Sora

Sora is a 32-metre phinisi sailing from Labuan Bajo into Komodo National Park on 3 day 2 night sharing trips, for up to twenty-four guests in ten cabins, each with air conditioning and a private bathroom. Eight of the cabins are on the main deck and have their own balcony with a view of the sea, and two sharing cabins on the upper deck are sold by the bed.

Sora is a good match for couples and for solo travellers on a budget alike. The sun deck is the place to be between the stops, and Wi-Fi is included on every trip.

• Length 32 m
• Up to 24 guests in 10 cabins with private bathrooms
• 8 cabins with a private balcony
• 2 sharing cabins sold by the bed
• Wi-Fi on board
• Home port: Labuan Bajo, Flores

Every cabin on Sora has air conditioning and a private bathroom.

Master Cabins. Two cabins on the main deck with a double bed, a balcony and a 180-degree view of the sea, the best on board.

Signature Cabins. Six cabins on the main deck with a double bed, a balcony and a 90-degree sea view.

Superior Sharing Cabins. Two cabins on the upper deck with four single beds each and a curtain between the beds. They are mixed and sold by the bed, with the lowest price on Sora.

Prices on Sora 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.

The two Superior Sharing Cabins make Sora a good boat for travelling alone. You book a single bed instead of a whole cabin, and the curtain between the beds gives each guest some privacy.

Meals, snorkel stops and treks are shared by the whole group, so a solo traveller on Sora is never on their own for long.

Day 1. Sora picks you up at the airport or your hotel in Labuan Bajo between 8:00 and 10:00, and lunch is served once 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. The longest day starts before breakfast with the trek up Padar Island and its view over three bays. Sora then sails to the Pink Beach for snorkelling 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 is at Siaba or Sebayur; Siaba is known for its green turtles. Sora 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, and every snorkel and trek is optional.

A day on Sora follows the light. On the second morning the group leaves early to climb Padar before the heat, and breakfast is served on board after the walk down. The Pink Beach and the dragon walk on Komodo Island fill the rest of the morning.

The afternoon belongs to the water, with Taka Makassar and Manta Point and a snack with juices in between. Dinner is served while Sora lies at anchor in a quiet bay, and the evening is free for the sun deck and the stars over the park.

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

Most of the reefs are shallow and suit beginners, with reef fish at every stop, turtles around Siaba and manta rays at Manta Point when the current is right. Between the stops, the canoes and paddle boards of Sora 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. Many guests take their first coffee of the day on their balcony to watch the sunrise over the islands.

The sun deck of Sora is the place for the sunsets and for the hours between the stops. Wi-Fi keeps you in touch where the network allows, 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 a cabin, or a bed in a sharing cabin, on a scheduled departure and share Sora 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 Sora is yours, with its crew. Charters run for two days and one night, three days and two nights or four days and three nights, and the charter tab on this page shows the rates for groups of up to ten guests, with a price for each extra guest up to twenty-four.

A private charter of Sora is priced for the whole boat and the length of the trip, for a group of up to ten guests: IDR 55.000.000 for two days and one night, IDR 75.000.000 for three days and two nights and IDR 95.000.000 for four days and three nights.

A group larger than ten adds a price for each extra guest, for the whole trip: IDR 3.500.000 on the two day charter, IDR 4.500.000 on the three day charter and IDR 5.500.000 on the four day charter, up to twenty-four guests, the most Sora can take. Fourteen guests on a three day two night charter, for example, pay IDR 75.000.000 plus IDR 18.000.000 for the four extra guests, so IDR 93.000.000 for the boat.

The charter price includes the crew, the cabins, three meals a day with snacks, the transfers in Labuan Bajo, the snorkelling equipment, the canoes and paddle boards and a tour guide. The Komodo National Park entrance fee is per person and added to the invoice, as on a sharing trip.

The charter itineraries on this page run from two days and one night to four days and three nights. The four day charter of Sora adds a third day with a trek up Gili Lawa Darat, snorkelling at Gili Lawa Laut, turtles at Siaba and a sunset at Kanawa Island, and the last morning ends with a snorkel at Sebayur.

Every charter starts with a pick-up at the airport or a hotel in Labuan Bajo between 8:00 and 10:00. The two day charter of Sora is back in Labuan Bajo at about 17:00, and the longer charters at about 12:00 on the last day, with the drop-off an hour later. The order of the stops follows the tides, the weather and the rules of the park.

With eight cabins with a double bed and a balcony and two sharing cabins with four single beds each, Sora sleeps up to twenty-four guests. That makes Sora a good choice for a large group: a family gathering, a team trip or friends who want the whole boat to themselves.

On a charter the group shares the cabins as it likes, and the sun deck, the canoes and the paddle boards are for the group alone. Tell us how many guests are coming and who sleeps where, and we will check the dates with the operator.

The dry season, roughly from April to November, brings calm seas and clear water, and December and the first months of the year are greener and quieter. The departure list on this page shows every sharing date of Sora that is still open. For other dates, ask us about a private charter.

Komodo Airport (LBJ) in Labuan Bajo has direct flights from Bali and Jakarta. Sora picks you up between 8:00 and 10:00 on the first day and drops you at the airport at about 13:00 on the last, and the transfers are included.

You can book Sora online with live availability. 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.

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 are not included.

How many guests does Sora take? Up to twenty-four guests in ten cabins.

Can I book a single bed? Yes. The beds in the two Superior Sharing Cabins of Sora are sold one by one.

Are the sharing cabins mixed? Yes. They are mixed, with a curtain between the beds.

Which cabin is best for a couple? A Master Cabin on the main deck, with a balcony and a 180-degree sea view.

When does Sora 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, and life jackets are on board.

Can I see the Komodo dragons? Yes. On the second day Sora stops at Komodo Island, where park rangers take guests on a walk to see the dragons.

Can I charter Sora for my own group? Yes. The whole boat can be chartered for two to four days; ask us for a quote with your dates.

How much does a private charter of Sora cost? IDR 55.000.000 for two days and one night, IDR 75.000.000 for three days and two nights and IDR 95.000.000 for four days and three nights, for up to ten guests; each extra guest adds IDR 3.500.000 to IDR 5.500.000, up to twenty-four guests.

Is the park fee included in the price? No. The Komodo National Park entrance fee is IDR 650.000 per foreign guest and IDR 400.000 per Indonesian citizen per trip, children under 2 do not pay, and it is added to the invoice.