Komodo liveaboard 3 days 2 nights (3D2N)

Day 1. The crew picks you up at the airport or your hotel in Labuan Bajo between about 8:00 and 10:00, and the boat sets sail once everyone is on board. Lunch is served on the way to Kelor, a small island with a short, steep climb and a wide view over the bay. The first snorkel is usually at Manjarite, a calm reef close to the surface, and the afternoon ends at Kalong Island, where thousands of flying foxes leave the mangroves at dusk.

Day 2. The longest day starts before sunrise with the climb up Padar for its view over three bays. After breakfast on board come the Pink Beach for snorkelling and swimming, and 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 often feed in the current.

Day 3. After breakfast the last snorkel is at Siaba, known for its green turtles, or at Sebayur. The boat is back in Labuan Bajo around midday, and the transfer drops you at the airport or your hotel at about 13:00.

This is the order most Komodo liveaboard boats follow. The captain can change it for the tides, the weather or the rules of the park, and every boat page shows its own itinerary.

A Komodo liveaboard of three days suits first-time visitors, travellers on a tight schedule and anyone who combines Komodo with Bali or a trip across Flores. It covers the famous stops in two full days at sea, and the short length keeps the price down.

It is less suited to travellers who dislike early starts, because the climb up Padar begins before sunrise, or to those who want quiet beaches to themselves. For them a longer Komodo liveaboard, or a private charter with a slower plan, is the better choice.

Day trips by speedboat from Labuan Bajo also reach Padar and the Pink Beach, but they leave and return to town on the same day, often at the busiest hours. On a Komodo liveaboard you climb Padar at sunrise, watch the flying foxes at dusk, swim before breakfast and spend the nights among the islands, so the same places feel very different.

Most Komodo liveaboard sharing trips on this site last 3 days and 2 nights, so this is the length with the most departures. On a sharing trip you book one or more cabins on a scheduled date, pay per person and share the boat with other travellers. It is the simplest choice for couples, friends and solo travellers.

A private charter of the same length gives your group the whole boat and crew. You choose the start date, the price is per boat, and the route can be adjusted with the operator. For a family or a group that would fill most of the cabins anyway, it is worth comparing the charter price with the cost of separate cabins.

The starting prices at the top of this page are read from the live rates of each boat, so they match the boat pages. On a sharing trip the price depends on the boat and the cabin: a bed in a shared cabin or a small double costs much less than a large cabin with a balcony. On a private charter the price depends on the boat, the size of your group and, on some boats, the season.

On most boats the price includes the cabin, the meals, drinking water, coffee and tea, the snorkelling equipment, the guide, the stops and the transfers in Labuan Bajo. The Komodo National Park entrance fee is added to your invoice per person per trip, IDR 650.000 for foreign guests and IDR 400.000 for Indonesian citizens on most boats. The boat pages also show an approximate amount in US dollars beside each price.

The list above shows every Komodo liveaboard with trips of this length. To compare them, open a few boat pages and look at the cabins, the bed types and how many guests each cabin takes, the deck plan on most boats, and facilities such as air conditioning, private bathrooms and Wi-Fi. The price calendar on each page shows which departures still have free cabins.

On a short trip the cabin matters a little less, because most of the day is spent on deck, on the beaches and in the water. Many travellers choose a good value boat for three days and keep a larger budget for a longer trip.

Days on a Komodo liveaboard follow the light. You wake early, swim or walk before the heat, eat three meals a day cooked by the crew, and spend the hours between the stops on deck. Drinking water, coffee and tea are always at hand, and on most boats there is an afternoon snack.

Evenings are quiet: dinner at anchor, the stars over the park and, on some boats, a film, music or board games in the lounge. On most boats the cabins have air conditioning and a private bathroom.

A typical three day Komodo liveaboard route has four or five snorkelling stops: Manjarite on the first afternoon, the Pink Beach and Taka Makassar on the second day, Manta Point when the current is right and Siaba or Sebayur on the last morning. Most reefs are shallow and suit beginners, and the guide joins the group in the water.

Masks, snorkels, fins and life jackets are on board. If you need a mask with corrective lenses, bring your own from home.

Three days and two nights cover the highlights that most people come for: the view from Padar, the Komodo dragons, the Pink Beach, Manta Point and the flying foxes of Kalong. You also get two evenings at anchor, which is the time many guests remember most.

What three days do not leave is spare time. The schedule is full, the second day starts very early, and there is little room for the quieter islands in the north of the park. If you can, add a day and look at a Komodo liveaboard of 4 days and 3 nights, which on many boats adds Gili Lawa, Siaba and Kanawa.

Komodo Airport (LBJ) in Labuan Bajo has direct flights from Bali and Jakarta. Because pick-ups start in the morning, most guests arrive the day before and spend a night in Labuan Bajo, so a delayed flight does not mean missing the boat.

On the last day the boat is back around midday and the transfer reaches the airport at about 13:00, so an afternoon or evening flight works on most trips. Keep a few hours between landing and any onward flight, because the end time can move with the sea.

Pack light: two nights need little more than swimwear, a few light shirts and shorts, a long-sleeved top against the sun, a hat and a light jacket for the evening wind. Bring sandals for the boat and closed shoes for the climbs on Padar and Kelor, which are short but steep.

Add reef-safe sunscreen, any medicine you need, something against seasickness if you are prone to it, a dry bag for your phone on the tender rides and some cash for tips and drinks.

Three day Komodo liveaboard trips run through most of the year. The dry season from April to November brings calm seas and clear skies, with July and August the busiest months. From December to March there is more rain and fewer departures, and some boats pause. On this site most boats publish sharing departures from March to December, and each boat page shows its live dates. See the best time for a Komodo liveaboard.

Choose a boat and a departure on its page, select your cabins and say how many guests sleep in each. Your cabins are held while you enter your details, and the invoice arrives by email within 24 hours. You pay a 50% deposit within 72 hours and the balance 60 days before the trip; if you book less than 60 days ahead, you pay in full.

The trip is confirmed when the deposit arrives. You can reschedule a sharing trip up to 65 days before departure, and the cancellation policy explains the refunds. Read how to book a Komodo liveaboard for every step.

What does 3D2N mean? It is short for 3 days and 2 nights: two nights on board, and back in Labuan Bajo around midday on the third day. Some operators write it as 3D/2N.

What time does the trip start? Pick-ups in Labuan Bajo run from about 8:00 to 10:00 on the first day, at your hotel or the airport.

What time does it end? The boat is back in Labuan Bajo around midday on the third day, and the transfer drops you at about 13:00.

Will I see Komodo dragons? Yes. The walk on Komodo Island, or on Rinca on some boats, is led by park rangers, and the dragons live on the islands all year.

Are manta rays guaranteed? No. They are often seen at Manta Point, but sightings depend on the season and the current.

Do I need to be able to swim? It helps, but life jackets are on board, the snorkelling stops are optional and many reefs are shallow.

Can I travel alone? Yes. Book a cabin marked “Solo OK” or a bed in a sharing cabin on a sharing trip.

Is there phone signal or Wi-Fi? The signal comes and goes between the islands, and some boats have Starlink Wi-Fi; the boat page says which.

Can we bring children? Families often book a private charter. Children under 2 do not pay the park fee, and you can ask us about the boat you have in mind.

How many guests are on a sharing trip? It depends on the boat, from small boats with a handful of cabins to larger ones for twenty guests or more; each Komodo liveaboard page shows its cabins and how many guests it takes.

What if the weather turns? The captain can change the order of the stops or the route for safety, and the crew tells the group the plan for each day.