Sukha Sail 1

Sukha Sail 1 is a 34-metre traditional Indonesian phinisi, built in 2020, that sails between Lombok and Labuan Bajo on 4 day 3 night sharing trips, in both directions. Guests sleep in air-conditioned cabins with sea views, eat together in the open-air restaurant and spend the days swimming, snorkelling, hiking to viewpoints and watching the coast of Sumbawa slide past.

Sukha Sail 1 is a good choice for families and groups, with upper deck cabins for up to five guests, and for solo travellers, who can book a single bed in one of the two Komodo cabins.

• Length 34 m, beam 7 m, built in 2020
• Up to 28 guests in 7 air-conditioned cabins with private bathrooms
• Route: Lombok to Labuan Bajo and back, 4 days 3 nights
• Open-air restaurant and sun deck
• Wi-Fi and hot water on board
• Shuttles in Lombok and Labuan Bajo included

The cabins of Sukha Sail 1 are named after islands of the Komodo region: Rinca and Komodo, the two large islands where the dragons live, Padar with its famous viewpoint, and the small islands of Manjarite and Kanawa with their reefs.

Padar, Komodo and Manjarite are all stops on the trip, so many guests visit the island their cabin is named after.

All cabins on Sukha Sail 1 have air conditioning and a private bathroom.

Rinca Cabins. Two cabins on the upper deck with a king bed, a private balcony and a sea view, with three extra beds for up to five guests.

Manjarite Cabin. A cabin on the upper deck with a queen bed and a sea view, with two extra beds for up to four guests.

Padar Cabin. A cabin on the main deck with a king bed and a sea view, with two extra beds for up to four guests.

Kanawa Cabin. A cabin on the main deck with a queen bed, two single beds and a sea view, for up to four guests.

Komodo Cabins. Two cabins on the lower deck with a queen bed and three single beds for five guests, sold by the bed or as a private cabin, with the lowest price on Sukha Sail 1.

Prices on Sukha Sail 1 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.

Day 1. The shuttle collects you at Bangsal Harbour or The Breakery in Kuta at 9:00, or at KFC Senggigi at 10:00. Sukha Sail 1 starts sailing at about 12:00, with a hike and the sunset on Kenawa Island, and anchors in Saleh Bay for the night.

Day 2. After a wake-up call at 5:00, the group looks for whale sharks in Saleh Bay, then snorkels at Tambora Beach before Sukha Sail 1 sails on to Komodo National Park.

Day 3. A full day in the park: snorkelling at Manta Point, the walk with the dragons on Komodo Island, the Pink Beach and the hike up Padar Island for the sunset, before the boat anchors at Manjarite.

Day 4. A morning snorkel at Manjarite and the walk up Kelor Island, then Sukha Sail 1 reaches Labuan Bajo, with the transfer to the airport or your hotel at about 12:00.

Day 1. Sukha Sail 1 starts sailing at about 11:00 from Labuan Bajo, with snorkelling at Manta Point, the sandbar of Taka Makassar, the dragons on Komodo Island and the Pink Beach, and anchors at Padar Island.

Day 2. A wake-up call at 4:00 takes the group up Padar Island for the sunrise, and the boat then sails west to Saleh Bay.

Day 3. After a wake-up call at 5:00, the group looks for whale sharks in Saleh Bay, snorkels at Savana Beach and sails on to anchor at Kenawa Island.

Day 4. A hike on Kenawa for the sunrise, then Sukha Sail 1 sails to Kayangan Harbour, arriving at about 13:00, and the shuttle takes you to Senggigi, Bangsal or Kuta.

Kenawa Island. A small island off the west coast of Sumbawa, with a white beach and a grassy hill for the sunset or the sunrise.

Saleh Bay. This large bay on the north coast of Sumbawa is known for its whale sharks, which often come to the fishing platforms of the local fishermen early in the morning.

Tambora Beach. A snorkel stop on the coast below Mount Tambora, the volcano whose eruption in 1815 was the largest in recorded history.

Komodo and Padar. The home of the Komodo dragons and the viewpoint over three bays, the two best-known stops in Komodo National Park.

