Tara Phinisi

Tara Phinisi is a wooden phinisi of 28 metres with a beam of 6.3 metres and a depth of 2.6 metres, built of ironwood in 2021; its full name is Tara by Adhama. It takes up to seventeen guests in seven cabins on three decks, which leaves plenty of room on the sundeck, on the jacuzzi deck and in the lounge.

A Mitsubishi engine gives Tara Phinisi a top speed of thirteen knots, the tanks hold 4,000 litres of fuel and 5,000 litres of fresh water, and a 6-metre tender with a 90 hp four-stroke engine takes the guests to the beaches and the reefs.

• Length 28 m, beam 6.3 m, built in 2021
• Up to 17 guests in 7 air-conditioned cabins with private bathrooms
• Three cabins on the upper deck, two on the main deck and two on the lower deck
• Home port: Labuan Bajo, Flores

Tara Phinisi combines the comfort of a luxury boat with a choice of cabins for every budget. The master cabin has its own balcony, the deluxe cabins look out over the sea through wide windows, and every cabin has air conditioning and a private bathroom.

On deck there is a jacuzzi with a view over the islands, a sundeck with sofas and a covered dining deck; inside there is a dining room and a lounge with a TV, a bar and a coffee machine. For travellers on a budget, the two sharing cabins on the lower deck sell a single bed, so you can sail on Tara Phinisi without booking a whole cabin.

The named cabins of Tara Phinisi carry the names of islands of Indonesia. Mentawai, the master cabin, is named after the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra, known for their surf and their forests. Banda and Rote, the two deluxe panoramic cabins, take their names from the Banda Islands in Maluku, the old spice islands, and from Rote, an island at the southern edge of Indonesia in East Nusa Tenggara.

The two sharing cabins on the lower deck are Kei and Alor. The Kei Islands lie in Southeast Maluku and are known for their long white beaches, and Alor is an island of East Nusa Tenggara, the province of Labuan Bajo, famous among divers for its clear water. Together the names make a small map of the archipelago you are sailing through on Tara Phinisi.

All seven cabins on Tara Phinisi have air conditioning and a private bathroom. Three are on the upper deck, two on the main deck and two on the lower deck.

Master Cabin (Mentawai). On the upper deck, with a queen bed, a single bed and a private balcony behind sliding glass doors. It is for two guests, or three with the single bed at the extra-bed price.

Deluxe Sea View Cabins. Two cabins on the upper deck, each with a queen bed, a single bed and windows over the sea, for two guests or three at the extra-bed price.

Deluxe Panoramic Cabins (Banda and Rote). Two cabins on the main deck, each with a queen bed behind a wide panoramic window, for two guests.

Sharing Cabins (Kei and Alor). Two cabins on the lower deck that are sold by the bed: Kei sleeps three in a double bed and a single bed, and Alor sleeps four in a queen bed and two single beds. Each has its own bathroom, and a traveller on their own can book one bed.

The master and deluxe cabins are booked by at least two guests. Prices are per person and depend on the cabin; the cabin cards on this page show the current prices, and the booking form shows which cabins and beds are still free on each departure.

Couples. The master cabin, with its balcony, and the deluxe panoramic cabins, with their wide windows, suit a couple who want a view of the sea from their bed.

Families. The master cabin and the two deluxe sea view cabins take a third guest, and a family can book several cabins on the same departure.

Groups of friends. With seven cabins and space for seventeen guests, a group can fill much of the boat on one departure, or charter all of Tara Phinisi for a trip of its own.

Solo travellers. The sharing cabins Kei and Alor sell a single bed, so you can join a trip on Tara Phinisi on your own and share the cabin with other guests.

Day 1. Pick-up at the airport or your hotel in Labuan Bajo between 8:00 and 10:00, then Tara Phinisi sets sail and lunch is served on board. The afternoon brings a walk on Kelor Island and snorkelling at Manjarite, and the day ends with the sunset and the flying foxes at Kalong Island, followed by dinner.

Day 2. An early climb on Padar Island before breakfast, for the view over its bays. Then the Pink Beach for snorkelling and sunbathing, the walk on Komodo Island to see the dragons, lunch on board, Taka Makassar for snorkelling and sunbathing on the sandbank, Manta Point in the afternoon and dinner on board.

Day 3. After breakfast, a last snorkel at Siaba or Sebayur Island and lunch on board. Tara Phinisi is back in Labuan Bajo at about 12:00, and the drop-off at the airport or your hotel is at about 13:00.

The order of the stops can change with the weather and the tides, and the crew chooses the best moment for each visit.

Padar Island. A climb of about thirty minutes leads to the viewpoint above three bays with white, black and pink sand, the most photographed view in Komodo National Park.

