"Incredible!! Such a highlight. This needs to be on your list to do. The cabins were nice with air con, the staff were amazing, food delicious and the activities were all very well planned so it was never too busy at a stop we did. It’s also great they have a photographer taking pictures, we were a little worried about this but they do it in a really great way so it’s not in your face at all and just working away in the background taking some very magical pictures. Highly highly recommend!"
Three Days · Two Nights · Ten Stops
Komodo Liveaboard 3D2N
The format the whole Komodo fleet is built around. Two nights buys the Padar sunrise, Manta Point at a workable tide, and margin against the weather.
From
$339
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.7 / 5 77+ Reviews
- 3 days Duration
- 10 Stops In Three Days
- Instant Confirmation
- Free Cancellation
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The Experience
What Two Nights Buys You
The 3D2N itinerary reaches eight to ten stops. A day trip reaches four to six.
Highlights
- Sleep two nights aboard a traditional Phinisi with air-conditioned cabins
- Reach Padar Island for sunrise, before the day boats arrive from Labuan Bajo
- Snorkel Manta Point, Taka Makassar, Kanawa Island and Pink Beach
- Walk Komodo Island with a park ranger to see dragons in the wild
- Watch the flying-fox exodus off Kalong Island at dusk
- Three cooked meals a day, snacks and free-flow coffee and tea on board
What's Included
- 3-day, 2-night sailing trip aboard a Phinisi boat
- Air-conditioned cabin accommodation
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on board
- Bilingual guide and an on-board photographer
- Return harbour transfers in Labuan Bajo
- Snorkelling equipment and life jackets
- Paddle board, canoe and beach towels
- Wi-Fi (satellite), speaker set and board games
The 3D2N Itinerary, Day by Day
Where the boat is, and why it is there, across three days.
Day 1 — Kelor, Manjarite, Kalong
Picked up in Labuan Bajo between 08:30 and 10:30 and sailing before lunch. A gentle first afternoon of swimming and snorkelling, then Kalong Island at dusk for the flying-fox exodus and dinner on deck.
Overnight — the reposition to Padar
The skipper moves the boat down to the Padar anchorage while you sleep. This is the whole reason the format exists, and it is also the roughest leg of the trip.
Day 2 — sunrise, dragons, mantas
Woken at 04:30 for the stepped climb to the Padar ridge at first light, then Pink Beach, the ranger-guided dragon walk on Komodo Island, and Manta Point when the current allows.
Day 3 — sandbars, then home
Taka Makassar, Siaba, Kanawa and Sebayur before the run back into Labuan Bajo, arriving early to mid-afternoon. Do not book a same-day flight out.
Photo Gallery
Three Days Across the Park
Padar, Pink Beach, Manta Point and the boats that reach them.
Three Cabin Tiers, One Itinerary
Every boat below sails broadly the same 3-day route. What separates them is the cabin — and the budget tier's rating is the honest reason it is cheapest.
| Feature | BEST RATED AC Private Cabin | Deluxe / VIP Ensuite | Basic Cabin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from (per person) | $339 | $767 | $304 |
| Guest rating | 4.7 from 77 reviews | 4.5 from 6 reviews | 3.9 from 161 reviews |
| Cabin | Private, air-conditioned | Private or shared, air-conditioned | Basic, no air conditioning guaranteed |
| Bathroom | Shared | Private ensuite in every cabin | Shared |
| Stops | 10 | 9 | 9–10 |
| Extras included | Bilingual guide, photographer, paddle board, canoe | Drone, GoPro and DSLR documentation | Guide, meals, transfers, travel insurance |
| Park fee | Extra — IDR 650,000 in cash | Extra — payable in advance | Extra — IDR 650,000–750,000 |
| Best for | Most first-time visitors | Travellers who want their own bathroom | Lowest possible 3-day price, eyes open |
| Check Dates | See VIP Boat | See Budget Boat |
Compare Boats
Komodo Liveaboards & Day Trips
Every boat below is bookable on GetYourGuide with live prices, free cancellation and verified guest ratings.