Manta Point. A reef where manta rays come to feed and to be cleaned by small fish, seen in most months of the year.

The whale shark is the largest fish in the sea, and in Saleh Bay it often feeds around the bagan, the fishing platforms of the local fishermen. Sukha Sail 1 visits the bay at dawn, when the chances are best, and guests can watch from the boat or swim with the sharks with a mask and snorkel.

Sightings are common but never guaranteed, as the sharks are wild animals. Guests keep a few metres away, do not touch the sharks and do not use a flash.

Days on Sukha Sail 1 start early, because the best moments of the route come at dawn: the whale sharks of Saleh Bay and the sunrises over Padar and Kenawa. Meals are served in the open-air restaurant around the stops of the day.

The afternoons are for swimming, snorkelling and the sun deck, and the evenings for dinner together and the stars over the sea.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the open-air restaurant, with mineral water, coffee, tea and soft drinks during the trip and an afternoon snack with juice. The sun deck is the place for the sunsets over Sumbawa and the islands.

Every cabin has a private bathroom with hot water, there are charging points for phones and cameras, and Wi-Fi keeps you in touch where the network allows. A tour guide who speaks English and Indonesian joins every trip, and the crew records the highlights with a drone, a GoPro and a mirrorless camera.

On a sharing trip you book a cabin, or a bed in a Komodo cabin, on a scheduled departure and share Sukha Sail 1 with other guests. Each trip lasts four days and three nights, in either direction, and the price is per person.

On a private charter the whole of Sukha Sail 1 is yours, with its crew, for two days up to a week. The charter tab on this page shows the 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 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 currents between its islands feed some of the richest reefs in Indonesia, with 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 Sukha Sail 1 trip.

The dry season, roughly from April to November, brings calm seas and clear water, and it is the best time for the crossing between Lombok and Komodo. Sukha Sail 1 sails in both directions from April to November, and the departure list on this page shows every date that is still open.

Lombok International Airport (LOP) and Komodo Airport (LBJ) in Labuan Bajo both have direct flights from Bali and Jakarta. In Lombok, Sukha Sail 1 picks you up in Senggigi, Kuta or at Bangsal Harbour, the port for the Gili Islands; in Labuan Bajo the transfer runs between the harbour and your hotel or the airport.

Because the trip ends on the other island, book a one-way flight home from the place where you arrive, and keep the afternoon of the last day free for the transfer.

You can book Sukha Sail 1 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.

Every Sukha Sail 1 sharing trip includes:

• The shuttle in Lombok and the transfer in Labuan Bajo
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner during the trip
• Mineral water, coffee, tea, soft drinks, an afternoon snack and juice
• Snorkelling gear and all excursions on the itinerary
• An English or Indonesian speaking guide
• Photos and videos by drone, GoPro and camera

The 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 Sukha Sail 1 take? Up to twenty-eight guests in seven cabins.

Where does Sukha Sail 1 start? In Lombok, with pick-up in Senggigi, Kuta or Bangsal, or in Labuan Bajo, depending on the direction you choose.

How long is the trip? Four days and three nights in either direction.

Is the shuttle included? Yes. The shuttle in Lombok and the transfer in Labuan Bajo are included on every Sukha Sail 1 trip.

Can a family share one cabin? Yes. The Rinca cabins on the upper deck take up to five guests.

Can I book a single bed? Yes. The beds in the two Komodo cabins are sold one by one.

Will I see whale sharks? They are often seen in Saleh Bay, but as wild animals they are never guaranteed.

Will I see the Komodo dragons? Yes. Sukha Sail 1 stops at Komodo Island, where park rangers take guests on a walk to see the dragons.

Is there Wi-Fi on Sukha Sail 1? Yes. The connection depends on the network along the route and can be slow at times.

What should I bring? Light clothes, a hat, reef-safe sunscreen, sandals and closed shoes for the treks, a light jacket for the evenings and any personal medicine.

Can I charter Sukha Sail 1? Yes. The whole boat can be chartered; the charter tab shows the rates, and we can send you a quote for your dates.