What a Komodo sailing tour looks like
A Komodo sailing tour starts and ends in Labuan Bajo and lasts 3 days and 2 nights, with both nights on board. The boat anchors in a bay each evening and moves on after breakfast, so Padar Island, Pink Beach and Manta Point fit in without a hurried day.
On the route compared here, day 1 covers Kelor, Manjarite and Kalong, where thousands of flying foxes leave the mangroves at sunset. Day 2 is the big one: Padar, Pink Beach, Komodo Island, Manta Point and Taka Makassar. Day 3 ends with a last island stop before the boat returns to Labuan Bajo.
Our picks: Komodo sailing tours
Four phinisi trips run 3 days and 2 nights from Labuan Bajo. Take the sailing and overland tour for an air-conditioned cabin and a land day, or the sailing tour with the photographer for the longest stop list.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 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 are charged on top.
Check availability →
3-day sailing trip to Komodo on a phinisi
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Life jacket, fins and snorkeling equipment
- Photographer and local guide
The trip lasts 3 days and 2 nights on board and ends on day 3 at Sebayur.
Check availability →3-day sailing trip on a deluxe phinisi
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Snorkeling equipment
- Trip documentation
Day 2 covers Padar, Pink Beach, Komodo, Manta Point and Taka Makassar. Day 3 ends at Siaba before the return to Labuan Bajo.
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 →Komodo sailing tours from Labuan Bajo
Four 3-day, 2-night phinisi trips from Labuan Bajo, with current prices and availability.
The four boats, one by one
The 3-day sailing tour with a photographer and a bilingual guide has the longest list of stops: Kelor, Manjarite, Kalong, Padar, Pink Beach, Komodo, Manta Point, Taka Makassar, Kanawa and Sebayur. It comes with paddle boards, a canoe, snorkeling gear and all meals and snacks. At 330 USD per person it is the fullest option for friends who want time in the water.
The sailing and overland tour with 12 stops is the one with a proper cabin: air-conditioned, with its own bathroom. Day 3 leaves the boat for a drive to Rangko Cave, Waecicu Beach and Sylvia Hill, and the trip ends at around 18:30. Pickup is from your hotel, homestay or Komodo Airport (LBJ), and a beginner snorkeling session in shallow water makes it the easiest start for first-timers. It costs 284 USD per person.
The two remaining boats are simpler. The deluxe phinisi leaves from the KP 3 harbor at 9:30 and costs about 295 USD per person, with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snorkeling gear included. The Komodo phinisi trip with fins, life jackets, a photographer and a local guide costs 329 USD and ends on day 3 at Sebayur rather than Siaba.
Prices and what makes them differ
Prices as of November 2026. The four boats sit within 46 USD of each other, which works out to roughly 95 to 110 USD per person and day with meals and a bed. The gap comes mostly from the cabin: the 12-stop trip with the air-conditioned cabin is the cheapest, while the 330 USD boat adds paddle boards, a canoe and the longest stop list.
Park fees are the other variable. The 330 USD boat charges a separate Rp650,000 for foreign guests to cover park tickets, levies and conservation across the three days. On the 12-stop trip, park and ranger fees are prepaid only if you choose the option with the park ticket.
Season, Padar timing and who it suits
The state tourism portal points to April to June and September to November as the best months for the Komodo area. In the wet season, waves, wind and currents can change a boat's schedule, and departures can be closed on bad days, as happened on 9 and 10 September 2026. Padar is open in three windows, 05:00 to 08:00, 08:00 to 11:00 and 15:00 to 18:00 WITA, and the climb to the lookout takes about 30 minutes uphill. Manta Point is the stop where mantas are present all year, with feeding groups most often seen from December to March.
The trips suit couples, friends and families who are comfortable on a boat. The sailing tour with the photographer is not for non-swimmers or anyone prone to seasickness. On the 12-stop trip, non-swimmers can join in life vests in shallow water, children are welcome and their age is given at booking. Two of the trips are not recommended for guests with back problems and exclude heart conditions and other serious illnesses, and the deluxe phinisi is not wheelchair accessible. The 330 USD boat can be cancelled for free up to 24 hours before departure.
If one day is all you have, the Komodo day trip reaches Padar and Pink Beach by speedboat, and the liveaboard guide covers cabins and boat safety in more detail.
Komodo sailing tour questions
How long is a Komodo sailing tour?
The four trips compared here run 3 days and 2 nights from Labuan Bajo, with both nights on board. Day 2 carries Padar, Pink Beach, Komodo and Manta Point.
How much does a Komodo sailing tour cost?
From 284 USD per person for the 12-stop sailing and overland trip up to 330 USD for the boat with the photographer and paddle boards. The deluxe phinisi costs about 295 USD and the trip with fins and life jackets 329 USD.
Can I join if I cannot swim well?
On the 12-stop sailing and overland tour, non-swimmers can take part in a life vest in shallow water. The 330 USD sailing tour lists non-swimmers as not suitable.