Komodo sailing trip as a solo traveller: how a shared boat works

Alone, you book a bed, not a cabin. On Bombana 1 the lowest fare is Sharing Cabin 4, with four single beds, at IDR 2,950,000 (≈ USD 181) per person. Sharing Cabin 3, a double bed and a single, is IDR 3,100,000 (≈ USD 190). On Bombana 2 the main-deck sharing cabin sleeps four and costs IDR 4,250,000 (≈ USD 261), while the lower-deck one, a queen bed and a single, is IDR 4,250,000 (≈ USD 261).

Every fare is for the 3-day, 2-night open trip, leaving on Monday & Friday. The park ticket is not in it. We don't publish a single supplement or a solo rate, so the fare you see is the fare for your bed.

A private cabin works differently. On the open trip it needs at least 2 guests, so one traveller can't book it alone. That's a limit, and you should know it before you pick a date. The cabins page shows every bed plan.

A shared boat works when you know who is on it. Put these three questions in your first message.

• Who else is on my date? We tell you how many guests have booked and which cabins are taken. Seats are confirmed by message, not by a counter on the site.
• How is my cabin shared? Sharing cabins are shared with other guests exactly as listed. We arrange sharing cabins with you at booking, so tell us what matters to you.
• Where do we meet? Open trip guests are at the Labuan Bajo meeting point by 10:00 on day 1. We confirm the exact spot with your date.

Add the boat you're leaning towards. If you can't decide, the comparison page sets the two side by side.

Land in Labuan Bajo the day before if you can. Pickup from your hotel or the airport inside the city area is free, and on the open trip you're at the meeting point by 10:00. That is the one fixed time on day 1.

These boats are small. Bombana 2 takes up to 13 guests and Bombana 1 up to 15. Sit down to lunch on the first day and you share a table with the whole boat, and by the time the bats leave Kalong at sunset you know most of the names.

Day 2 opens with the Padar climb before sunrise. Everybody is up at the same hour and worn out in the same way. The open trip includes a guide, and a park ranger leads the Komodo Island walk, so you're never on a trail by yourself.

Life jackets are on board. Bombana 2 also lists a radio, AIS, GPS, a handheld radio and a compass, with 30 life jackets and 4 ring buoys.

At sea the guide and crew run the day, and on land you walk with a ranger. Signal is patchy between the islands. Tell someone at home the date you sail and the date you're back in Labuan Bajo. For a woman travelling alone there is a page of its own, with the questions people ask us most. You can also message the team on WhatsApp at any point before you sail.

You carry less on a small boat, and a soft bag fits a cabin better than a hard case. For one person this covers it:

• Closed shoes with grip, for Kelor, Padar and the Komodo Island trail
• A head torch for the Padar climb before sunrise
• Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and swimwear
• Passport or ID, and the park ticket in your own name
• Cash for tips, because there are no cash machines on the islands
• Your own fins if you want them, as masks are on board and fins aren't promised

Short list, no surprises. The full version lives in the packing guide. Not sure the three days suit you? Read whether three days is worth it before you choose a date.