Gandiva
Gandiva Phinisi
From the arrivals hall to the first dusk on board
Updated 3 November 2026
Komodo honeymoon arrival is simple: fly into Labuan Bajo, whose airport is a short drive (2 to 3 km) from the pier, and sleep ashore the night before. The harbour transfer to Gandiva is in the fare, we confirm the pick-up in writing, and on the last day you book flights after 14:00.
Landing at Labuan Bajo: the airport is ten minutes from the pier
Komodo International Airport (LBJ) lies a short hop, 2 to 3 km, from the harbour. By car that is about ten minutes, which is the shortest transfer of the whole trip. Connections run through Bali, Jakarta or Surabaya, and the table gives the flight times we found.
Those times are indicative. Airlines change their schedules, so check the airline before you book. A direct flight from Bali is a little over an hour, which leaves the rest of the day free if you land in the morning.
You do not need to find a taxi. The harbour transfer from the airport or your hotel is in the fare, and we send the pick-up details in writing before you fly.
| Airport | Komodo International Airport, code LBJ |
|---|---|
| Usual connections | Bali (DPS), Jakarta (CGK) or Surabaya (SUB); Lombok and Kupang are smaller feeders |
| Flight time to Labuan Bajo | From Bali about 1 h 10 min to 1 h 20 min; from Surabaya about 1 h 30 min; from Jakarta 2 h 30 min to 3 h; from Lombok about 1 h |
| Airlines | Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Citilink and Indonesia AirAsia from Bali and Jakarta; Super Air Jet from Surabaya; Wings Air on the shorter island routes. Schedules change, so check before you book. |
| Airport to the harbour | 2 to 3 km, about 10 minutes by car |
Checked 11 October 2026
The buffer evening ahead of boarding
Land the day before you sail, and sleep ashore. A late or cancelled flight then costs you an evening and nothing else. The hotels page lists places we know, and we confirm the address for the pick-up once you have chosen.
Use the evening like a photographer's prep night. Charge every battery. Empty the memory cards onto a drive. Put the passport and the arrival-card confirmation in the small bag you will carry on board. Take cash out in town, because there is no machine on the water.
Eat early and walk down to the harbour while the light is low. You will see the pier you board from, and the morning will feel familiar.
Pick-up, the pier and the cabin keys
On the morning, a vehicle collects you from the hotel and takes you to the pier. The pickup time is confirmed in writing when you book. On a private charter the boarding time can be set around your flight.
The harbour checks every name against the boat's manifest, so carry your original passport. Then you step aboard and go to your cabin. An arrival gift for the cabin, flowers or a cake, is a service on request, quoted in writing before it is added. The boat's own cabin photographs show towels folded into swans on the beds.
- Shot 1. The kerb outside arrivals, bags at your feet, before the heat builds.
- Shot 2. The pier, with the hull behind you and the masts in line.
- Shot 3. The cabin door, open, with the bed made.
- Shot 4. The deck rail as the engine starts and the harbour slips back.
The first evening on board, before the bats leave
On the three-day route the first day calls at Kelor, Manjarite and Kalong. Kalong is the evening stop, where the flying foxes leave their island as the light drops. Sunset there falls at 17:57 in July and at 18:01 in November.
Be on deck twenty minutes before the time for your month, with a drink in hand and the camera already set. The sails and the masts catch the last colour first, and the bats come after. We cannot promise the sky, only the place to stand.
Light check. Stand so that the sails sit between you and the last of the sun, and let them take the glow. Bring a thin layer, because the air cools fast after sunset.
Your last day: flights after the early afternoon
On the last day Gandiva is back in Labuan Bajo at a time we confirm in writing. The captain sets it by weather and tide, so it is not a fixed hour. Book flights after 14:00 that day. On the three-day route the morning holds Sebayur and Kanawa before the run in.
A flight earlier than that does not fit the open trip, whose finish follows the route. On a private charter we can set the boarding and the finish times around your flights, so tell us the flight before you book it.
If you want a night ashore at the end, book the hotel for the last evening and not the first. The transfer from the pier to the hotel is in the same fare.
FAQ
How late can we book our flight home on the final day?
Book it after 14:00. Gandiva is back in Labuan Bajo at a time we confirm in writing, and the captain sets it by weather and tide. On a private charter we can build the last morning around your flight if you tell us before you book.
Who collects us, and from where?
The ride to the harbour, from the airport or from your hotel in town, is covered by the fare. We confirm the pickup time in writing when you book. On a private charter the boarding time can be set around your flight.
Can we have a private HiAce van instead of the shared transfer?
Yes, as an upgrade on request. A Toyota HiAce seats as many as 12, and a larger coach can be added. Each is priced in writing first; the fare stays as it is until you accept the quote.
What is the flying time from Bali to Labuan Bajo?
Surabaya is about 1 h 30 min away by air, Jakarta takes between 2 h 30 min and 3 h, and Bali is little more than an hour. These are indicative block times, so check the airline for the day you travel.
Check availability — Gandiva
Gandiva sails with its own crew; Komodo Explorer is the booking partner and answers for your reservation.