Gandiva

Gandiva is a 28.5-metre wooden phinisi that sails from Labuan Bajo into Komodo National Park with up to twelve guests in five cabins. Every cabin has air conditioning and a private bathroom with a hot shower, and a crew of six looks after the guests on board.

A Mitsubishi engine gives Gandiva a cruising speed of six to nine knots, and the tanks hold four tonnes of fuel and almost five tonnes of fresh water. With only five cabins, Gandiva is one of the more intimate boats on the 3 day 2 night sharing route.

• Length 28.5 m
• Up to 12 guests in 5 cabins with private bathrooms
• Crew of 6
• Home port: Labuan Bajo, Flores

In the Mahabharata, the great Indian epic that is also told in the wayang theatre of Java and Bali, Gandiva is the bow of the hero Arjuna. The boat carries the name of that bow, and its five cabins are named after Arjuna and his four brothers, the Pandawa: Yudhistira, Bima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sadewa.

The story gives Gandiva a character of its own. Arjuna, the archer, has the best cabin on board, and the twins Nakula and Sadewa have two matching cabins, as they share their adventures in the epic.

All five cabins on Gandiva have air conditioning, a private bathroom with a hot shower and a safety box. Three are on the upper deck and two on the lower deck.

Arjuna Room. The master cabin is on the upper deck, with a queen bed, a private balcony and a bathtub. It sleeps two guests and is a good choice for couples.

Nakula Room and Sadewa Room. The two deluxe cabins are on the upper deck, each with a queen bed for two guests.

Bima Room. The Bima Room is on the lower deck, with a queen bed for two guests and the lowest price on Gandiva together with Yudhistira.

Yudhistira Room. The family cabin is on the lower deck, with a queen bed and two single beds for up to four guests, so a family of four can stay together.

Prices on Gandiva 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. Gandiva 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 sets sail. 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, and the day ends at Kalong Island, where thousands of flying foxes leave the mangroves at sunset.

Day 2. Before breakfast, the group climbs Padar Island, whose viewpoint looks over three bays with sand of different colours. Gandiva 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. The last morning snorkels at Siaba or Sebayur, two islands with shallow reefs; Siaba is known for its green turtles. After lunch Gandiva 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 one of the sun decks.

The rhythm on Gandiva is set by the sun and the tides. On the second day the group leaves the boat before breakfast to climb Padar, then comes back to a breakfast on board before the Pink Beach and the dragon walk on Komodo Island. Lunch is served while Gandiva sails on to the next stop.

The afternoon is for Taka Makassar and Manta Point, with a snack and juices in between, and dinner is served on board at anchor. After dinner, the bar and the karaoke are on the outdoor deck of Gandiva, and the three sun decks are the place to watch the stars over Komodo.

Gandiva 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. Between the snorkels, the stand-up paddle boards and floaties of Gandiva are free to use around the boat.

Three meals a day are served on board, with mineral water, coffee and tea and an afternoon snack with juices. The heart of Gandiva is a large outdoor area with a bar and a flat-screen TV with karaoke.

Gandiva has three sun decks with lounge sofas, floaties and games, so there is always a quiet corner in the sun or in the shade. There is Wi-Fi on board and charging points for phones and cameras.

For the water, Gandiva carries stand-up paddle boards and snorkelling gear with fins, masks and life jackets. A tour guide joins every trip, and the crew records the highlights with a camera, a drone and a GoPro.

On a sharing trip you book one or more cabins on a scheduled departure and share Gandiva 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 Gandiva is yours, with its crew, for groups of up to twelve guests. Charters run from two days and one night up to eight days and seven nights, and the price depends on the length of the trip and the size of the group. With five cabins, Gandiva is an easy boat 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 and group size. Send us your dates and we will check them with the operator.

Komodo National Park lies between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. It was created in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon, the largest lizard on earth, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The dragons live only on Komodo, Rinca, the west of Flores and a few smaller islands.

The sea around the islands is among the richest in Indonesia, with coral reefs, 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 Gandiva 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.

Gandiva 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.

Gandiva 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 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 Gandiva 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 Gandiva 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
• 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 Gandiva take? Up to twelve guests in five cabins, with a crew of six.

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

Can a family of four share one cabin? Yes. The Yudhistira Room has a queen bed and two single beds for up to four guests.

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

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

Is there Wi-Fi on Gandiva? 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.

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