Sailing under canvas, realistically — an honest hour-by-hour route with engine or sail marked.
Short answer. On a Komodo 3D2N the phinisi runs mainly under engine and sets sail opportunistically on open legs — the schedule is fixed by ranger hours and the Padar sunrise, and engines keep time in a way wind does not. Two nights aboard, roughly ten stops, whole-boat rates from USD 7,600 and shared cabins from USD 300 per person.
Hotel or airport pick-up, boarding and safety briefing (09:00–10:30), then about an hour to Kelor Island for a short steep hike and first snorkel. Under engine.
Lunch underway, sheltered reef snorkel at Manjarite (13:00–15:00). Sails set if the afternoon breeze fills in.
Sunset and the flying-fox exodus at Kalong Island (16:30–18:30), then overnight anchorage. Sails possible on the open leg.
A timed 3–4 hour overnight run from Kalong (03:00–05:30) while guests sleep — always under engine, since a sunrise arrival can't depend on wind.
Sunrise hike to the three-bay viewpoint and breakfast aboard, then a short snorkel over Pink Beach's coral garden (05:30–10:00).
Ranger-guided trek at Komodo or Rinca (10:30–13:00), then drift snorkel at the Manta Point cleaning station and a stop at Taka Makassar sandbar (14:00–16:30).
Last snorkel at Siaba, Kanawa or Sebayur — turtles at Siaba — brunch aboard, then back to Labuan Bajo by early afternoon (07:00–13:00).
The rig works — two masts, gaff-style sails, crews who know how to use them. But no operator publishes a guaranteed number of sailing hours, because it depends on the day. On a typical 3D2N, expect sails set on one or two legs — most often Manjarite to Kalong, and the final return — for about an hour at a time. If sailing is the whole point for you, book a longer itinerary and say so at booking.
| Charter Class | From / Night | 3D2N Total | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boutique private phinisi | $1,800 | from $3,600 | up to 5 |
| Classic luxury phinisi | $3,800 | from $7,600 | 8–12 |
| Premium phinisi | $5,700 | from $11,400 | 6–20 |
| Superyacht-class phinisi | $10,000 + VAT | from $20,000 + VAT | 10–26 |
| Heritage flagship phinisi | $17,000 + VAT | from $34,000 + VAT | 10–12 |
Expect sails set on one or two legs, typically an hour at a time — most often Manjarite to Kalong and the return to Labuan Bajo. Timed arrivals like the Padar sunrise always run under engine.
Whole-boat totals for the two nights start at $3,600 for a boutique five-berth phinisi, $7,600 at classic tier, $11,400 at premium tier. Shared cabins on the same route start at $300 per person.
Boarding is generally 09:00–10:30 on day one, back in Labuan Bajo around midday on day three. Build in a late-afternoon flight out, not a morning one.
Yes, on a ranger-guided trek at Komodo Island or Rinca on day two. The ranger schedule, not the boat, sets the arrival window.
No. Under PP 36/2024 it's about USD 40-50 per foreign visitor, USD 20-25 for Indonesian visitors, collected separately.
3D2N covers the headline stops but makes day two long. A 4D3N adds a buffer day around Siaba, Sebayur or Angel and turns the checklist into a cruise.
Give us your travel dates — we'll tell you which phinisi are genuinely free for a 3D2N in that window, with the current rate in writing.
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