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8 Different Ways to Cruise the Komodo Islands: Best Tours & Routes

ByKatie Caf Updated on

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✔️ Quick Guide: Different Cruise Types

💎 Private Luxury 2-4 Day Luxury Private Phinisi Charter
💸 Private Budget3-Day Classic Boat Private Charter
🚢 Luxury Open-Tour3-Day Luxury Open Tour On A Phinisi Boat
⛵️ Budget Open-Tour3-Day Classic Komodo Open Trip
💰Ultra-Budget 4-Day Backpackers Boat from Lombok to Flores
📆 1-Day Tour1-Day Komodo Tour from Labuan Bajo

💰 Budget Boats: Costs for a Komodo Boat Tour range from 3,000,000 ($180) for the Backpacker’s Boat, to around $250 per person for the cheapest room option on a Komodo Open Tour. The costs go up to around $500 per person if you choose a nicer room or a more luxurious boat. The Komodo Islands need to be visited via a boat tour, so the cost of visiting usually includes a tour guide, transportation, and meals. The absolute cheapest Komodo Boat Tour Package is for the 4-Day Backpackers boat which sails to/from Lombok to Flores. 

$ Backpackers Boat: $200 pp – The overall cost for the Backpackers Boat is currently 3,000,000 IDR ($180), for the 4-day tour. This needs to be paid in cash and includes the national park fee. → Read about the Backpacker’s Boat

$$ Komodo Open Tour With AC: $250-500 pp – The cheapest option for a Classic Komodo Open tour is almost the same price as the Backpacker’s Boat, for a much nicer room (with AC!), and far better food, but it doesn’t include the National Park Fee. If you want a private room, expect to pay around $250 per person for a standard en-suite with AC on a Komodo Cruise, so $400 per room. For the nicer boats, this goes up to $500. These are the prices for basic rooms, on basic boats, also called “Classic” Komodo Boats. → Book cheapest Open Tour package

$$$ Luxury Cruise Prices: $600-2,000 pp + – If you want a more luxurious room, like a suite for example, or if you choose a more luxurious boat, these costs can go up to as much as $2,000 per person. Also, expect to pay much more for chartering a private Komodo Boat vs. joining an open tour. → Check Out Luxury Komodo Tour package

  • Is it a one-day or multi-day tour? 
  • Does the boat have AC? 
  • Does your tour company have online reviews? 
  • Do you see photos of the boat? 
  • Does your Komodo tour package include the national park fee? 
  • Can you bring alcohol on board or is it included? 
  • Is it an open or private trip? 
  • Are you sharing a room or do you have a private room? 
  • Type of boat: Classic or Phinisi?
  • How many people are on board? 
  • Does your tour include a photographer? 
  • Destinations visited 
  • Quality of cabins 
  • Do the cabins have hot water/ electricity? 
  • Private or shared bathrooms? 
  • Type of toilet: Western-style or Squat? 

  • Flight to/from Flores ($40-$75)
  • Komodo National Park entrance fee (500k IDR / $30)

👉 Note!  Prices change all the time due to seasons and inflation.

8 Different Types of Komodo Cruises

1. Luxury Komodo Open Tour On A Phinisi Boat  

Opting for a VIP Komodo Islands Open trip on a luxurious Phinisi boat stands out as the ultimate choice for travelers visiting Komodo National Park in Indonesia.  This comprehensive 3-day, 2-night tour offers an all-inclusive experience, sparing you the hassle of arranging accommodations, meals, and tour guides. While it may not be the cheapest option, taking a VIP open tour still provides exceptional value for your money.

🚢 Why Choose This Cruise: This VIP experience includes room upgrades to suit every style of traveler, each with ocean views. 

👉 Tip! Luxury Komodo cruises come with a private photographer.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who This Tour is Best For: Travelers who want a luxurious experience without having to charter their own boat.

📍 Where it Stars From: Starts and ends in Labuan Bajo, Flores.

👉 Check Out Luxury Komodo Open Trips 👈
Related article: Sailing the Komodo Islands

ULTIMATE guide to visiting Komodo Islands & National Park from Bali

2. Classic Komodo Islands 3-Day Open Trip

You can’t go wrong booking a classic Komodo Cruise. Opting for the typical Komodo Boat Trip, which is a 3-day/2-night cruise aboard a 14-person vessel featuring comfortable beds and air conditioning, is the usual choice for most travelers. The classic Komodo Open Tour is a great budget-travel option – For around the same price as the Backpacker’s Komodo Boat Tour, the classic tours serve far better food and have a much nicer ship.If you have a slightly bigger budget, I recommend choosing the luxury open tour option on a Phinisi Boat. 

📍 Where it Stars From: Classic Komodo Cruises start and finish their tour in Labuan Bajo, Flores, which is just a quick flight from Bali. 

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who This Tour is Best For: Travelers who are on a budget but still want AC and a real bed on their cruise.

👉 Why Take This Tour: Joining an “Open Tour” lets you socialize with the other passengers onboard while still getting to enjoy a private cabin, complete with AC and a real bed. 

