How to choose a Komodo liveaboard

Choosing a Komodo liveaboard is easier in a fixed order. First decide between a sharing trip and a private charter. Then pick the number of days and your budget per person or per boat. Next, choose the kind of cabin you want, and only then compare two or three boats that sail on your dates.

Each boat page has the same parts in the same place: the facts, the cabins with photos, the deck plan, the itinerary, what is included and the live availability. That makes it quick to put two boats side by side.

If you are one to four people and happy to share the boat with other travellers, a sharing Komodo liveaboard is usually the lower-cost choice. If you are a larger group, want your own dates, or want the boat to follow your pace, price a private charter as well: for a group, the cost per person can come close to the cost of separate cabins, or below it.

Every boat on this site is a phinisi, the traditional wooden sailing boat of Indonesia. They range from about 22 to 40 metres in length, with 3 to 12 cabins, and take from 10 to 40 guests. A larger Komodo liveaboard has more deck space and more cabins, while a smaller one feels more personal, with fewer guests on each trip.

The facts at the top of each boat page give the length, the number of cabins and the largest group the boat takes, so you can compare sizes at a glance.

Cabin names differ from boat to boat: master, deluxe, superior, standard, family, twin or single. The name tells you less than the details, so compare the cabins of each Komodo liveaboard by their size in square metres where it is given, the beds, how many guests they take and the deck they are on. Almost every cabin on the boats on this site has its own bathroom, and every boat lists air conditioning.

Master cabins are often the largest on board, and on a few boats they have their own balcony. Family cabins take more guests, and many cabins take a third guest on an extra bed.

Every boat page has a deck plan that shows on which deck each cabin is: upper, main or lower. Use it with the cabin photos to picture the boat before you book, and to choose between two cabins with the same price.

On a sharing trip the plan also helps a group that books several cabins to find cabins close to each other.

The facilities list on each boat page shows what the Komodo liveaboard has on board. All the boats on this site list air conditioning and ensuite bathrooms. Most have paddle boards and a sun deck, many have hot water, Wi-Fi and a restaurant or dining area, and some carry kayaks and a charging station for cameras and phones.

If one thing matters most to you, such as hot water or kayaks, check it on the boat page before you compare prices, and ask us if it is not listed.

Wi-Fi is listed on many boats, a few of them with Starlink, but the signal can still drop in the remote parts of the park, so plan to be offline for part of the day. Three meals a day, an afternoon snack, drinking water, coffee and tea are included on most boats.

Tell us about dietary needs or allergies in the notes of the booking form, so the crew can plan the meals. The crews on every boat speak English and Indonesian, and a few boats list other languages too.

Some boats list their safety equipment on their page, such as life rafts, life jackets, an emergency beacon, radar, ship tracking and a satellite phone. Life jackets are part of the snorkelling equipment on most boats.

The captain decides on the route each day and can change it for safety or weather. Travel insurance is not included in the trip price, so choose a policy that covers a Komodo liveaboard trip, and snorkelling or diving if you plan to do them.

Three days and two nights is the most common length and covers the main stops. A fourth day adds more time at each stop and places further away, and on most boats a longer private charter costs less per night than a short one. If you fly in and out of Labuan Bajo on tight dates, check that the trip ends early enough on the last day for your flight.

For a family, look at cabins that take three or four guests, family cabins on the boats that have them, and cabins with an extra bed, which costs less than a regular bed. A private charter gives the family the whole boat and lets you set the pace of each day.

Children under 2 do not pay the park fee. The calm seas of the dry season, from April to November, make the crossings and the snorkelling easier for children. Ask us about the trip price for a child on the boat you have in mind.

A solo traveller has two good options: a cabin marked “Solo OK”, which one guest can book for the price of one person, or a place in a shared cabin, booked per person, on the boats that have them. Many cabins are booked by at least two guests, so look for these labels first.

For a couple, any double cabin works, and a master cabin, on a few boats with a balcony, adds space and privacy. Compare the beds: some cabins have one large bed, others two single beds.

For a group of friends or colleagues, compare a private charter with booking several cabins on a sharing trip. A charter price covers a group, for example up to 10, 14 or 18 guests, with a price for each extra guest above it, and the largest boats on this site take up to 40 guests.

The charter request form on each boat page shows the price for your dates and your group straight away, park fee included, so you can compare two boats in a few minutes.

For a birthday, an anniversary or a honeymoon, a private charter or a master cabin makes the trip feel special. Tell us about the occasion in the notes of the booking form or in the “Anything we should know?” box of the charter request, so the crew knows in advance.

Sunset at Kalong Island and the view from Padar are the moments most guests remember, and they are on the itinerary of almost every Komodo liveaboard on this site.

Most Komodo liveaboards start and end in Labuan Bajo on Flores, which has its own airport. A few boats sail between Lombok and Labuan Bajo, which takes 4 days and 3 nights, and on some boats the way back takes 5 days and 4 nights. These trips add stops along the coast of Sumbawa, such as Kenawa Island and Saleh Bay, where the boats look for whale sharks.

If you choose a Lombok route, check where the trip starts and ends, because it changes the flights you need. On these routes, guests are collected in Senggigi, Kuta or Bangsal.

Each boat page shows its itinerary day by day, with the stops and the times. On every boat on this site the itinerary includes Padar, Komodo Island, Pink Beach and Manta Point, so look at what else is on the list: Kelor, Taka Makassar, Kalong Island at sunset, Siaba or, on longer trips, Gili Lawa and Kanawa.

Check the pick-up time on the first day and the time the trip ends on the last day, so you can plan your flights. The crew confirms the stops on the trip and can change them with the weather.

When two Komodo liveaboards look alike, compare them on the same date and for the same kind of cabin. Then look at what is included, the facilities, the park fee for the route, the size of the boat and the number of guests on board, and the itinerary.

A slightly higher price can be the better choice if it includes more, such as Wi-Fi, water sports or the transfer, or if the boat takes fewer guests. The price calendar on each boat page shows the lowest price per person for every departure.

If you are choosing between two boats, or you have a question that the boat page does not answer, message us on WhatsApp with your dates, the number of guests and the boats you are looking at. We can tell you which cabins are free, how the boats differ and which Komodo liveaboard fits your group and budget.

What is the best Komodo liveaboard? The one that fits your group, your dates and your budget. Start with the way you want to sail, then compare the cabins and what is included.

Are all the boats phinisi? Yes. Every boat on this site is a traditional phinisi, from about 22 to 40 metres long.

Do all cabins have a private bathroom? Almost all of them. The cabin details on each boat page show when a bathroom is ensuite.

Is there Wi-Fi on board? On many boats, but the signal can drop in remote parts of the park.

Can I see the cabins before I book? Yes. Each boat page has photos of every cabin type and a deck plan.

Which Komodo liveaboard is best for a family? A boat with family cabins or cabins with an extra bed, or a private charter of the whole boat.

How far ahead should I choose? For July, August and the December holidays, as early as you can. For other months there is usually more choice.