BEST RATED 3D2NLabuan Bajo: 3-Day Komodo Sailing Tour
MOST REVIEWEDLabuan Bajo: 2D1N Komodo & Pink Beach Shared Boat Tour
SHARED CABINLabuan Bajo: 3D2N Budget Komodo Liveaboard with Shared Cabin
ENSUITE CABINSLabuan Bajo: 3-Day Komodo Liveaboard Adventure with VIP Boat
PRIVATE CHARTERKomodo 2D1N Private Boat: Dragons, Padar & Pink Beach
DAY TRIPFrom Labuan Bajo: Komodo Island Day Tour with Snorkeling
The Core Format
Why 3D2N Is the Komodo Trip to Book
Two nights is not a luxury on this route. It is the minimum that makes the itinerary work.
Ask a Labuan Bajo operator which trip they actually run and the answer is three days and two nights. Every other format on the water is a variation on it: the two-day trip is 3D2N with a night removed, and the four-day products are 3D2N with a hotel bolted on either end. If you are visiting Komodo once, this is the one to book — and the reason is not comfort. It is arithmetic.
Two nights is the minimum the route needs
Komodo National Park’s stops are strung along fifty-odd kilometres of channel, and a wooden Phinisi does about eight knots. The itinerary only works if the boat is allowed to move at night.
Give it two nights and it can be below Kalong Island at dusk on day one, below Padar before dawn on day two, and at Manta Point at a workable tide the same morning — then still have a third morning for the far sandbars at Taka Makassar, Siaba and Kanawa. That is eight to ten stops. A day trip from Labuan Bajo manages four to six, because it spends two hours of each end of the day simply getting out and back.
Give it one night instead and the 2D1N format still reaches the Padar sunrise — that part is genuine — but it does so with no margin at all. Which brings us to the argument that actually matters.
The real case for the second night is the weather
Every operator on this site reserves the right to reorder or drop stops for weather, sea conditions or park regulations, and they all exercise it. The stop that goes first is almost always Manta Point, because it is a cleaning station in a channel with real current rather than a sheltered lagoon.
On a two-day trip, a dropped Manta Point session is simply gone — there is no second morning. On a three-day trip the skipper can try again the next day at a different tide. That single fact is worth more than any cabin upgrade, and it is invisible in a side-by-side price comparison.
What separates the boats at this length
Almost nothing about the itinerary, and almost everything about the cabin.
At the bottom, the 3-Day Komodo Island and Pink Beach Tour runs the full circuit from $304 on a basic boat — and carries the largest review base of any liveaboard here at an average below four stars. The complaints are about cabin heat and bathrooms, not the route. That is the honest budget tier.
In the middle, the 3D2N Budget Liveaboard with Shared Cabin at $292 is the shared-cabin option — a berth in a mixed-gender cabin, no single supplement, drone and GoPro documentation included, and the park fee payable in advance rather than in cash.
The boat this page features, the 3-Day Komodo Sailing Tour, sits just above at $339 with air-conditioned private cabins, a bilingual guide and an on-board photographer — and holds 4.7 across seventy-seven guests, the best rating-times-volume of any liveaboard in this catalogue. Our full breakdown of it lists exactly what is and is not included.
Above that, the VIP boat at $767 gives every cabin air conditioning and a private ensuite, and the Phinisi liveaboard sells three grades on one sailing. Both are on the luxury page.
What the price does not include
Two things, at every tier on this page.
Komodo National Park entry, ranger and conservation fees are collected by the park authority, not the operator, and sit in the exclusions of almost every listing. Budget roughly IDR 650,000–750,000 per foreign visitor and carry it in cash — the fees guide shows what each boat here actually charges.
A per-person fuel surcharge, on at least one boat, scaling with cabin grade from IDR 350,000 to IDR 750,000. Also in the exclusions. Add both before you compare two prices.
Before you book a 3D2N
The overnight reposition is the roughest part of the trip and every operator lists seasickness-prone travellers as unsuitable. Air conditioning runs off the generator, which many boats shut down for part of the night. And the boat returns to Labuan Bajo early to mid-afternoon on day three with delays routine — do not book a same-day flight out.
