Gandiva
Gandiva Phinisi
Five frames, three days, and the sun placed at every stop
Updated 3 November 2026
This Komodo 3 days 2 nights itinerary for couples on a private phinisi takes Gandiva from Labuan Bajo to Kelor and Kalong, up Padar, then on to Komodo Island, Manta Point and Kanawa. A couple pays 2 x IDR 11,500,000 (≈ USD 706) for Arjuna on the open trip, or IDR 100,000,000 (≈ USD 6,135) for the whole boat.
Shot list: three days, sun placed at every stop
A shot list says where to stand and when. This one fits the three-day route into five frames, each with its light. Wind, tide and park rules tell the captain which stop comes next; the sky keeps its own timetable.
- Shot 1, Kelor, late afternoon. A short steep climb, in late sun, with the harbour behind you.
- Shot 2, Kalong, dusk. In July the sun sets at 17:57. Fruit bats leave the mangroves; the sails go gold at the edges.
- Shot 3, Padar, sunrise. A head torch for the climb, and the sun rises at 06:18 in July, with first light about half an hour earlier.
- Shot 4, Taka Makassar, a sandbar. Visited when the water level allows, in high light, with a hat.
- Shot 5, Kanawa, the last swim. One more swim before the pier, in the soft light of the third morning.
Pink Beach, Komodo Island with a ranger, Manta Point and Sebayur fall between these frames. Enjoy them; they don't need planning.
Day 1
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Harbour transfer in Labuan Bajo; the pickup time is set in writing when you book | passport or ID | |
| On board, cabin keys and a safety talk | ||
| Lunch at the table on deck | ||
| Kelor: a short steep climb, then a swim off the beach | shoes with grip, water | |
| Manjarite reef, snorkel from the tender | mask and fins | |
| Kalong at dusk, when the fruit bats leave the mangroves | a light layer | |
| Dinner on board | ||
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat anchors for the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | |
Day 2
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast before the first landing | ||
| Padar ridge at first light | shoes with grip, a head torch, water | |
| Pink Beach: swim and snorkel off the sand | reef-safe sunscreen | |
| Komodo Island walk with a park ranger | closed shoes, park ticket | |
| Taka Makassar sandbar, water level permitting Tide | hat, water, mask | |
| Manta Point drift snorkel; mantas are never guaranteed Tide | mask and fins | |
| Dinner on board | ||
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat anchors for the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | |
Day 3
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast before the first landing | ||
| Sebayur reef | mask and fins | |
| Kanawa: last swim before the harbour | mask and fins | |
| Back in Labuan Bajo on day 3; the time is confirmed in writing |
These stops swap order with tide and wind: Manta Point ⇄ Taka Makassar.
Times are a plan, not a timetable. The pickup time is the one we confirm in writing; the captain sets the order of stops.
Day one, Kelor to the mangroves: three frames
Three frames fit into the first afternoon. You are collected at the harbour in Labuan Bajo at a time we confirm in writing, taken aboard, given your cabin keys and a safety talk, and fed lunch at the table on deck. Then she casts off.
Kelor is the first landing. The climb is short and steep, so wear soles that grip and bring a drink. From the top you look back over the harbour; the swim off the beach afterwards is your reward. Manjarite follows, a reef you snorkel from the tender.
The third frame is the one we build the whole trip around. At Kalong the fruit bats leave the mangroves in the minutes before sunset, and they cross the sky above the boat. Stand on the upper deck, or on the balcony if you hold Arjuna, and keep the sails in the picture.
Dinner is on board. Where the boat lies overnight is the captain's choice, made that day with the weather.
Day two starts on Padar with a head torch
Day two is long, and it starts before breakfast. The landing at Padar is timed to put you on the ridge as the first light comes, which means the climb itself is in the dark. Take a head torch, shoes with grip and a litre of water.
Breakfast waits on board after the ridge, and then the day opens up. Pink Beach comes next, with a swim and a snorkel off the sand. Komodo Island follows on foot, with a ranger at your side. A dragon on the trail is possible and never promised.
Taka Makassar is the sandbar, visited when the water level allows. Manta Point is the last stop on the day's list, a drift snorkel in the current. Mantas are never guaranteed, and the captain may skip the stop if the current is wrong.
Dinner is on board again. After a day of climbing, walking, swimming and drifting, Arjuna's bathtub looks like the best decision you made.
The park ticket is its own line on the bill, and the drone fee is separate.
Day three: Sebayur, Kanawa and the road back to the pier
Your last morning moves slowly. After breakfast you snorkel the reef at Sebayur, then swim once more at Kanawa before the harbour. Nothing to climb, and no hurry.
Back in Labuan Bajo you arrive at a time we confirm in writing, because wind and tide set it. If you have a flight that day, book it for after 14:00. On a private charter we can arrange boarding and finishing times around your flights; an open sailing keeps to the boat's own timetable.
