Viewpoint
Padar Island
Three bays, three sand colours, from a cut-step ridge climbed before sunrise.
The short answer
Sailing a Buginese schooner through Komodo
A phinisi is not a styling choice. It is the working hull form the Bugis and Konjo shipwrights of South Sulawesi have been building by eye, without plans, for centuries — two masts, a deep belly, and a shape that sits well in the short chop between the Komodo islands.
Neptune Cruise is that hull built to modern liveaboard standards: forty metres, three decks, seven en-suite cabins and a maximum of twenty guests, sailing from Labuan Bajo.
The hull
Why the phinisi form still wins here
Komodo is a strait system. Current runs hard between the islands and the wind funnels through the gaps, which is exactly the water the phinisi was shaped for — beam enough to stay steady at anchor, draught enough to hold a line under power.
It also means deck space. A forty-metre phinisi gives you a full-length sundeck, an indoor lounge and dining room, and shaded seating aft, without any of it feeling borrowed from somewhere else.
On board
What the day actually looks like
Early starts, because the good light and the empty viewpoints are both before eight. Breakfast under way, a morning landing, a swim or a snorkel before lunch, then a second site and an anchorage for the night.
Between those points the boat is yours: the sundeck for the crossing, the air-conditioned lounge when the sun is high, the bar and karaoke room after dinner.
The route
The sites the park is known for
Exact order depends on tide, weather and where the mantas are feeding. The list does not change much.
Wildlife
Dragons
Ranger-led walks on Rinca or Komodo Island, in the animals' own territory.
Swim
Pink Beach
Red organ-pipe coral ground into white sand. Best in the first hours of light.
Snorkel
Manta Point
A cleaning and feeding station where mantas pass within metres of the surface.
On board
Three decks of living space
Twenty guests on a forty-metre hull means the shared spaces are never the bottleneck. Sundeck above, lounge and dining amidships, shaded seating aft.
Shared cabin
Per-person rates on the 3D2N departure
Book a cabin rather than the boat. You sail with up to nineteen other guests on the signature three-day, two-night route.
| Cabin | Deck | Per person | Additional guest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Mansard I & II | Top deck | USD 850 | USD 410 |
| Junior Suite | Main deck | USD 730 | USD 410 |
| Deluxe | Lower deck | USD 610 | USD 310 |
Every cabin is en-suite and air-conditioned. Park fees are paid separately in cash.
Before you book
Practical questions
Does the boat actually sail?
She is a motor sailer. Sails are set when the wind and the schedule allow; the engines do the reliable work of keeping an itinerary on tide.
Where does the cruise start and end?
Labuan Bajo, on Flores. Mainland transfers within Labuan Bajo are included.
How rough is the crossing?
Inside the park it is generally sheltered. The lower-deck Deluxe cabins are the steadiest berths if you are prone to seasickness.
Can we choose the route?
On a private charter, yes, within what tide and park regulations allow. On a shared departure the route is fixed.
Reservations
Hold a cabin, or the whole boat
Tell us your dates, guest count, dietary needs and whether anyone in the party dives. We reply with live availability and a written quote — direct from the operator, never through an agent.
