Experience incredibly diverse marine life and rich coral reef ecosystems as you sail and dive around the spectacular islands of the Komodo National Park in Indonesia
4 nights: Various dates August & October 2021
Fr $4,900 USD / £3,899 per cabin*
Explore stunning nature both on and offshore, as you sail around this UNESCO World Heritage Site, accessible only by boat. With unparalleled views on grassy hikes, world-class snorkelling and diving in warm turquoise waters, and BBQs with your crew on secluded beaches, this adventure is a true bucket list experience.
Discover tropical archipelagos teeming with life as you sail to remote dive spots including coral reefs, blue-water drop-offs, mangrove flats and seagrass beds. To dive on this trip, you must have diving experience, but if you are happy snorkelling in these tropical surroundings, you are more than welcome to join the adventure.
This journey will not only take you to some of the richest underwater ecosystems but to islands bursting with life. Home to the world’s largest lizard, the Komodo Dragon, Komodo National Park is located within the Lesser Sunda Islands and consists of the three large islands of Komodo, Padar and Rinca as well as 26 smaller ones. Relax and read a book on your yacht after an active day of exploring, enjoy the scenery from a secluded beach, or have fun with watersports on this beautiful adventure.
Day 1 – Labuan Bajo
Join Tiger Blue, moored 20 minutes from the airport to meet your crew. Start your adventure as you sail to Sabayor Kecil, keeping an eye out for dolphins, which love to swim alongside the bow. You will then be able to dive or snorkel around the coral reef, teeming with colourful fish, sponges, Napoleon wrasse, groupers and stingray. If you prefer, you can enjoy the water from above, kayaking, waterskiing, kneeboarding or fishing around this stunning environment. Later, relax on board with a good book or film before a leisurely supper.
Day 2 – Rinca & Manta Point
Following an early morning sail to Rinca and after a light breakfast, take the tender to the shore to see the famous Komodo Dragons. Accompanied by a park ranger, you can explore the giant lizard’s habitat on foot and learn about its hunting habits. The island is home to around 2,500 dragons as well as monkeys, Sunda deer, wild pigs and jungle fowl, so there is plenty to see on the trail. Rejoin the boat and enjoy lunch while sailing for a couple of hours to Karang Makassar. Stopping by Manta Point, you can experience this feeding ground for manta rays and one of the top diving and snorkelling spots in the park. On this relaxed drift dive, watch the mantas gliding gracefully through the water with their mouths open, feeding on plankton. After this, you can enjoy a second dive at Batu Balong, a massive underwater rock with pinnacles and rifts surrounded by grey reef and white tip sharks, giant trevallies and emperor fish. The coral garden on its top can also be enjoyed by snorkelers, who have a good chance of seeing the larger fish. In the late afternoon, relax on a quiet sandy beach or hike up the grassy hill behind for panoramic views across the islands. Then settle into the comfortable bean bags and relax on the beach while the crew mix you up a cocktail and build a giant bonfire before heading back to the boat for a hearty supper.
Day 3 – Mayan & Kode
Mayan and Kode’s superb reef is teeming with turtles and can be appreciated by divers and snorkelers alike. Mauan harbours a sporadic manta ray cleaning station, where the animals congregate to have cleaner fish remove parasites and other organisms from their skin. You may prefer to explore this incredible place by kayak, relax on deck or a deserted beach, or try your hand at wakeboarding. In the evening, you will have the chance to have the day beds made up with blankets so you can fall asleep under the stars.
Day 4 – BBQ and Sunset Cocktails on a Secret Beach
Today you can be as lazy or as active as you like. A climb up Padar’s verdant slopes will give you spectacular views across the park landscape and the island’s four bays, fringed with grey or white sand. Resident wildlife includes sea eagles, deer and goats. Successful anglers will be rewarded with melt-in-the-mouth sashimi or ceviche prepared by the chef. If you prefer to explore beneath the surface, Pillarsteen has four large pinnacles covered in soft corals, as well as canyons, caves, swim-throughs and chimneys. Watch out for the brightly coloured red and purple fire urchins. As the sun begins to disappear over the horizon, catch the tender to a secret beach for refreshing cocktails and a BBQ.
Day 5 – Pink Beach (Pantai Merah)
You will sail for a couple of hours in the morning to Pink Beach, where the sand has a soft pink hue, tinged by the high quantity of organ pipe coral growing on the surrounding reefs, which breaks off and washes up on shore. Enjoy freshly-caught fish for lunch and then snorkel or dive, looking out for macro sea life such as blue-ribbon eels and crocodile fish. A night dive here is world-class, full of colourful basket stars, bobtail squid and Spanish dancers. You will spend the night anchored at Pink Beach.
Day 6 – Tropical Birds
Take a leisurely walk along the beach and discover the local tropical birds, keeping your eyes peeled for orange-footed scrubfowl, helmeted friarbirds and the critically endangered lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo. Enjoy a BBQ on the beach for lunch, cooking up freshly caught fish. If you are still raring to go, the crew will be happy to oblige, with opportunities to snorkel, dive, hike, kayak, waterski or fish.
