Charter · Destinations · Indonesia
One fleet, two seasons, and the crossing between
Indonesia is the one yacht charter destination that is in season all year, because it is two: Komodo National Park from May to October, an hour's flight from Bali, and Raja Ampat in West Papua from October to April. The same fleet of phinisi does both, crossing through the Spice Islands in between, so the question is never whether to go but which half of the year you have.
Season
All year. Komodo May to September, Raja Ampat mid October to April
Komodo
3 to 10 nights from Labuan Bajo (LBJ), one hour from Bali. Dragons, mantas and Padar's three bays
Raja Ampat
7 to 14 nights from Sorong (SOQ), direct from Jakarta. The richest reefs on earth
The Spice Islands
7 to 10 nights from Ambon (AMQ) in October and April, as the fleet crosses between the two
Fleet
Seven boats from 30 to 45 metres, three to seven cabins, divemasters and often a spa therapist on board
Getting there
From Sydney, six hours to Bali or a day to Sorong. From North America, via Singapore, Dubai or Doha to Bali or Jakarta
Komodo is the Indonesia for a first trip: a national park two hours from a real airport, dragons in the morning and mantas after lunch, and three-night trips that work for a long weekend from Bali. Raja Ampat is the Indonesia for the water: further, quieter, and with more coral and fish per dive than anywhere on the planet. A week is the minimum there.
What ties them together is the boats. Traditional wooden phinisi rebuilt with proper cabins, dive decks and crews of ten to fourteen, they sail west to Komodo in May and east to Sorong in October, and the crossings themselves, through the nutmeg islands of Banda, are among the best trips we sell. Choose your dates, and we will tell you which half of the year you are in.
Where we actually go
Two halves of one year
Komodo from May to October, Raja Ampat from October to April, on the same boats. Pick by your dates; the boat and the crew are a constant.
Komodo
April to November
Dragons before breakfast, manta rays after lunch, and Padar's three bays at sunset. The dry-season half of Indonesia's phinisi circuit.
Raja Ampat
October to April
The richest reefs on the planet, and almost nobody there. The wet-season half of the phinisi circuit, and worth every one of the flights.
Trips we have planned before
Seven routes, written by the boats that run them
Komodo in a week and slowly, Bali to Komodo, Raja Ampat north and with Misool, and the two crossings: the Spice Islands and the Banda Sea. Each names its boat.
Komodo National Park in a week
Labuan Bajo8 stopsLabuan Bajo
Dragons on Rinca with a ranger, mantas at Makassar Reef, Padar at sunset and a volcano that bubbles: the route most of the fleet runs, here on ALIIKAI VOYAGE.
Komodo slowly, down to South Rinca
Labuan Bajo8 stopsLabuan Bajo
THE ORACLE's seven nights: the famous sites at a better hour, then a whole day in the park's wild south where the day boats never go.
Bali to Komodo along Sumbawa
Bali9 stopsLabuan Bajo
Whale sharks in Saleh Bay, waterfalls on Moyo, a volcano at Sangeang, then three days in the park. CELESTIA's one-way week that beats the flight.
Raja Ampat, the north: Wayag and the Dampier Strait
Sorong8 stopsSorong
Cape Kri, the Passage, Piaynemo's stairs, Wayag's karsts and the manta stations at Batanta. THE ORACLE's seven-night loop out of Sorong.
Raja Ampat, north and south: Misool to Wayil
Sorong9 stopsSorong
Eight nights that add Misool's lagoons, a jellyfish lake and soft-coral caves to the strait's mantas and viewpoints. No anchorage repeated.
The Spice Islands, Sorong to Ambon
Sorong8 stopsAmbon
Four days in Misool, then the nutmeg islands: forts, a volcano before breakfast and the island traded for Manhattan. ALIIKAI VOYAGE's seasonal crossing.
The Banda Sea, Maumere to Ambon
Maumere8 stopsAmbon
An erupting volcano, Alor's muck and walls, two specks where hammerheads pass, and the Spice Islands. CELESTIA's dive crossing in September and October.
When to go
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
- January to March: Raja Ampat's dry season at its best, calm inside the islands and the manta stations working. Komodo is wet.
- April: the fleet begins the crossing west through the Spice Islands. Quiet last weeks in Raja Ampat and the first green weeks in Komodo.
- May to October: Komodo's dry season. Gold hills, clear water, reliable mantas; July and August are the busiest. Raja Ampat is in its monsoon.
- September and October: the Banda Sea dive crossing for hammerheads, and the fleet's move east. Komodo's last dry weeks, Raja Ampat's first.
- November and December: Raja Ampat, with Christmas and New Year booked a year out and most boats asking nine nights.
How we'd plan it
Which half, how long, and which boat
Dates first, place second
Northern summer is Komodo, northern winter is Raja Ampat. There is no good reason to fight the season, and no need to: the same boats and crews are wherever the weather is.
First trip, Komodo
Closer, shorter and easier, with the dragons as a headline everyone understands. Three nights works from Bali; six is the week we would choose.
For the water, Raja Ampat
Divers and snorkellers who have seen the Maldives and the Red Sea come here next. Seven nights minimum, eight with Misool, and arrive in Sorong the night before.
Take the crossing
In October and April the boats move between the two via the Spice Islands: Misool, the Banda volcano, forts and nutmeg. Eleven nights, one way, and the trip people talk about longest.