Spend the last hour sorting. Pack the camera cards in the order you shot them and ask the crew for any place names you've forgotten; the frames that matter are easier to find now than in a week.
The harbour transfer is in the fare. We recommend sleeping one more night in Labuan Bajo before a long flight home.
Arjuna for two, set against the full hull
You can buy these three days in two ways. On the open trip, two of you in Arjuna pay 2 x IDR 11,500,000 (≈ USD 706), and that fare already holds the guide and the filming. Sailings leave on Monday & Friday, and a cabin sells to two.
A private charter hands you every deck for IDR 100,000,000 (≈ USD 6,135), if you are one to four guests. It carries no guide and no documentation: both are quoted separately on request. The frames are yours to choose, and the camera is yours unless you add a photographer.
The tables below set the seat fares beside the charter row. For two, the seats are cheaper: two guests on the charter pay IDR 50,000,000 (≈ USD 3,067) each, because the per-person column in the first table divides each band by its largest party (4, 8 or 12). What the charter buys is the timetable, the decks and the lounge with no other party, plus a start date of your choosing.
What you trade is company. Open-trip guests share the deck with you, and who they are is not ours to pick. If a quiet table matters more than the saving, charter the boat.
| Guests | per boat | per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | IDR 100,000,000 (≈ USD 6,135) | IDR 25,000,000 |
| 5–8 | IDR 105,000,000 (≈ USD 6,442) | IDR 13,120,000 |
| 9–12 | IDR 110,000,000 (≈ USD 6,748) | IDR 9,170,000 |
| Cabins | Deck | per person |
|---|---|---|
| Arjuna Cabin | Upper deck | IDR 11,500,000 (≈ USD 706) |
| Nakula Cabin | Upper deck | IDR 10,000,000 (≈ USD 613) |
| Sadewa Cabin | Upper deck | IDR 10,000,000 (≈ USD 613) |
| Bima Cabin | Lower deck | IDR 9,000,000 (≈ USD 552) |
| Yudhistira Cabin | Lower deck | IDR 9,000,000 (≈ USD 552) |
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Open trips sail on Mondays and Fridays. Some of those dates go to private charters, so the calendar shows only what is open. Next departures: 6 November 2026, 9 November 2026, 13 November 2026, 16 November 2026
Checked 3 November 2026
Sums for a pair, a foursome and a sextet
A pair pays IDR 50,000,000 (≈ USD 3,067) each if they charter the boat, or IDR 11,500,000 (≈ USD 706) each for Arjuna on the open trip. The seats win easily, guide included.
A foursome splits the charter into IDR 25,000,000 (≈ USD 1,534) each. On the open trip two couples can take Arjuna and Nakula, paying two seats at IDR 11,500,000 (≈ USD 706) and two at IDR 10,000,000 (≈ USD 613). Add those up and the seats still come out lower.
A sextet of three couples pays IDR 17,500,000 (≈ USD 1,074) each on a charter in the five-to-eight band, which is IDR 105,000,000 (≈ USD 6,442) for the boat. Two seats each in Arjuna, Nakula and Sadewa still add up to less than the charter.
Set that saving against sharing the boat and losing control of the timetable. The table gives the per-head division for parties of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12.
We confirm the figure for your own date in writing before you pay, and we add the park ticket as its own line.
| Group size | 2D1N | 3D2N | 4D3N |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | IDR 40,000,000 | IDR 50,000,000 | IDR 60,000,000 |
| 4 | IDR 20,000,000 | IDR 25,000,000 | IDR 30,000,000 |
| 6 | IDR 14,170,000 | IDR 17,500,000 | IDR 21,670,000 |
| 8 | IDR 10,620,000 | IDR 13,120,000 | IDR 16,250,000 |
| 10 | IDR 9,000,000 | IDR 11,000,000 | IDR 14,000,000 |
| 12 | IDR 7,500,000 | IDR 9,170,000 | IDR 11,670,000 |
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per person · Whole boat ÷ group size
FAQ
Does the 3D2N trip start and end in Labuan Bajo?
Yes. Gandiva starts and ends in Labuan Bajo. The routes are 2D1N, 3D2N and 4D3N, and the open trip is 3D2N. The harbour transfer is in the fare, and we confirm the pickup time in writing when you book.
Can the trip end at a different port, as a one-way crossing?
No. Gandiva sails round trips that start and end in Labuan Bajo, and her price list does not hold a Lombok crossing. If you need a one-way crossing, ask and we'll tell you straight if we can help.
Which trip lengths can I choose, and where do they start?
Private charters run 2D1N, 3D2N and 4D3N, all from Labuan Bajo. The open trip runs only as 3D2N, on Mondays and Fridays. Longer private charters of five to eight days are on the same price list; ask us.
Check availability — Gandiva
Gandiva sails with its own crew; Komodo Explorer is the booking partner and answers for your reservation.