Oversized monitor lizards, these carnivorous, other-worldly beings are truly amazing. And they’re endemic to the island of Komodo, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO about thirty years ago. Since 2021 experts believe they’re headed towards extinction, so Komodo dragons are now considered an endangered species.

Easily the largest lizard on earth, Komodo Dragons can grow up to 10 feet, yet no one knows exactly why. Some theorize it’s due to the biological effect known as Island Gigantism: no other carnivorous animals fill the niche on the islands where they live. Others say they’re a relict of prehistoric lizards from Australia, most of which died out after the Pleistocene era, due to human activity.

Yet almost everyone agrees: there’s nothing on the planet like them.

Indonesian islands form an intricate coastline that’s the fourth longest in the world. Being so extensive, it’s characterized by coral reefs, deposits from volcanoes, and rich marine biodiversity.

The islands we visit make up the driest climate in the country. The combination of effects create a rare form of beach: relatively dry, surrounded with endemic plants and cliffs that create visual privacy.

Coral reefs form simple white or yellow sand beaches. Wave action in the waters is largely generated by local winds, which are gentle in the equatorial zone – perfect for swimming and snorkeling.

With a habitat ranging from Africa to Southeast Asia and Australia, these creatures – with faces that look like foxes – are the largest bats on earth. Think: Six foot wingspans… yet that’s not all that keeps them from being average flying bats.

Living in large colonies, these “megabats” use sight, rather than echo-location, to navigate. And, they have an excellent sense of smell. It’s phenomenal to see them head out at night, searching for fruit – their dietary staple.

They’ve evolved to thermo-regulate, as the trees get really hot at times. Sometimes you can even see them during the day, roosting in large numbers, flapping their wings.

Although it makes up less than 2% of Earth’s oceans, the Coral Triangle encapsulates 75% of all known coral species in the world.

There’s seven species of marine turtles on our planet – and six of them are found in the Coral Triangle. Imagine a place with a staggering biodiversity that includes peacefully-gliding manta rays, the world’s largest extent of mangroves, over 3,000 different species of reef fish, and 500 species of reef-building corals.

Nothing short of spectacular.

Flores is in the country of Indonesia. Indonesia is an amazing nation, boasting about 17,000 islands. You’ve probably heard of some – like Bali, Sumatra, and Java. The island of Flores is 700 kilometers from Bali.

Of course, that depends upon where your travel is originating. A range of flight times (including transits) are listed below, if flying into Bali:
– Western Europe,15 – 18 hours
– USA, 21 – 27 hours
– East Asia, 2 – 5 hours
– Australia, 3 – 6 hours
– From Bali (airport code DPS), Labuan Bajo (airport code LBJ) is an additional 45 minute plane ride to the east.

There are many ways to fly in to the country of Indonesia, for example through islands like Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, or Bali. We recommend Bali for several reasons: it’s very proficient in handling travelers arriving from all over the world, it’s got great proximity to the island of Flores, and it has several daily flight departures between the two islands. Moreover, a lot of people like to spend some time in Bali, too – see “WHAT ABOUT ADD-ON EXTENSIONS?” under Booking Logistics. A roundtrip flight from Bali to Flores is fairly cheap.

Once you land in Flores, we’ll meet you at the airport and transfer you directly to your hotel, one day before the ship sails.

The next day, you can either go to the dock in Labuan Bajo and meet us there, at the boat. Or, let us pick you up from your hotel – your choice.

We request that all travelers come in the day before our departure, and stay in a Labuan Bajo hotel. Recommendations for hotels are sent in our pre-departure materials.

We offer a mix of local dishes and Western meals. Local dishes are mostly noodle and rice-based, with vegetables and meat or fish. It’s a good opportunity to try new foods and new flavors – think coconut milk, tofu and tempe, peanut sauces, and even hot chilis, if you desire. Western foods are European or American-based. We provide three meals a day, and there’s always enough food for everyone. Plus, you can expect fresh Juice-of-the-Day, and island fruits available, all the time. Also coffee, tea, and water. Forget about junk food: imagine eating healthy, delicious, fresh food, for the entire time you’re on the boat!

Don’t forget that we also include alcoholic drinks, so you may enjoy beer, wine, or cocktails as you like.
While we can’t cater to specific diets, should you have certain food preferences or needs, we’re happy to try and accommodate such.

• Not much. We’ve aimed to make things all-inclusive on the boat.
• You’ll come in one day before the ship sails. Most hotels in town will range from US$40 – $80 for the night.
• If you want to pick up a souvenir (like a carved Komodo dragon sculpture), or buy various sundries in the town of Labuan Bajo on your first night pre-sail, you should budget for that. Most people would have a hard time spending more than $30 or $40 for such, but obviously there are more expensive works of art that can be had, too.
• The only other thing to anticipate as a cost is tips. This single act is a most appropriate and personal way to show your thanks to the local men working on the ship. The crew work hard to make sure you have the best possible experience, and tipping is most appreciated by them.

• 1 – Upper Deck Cabin with 1 double bed (can have an additional single mattress on floor)
• 2 – Lower Deck Cabins with 1 double bed and 1 single bed
• 2 – Lower Deck Cabins with 2 single beds

All cabins have private bathrooms equipped with toilets, sinks, and hot water showers.

• Cell reception varies like on any body of water. Overall, the country has a very strong telecommunications network. You may want to arrange an international calling plan that best suits your needs, with your cell phone provider before you leave. Alternatively, you can buy a SIM card in Indonesia (they’re cheap and easy to obtain), and use a local number for calls.
• The boat is equipped with Wifi. Although internet access can occasionally go down in this part of the world, it usually comes back up rather quickly. Having said that, there is one particularly isolated spot on our trips where we will lose reception for about a day.