Lombok to Flores Boat Trip – A Swashbuckling Sailing Adventure!

If you’re looking for adventure on the high seas, the Lombok to Flores boat trip could be for you! This four-day journey takes in some of Indonesia’s most beautiful scenery and enables voyagers to explore one of the country’s most treasured and unique sites – the Komodo National Park. Along the way you can snorkel with manta rays, explore a pink beach and uninhabited volcanic islands and even swim with whale sharks! 

This is an experience unlike any other in Southeast Asia. However, it isn’t for the faint-hearted. The rough seas and basic onboard conditions aren’t for everyone. But, if you’re willing to be a little uncomfortable and are happy to cram in with a boatload of other backpackers, it might just be the highlight of your Indonesian travels! Read on to find out all you need to know about this swashbuckling journey!

Related: (opens in new tab)

• 🇮🇩 Backpacking Indonesia 
• 🐊 Komodo National Park Travel Guide
• 🏝️ Lombok Travel Guide

Lombok to Flores Boat Trip – A Travel Guide 🛥️

When is the Best Time to Sail From Lombok to Flores? 📆

It’s important to check the weather forecast before sailing as the seas on this route can be far from smooth! Only travel during the dry season (April–October). You should not attempt this voyage in the rainy season (November–March). 

Most boat companies will avoid sailing during the rainy season, but if you hunt around you might still find a company that is willing to allow you on board – we do not recommend it.

How Much Does a Lombok to Flores Boat Trip Cost? 💵

The cost for the organised tour from Lombok to Flores (or vice versa) is around 3,200,000–3,500,000 IDR (approx. $205–225 USD) for Deck Class and 3,600,000–4,200,000 IDR (approx. $230–270 USD) for Cabin Class. 

You may be thinking that the cost is super cheap for a 4-day sailing trip – and that’s because this is not a luxury cruise! It’s a backpacker adventure with basic accommodation, food and facilities. However, if you put aside your airs and graces and go with the flow, the scenery and the camaraderie on this swashbuckling adventure will make it one of the best things that you do in Southeast Asia!

There are so-called luxury options for around 5,250,000 IDR (approx. $336 USD). However, from the reviews, it’s not clear if these offer a much better standard of facilities than the budget options.

Choosing a Tour Company for the Lombok to Flores Boat Trip 🤔

The trip can be booked in travel agents across Bali and Lombok and you’re likely to see it heavily advertised in the Gili Islands. It’s also possible to book the trip online in advance. 

There are many tour companies that run this popular route (the choice can be overwhelming!), and the boats used can vary greatly in terms of safety standards and quality. Be warned that even though you may agree everything about your trip in a travel agency, things may not be as you expect when you arrive at the boat. 

It seems that some of the larger boats are much more equipped in terms of safety than the smaller ones, but when booking through a travel agency in Lombok or Bali it is difficult to know which particular boat that you are booked onto, until you are there, staring at the boat! 

Ultimately, all the options are basic and you’ll need to be prepared to rough it for a few days. There are some private cabins (Cabin Class) available but most passengers sleep on mattresses laid on the floor on deck (Deck Class). By all accounts, the bathrooms leave a lot to be desired!

We recommend Wanua Adventure. The company, established in 1994 by experienced boat captain Mr. Kaharudin, was recommended to us by a fellow travel blogger and they consistently get very good reviews. While Wanua Adventure are not perfect (this is a rugged backpacker adventure not a luxury cruise), from our research, we believe that they are one of the best companies currently offering this trip at a very reasonable price.

“WANUA is who I did it with! It was super fun and such a cool experience I loved it. In terms of safety, I’ll be honest there was limited safety information given out, and they didn’t seem super clued up on life jackets (but there was some in packaging in the bedroom but clearly never used). The boat was super rocky one night as there were storms but everyone was safe, no one was injured and the staff are lovely. If you’re not a strong swimmer just make sure you ask for a life jacket when swimming from the boat especially at the whale shark point. Komodo Island was fun but again make sure you stick with the guide as we didn’t really know the risks until we googled it after. But they were a good company! And a good trip” Megan Adams, South East Asia Backpacker Community Member

Lombok to Flores or Flores to Lombok? ↔️

It’s possible to take the 3-day/4-night journey in either direction, i.e. Lombok to Flores or Flores to Lombok, although most people take the boat from Lombok to Flores and then fly back to Bali from Labuan Bajo.

In Lombok, most of the boats leave from the east of the island (but the meeting point is usually Bangsal Harbour, close to Senggigi, on Lombok’s northwest coast) and arrive in Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores four days later. 

If taking the route in this direction, you’ll first need to get to Lombok, which is a 45-minute flight or 4-hour boat ride from Bali. If you’re coming from the Gili Islands, Lombok is just a short boat ride away. Lombok also has an international airport with direct flights from Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

If you would prefer to sail in the opposite direction, you’ll need to make your way to the small town of Labuan Bajo. The simplest way is to fly direct from Bali (1 hour). Note that there are no direct flights from Lombok to Labuan Bajo. It’s also possible to travel overland from Lombok to Flores via Sumbawa using ferries and buses. Be warned that Sumbawa is a big island and this is a long and uncomfortable journey – around 24 hours!

