Asik OriginalFrom
$458
Luwuk Banggai, Central Sulawesi
Luwuk Banggai 6D5N: Waterfalls, Paisupok Lake & the Banggai Islands
6 Days 5 NightsSmall groups
Labengki & Sombori 3D2N: Karst Lagoons and Island Hopping
Labengki & Sombori, Southeast Sulawesi3 Days 2 NightsAsik Original
An Asik Original, run by us
Planned and run end to end by the Asik team. You book and deal directly with us, start to finish.
Overview
The short version of the trip, and the one most people take. Two nights on Labengki, one full day working through Sombori, and enough time in the water to understand why anyone bothers coming this far.
Labengki and Sombori sit off the coast of Southeast Sulawesi, about two and a half hours by boat from Kendari. They are drowned karst: limestone that was pushed up, weathered into ridges and spires, then partly flooded when the sea rose. That is why the water sits in enclosed lagoons the colour of antifreeze, and why the islands look like somebody dropped a mountain range into a shallow sea. People call it a small Raja Ampat. The comparison is lazy but the geology is genuinely similar, and the crowds are not.
This three-day version gives you one full day on Sombori, which is the more dramatic of the two. You climb Puncak Kayangan for the view everyone photographs, drop into Allo Cave and Diamond Cave, and stop at Red Sand Beach and Air Kiri. Day three picks up Teluk Cinta, the heart-shaped bay, on the way back toward Kendari.
It suits people with limited time who still want the headline sights. If you have four days, take the 4D3N instead: it adds Twin Lagoon and the Labengki lighthouse, and it stops the trip feeling like a march.
Itinerary
1Day 1
Kendari to Labengki, Long Sand Beach
Transfer, the boat crossing, and an easy first afternoon in the water.
Day 1
Kendari to Labengki, Long Sand Beach
Transfer, the boat crossing, and an easy first afternoon in the water.
- 08:00
Pick-up in Kendari and transfer to Tanasa Port
- 09:00
Board the wooden boat. The crossing is about two and a half hours and the karst towers start showing on the horizon well before you arrive
- 12:00
Check in, drop bags and swap to swimwear. Rooms are simple and twin share
- 13:00
Lunch, usually served on the boat between stops
- 15:00
Long Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Panjang), a wide bank of white sand backed by leaning coconut palms and almost always empty
- 16:00
First snorkel straight off the beach, shallow and sheltered, a good place to check your mask before the bigger sites
- 19:00
Dinner, cooked on the island and eaten together
- 20:00
Free time. There is no signal to speak of, which most people end up liking
2Day 2
Sombori: caves, Kayangan and Red Sand Beach
The big day. Sombori is the more theatrical island and this covers most of it.
Day 2
Sombori: caves, Kayangan and Red Sand Beach
The big day. Sombori is the more theatrical island and this covers most of it.
- 07:00
Breakfast at the accommodation before the boat goes out
- 08:00
Cross to Sombori, the more theatrical of the two islands, where the limestone rises straight out of the water
- 09:00
Red Sand Beach (Pantai Pasir Merah), a short stretch of rust-orange sand that photographs unlike anywhere else on the trip
- 10:00
Allo Cave (Goa Allo), a limestone chamber at the waterline that you step into from the boat
- 11:00
Air Kiri Beach (Pantai Air Kiri), a swimming and snorkelling stop between the cave visits
- 12:00
Diamond Cave (Goa Berlian), named for the way daylight catches the wet limestone inside
- 13:00
Lunch on the boat, then the climb to Puncak Kayangan. It is short but steep, over sharp limestone, so shoes with grip matter
- 14:00
The second Kayangan viewpoint, a few minutes on from the first and the wider of the two
- 15:00
Snorkelling from the boat over shallow coral, sheltered and easy
- 16:00
Back to the accommodation for a rinse and a rest before dinner
- 19:00
Dinner, cooked on the island and eaten together
3Day 3
Twin Lagoon, Teluk Cinta and back to Kendari
A short morning circuit, then the crossing home.
Day 3
Twin Lagoon, Teluk Cinta and back to Kendari
A short morning circuit, then the crossing home.
