Questions before you book
Booking, money, what is on the boat, and when to come. Where the answer is "it depends", we say what it depends on rather than dressing it up.
Three things worth knowing first
Charters are priced per boat, not per person. Every figure on this site is for the whole vessel with crew.
Wildlife is seasonal and never guaranteed — mantas, whale sharks and turtles are likely in the right window, not promised. And the dry season, May to October, is when the water does what the photographs suggest.
- May–Oct
- Prime season
- 24–48
- Hours to a quote
- 3
- Nights, Komodo minimum
How does booking a Lombok yacht charter work?
You send preferred dates, a route, group size and rough budget. We propose suitable yachts with an indicative breakdown. Once you pick a vessel you get a contract and pro-forma invoice, pay a deposit to hold the yacht, and settle the balance before departure.
Is pricing per person or per boat?
Per boat. A day charter at USD 1,330 costs the same for two guests as for fourteen, which is why chartering starts to beat per-person tours once your group reaches about four.
What is the minimum for a Lombok to Komodo trip?
Three nights is the realistic floor, and 4D3N is the practical sweet spot. It gives time for island hopping, the dragons and snorkelling at Pink Beach without rushing the overnight passages.
How far ahead should we book?
Three to nine months for July to September and major holidays, particularly for Komodo crossings where park slots and cabin layouts both go early. Day charters can often be arranged with a few days' notice outside peak weeks.
What is included in the price?
Vessel, licensed crew and chef, standard meals, water, coffee and tea, snorkelling gear, tender, and fuel for the agreed route. Park fees, diving, specialist guides and alcohol beyond the soft drinks are itemised separately.
Can we book for a future season?
Yes, including advance holds for 2027. Start from a route template, receive a tailored proposal, then confirm with a deposit. Balance terms and cancellation conditions are written into the agreement.
What are the cabins like?
On multi-day charters, every guest cabin is ensuite and air-conditioned with a private bathroom, hot shower and daily housekeeping. Layouts run from lower-deck doubles to upper-deck master suites with sea-view windows, and many yachts carry flexible family cabins sleeping three or four.
Who is on the crew?
Captain, deck crew and chef as standard, with a cruise director on longer voyages. Superyachts run a higher crew-to-guest ratio. All are licensed crewed-vessel operators, not freelance skippers.
What about food and dietary requirements?
Meals are cooked on board and the menu is built around your group, including dietary restrictions, using regional produce from Lombok, Labuan Bajo or along the route. Tell us at proposal stage rather than on the day.
Can you accommodate older guests or limited mobility?
Yes. We choose stable hulls, main-deck master cabins with ensuite bathrooms, shaded lounges and easy staircases, and schedule cruising legs for early morning and late afternoon so nobody is moving in midday heat.
Is there an open bar?
Soft drinks, water, coffee and tea are included. An open bar covering local beer, house wine and basic cocktails can be added, or the charter run dry on request.
What water toys are on board?
Snorkelling gear and a tender on every charter. Paddleboards on most, with kayaks and fishing gear on longer Sumbawa and Komodo routes. Diving is arranged with licensed guides and quoted separately.
When is the best time to charter?
May to October. The southeast trades bring settled seas, low rainfall and twenty to thirty metres of visibility around the Gilis and Sekotong Bay. July and August are the peak and book furthest ahead.
What happens in the wet season?
November to March brings the northwest monsoon, more variable wind and occasional squalls across the Lombok Strait. Charters still run, but itineraries shift toward sheltered bays and shorter hops rather than long open crossings.
Will we see mantas, whale sharks or turtles?
Turtles at Gili Meno are close to reliable year-round. Mantas at Manta Point and whale sharks in Saleh Bay are seasonal and genuinely never guaranteed — any operator promising them is overselling.
Are Komodo dragons guaranteed?
Dragon walks on Komodo or Rinca are ranger-led and part of the standard park itinerary, so sightings are near certain. That is the one wildlife encounter on these routes we are comfortable being confident about.
What if the weather turns during our charter?
The captain re-orders the itinerary around it — that is one of the advantages of a private boat over a fixed schedule. Safety decisions sit with the captain, and we would rather move a stop than push into conditions that spoil the day.
Ask the one that is not here
Most questions are easier answered by a person than a page. Message us and you will be talking to someone who plans these routes, not a form.
Start planning