A Komodo phinisi boat is a wooden ship you sleep on while it sails the national park from Labuan Bajo. We work with seven of them, from the 25-metre Akassa with three suites to the 34-metre Lady Grace with ten cabins. Four sell cabins on a shared three-day trip from IDR 6,000,000 (about $336) per person, one sells berths on the four-day crossing to Lombok, and two go out only as a whole boat.
The one-day Komodo trip does not use a phinisi. It runs on a speedboat, which reaches Padar in about 75 minutes. A phinisi takes around three hours, so it stays out in the park overnight.
The phinisi boats, side by side
Sizes and guest numbers are the ones shown in October 2026 on our tour pages and on our Komodo boats page, where each boat has its cabin photos and deck plan.
- Size
- 32 m, 8 cabins, launched 2026
- Guests
- Up to 25
- How it is sold
- By the cabin, 3 days
- Size
- 9 cabins on 3 decks
- Guests
- Not published
- How it is sold
- By the cabin, 3 days
- Size
- 32 m, 8 suites, launched 2023
- Guests
- 18
- How it is sold
- By the cabin, 3 days
- Size
- 25 m, 3 suites, launched 2021
- Guests
- 10 at most
- How it is sold
- By the suite for 3 days, whole for 2 or 4
- Size
- 34 m, 10 cabins, launched 2022
- Guests
- 20 to 25
- How it is sold
- By the berth, 4 days to Lombok
- Size
- 4 cabins, upper and lower deck
- Guests
- One group
- How it is sold
- Whole boat only
- Size
- 4 cabins, master with a balcony
- Guests
- One group
- How it is sold
- Whole boat only
| Boat | Size | Guests | How it is sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballona | 32 m, 8 cabins, launched 2026 | Up to 25 | By the cabin, 3 days |
| Elbark | 9 cabins on 3 decks | Not published | By the cabin, 3 days |
| Semesta | 32 m, 8 suites, launched 2023 | 18 | By the cabin, 3 days |
| Akassa | 25 m, 3 suites, launched 2021 | 10 at most | By the suite for 3 days, whole for 2 or 4 |
| Lady Grace | 34 m, 10 cabins, launched 2022 | 20 to 25 | By the berth, 4 days to Lombok |
| Derya | 4 cabins, upper and lower deck | One group | Whole boat only |
| Giona | 4 cabins, master with a balcony | One group | Whole boat only |
A cabin on a shared trip, or the whole boat
Most people book one cabin. On the three-day shared phinisi trip you choose the Ballona or the Elbark, then a cabin tier. The cheapest berths are on the lower deck at IDR 6,000,000 on the Ballona and IDR 6,500,000 on the Elbark, and the upper-deck suites run to IDR 9,000,000 and IDR 11,500,000.
A whole boat costs one price however many of you sail. Our private phinisi charter starts at IDR 45,000,000 for up to five guests over three days. The Akassa is IDR 56,500,000 for two days with up to four guests, or IDR 64,000,000 for five to ten.
Labuan Bajo, Flores
Your own phinisi for three days
The same crew and the same islands as the shared trip, with nobody else aboard. You decide when the day starts and which reef gets a second visit.
What a phinisi cabin is like
Every cabin on the Ballona and the Elbark has its own bathroom. Lower-deck cabins have the lowest price, and on the Elbark they have a round marine window. The Elbark's main-deck cabins have wide ocean windows and sit a few steps from the dining table. Upper-deck suites cost the most, and on the Ballona one has a balcony and a bathtub.
Deck matters more than people expect. Lower cabins are darker and cheaper, upper ones catch the view from bed. Our guide to the best Komodo liveaboard sorts the boats by budget and by who is travelling.
Phinisi or speedboat
The speedboats on the day trip are the Red Whale I, II and III, carrying up to 13, 20 and 7 guests. They cover six stops between 06:30 and 17:00 and bring you back to town for dinner.
A phinisi is slower, steadier and sleeps in the park. That puts its guests on Padar at 05:00, before the day boats arrive, and at Kalong Island at dusk when the bats fly.
If you get seasick
Choose the phinisi. Speedboat crossings turn bumpy once the afternoon wind picks up, while a heavy wooden hull rides more gently and anchors in sheltered bays at night.
Where these boats come from
Phinisi are built by hand on the beaches of South Sulawesi, at Tana Beru, Bira and Batu Licin. The Ballona was shaped there from ironwood and launched in 2026. The craft is on a UNESCO heritage list, and our article on what a phinisi is explains the name and the building method.
Choosing and booking
Start with the group size. Two people fit a shared cabin. A larger group should price a whole boat first, because the boat costs the same however many beds you fill. Then tell us your dates, and we will say which phinisi are free.
글쓴이
Asik Travel Editorial
현지 여행 에디터
저희가 판매하는 섬에서 직접 취재한 정보를 가이드와 운영진의 생생한 노트와 함께 전해드립니다.
자주 묻는 질문
How much does a Komodo phinisi boat cost?
A berth on a shared three-day phinisi trip starts at IDR 6,000,000 (about $336) per person on the Ballona or the Semesta. A whole boat starts at IDR 45,000,000 for three days with up to five guests. Park fees, flights and tips are extra on both.
How many people fit on a phinisi in Komodo?
It depends on the boat. The Akassa has three suites and never carries more than 10 guests. The Semesta takes 18, and the Ballona and the Lady Grace up to 25. The Elbark is sold by the cabin, with nine cabins on three decks. On a whole-boat charter the only guests are your own group.
What is the difference between a phinisi and a speedboat trip?
A speedboat does Komodo in one day: six stops between 06:30 and 17:00, back in town for dinner. A phinisi is slower and sleeps inside the park, so its guests reach Padar at 05:00 before the day boats and see the bats at Kalong at dusk.
Do phinisi cabins have a private bathroom?
On the boats we sell by the cabin, yes. Every cabin on the Ballona and the Elbark has its own bathroom, and the Akassa's three suites are air conditioned with private bathrooms. Lower-deck cabins are the cheapest, and on the Elbark they have a round marine window.
Can I rent a whole phinisi in Labuan Bajo?
Yes. Our private charter starts at IDR 45,000,000 for three days with up to five guests. The Akassa goes out whole for two days at IDR 56,500,000 for up to four guests, or IDR 64,000,000 for five to ten. The Derya and the Giona are whole-boat only.
