Kendari is the capital of Southeast Sulawesi and the gateway to the karst islands of Labengki and Sombori, which lie 40 minutes by road and about two and a half hours by wooden boat to the north. Most visitors spend one night in the city on each side of an island trip. Those trips run three to six days and start at IDR 4,100,000 (about $230) per person with six travellers sharing.
This guide covers the practical side: flights, the harbour, what to sort out in town and how the timing works. Kendari is also a common way in to Wakatobi.
Where you can go from Kendari
- How you get there from Kendari
- 40 minutes by road to Tanasa Port, then about 2.5 hours by wooden boat
- Time to allow
- 3 days at least
- How you get there from Kendari
- By boat from Labengki, about 20 km further north
- Time to allow
- Same trip, 4 days is better
Wakatobi
- How you get there from Kendari
- Propeller flight to Matahora on Wangi-Wangi, or the overnight ferry to Wanci
- Time to allow
- Spare days at each end
| Destination | How you get there from Kendari | Time to allow |
|---|---|---|
| Labengki | 40 minutes by road to Tanasa Port, then about 2.5 hours by wooden boat | 3 days at least |
| Sombori | By boat from Labengki, about 20 km further north | Same trip, 4 days is better |
| Wakatobi | Propeller flight to Matahora on Wangi-Wangi, or the overnight ferry to Wanci | Spare days at each end |
Labengki and Sombori are almost always visited together, because reaching one already needs the boat and crew for the other. Sombori has no accommodation, so you sleep on Labengki and cross by day. Our Sulawesi travel guide shows where all three sit on the wider island.
Getting to Kendari
Haluoleo Airport sits outside the city and handles domestic flights only. Makassar has daily flights to Kendari, about an hour away, and Makassar itself connects to Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya several times a day. Direct flights also run between Jakarta and Kendari.
Book the whole chain on one ticket where you can. Domestic connections in Indonesia are not protected across separate tickets, so a delay on the first leg becomes your problem on the second.
From Kendari to the boat
Boats for Labengki leave from Tanasa in Soropia, about 40 minutes from the city by road. Other harbours are used too: Sawa and Lasolo further up the coast, and boats from Kendari city harbour itself take four to five hours on the water. Our Labengki and Sombori guide compares the routes.
Tanasa is a working harbour. There is no waiting room and nowhere useful to buy what you forgot, so do your shopping in Kendari.
Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi
Three days from Kendari to Labengki and Sombori
Pickup in Kendari at 08:00, the crossing from Tanasa Port, two nights on Labengki and a full day among the caves and viewpoints of Sombori.
What to sort out in Kendari before the boat
Cash for the whole trip. There is no ATM once you leave the city.
Snorkel gear, if you want your own. A set rents for about IDR 40,000 a day on Labengki.
Extra snacks and anything you forgot. There is no shop at the harbour.
A power bank. On the islands the generator runs only from about 18:00 to 06:00.
A dry bag and sandals with grip for the boat and the limestone.
Phone signal is patchy on Labengki and mostly absent around Sombori, so send your messages before you board.
Sleep in Kendari before and after
Pickup is at 08:00 and no same-day flight makes it. The boat back leaves the islands late in the morning, and the crossing depends on the sea. Do not book a flight for that evening if missing it would matter.
How many days to allow
A day trip to Labengki does not work. The crossing is about two and a half hours each way, which leaves almost nothing in the middle. The shortest trip that makes sense is the three-day Labengki and Sombori trip, and with a hotel night at each end that is five days in all.
If you can spare one more, the four-day version adds a full day on the Labengki side and is the one we suggest most often.
Wakatobi from Kendari
For Wakatobi, fly to Kendari first, then take the propeller flight to Matahora airport on Wangi-Wangi. Those flights are infrequent and get cancelled, so build in spare days. The overnight ferry from Kendari to Wanci is the backup.
Planning a trip through Kendari
Tell us your dates and group size. We confirm the boat first, then you book flights around the 08:00 pickup. You can start a Labengki trip request here.
Written by
Asik Travel Editorial
Local travel editors
We write from the islands we sell, with first-hand notes from our guides and operators.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kendari known for?
Among travellers, as the gateway to Labengki and Sombori, the karst islands and lagoons to its north, and as a way in to Wakatobi. It is the capital of Southeast Sulawesi, with Haluoleo Airport (KDI) just outside the city and daily flights from Makassar.
How do you get to Kendari?
By air to Haluoleo Airport (KDI), which handles domestic flights only. Makassar has daily flights to Kendari, about an hour away, and connects to Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya several times a day. Direct flights also run from Jakarta. Book the whole chain on one ticket.
How far is Labengki from Kendari?
About 40 minutes by road from Kendari to Tanasa Port in Soropia, then about two and a half hours by wooden boat. Sombori is roughly 20 km further north and is visited by boat from Labengki. Boats from Kendari city harbour itself take four to five hours.
Can you visit Labengki on a day trip from Kendari?
Not sensibly. The crossing takes about two and a half hours each way, which leaves almost nothing in the middle. The shortest trip that makes sense is three days and two nights, and most people add a hotel night in Kendari before and after.
How many nights should I spend in Kendari?
Two, one on each side of the island trip. Pickup is at 08:00 and no same-day flight connection makes it, so arrive the evening before. The return crossing depends on the sea, so fly out the morning after you get back if the flight matters.
