Gammara

Gammara is a traditional Bugis phinisi with a 30-metre hull, built from ironwood and golden teak and registered as KLM Gammara. It sails from Labuan Bajo into Komodo National Park with up to twelve guests in six cabins, or fourteen with the extra beds in the master cabin and the suite. Every cabin has air conditioning, a king bed and a private bathroom with hot and cold water.

A Mitsubishi main engine gives Gammara a cruising speed of eight to ten knots. Solar panels help with the power on board, a water maker produces fresh water during the trip, and a 7-metre speedboat with two 40 horsepower Yamaha engines takes guests from Gammara to the beaches and the reefs.

• Hull length 30 m, gross tonnage 72
• Built in Tana Beru, 2018-2019
• Up to 12 guests in 6 cabins with private bathrooms, 14 with extra beds
• Speedboat tender with 2 x 40 hp engines
• Home port: Labuan Bajo, Flores

Gammara was built in Tana Beru, a village in the Bulukumba region of South Sulawesi where the Bugis and Konjo shipwrights have built phinisi by hand for generations. The art of building a phinisi is recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Gammara is built of ironwood, one of the hardest timbers in Indonesia, and golden teak. The result is a boat that looks like the classic schooners of the Indonesian islands, with the comfort of air conditioning, hot water and modern navigation on board.

All six cabins on Gammara have air conditioning, a king bed and a private bathroom with a hot and cold shower. Two are on the upper deck and four on the lower deck.

Master Cabin. The master cabin is on the upper deck, with a king bed, 180° panoramic views of the sea and room for a third guest on an extra bed. It is a good choice for couples.

Suite Cabin. The suite is also on the upper deck, with a king bed, a view of the ocean and room for a third guest on an extra bed.

Deluxe Cabins. The four deluxe cabins are on the lower deck, each with a king bed for two guests, and offer the lowest price on Gammara.

Prices on Gammara are per person and depend on the cabin, and every cabin is booked by at least two guests. 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. Gammara picks you up at the airport or your hotel in Labuan Bajo between 8:00 and 9:30, and lunch is served as the boat sails into the park. The first stop is Kelor, a small island with a short, steep trek and a wide view of the bay. Manjarite follows for the first snorkel of the trip, and the day ends at Kalong Island, where thousands of flying foxes leave the mangroves at sunset.

Day 2. The second day begins before breakfast with the climb up Padar Island, whose viewpoint looks over three bays with sand of different colours. Gammara 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. After lunch 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 of the trip is at Siaba or Sebayur, two islands with shallow reefs; Siaba is known for its green turtles. After lunch Gammara 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. Snorkelling and treks are always optional, so guests who prefer to rest can stay on board and enjoy the sun deck.

Life on Gammara follows the sun. On the second day the group leaves early for the climb up Padar, and breakfast is served on board after the descent. The Pink Beach and the dragon walk on Komodo Island fill the rest of the morning, and lunch is served as Gammara sails on.

The afternoon brings Taka Makassar and Manta Point, with a snack and juices in between, and dinner is served on board at anchor in a quiet bay. The evenings on Gammara are slow: the sun deck for the stars, the lounge for a game of cards or chess, and an early night before the next morning's snorkel.

Gammara stops at five snorkelling spots on the 3 day 2 night trip: Manjarite on the first afternoon, the Pink Beach, Taka Makassar and Manta Point on the second day, and Siaba or Sebayur on the last morning. Fins, masks, snorkels and life jackets are on board, and the guide accompanies the group.

Most of the reefs are shallow and easy for beginners, with reef fish at every stop, turtles that are often seen at Siaba and manta rays that come to Manta Point when the current is right. The speedboat of Gammara takes snorkellers to the reefs, and between the stops the canoes and stand-up paddle boards are free to use around the boat.

Three meals a day are served on board, with mineral water, coffee and tea all day and an afternoon snack with juices. Gammara has an indoor lounge and dining area as well as an outdoor dining area, so guests can eat in the cool or in the sea breeze.

Between the stops, the large sun deck is the place for the sunsets, and a shaded outdoor lounge is the place for the hottest hours. Board games, cards and chess are on board, with colouring books for children, and every guest receives a reusable stainless steel water bottle for the trip.

For the water, Gammara carries canoes, stand-up paddle boards and snorkelling gear with fins, masks and life jackets. A tour guide joins every trip, there is Wi-Fi on board, and the crew records the highlights with a camera, a drone and a GoPro.

Gammara carries two life rafts for 15 people each, 36 life jackets, eight lifebuoys, an oxygen tank and a first aid kit. There are fire extinguishers in every cabin, in the galley and in the engine room.

For navigation the crew uses radar, an echo sounder, GPS, a VHF radio and a compass.

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

On a private charter the whole of Gammara is yours, with its crew, for groups of up to twelve guests. Charters run from three days and two nights up to eight days and seven nights, and the price depends on the length of the trip and the size of the group. A longer charter leaves time for more stops and quieter bays.

The charter tab on this page shows the charter rates for each trip length and group size. Send us your dates and we will check them with the operator.

Komodo National Park was created in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon, the largest lizard on earth, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. The dragons live only on Komodo, Rinca, the west of Flores and a few smaller islands, among dry hills that turn green after the rains.

The currents between the islands feed some of the richest reefs in Indonesia, where snorkellers meet 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 Gammara trip.

The dry season, roughly from April to November, brings calm seas, clear water and golden hills, and it is the busiest time in Komodo. December and the first months of the year are wetter, with greener islands and fewer boats in the park.

Gammara has sharing departures twice a week from March to December. The sea stays warm all year, and the departure list on this page shows every date that is still open.

Labuan Bajo, on the west coast of Flores, is the gateway to Komodo National Park. Komodo Airport (LBJ) has direct flights from Bali and Jakarta, and the flight from Bali takes a little over an hour.

Gammara picks you up between 8:00 and 9:30 on the first day, so it is easiest to arrive the day before and spend a night in Labuan Bajo. On the last day the boat is back at about 12:00 and the transfer drops you at the airport at about 13:00, in time for an afternoon flight. The transfers between the airport or your hotel and the boat are included in the price.

You can book Gammara 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 Gammara 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
• Canoes, paddle boards 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: IDR 650.000 for foreign guests and IDR 400.000 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 Gammara take? Up to twelve guests in six cabins, each with a king bed, and fourteen when the master cabin and the suite use their extra beds.

Which cabin is best for a couple? The master cabin on the upper deck, with its 180° view of the sea.

When does Gammara leave? Sharing trips leave Labuan Bajo on Fridays and Mondays and return on the third day.

Is Gammara good for families? Yes. There are board games and colouring books for children, and a family can book several cabins on the same departure.

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 the second day Gammara stops at Komodo Island, where park rangers take guests on a walk to see the dragons.

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

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 on Gammara? 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: Gammara picks you up at Komodo Airport or at your hotel in Labuan Bajo between 8:00 and 9:30 on the first day.

Does Gammara have a speedboat? Yes. A 7-metre speedboat with two 40 horsepower engines takes guests to the beaches and the reefs.

Can I charter Gammara for my own group? Yes. The whole boat can be chartered for three to eight days; ask us for a quote with your dates and the number of guests.