Book the diving, and the wine, early
Divemasters and equipment come with every boat; dive computers and torches do not, so bring or rent them. Courses and certification can happen on board if the instructor is booked ahead. The bar is house and local, so tell us what you drink and we import it six to eight weeks out.
Match the boat to the group
Six guests want THE ORACLE or ANNE BONNY. A family of three generations wants ALIIKAI VOYAGE's balconies and family suite. Fourteen friends want CELESTIA. Divers want CELESTIA, JAKARÉ or SEQUOIA.
The boats
The phinisi we send people to Indonesia on
Traditional wooden sailing ships rebuilt with modern cabins, dive decks and crews of ten to fourteen, from three cabins for six to seven cabins for fifteen, plus one dedicated dive yacht. Photos and rates are live from each listing; the card opens it.
ALIIKAI VOYAGE
40 m · 7 cabins · 14 guests
Two owner's cabins with private balconies, a family suite that takes a cot, and a crew of 14 including a cruise director who speaks nine Indonesian dialects. Our pick for three generations.
Komodo May to October, Raja Ampat October to April, the Spice Islands on the crossings between
Her listing
$74k
CELESTIA
45 m · 7 cabins · 14 guests
Two dive professionals, Nitrox free of charge, three hours of massage a day and a Breville in the saloon. The one we send serious divers who still want to be looked after.
Komodo May to October, Raja Ampat October to April, the Banda Sea in September and October
Her listing
$95k
ANNE BONNY
30 m · 3 cabins · 9 guests
Three cabins, a bonfire on the beach and Starlink when it works. The boat for one family or six friends who would rather have the whole thing to themselves than a bigger one shared.
Komodo June to September, Raja Ampat October to April, the Spice Islands in October
Her listing
$31k – 33k
JAKARÉ
33 m · 5 cabins · 12 guests
A French and English speaking cruise director, dive guides included, and a route list that runs to Halmahera and the Togeans. The diver's phinisi at a sensible price.
Komodo May to October, Raja Ampat October to April, the Banda Sea and Alor in between
Her listing
$34k – 39k
KAYRA PHINISI
38 m · 4 cabins · 8 guests
A sauna, a gym, a masseuse on the crew list and two hours of massage a day included. Four big cabins for eight, which is why couples ask for her.
Komodo and Sumbawa, March to December
Her listing
$49k – 60k
SEQUOIA
31 m · 3 cabins · 6 guests
A 31-metre wooden dive yacht run by Dive Explorers Nusantara on the Komodo to Raja Ampat circuit. Built for people who want to be in the water three times a day.
Komodo May to September, Raja Ampat October to April
Her listing
$78k
THE ORACLE
35 m · 3 cabins · 6 guests
Six guests, ten crew. Yoga on the foredeck, a spa therapist, Starlink, and the routes below written by her own team. The most looked-after six people in Indonesia.
Komodo May to October, Raja Ampat November to April
Her listing
$44k – 48k
Questions we get asked
Indonesia, answered
Common questions
When is the best time for a yacht charter in Indonesia?
Any month, if you pick the right half. Komodo National Park is dry from May to October; Raja Ampat from October to April. The same phinisi work both, so the season decides the destination rather than the other way round.
Komodo or Raja Ampat: which should we choose?
Komodo for a first trip, a shorter one, or a group that wants dragons and viewpoints as much as reef; it is an hour from Bali and three nights is enough. Raja Ampat for the water: the richest reefs on earth, a full day's travel to Sorong, and a week as the minimum.
What is a phinisi?
A traditional Indonesian two-masted wooden sailing ship, built in South Sulawesi and rebuilt for charter with modern cabins, air conditioning, dive decks and crews of ten to fourteen. Ours run from 30 to 46 metres and from three cabins to seven.
How much does a yacht charter in Indonesia cost?
The phinisi we work with publish rates from about USD 4,500 to USD 14,000 a night for the whole boat, plus national park fees and tax, with three to seven nights the usual minimum depending on the boat and season. Ask us for the boat that fits your group and we quote the week.
Can we combine Komodo and Raja Ampat in one trip?
Only in April or October, when the fleet crosses between them through the Spice Islands. The eleven-night Sorong to Ambon route does Misool and the Banda Islands on the way; a flight then connects to Labuan Bajo or Bali. The rest of the year, one or the other is in its monsoon.
Can we learn to dive on an Indonesian yacht charter?
Yes. Every boat carries divemasters and full equipment, and the crews can run PADI courses and certify guests during the charter if the theory is completed beforehand and the instructor is booked in advance. Bring your own dive computer and torch or rent them on board.
Is alcohol available on board in Indonesia?
House and local drinks are on board, but choice is limited and good wine and spirits are hard to source locally. Tell us what you would like and we arrange a pre-order or import six to eight weeks before you board, so it is chilled when you arrive.
Do the yachts have spa therapists?
Most of the fleet do. CELESTIA includes three hours of massage a day, KAYRA PHINISI two, and THE ORACLE, ALIIKAI VOYAGE and others carry a therapist who works between dives. Ask when you book.
Do we need to dive to enjoy Indonesia by yacht?
No. Komodo's dragons, viewpoints and pink beach need no mask at all, and in both regions the reefs are shallow enough that snorkellers see most of what divers see. Every boat carries kayaks and paddleboards, and most offer intro dives free.
Want this shaped around you?
Tell us the month and who is coming. We tell you which half of the year you are in, which boat fits the group, and what the week costs.