Derya Liveaboard

Derya Liveaboard is a 22-metre phinisi built in 2018 from ironwood and teak, sailing from Labuan Bajo into Komodo National Park on 3 day 2 night sharing trips. It takes up to thirteen guests in four air-conditioned cabins, each with a private bathroom, and there is Wi-Fi on board.

Derya Liveaboard is a small boat with a relaxed atmosphere: four cabins, a lounge with bean bags, a sun deck and an outdoor dining area. Sharing trips leave every Friday and return to Labuan Bajo on Sunday.

• Length 22 m, beam 4.5 m
• Built in 2018 of ironwood and teak
• Up to 13 guests in 4 cabins with private bathrooms
• Wi-Fi on board
• Sharing trips every Friday, 3 days 2 nights

The four cabins of Derya Liveaboard are named after islands of the Komodo region. Padar is the island of the famous viewpoint over three bays, Komodo is the home of the dragons, Rinca is the other large island of the park where dragons live, and Kanawa is a small island with a white beach and a clear, shallow reef.

Padar and Komodo are both stops on the 3 day 2 night trip, so guests in those cabins visit the island their cabin is named after. On a private charter of Derya Liveaboard, ask us about a longer route that also takes in Rinca or Kanawa.

All four cabins on Derya Liveaboard have air conditioning, a double bed and a private bathroom. The Padar cabin is on the upper deck, the Komodo cabin on the main deck and the Rinca and Kanawa cabins on the lower deck.

Padar Cabin. The best cabin on board has a private balcony and a bathtub. Two extra beds make room for up to four guests, so it suits a family or a group of friends.

Komodo Cabin. The Komodo cabin on the main deck has a double bed and an extra bed for a third guest.

Rinca and Kanawa Cabins. The two cabins on the lower deck each have a double bed for two guests and offer the lowest price on Derya Liveaboard.

Prices on Derya Liveaboard are per person and depend on the cabin. The cabin cards on this page show the current price of every cabin, and the booking form shows which cabins are still free on each departure.

Day 1 (Friday). Derya Liveaboard collects you at the airport or your hotel in Labuan Bajo between 8:00 and 9:30 and sets sail, with lunch on board. The first stop is Kelor, where a short, steep path climbs to a view over the bay. Manjarite follows for the first snorkel, and in the evening the boat anchors off Kalong Island, where thousands of flying foxes leave the mangroves at sunset.

Day 2 (Saturday). An early start takes the group up Padar Island for the view over three bays, and breakfast follows on board. Derya Liveaboard then sails to the Pink Beach for snorkelling and sunbathing and on to Komodo Island, where park rangers lead the walk to see the Komodo dragons. In the afternoon the boat stops at Taka Makassar, a sandbar that appears at low tide, and at Manta Point, where manta rays are often seen.

Day 3 (Sunday). After breakfast the trip ends with a snorkel at Siaba or Sebayur, two islands with shallow reefs; Siaba is known for its green turtles. Derya Liveaboard is back in Labuan Bajo at about 12:00, and the transfer drops you at the airport or your hotel at about 13:00.

The order of the stops can change with the tides, the weather and the rules of the park. Every snorkel and trek is optional, so guests who prefer to rest can stay on board.

Komodo Island. The dragon walk is the heart of the trip. Rangers lead the group along a forest trail to see the Komodo dragons, which can grow to three metres, and explain how they live and hunt.

Pink Beach. Microscopic red organisms called foraminifera give the sand its soft pink colour, and the coral starts just off the beach.

Manta Point. On this reef, also called Makassar Reef, reef manta rays come to feed and to be cleaned by small fish. They are seen in most months, although never on every visit.

Siaba. The calm, shallow water around Siaba is known for its green turtles, a gentle last snorkel before the return to Labuan Bajo.

The rhythm on Derya Liveaboard is set by the sun and the tides. On Saturday morning the group goes ashore early to climb Padar, then returns to breakfast on board before the Pink Beach and the dragon walk on Komodo Island. Lunch is served as the boat sails on.

The afternoon is for the water, with Taka Makassar and Manta Point and a snack with juices in between. Dinner is served at the outdoor dining area while Derya Liveaboard lies at anchor, and the evening belongs to the bean bags, the lounge and the stars over the park.

Derya Liveaboard stops at five snorkelling spots on the 3 day 2 night trip: Manjarite on Friday, the Pink Beach, Taka Makassar and Manta Point on Saturday, and Siaba or Sebayur on Sunday morning. Fins, masks, snorkels and life jackets are on board, and the guide accompanies the group.

Most of the reefs are shallow and suit beginners, with reef fish at every stop, turtles around Siaba and manta rays at Manta Point when the current is right. The tender of Derya Liveaboard takes the group to the reefs and the beaches, and between the stops the kayak, the paddle board and the floaties are free to use around the boat.