Ready to pick a date? The calendar above shows live departures for the best-rated three-day sailing, or read the buying guide to compare every boat we cover first. If you are still weighing the format itself, check availability and compare it against the alternatives below.
Guest Reviews
What 3D2N Guests Say
4.7/5
from 77 verified GetYourGuide guests
Ratings, review counts and prices are the tour operators' live figures on GetYourGuide and may shift day to day.
"It was an amazing experience, thanks to whole Nalareya crew. Always available and welcoming to e sure we had the best time aboard. Great planning and amazing food! Absolutely recommended!"
"It was a wonderful experience; the room was amazing. The activities even exceeded our expectations."
"We highly recommend taking a trip with Johanes (IG: @johanes6921), who was the leader of our tour, and @iphaank__, who created amazing content for us throughout the trip -beautiful underwater photos and videos, drone shots, and incredible footage from the trekking. Johanes is a very experienced guide, and you can see his professionalism every step of the way. We felt very safe with him during all of the activities. Even though all of us are good swimmers, Johanes always brought a lifebuoy with him while snorkeling, so we could take a little break whenever too much water got into our masks. 🙂 The same goes for our visit to Komodo Island. Johanes has extensive knowledge about the animals and knows exactly how to behave around them to make sure everyone stays safe. We felt completely taken care of throughout the whole experience. The food on the boat was also absolutely delicious! We chose the 3-day, 2-night trip, and we’re already thinking about coming back in the future."
"(August 3-5) We were very lucky with the weather, the team, and all the people with whom we spent 3 unforgettable days on the yacht! In a short time, we managed to become a large and close-knit international family! Guys from Indonesia, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Austria, it's really great to have you! Many thanks to the organizers and all the participants. Thanks to the guide Sandy, the ship's captain, the cooks, the photographer, and all the staff who helped us and took care of us. We didn't have to think about anything; all that was left was to enjoy Komodo! The best service! The coolest locations! We will definitely come back again! We recommend it to everyone! Nalareya forever!!!"
"The cruise was wonderful! Johanes and the entire crew were very kind and fantastic! The food was delicious and plentiful, from breakfast to snacks to dinner! The idea of having a photographer on board was brilliant. He took amazing photos and videos, and we didn't have to worry about bringing phones, etc., on the excursions, with the risk of getting them wet! All the highlights were well thought out, and we were able to snorkel in peace without crowds! In the evening, we also sang all together under the stars! Unforgettable :) Laura, Chiara, Francesca"
"We loved all the activities including snorkeling, trekking in Komodo National Park to see the dragons, hiking on Padar Island, watching flying foxes at sunset, and swimming with baby sharks. A huge highlight was our guide, Johanes, who was very knowledgeable about the places we visited, highly experienced, and fantastic at creating a fun, positive atmosphere for the whole group. Ipang, the photographer and videographer, went above and beyond to document the entire trip using a drone, camera, and GoPro for the underwater activities. We came away with amazing memories and footage. The food was also fantastic. The crew prepared a great variety of delicious Indonesian meals, including fresh fish and lobster. Our only suggestion would be to find a way to reduce the boat’s motor noise at night, although it was already noticeably quieter on the second night. Overall, a fantastic experience that we would definitely recommend!"
"We had three wonderful days in Komodo National Park with truly impressive experiences and moments. The natural scenery is breathtakingly beautiful. We saw turtles, manta rays, monitor lizards, flying foxes, baby sharks, and much more. The entire crew is exceptionally attentive and friendly. Sandi is a great tour guide. There was always a good atmosphere on board. Excellent 3 meals plus snacks. This tour is absolutely recommended – a 12/10. If you want a boat tour through Komodo National Park, then definitely choose this one!!!!"
Read all 77 verified reviews
See All ReviewsTen Stops, Two Nights, One Sunrise
The best-rated 3-day Komodo sailing on GetYourGuide — 4.7 across 77 guests, air-conditioned cabins, three meals a day and a bilingual guide. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Starting from $339 per person.
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3 Day 2 Night Komodo Liveaboard — FAQ
Costs, cabins, the sunrise climb and what happens when the weather moves.
