo, Manta Point and the flying fox sunset. Park tickets and fees for 3 days, crew tips and flights are extra.
Check availability →
3-day sailing and overland tour, 12 stops
- 2 nights in an air-conditioned cabin
- Meals on board and lunch on day 3
- Land day with Rangko Cave
Day 3 goes overland to Rangko Cave, Waecicu and Sylvia Hill. Park and ranger fees are prepaid only with the park ticket option.
Check availability →
2 days on a shared boat with Komodo and Pink Beach
- Night in a shared cabin on board
- Meals during the trip
- Ranger fee Komodo
Komodo entry and snorkeling fees are included only with the fee option, so pick that option if you want them prepaid. Tips are extra.
Check availability →Komodo liveaboard and multi-day trips
Two and three day cruises by phinisi from Labuan Bajo, with live prices and availability.
Boat safety in Komodo
Facts from the harbour authority and recent incidents.
Boats leave with a sailing permit, the SPB (Surat Persetujuan Berlayar). The harbour office KSOP can suspend these permits for Padar and Komodo when the weather is bad, as it did on 9 and 10 September 2026. According to the KSOP head, the basis for a permit is the vessel's seaworthiness documents and the BMKG forecast. This is not a promise of a technical inspection before every departure. The police ask that travellers and crew wear life jackets during tender and speedboat transfers to the ship.
Several accidents show why the questions below matter. The phinisi Monalisa I sank on 8 August 2024 between Pink Beach and Batu Tiga after heavy swell, and all 5 passengers were rescued. The phinisi Putri Sakina sank in the Padar Strait on 26 December 2025. On 27 September 2026 the KM Yukai sank near Tanjung Sture after touching a reef, and 13 tourists were rescued. On 13 October 2026 the KM Feronia sank near Tatawa Besar, and the cause has not been established. The tourism authority BPOLBF counts 18 tourist vessel accidents in 2025.
Ask your operator for the life jackets on board, the sailing permit and the weather situation on the day. Check the BMKG harbour forecast for Labuan Bajo before you leave, and be ready to change the plan if a departure is stopped.
Park fees on multi-day trips
Ask how many park days are charged.
On multi-day trips, check with your operator how many park days are charged. Inspections in 2025 targeted boats that bought one ticket for several days. Some multi-day offers include the Komodo ranger fee, others list park tickets as an extra, and one three-day programme lists park fees per option. The route and the stops are explained on the tours page, and the ticket system on the entrance fee page.
Kalong flying foxes at sunset
An evening stop on many programmes.
Many programmes include an evening stop near the mangroves, where flying foxes known locally as kalong leave their roosts at sunset. The stop depends on the day's route and the weather, so treat it as a programme item and not a guarantee. A few day trips from Labuan Bajo also include the sunset stop. See also the Labuan Bajo guide.
Sleeping on board
Cabin types vary by tour.
On the shorter two-day trip the listed offer uses a shared cabin on board. A three-day programme offers an air-conditioned cabin and adds a land day with visits such as Rangko Cave, Waecicu beach and Sylvia Hill. Several of the listed trips include meals, and each offer names what is covered. Showers, toilets and cabin size differ from boat to boat, so read the description and ask when something is unclear. If you plan to sleep ashore instead, see where to stay.
Frequently asked questions
How many days should a liveaboard last?
Two days is the minimum for a night on board, and three days leaves time for more stops and a land day. Pick the length that matches your schedule.
Is a liveaboard better than a day trip?
It depends on your priorities. A day trip is quick, a liveaboard is slower and has more time on the water.
Can bad weather cancel the trip?
Yes. Departure permits for Padar and Komodo can be suspended, and your operator may change the route.