Elbark Cruises
Elbark Cruises
The party where some dive and some do not, on a trip with no diving in it
Updated 27 October 2026
A Komodo party of divers and snorkellers can share one boat on Elbark Cruises for the snorkelling, the walks and the nine cabins, but diving is not part of the trip. Four days for 1 to 10 guests is IDR 170,000,000 (≈ USD 10,429), up to 18 guests in all, and any dive is a separate booking.
Snorkelling kit stays on board
The private charter includes snorkelling gear, a paddleboard and a canoe. That is the water kit of the boat, and it is the same list for the open trip. Movie and karaoke entertainment is included too, for the evenings.
For snorkellers the route has four good places to get in, counting Sebayur and Siaba as one, since the boat uses only one of them. That one comes first, whichever the wind allows. Taka Makassar has shallow reef around the sandbank. At Pink Beach the reef starts near the sand. Manta Point has a current, and the captain decides on the day who goes in.
The paddleboard and the canoe suit those in the party who want to be on the water without being under it. The tender, an aluminium boat with a Yamaha 40 HP engine, carries guests to beaches and back.
Diving is not part of the trip
Diving is not part of the trip on Elbark Cruises. The water kit we list is snorkelling gear, a paddleboard and a canoe, and we publish no dive programme and no dive price. We say so plainly. A party of divers deserves to hear it before the deposit.
That is no fault of the boat. It is built for cabins, long meals and slow days. Nothing more. A party for whom diving is the point of the trip will be happier on a trip planned around it.
What we can say is how the snorkelling works. The gear is on board, the stops are in the park, and the crew supervises the swim at Manta Point. For everything under the surface beyond that, a dive operator in Labuan Bajo is a separate booking. We neither price nor arrange it.
Twelve people, four days, three kinds of water-lover
Take a party of twelve: four who dive, five who snorkel and three who would rather stay dry. Six pairs fill six of the nine cabins. The boat is theirs. Four days, three nights.
The four-day sample runs as follows. Day one is Sebayur or Siaba, Taka Makassar, Manta Point and Padar. Day two is Pink Beach, Komodo Island, Pengah and Kalong, in the order the captain sets. Day three is Rinca and Manjarite. Day four is Kelor, and the boat returns around midday. You and the captain settle the final order, and our written confirmation comes ahead of payment.
The snorkellers get four stops with water in them. The walkers get Padar, Komodo, Rinca and Kelor, each with a path to suit them. Those who prefer to stay dry have the paddleboard, the canoe, the decks and the lounge. Everyone eats together. That is the point of one boat.
Day 1
| What happens | Sailing time | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:30 | Pickup from your hotel or any place in the Labuan Bajo city area | — | passport or ID |
| · | Sebayur or Siaba Island | — | mask and snorkel |
| · | Taka Makassar | — | mask and snorkel |
| · | Manta Point | — | mask and snorkel |
| · | Padar Island | — | shoes with grip, hat and water |
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat spends the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision that day. | ||
Day 2
| What happens | Sailing time | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Pink Beach | — | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Komodo Island | — | closed shoes, park ticket |
| · | Pengah Island | — | mask and snorkel |
| · | Kalong Island | — | a light layer |
| 🌙 | Night aboard | ||
Day 3
| What happens | Sailing time | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Rinca Island | — | closed shoes, hat and water |
| · | Manjarite | — | mask and snorkel |
| 🌙 | Night aboard | ||
Day 4
| What happens | Sailing time | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Kelor Island | — | shoes with grip, water |
| · | Back in Labuan Bajo around midday, then to your hotel, the airport or any place in the city area | — |
Stops that can swap places on the day: Manta Point ⇄ Taka Makassar.
Pickup at 08:30 on day 1 is the one fixed hour of an open trip; a private charter's pickup time is set with your date. Every other time on this page is a planning guide, and the captain sets the stop order on the day.