- 07:00
Breakfast at the accommodation before the boat goes out
- 08:00
Twin Lagoon (Danau Kembar), two connected pools inside the karst. Tentative, because the sea decides
- 09:00
Teluk Cinta, the heart-shaped bay (Love Bay), then the short climb up Kimaboe Hill for the view down onto it
- 10:00
Tobelo Lake (Danau Tobelo), an enclosed inland pool reachable only at low tide, and the tide suits it roughly one week in four, so this stop is genuinely tentative rather than weather-shy
- 11:30
Load up and start the crossing back to the mainland
Getting there
Everything starts in Kendari, the capital of Southeast Sulawesi. Haluoleo airport (KDI) takes daily flights from Makassar, and Makassar connects to Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya several times a day. We collect you in Kendari at 08:00 and drive 40 minutes to Tanasa Port, then it is about two and a half hours by wooden boat to Labengki. Plan to arrive in Kendari the night before. Same-day connections do not work.
What the accommodation is actually like
Simple, and worth knowing in advance. Rooms are twin share with a shared bathroom, either in a homestay or in a cottage a step above it. There is no air conditioning, hot water is not guaranteed, and the electricity comes from a generator that runs from about 6pm to 6am, so there is no power during the day. Mobile signal is patchy on Labengki and mostly absent around Sombori. People who come expecting a resort are disappointed; people who come for the water are not.
A note on price
The per-person rate falls sharply as the group grows, because the boat, the guide and the fuel cost the same whether one person or six is aboard. Two people pay roughly double what six people pay each. If your dates are flexible, tell us and we will try to pair you with another small group. Cottage accommodation is available on every departure for a supplement.
What's included
- Wooden boat transport for the whole trip
- 2 nights accommodation on Labengki (twin share, shared bathroom, homestay or cottage)
- All meals while island hopping, three per day, plus drinking water
- Entrance and retribution fees at every stop
- English or Indonesian speaking guide
- Trip photos and video, DJI action camera and iPhone
- Snacks and soft drinks
Not included
- Flights to and from Kendari
- Hotel in Kendari before or after the trip
- Snorkelling gear (rented in Kendari or on the island)
- Personal medication
- Alcoholic drinks
- Personal spending, tips and souvenirs
Gallery
1 / 7 Full size
Good to know
How do I get to Labengki and Sombori?
Fly to Kendari (Haluoleo, KDI) in Southeast Sulawesi. Makassar has daily flights and connects onward to Jakarta, Bali and Surabaya. We pick you up in Kendari at 08:00, drive 40 minutes to Tanasa Port and cross by wooden boat, which takes about two and a half hours. Arrive in Kendari the night before; there is no same-day connection that works.
Is this the same as Raja Ampat?
The geology is similar, both are drowned karst, and the aerial views look alike. Raja Ampat has richer reefs and far better diving. Labengki and Sombori are much cheaper, much quieter and much easier to reach from Makassar. If you want world-class diving, go to Raja Ampat. If you want empty lagoons without a long haul east, Labengki and Sombori are the easier trip.
Is snorkelling gear included?
Not in the price, but you can rent a set on Labengki for about IDR 40,000 a day. Bring your own mask and snorkel if you have them anyway, because a mask that fits your own face is worth more than a rented one, and fins are worth having for the outer sites.
When is the best time to go?
The drier, calmer months generally run around April to October, and the crossing is the part most affected by weather. Rougher seas in the wet season can force the guides to swap exposed stops for sheltered ones. Tell us your dates and we will be honest about what they usually look like.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer?
You should be comfortable in open water. Most snorkelling is shallow and sheltered inside the lagoons, and buoyancy aids are available, but some outer sites have current and the boat drops you in deeper water. Non-swimmers can still do the caves, the viewpoints and the beaches.
Why does the 3-day price change so much with group size?
The boat, the fuel, the guide and the crew cost the same whether one person or six is on board, so the per-person rate falls steeply as the group grows. Two people pay roughly double what six pay each. If your dates are flexible we will try to pair you with another small group.
Is this an open trip or a private trip?
It is a private trip by default. The boat, the guide and the itinerary are yours, and the per-person rate is set by how many of you travel, which is why a party of two pays more each than a party of six. If you would rather share the cost, tell us your dates and we will try to pair you with another small group, which is the open trip arrangement. We will not put you with strangers without asking first.
Booking and cancellation terms
- A deposit confirms your booking. The balance is due before the trip starts.
- Cancel 14 days or more before the start date: full refund of what you have paid.
- Cancel 7 to 13 days before: 50% of the total paid is refunded.
- Cancel less than 7 days before, or do not show up: no refund.
- If we cancel the trip, you choose a new date or take a full refund.
Full terms are confirmed with your booking. Bank transfer fees are paid by the sender.