Day 7 – Crystal Rock & Castle Rock
Crystal Rock and Castle Rock are only 300m apart yet both are superb dive sites in their own right. The two submerged pinnacles are also accessible for snorkelers, offering the chance to see eagle rays, white tip, black tip and grey reef sharks, huge schools of snappers and fusiliers, batfish and Napoleon wrasse. Enjoy a cool beer or a freshly made lemon and soda before your final supper on board, a traditional Indonesian feast comprised of many small dishes with bold flavours, sweet or spicy sauces and plenty of rice. You will follow this with an overnight sail to Labuan Bajo.
Day 8 – Labuan Bajo
After breakfast, you will pack and prepare to disembark, returning to the airport by boat and car or staying to explore the area further.
Day 1 – Labuan Bajo
Join Tiger Blue, moored 20 minutes from the airport to meet your crew. Start your adventure as you sail to Sabayor Kecil, keeping an eye out for dolphins, which love to swim alongside the bow. You will then be able to dive or snorkel around the coral reef, teeming with colourful fish, sponges, Napoleon wrasse, groupers and stingray. If you prefer, you can enjoy the water from above, kayaking, waterskiing, kneeboarding or fishing around this stunning environment. Later, relax on board with a good book or film before a leisurely supper.
Day 2 – Rinca & Manta Point
Following an early morning sail to Rinca and after a light breakfast, take the tender to the shore to see the famous Komodo Dragons. Accompanied by a park ranger, you can explore the giant lizard’s habitat on foot and learn about its hunting habits. The island is home to around 2,500 dragons as well as monkeys, Sunda deer, wild pigs and jungle fowl, so there is plenty to see on the trail. Rejoin the boat and enjoy lunch while sailing for a couple of hours to Karang Makassar. Stopping by Manta Point, you can experience this feeding ground for manta rays and one of the top diving and snorkelling spots in the park. On this relaxed drift dive, watch the mantas gliding gracefully through the water with their mouths open, feeding on plankton. After this, you can enjoy a second dive at Batu Balong, a massive underwater rock with pinnacles and rifts surrounded by grey reef and white tip sharks, giant trevallies and emperor fish. The coral garden on its top can also be enjoyed by snorkelers, who have a good chance of seeing the larger fish. In the late afternoon, relax on a quiet sandy beach or hike up the grassy hill behind for panoramic views across the islands. Then settle into the comfortable bean bags and relax on the beach while the crew mix you up a cocktail and build a giant bonfire before heading back to the boat for a hearty supper.
Day 3 – Mayan & Kode
Mayan and Kode’s superb reef is teeming with turtles and can be appreciated by divers and snorkelers alike. Mauan harbours a sporadic manta ray cleaning station, where the animals congregate to have cleaner fish remove parasites and other organisms from their skin. You may prefer to explore this incredible place by kayak, relax on deck or a deserted beach, or try your hand at wakeboarding. In the evening, you will have the chance to have the day beds made up with blankets so you can fall asleep under the stars.
Day 4 – BBQ and Sunset Cocktails on a Secret Beach
Today you can be as lazy or as active as you like. A climb up Padar’s verdant slopes will give you spectacular views across the park landscape and the island’s four bays, fringed with grey or white sand. Resident wildlife includes sea eagles, deer and goats. Successful anglers will be rewarded with melt-in-the-mouth sashimi or ceviche prepared by the chef. If you prefer to explore beneath the surface, Pillarsteen has four large pinnacles covered in soft corals, as well as canyons, caves, swim-throughs and chimneys. Watch out for the brightly coloured red and purple fire urchins. As the sun begins to disappear over the horizon, catch the tender to a secret beach for refreshing cocktails and a BBQ.
Day 5 – Pink Beach (Pantai Merah)
You will sail for a couple of hours in the morning to Pink Beach, where the sand has a soft pink hue, tinged by the high quantity of organ pipe coral growing on the surrounding reefs, which breaks off and washes up on shore. Enjoy freshly-caught fish for lunch and then snorkel or dive, looking out for macro sea life such as blue-ribbon eels and crocodile fish. A night dive here is world-class, full of colourful basket stars, bobtail squid and Spanish dancers. You will spend the night anchored at Pink Beach.
Day 6 – Tropical Birds
Take a leisurely walk along the beach and discover the local tropical birds, keeping your eyes peeled for orange-footed scrubfowl, helmeted friarbirds and the critically endangered lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo. Enjoy a BBQ on the beach for lunch, cooking up freshly caught fish. If you are still raring to go, the crew will be happy to oblige, with opportunities to snorkel, dive, hike, kayak, waterski or fish.
Day 7 – Crystal Rock & Castle Rock
Crystal Rock and Castle Rock are only 300m apart yet both are superb dive sites in their own right. The two submerged pinnacles are also accessible for snorkelers, offering the chance to see eagle rays, white tip, black tip and grey reef sharks, huge schools of snappers and fusiliers, batfish and Napoleon wrasse. Enjoy a cool beer or a freshly made lemon and soda before your final supper on board, a traditional Indonesian feast comprised of many small dishes with bold flavours, sweet or spicy sauces and plenty of rice. You will follow this with an overnight sail to Labuan Bajo.
Day 8 – Labuan Bajo
After breakfast, you will pack and prepare to disembark, returning to the airport by boat and car or staying to explore the area further.