From $292 per person for a shared cabin, $304–$339 for a basic or air-conditioned private cabin, and $767 per person for a VIP boat where every cabin has its own ensuite — or $855 per group of up to two on the graded Phinisi, about $428 a head for a couple. Komodo National Park entry, ranger and conservation fees are extra on almost every one — budget roughly IDR 650,000–750,000 per foreign visitor in cash. The prices page breaks each tier down.
Eight to ten, depending on the boat. A typical route runs Kelor, Manjarite and Kalong on day one; Padar at sunrise, Pink Beach, Komodo Island and Manta Point on day two; and Taka Makassar, Siaba, Kanawa and Sebayur on day three. A full-day speedboat trip from Labuan Bajo covers four to six of those.
For most people, yes — and the reason is margin rather than stops. Both formats reach Padar at sunrise. Only the three-day trip has a second morning, so when weather forces the skipper to drop Manta Point (the stop most often lost), it can be retried. On a 2D1N trip a dropped stop is simply gone.
You are usually woken between 04:30 and 05:00 and tendered ashore in the dark. The climb is a stepped trail of roughly 20–30 minutes to the main viewpoint. Wear closed shoes and bring a head torch or phone light — the trail is unlit.
It depends on the tier. The cheapest boats run fan-cooled or basic cabins; from around $339 you get air-conditioned private cabins; from $767 every cabin is air-conditioned with a private ensuite. On every tier the air conditioning runs off the boat's generator, and many boats shut the generator down for part of the night — so expect the cabin to warm up before dawn.
Yes. Shared-cabin trips are priced per berth with no single supplement, which is exactly what they exist for — the shared cabin page covers what that means in practice. Note that on some deluxe boats a private cabin is only allocated to bookings of two or more, so a solo traveller wanting a cabin alone needs a private charter.
You walk the ranger trails on Komodo or Rinca Island with a licensed park ranger who knows where the dragons usually rest, and sightings on those walks are common. They are wild animals in an unfenced national park, so no operator guarantees them. Touching or feeding is prohibited.
The skipper reorders or drops stops, and this is normal rather than exceptional — every listing reserves the right to do it for weather, sea conditions, operational requirements or park regulations. Manta Point goes first because it is a channel with real current. The third day is what gives a 3D2N trip a second chance at it.
It can be. The boat repositions under way while you sleep, wooden hulls transmit engine noise, and there is nowhere to get off. Every operator here lists travellers strongly prone to seasickness as unsuitable. Take tablets before you need them and choose a lower midship cabin if the option exists.
Not the same day. Boats return to port early to mid-afternoon on day three and delays on that final leg are routine in every season. Book the following morning at the earliest.
April to June and September to November give the most settled seas, which is what protects the itinerary. December to February is the most reliable manta window but also the wet season, when stops are most often dropped. July and August are dry, calm and fully booked. Detail in the seasons guide.
Almost universally: cabin accommodation for two nights, all meals plus water, coffee and tea, snorkelling gear and life jackets, a guide, and return transfers between your Labuan Bajo hotel or the airport and the harbour. Almost universally excluded: national park fees, alcohol, travel insurance, personal expenses and crew tips.
Still have questions? Email us at info@komodoliveaboardtours.com
Keep Exploring
Explore More
Every Komodo liveaboard format, every boat we cover, and the planning guides — in one place.
By Trip Type
Individual Boats
- 2-Night Komodo Liveaboard on a Phinisi Boat from Labuan Bajo
- 2D1N Komodo & Pink Beach Shared Boat Tour from Labuan Bajo
- 3-Day Komodo Island & Pink Beach Tour — Budget Liveaboard
- 3-Day Komodo Liveaboard with VIP Boat — AC Cabins & Ensuite
- 3-Day Komodo Sailing Tour from Labuan Bajo — Phinisi Liveaboard
- 3D2N Budget Komodo Liveaboard with Shared Cabin — Labuan Bajo
- Komodo 2D1N Private Boat Charter — Dragons, Padar & Pink Beach
- Komodo 4-Day Private Tour — Boat Stay, Padar & Pink Beach
- Komodo Island Day Tour with Snorkeling from Labuan Bajo
- One Day Tour to Explore Komodo National Park from Labuan Bajo