Komodo Island. The home of the Komodo dragon, the largest lizard in the world. Park rangers lead every walk and know where the dragons like to rest.

Pink Beach. The colour comes from tiny red sea creatures mixed with the white sand, and the reef in front of the beach is good for snorkelling.

Taka Makassar and Manta Point. A sandbank that rises from turquoise water, and a channel where manta rays come to feed and to be cleaned by small fish.

Kelor, Manjarite, Kalong and Siaba. Kelor has a small hill with a view over the nearby islands, Manjarite has calm water and coral close to the surface, at Kalong thousands of flying foxes leave the mangroves at dusk, and Siaba or Sebayur gives a last swim before Tara Phinisi heads back to Labuan Bajo.

Meals are cooked on board: breakfast, lunch and dinner, with an afternoon snack and juices, and mineral water, coffee and tea through the day.

Inside, the dining room has a long table and a sofa, and the lounge has a TV and windows on both sides. Outside, the covered dining deck, the jacuzzi deck and the sundeck with its sofas are the places to watch the islands go by, and in the evening there is karaoke, a bar and a coffee machine. At night Tara Phinisi lies at anchor in a quiet bay.

A tour guide joins every sharing trip, and the crew records the highlights with a camera, a drone and a GoPro, so the photos and videos of your days on Tara Phinisi come home with you.

Snorkelling gear with fins, mask, snorkel and life jacket is included for every guest, and there are snorkelling stops every day: Manjarite, the Pink Beach, Taka Makassar, Manta Point and Siaba or Sebayur.

Between the stops there is a canoe and a stand-up paddle board to borrow, and the jacuzzi on deck is the place to relax after a swim. The 6-metre tender of Tara Phinisi, with a 90 hp four-stroke engine, takes the guests from the boat to the beaches and the reefs.

Tara Phinisi was built of ironwood in 2021, in the shape of the traditional phinisi of Sulawesi. Its Mitsubishi engine reaches up to thirteen knots, and the boat carries 4,000 litres of fuel and 5,000 litres of fresh water.

The crew navigates with a Garmin GPS, radar, sonar and AIS, and keeps in touch by VHF radio and a satellite phone. On board there are a life raft for 25 people, life vests, a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit.

On a sharing trip you book one or more cabins, or a bed in a sharing cabin, on a scheduled departure and share Tara Phinisi with other guests. Each trip lasts three days and two nights, and the price is per person.

On a private charter the whole of Tara Phinisi is yours, with its crew, for two to four days. The charter price covers up to ten guests, each further guest pays a set amount, and the boat takes up to seventeen; the prices are shown in the Private charter section of this page.

Komodo National Park lies between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. It was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Strong currents between its islands feed some of the richest reefs in Indonesia, with turtles, reef fish and manta rays.

Walks among the dragons are always led by park rangers, and every visitor pays the park entrance fee, which is added to the invoice of every Tara Phinisi trip.

The dry season, from about April to November, brings calm seas, clear water and sunny days, and it is the busiest time in the park. December and March are quieter, with short tropical showers and green hills.

Tara Phinisi sails 3 day 2 night trips from Friday to Sunday and, in most weeks, from Monday to Wednesday. There are no sharing departures in January and February. The departure list on this page follows the operator's own schedule and shows every date that is still open.

Labuan Bajo, on the west coast of Flores, has its own airport, Komodo Airport (LBJ), with direct flights from Bali and Jakarta. The pick-up for Tara Phinisi is at the airport or at your hotel in Labuan Bajo between 8:00 and 10:00, so it is easiest to arrive the day before or on an early flight.

On the last day the boat is back at about 12:00 and the drop-off is at about 13:00, so a late afternoon flight is usually possible. Many guests add a night in Labuan Bajo before or after the trip.

You can book Tara Phinisi online: choose a departure, pick your cabins or beds and send the booking request. We check it and email your invoice within 24 hours. A 50% deposit is due within 72 hours of the invoice 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 Tara Phinisi 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

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 and guide are not included.

How many guests does Tara Phinisi take? Up to seventeen guests in seven cabins.

Does Tara Phinisi have a jacuzzi? Yes, on deck, with a view over the islands.

Which cabin has a balcony? The master cabin, Mentawai, on the upper deck.

Does every cabin have a private bathroom? Yes. All seven cabins have air conditioning and a private bathroom, the sharing cabins included.

Can I travel alone? Yes. The sharing cabins Kei and Alor sell a single bed, so you can book one place.

Will I see the Komodo dragons? Yes. Tara Phinisi stops at Komodo Island, where park rangers lead a walk to see the dragons.

Is the park fee included? No. It is paid per person and added to the invoice.

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

Can I charter Tara Phinisi? Yes, for two to four days and up to seventeen guests. Ask us for a quote with your dates and the number of guests.