👉 Check Out Classic Komodo Open Trips 👈

3. The “Backpackers Boat” from Lombok to Flores: Ultra Budget 4-Day Tour

The super-cheap boat journey from Lombok to Flores is affectionately referred to as the “Backpackers’ Boat.” This budget-friendly 4-day adventure comes at an incredibly low cost, approximately $50 per person per day, and includes all meals, guides, entrance fees, transport, and accommodation. Accommodations on the Backpacker’s Boat are extremely basic, with passengers sleeping on mats on the floor alongside 20-30 other travelers. While the “Backpackers’ Boat” may lack luxury, it more than compensates with its lively and entertaining atmosphere. Passengers onboard the Backpacker’s Boat get to enjoy lots of socializing, Bintang beers, and spontaneous dives off the boat. 

Related Article: Taking the Backpacker’s Komodo Boat That Sails from Lombok to Flores

This should be a part of every backpacker’s Bali itinerary

Don’t expect nice food on the backpackers boat!
Tip: Remember to bring your own beers!

👉 Best For: Recommended for solo travelers or those seeking to connect with fellow passengers, as the 4-day cruise is known for being social.

💰 Price: Backpacker’s Boats are usually a set price of around $200 and include the national park fee. This is the price for the ticket to sleep on a mat on the floor. You can pay an additional $30-40 for a private cabin, but they’re not much nicer!

📍 Where it Stars From: The Backpackers Boat sails to Lombok to Flores, or from Flores to Lombok.

🚢 How to Book: You can’t book the Komodo Backpacker’s Boat online – Instead, you need to contact the tour companies on WhatsApp. I recommend the company “Wanua Adventure”.

a luxury Phinisi boat sailing through Komodo Islands national park.

4. Luxury Private Komodo Boat Tour Charter on the White Pearl 

Phinisi boats are renowned as the epitome of luxury cruising in Indonesia. A Phinisi is a traditional Indonesian wind-powered sailing vessel with a history spanning at least a century – Nowadays, they are typically motor-operated, similar to other Komodo Cruise ships. Opting for a private Phinisi Boat tour of Komodo National Park will take you to mostly the same destinations as more budget-friendly cruise ships, but it adds an element of style and opulence to your journey. 

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 How Many Passengers: The White Pearl Phinisi is a gorgeous private ship that only fits up to 4 passengers per cruise. 

📍 Where it Stars From: Starts and ends in Labuan Bajo, Flores.

👉 Who This Tour is Best For: Those who want a private charter and the best of the best.

👉 Check Out Luxury Private Boat Charter 👈

5. Classic Komodo 3-Day Private Charter 

For those traveling with their family or a larger group, I’d suggest opting for a private Komodo cruise aboard a chartered boat. This way, you can enjoy a private experience that suits your group perfectly.

📍 Where it Stars From: Starts and ends in Labuan Bajo, Flores.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who This Tour is Best For: Travelers who are on a budget but want a private charter.

👉 How Many Passengers: Can accommodate up to 12 passengers in 6 individual cabins

👉 Check Out Classic Komodo Private Charter 👈
A scuba diver in Komodo National Park with a manta ray on a Komodo Boat tour from Bali.

6. Scuba Diving Liveaboard Through Komodo National Park

Taking a scuba-diving liveaboard tour of Komodo National Park is an unforgettable experience and is on most divers’ bucket lists. While the scuba boats are similar to the typical tourist boats, the experience and itinerary are completely different. The diving liveaboards venture into areas that tourist boats don’t visit, allowing you to explore more remote areas of the Komodos. 

👉 Why Take a Diving Liveaboard: One of the standout features of scuba-diving liveaboard tours is that they have smaller groups than the typical tourist boat, with livaboards typically accommodating a maximum of eight people.

🤿 Diving Info: Komodo diving liveaboards visit up to four dive sites each day, and range from 3-7 day trips. Each Komodo boat tour package includes 9-25 dives.

👉 Check Out Komodo Diving Liveaboards 👈
Padar Island, Komodo National Park

7. 1-Day Group Tour from Labuan Bajo 

Even if you have just one day, a visit to Komodo National Park is highly worthwhile. This 1-day Komodo tour run by Bintang Tours has all 5-star reviews and uses a speed boat tour for convenience. These tours typically include visits to at least three islands within the UNESCO-listed park. 

👉 Check Out 1-Day Group Tours 👈
a komodo dragon on the beach on komodo island. Komodo island is one of the stops you will make if you take a boat tour of komodo national park.

8. 1-Day Private Komodo Boat Tour from Labuan Bajo  

For families or those seeking a more intimate and less crowded experience, a one-day private tour of Komodo National Park departing from Labuan Bajo is the ideal choice. Accommodating up to 6 passengers, you’ll ride in comfort on a speedboat, visiting the most popular spots within Komodo National Park. The day includes hiking to the top of Padar Island, snorkeling with wild manta rays, and the opportunity to spot the famous Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. 

👉 Check Out 1-Day Private Boat Tours 👈
Katie Caf

Katie Caf, founder of Katie Caf Travel, is a seasoned travel expert who has explored over 30 countries and lived abroad in places like Egypt, Morocco, Mexico, India, Indonesia Thailand, Europe, and the USA. Her goal is to help other traveler see the world by providing first-hand accounts of what to expect on the road.

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