Boots in the morning, a snorkel in the afternoon, a paddle board at anchor

Three walks sit in three days, and two afternoons are mostly water. Day one has lunch on deck, then Kelor, a short, steep climb to a view over the bay, followed by the Manjarite reef from the tender. The afternoon at the reef ends with Kalong at dusk.

Day two is the full one. Padar at first light comes first. A swim and snorkel come at Pink Beach, with the Komodo walk led by a ranger, before an afternoon at Taka Makassar and Manta Point. Day three is gentle: Sebayur reef, Kanawa for the last swim, then the harbour.

The captain decides the sequence by wind, tide and park rules, and the sandbar and the drift can swap places with the current. We state the sample route, not a promise of every stop. The three-day itinerary page gives the walking and reef stops day by day.

On 3D2N the hills are Kelor and Padar, and the trail with a ranger is Komodo. On 4D3N a third hill joins, Gili Lawa Darat, and a second ranger walk, Rinca. That makes three hills and a ranger trail on the longer route, which is the one the price at the end uses.

Kelor is 15 to 30 minutes of steep, dry path. Padar asks 25 to 45 minutes on loose ground to reach its main viewpoint. Set off about an hour ahead of the sun, head torch on. Padar has no dragons and is not a beach stop. It is a ridge.

On Komodo a ranger leads every walk, and the trails run short, medium and long. Sightings are never promised, because the dragons are wild. There is little shade, so closed shoes, sunscreen and water are the kit. The ticket is a separate line on your quote.

Three snorkel stops carry the afternoons. Manjarite is a reef you reach from the tender. At Taka Makassar the sand is a crescent ringed by reef, and low tide decides whether you see it. Shade is minimal, so a hat and reef-safe sunscreen matter.

Manta Point is a drift: the tender drops you up-current and you float along the reef. The current can be strong, snorkelling is guided, and the stop suits confident swimmers. A life jacket is advised, and the vest stays on if you are not sure. Mantas are never guaranteed; tide and current decide, and the sandbar and the drift can swap places.

Pink Beach and Kanawa are the easy ones. Reef lies near the shore in shallow water, which suits a weary party at the end of a long day.

Gandiva carries stand-up paddle boards and a canoe, and snorkelling gear is in the fare. They are used at anchor, in calm water, when the captain says the anchorage allows it. A paddle board at first light in a still bay is the quietest frame of the trip, and the canoe suits a couple who would rather sit than stand.

Pink Beach is the natural stop to try the boards. Life jackets are on board, 30 of them, and we ask you to wear one on the water. Wind decides the rest: a breeze that is fine for a deck is too much for a board.

There is no kayak, no jet ski and no dive equipment on board.

A fit party packs light and well. The packing tips are short: trekking shoes, a small backpack, cash for emergencies, any medicine you need, and a flash drive or hard disk. From us: a head torch for Padar, closed shoes for Komodo, a hat, sunscreen that is safe for reef, and water.

Gandiva is set up for snorkelling. Snorkelling gear is in the fare, and no diving equipment is listed on board. If you are a certified diver, ask us before you plan around diving. Scuba divers need dive insurance, which the fare does not hold.

Light check. The morning sun is low and the ground is dry, so the first walk of the day is the cool one. Wear a layer for the early start and take it off by the top. Bring a dry bag for the tender.