Three meals a day are prepared in the galley and served in the outdoor dining area, with mineral water, coffee and tea and an afternoon snack with juices. Mineral water is free-flowing all day, so there is no need to buy bottles, and every meal is cooked fresh on board.

Between the stops, the sun deck is the place for the sunshine and the lounge with its bean bags the place for the shade. Wi-Fi keeps you in touch where the mobile network allows. A tour guide joins every trip, and the crew records the highlights with a camera, a drone and a GoPro.

Derya Liveaboard is powered by a Mitsubishi 6D15 engine and cruises at about seven knots. Two generators of 10 and 8 kVA supply the power on board, and the tanks hold 5,000 litres of fresh water.

For navigation and safety the crew of Derya Liveaboard has radar, an echo sounder, a Garmin GPS with paper charts, an SSB radio and a satellite telephone, with life jackets, life buoys, fire extinguishers and a first aid kit on board.

On a sharing trip you book one or more cabins on a scheduled departure and share Derya Liveaboard with other guests. Sharing trips leave every Friday for three days and two nights, and the price is per person.

On a private charter the whole of Derya Liveaboard is yours, with its crew. Charters run for two days and one night, three days and two nights or four days and three nights, and the price depends on the length of the trip and the size of the group. With four cabins, Derya Liveaboard is easy to charter for a family or a small group of friends.

The charter tab on this page shows the charter rates for each trip length, for groups of up to ten guests. Send us your dates and we will check them with the operator.

Komodo National Park was established in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon, the largest lizard in the world, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. Its dry hills, savannah and mangroves are home to the dragons, which live only on Komodo, Rinca, the west of Flores and a few smaller islands.

The park is just as famous under water: currents between the islands feed coral reefs full of fish, turtles and manta rays. Rangers lead every walk among the dragons, and the park entrance fee is added to the invoice of every Derya Liveaboard trip.

The dry season, roughly April to November, is the high season in Komodo, with calm seas, clear water and golden hills. December and the first months of the year are wetter, and the islands turn green.

Derya Liveaboard has sharing departures every Friday from March to December. The sea is warm all year, and the departure list on this page shows every date that is still open.

Labuan Bajo, a harbour town on the west coast of Flores, is the starting point for every trip into Komodo National Park. Komodo Airport (LBJ) has direct flights from Bali and Jakarta, and the flight from Bali takes a little over an hour.

Derya Liveaboard picks you up between 8:00 and 9:30 on Friday, so it is easiest to fly in on Thursday and spend the night in Labuan Bajo. On Sunday the transfer reaches the airport at about 13:00, in time for an afternoon flight, and the transfers to and from the boat are included.

You can book Derya Liveaboard online with live availability: choose a departure, pick your cabins and send the booking. A 50% deposit is due within 72 hours and the balance 60 days before the trip; bookings made less than 60 days ahead are paid in full. The payment policy and the cancellation policy give the details.

Every Derya Liveaboard sharing trip includes:

• Transfers between the airport or your hotel and the boat
• Three meals a day, mineral water, coffee, tea, an afternoon snack and juices
• Shore excursions with a tour guide
• A canoe, a paddle board and snorkelling gear
• Photos and videos by camera, drone and GoPro
• Wi-Fi

The Komodo National Park entrance fee is paid per person per trip, at one rate for foreign guests and a lower rate for Indonesian citizens, and it is added to the invoice. Flights, hotels, travel insurance, alcoholic drinks and tips for the crew are not included.

How many guests does Derya Liveaboard take? Up to thirteen guests in four cabins.

Which cabin is best for a couple? The Padar cabin on the upper deck, with its private balcony and bathtub.

Can a family of four share one cabin? Yes. The Padar cabin has a double bed and two extra beds for up to four guests.

When does Derya Liveaboard leave? Sharing trips leave Labuan Bajo every Friday and return on Sunday.

Is there Wi-Fi on Derya Liveaboard? Yes. The connection depends on the mobile network in each part of the park and can be slow at times.

Do I need to be a good swimmer? No. Snorkelling is optional, fins, masks and life jackets are on board, and many stops are beaches, viewpoints and the dragon walk.

Can I see the Komodo dragons? Yes. On Saturday Derya Liveaboard stops at Komodo Island, where park rangers take guests on a walk to see the dragons.

What should I bring? Light clothes, a hat, sunglasses, reef-safe sunscreen, sandals and closed shoes for the treks, a light jacket for the evenings and any personal medicine.

Are drinks included? Mineral water, coffee and tea are included all day, with juices in the afternoon. Alcoholic drinks are not included.

How do I get from the airport to the boat? The transfer is included: Derya Liveaboard picks you up at Komodo Airport or at your hotel in Labuan Bajo between 8:00 and 9:30 on Friday.

Is Derya Liveaboard good for a small group? Yes. With four cabins, a family or a group of friends can book every cabin on one departure, or charter the whole boat.

Can I charter Derya Liveaboard for my own group? Yes. The whole boat can be chartered for two to four days for up to ten guests; ask us for a quote with your dates.