The sum for twelve over four days
The whole boat for four days and 1 to 10 guests is IDR 170,000,000 (≈ USD 10,429). Each of the two guests after the tenth adds IDR 5,500,000 (≈ USD 337). Twelve guests pay IDR 181,000,000 (≈ USD 11,104) for the boat, which is IDR 15,080,000 (≈ USD 925) each.
That figure covers the boat, the cabins, onboard meals, snacks and drinks, snorkelling gear, the paddleboard and the canoe, and the pickup and drop-off in the city area. It leaves out park tickets, a guide, a photographer, flights, travel insurance, alcohol and personal expenses. The dive operator's bill is a separate sum. It sits outside the boat price.
The divers in the party pay the same share as the rest for the boat. If that does not feel fair to them, the party can agree another split among themselves. Who dives makes no difference to the boat price, and we never ask.
| Group size | 2D1N | 3D2N | 4D3N | 5D4N | 6D5N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | IDR 60,000,000 | IDR 70,000,000 | IDR 85,000,000 | IDR 100,000,000 | IDR 115,000,000 |
| 4 | IDR 30,000,000 | IDR 35,000,000 | IDR 42,500,000 | IDR 50,000,000 | IDR 57,500,000 |
| 6 | IDR 20,000,000 | IDR 23,330,000 | IDR 28,330,000 | IDR 33,330,000 | IDR 38,330,000 |
| 8 | IDR 15,000,000 | IDR 17,500,000 | IDR 21,250,000 | IDR 25,000,000 | IDR 28,750,000 |
| 10 | IDR 12,000,000 | IDR 14,000,000 | IDR 17,000,000 | IDR 20,000,000 | IDR 23,000,000 |
| 12 | IDR 10,670,000 | IDR 12,420,000 | IDR 15,080,000 | IDR 17,670,000 | IDR 20,170,000 |
| 14 | IDR 9,710,000 | IDR 11,290,000 | IDR 13,710,000 | IDR 16,000,000 | IDR 18,140,000 |
| 16 | IDR 9,000,000 | IDR 10,440,000 | IDR 12,690,000 | IDR 14,750,000 | IDR 16,620,000 |
| 18 | IDR 8,440,000 | IDR 9,780,000 | IDR 11,890,000 | IDR 13,780,000 | IDR 15,440,000 |
Swipe for more
per person · Whole boat ÷ group size
How a party splits when some want to dive elsewhere
There are three ways to do it. The first is to book the dive days before or after the charter. The divers go out with an operator in Labuan Bajo, and the whole party meets on the boat for the days that suit everyone. The second is to let the divers sail as snorkellers. The third is to choose a trip planned around diving, which this one is not.
The third is the honest answer when diving is the reason for the trip. Ask yourselves what the party is for. If it is a family holiday with two keen divers, the first or second plan works well. If it is a dive trip with a few snorkellers, look elsewhere.
We do not sell diving and publish no dive price. Ask the operator about its guides, its equipment and the cover a diver needs, and carry the insurance that diving requires. Tell us the dates and we confirm the boat's days in writing, so that the operator can plan around them.
FAQ
Can you dive from the boat?
No. Diving is not part of the trip on Elbark Cruises, and we publish no dive programme and no dive price. The snorkelling gear, the paddleboard and the canoe are on board. A dive operator in Labuan Bajo is a separate booking.
Is diving in Komodo safe?
We offer no diving, so we cannot speak for any operator. Currents are strong in places, which is why snorkelling at Manta Point is supervised. If you dive, ask the operator about guides, equipment and training, and carry the insurance a diver needs.
Can beginners snorkel?
Yes, at most stops. Taka Makassar has shallow reef, and at Pink Beach the reef starts near the sand. Manta Point has a current, and the captain decides on the day who goes in. Snorkelling gear is on board, and a beginner can stay on the sand or aboard.
Why is diving in Komodo so expensive?
We do not sell diving, so we cannot explain an operator's price. Ask any operator what its price covers, such as guides, tanks and boat time, and compare like with like. None of it is in the boat price on this site.
Check availability for Elbark Cruises
Elbark Cruises is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia. We confirm your cabins, take the payment and arrange the pickup. The boat sails with its own crew.