While tours in either direction include the major points within the Komodo National Park, the Flores to Lombok route allows for a more cultural interaction with a visit to a village and a dance performance. This direction may not include swimming with whale sharks (one of the highlights on the Lombok to Flores route) so bear this in mind when choosing which direction to travel.

Itinerary 🤿

Lombok to Flores Direction

*Most tours will follow roughly the same itinerary and stop off at the same points.

Day 1:

• Transfer from Bangsal Harbour to departure harbour on east coast
• Sail to Kenawa Island
• Activities: snorkelling, swimming, sunset view, hiking to viewpoint on Kenawa Island
• Overnight sailing to Saleh Bay

Day 2:

• Saleh Bay (also known as Whale Shark Point), off the island of Sumbawa
• Activities: swimming with whale sharks 

Day 3:

• Sail to Komodo National Park
• Activities: visiting Komodo dragons on Komodo Island, swimming/relaxing at Pink Beach, hiking to viewpoint on Padar Island

Day 4:

• Sail to Manjarite Point and then Kelor Island
• Activities: snorkelling, swimming, relaxing
• Arrive Labuan Bajo, Flores late afternoon 

Flores to Lombok Direction

*Note this itinerary is according to the tour with Wanua Adventure. Other companies’ itineraries may vary.

Day 1:

• Depart Labuan Bajo for Komodo National Park
• Trekking on Rinca Island searching for Komodo dragons
• Visit to a Rinca village to meet the locals and enjoy a dance performance
• Activities: trekking, snorkelling, swimming, dance performance, sunset at Kalong Island

Day 2:

• Activities: trekking on Padar Island, swimming/relaxing on Pink Beach, snorkelling at Tanjung Komodo
• Sail overnight to Moyo Island

Day 3:

• Visit ancient saltwater lake formed by a volcanic eruption
• Activities: saltwater lake swimming, snorkelling, jungle trekking, visit to waterfall
• Enjoy the sunset on board the boat

Day 4:

• Trekking on Kenawa Island
• Arrive Lombok mid-morning

Evenings on board are spent relaxing, enjoying the amazing sunsets and hanging out with your fellow passengers.

Inclusions and Packing List for a Lombok to Flores Boat Trip 👙

Most boat trips from Lombok to Flores include the following, but you should confirm this upon booking to avoid any unexpected additional costs.

• Komodo National Park Entrance fees 
• Hotel pick up 
• All meals and drinking water 
• Solar-powered charging points 
• Snorkelling gear
• Mattress, pillow and blanket
• Safety equipment – make sure the boat has enough life jackets and life rafts for everyone on board!

Make sure you bring the following with you:

• Swimwear
• Sun protection
• Light clothing
• Filtered water bottle
• Quick-dry travel towel
• Camera
• Power bank
• Fins (if you like to use these while snorkelling)
• Motion sickness medication (if you’re susceptible to seasickness)
• Toilet paper
• Small soap or hand sanitiser
• Dry bag

FAQs ❓

On what days does the boat trip run?

As there are several companies offering the tour, you should be able to find a departure on any day of the week. Wanua Adventure boats depart four times per week:

• From Lombok to Flores on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
• From Flores to Lombok on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Where will I sleep?

There are two types of accommodation classes on board: deck or cabin. Deck class is essentially a mattress on the floor (deck) with a pillow and blanket provided. All passengers sleep in the same space so be prepared to be in very close quarters with your fellow sailors!

Opting for cabin class means you will get your own little room (for two people). While this is more comfortable and private, be aware that the room is not much bigger than the size of a double bed and doesn’t feature its own bathroom – you’ll still have to share the facilities.

How many people will be on board?

Various sized boats are used on these trips with capacity for 25–45 passengers plus crew. There have been incidents of overcrowding, so it’s best to check with the tour company what capacity the boat has and whether this will be adhered to.

What are the facilities like?

In a word, basic. Sleeping arrangements are snug and don’t be surprised if the toilet is a squat-type hole in the floor. There is usually a simple freshwater shower and likely just one to be shared by everyone aboard – many people opt for an ocean dip instead.

What is the food like?

Tours include three meals a day as standard. Local Indonesian dishes are freshly prepared and served buffet style. If you have dietary requirements ensure you inform the tour company before departure. Drinking water is also included and some boats have unlimited tea and coffee available all day.

First-Hand Review by Tapp and Bear Travel – July 2018

We first heard about Wanua Adventure through our pals, Ellie and Will, travel bloggers over at Tapp and Bear Travel. We asked them to write us a short summary of their experience on the boat and some tips for fellow backpackers thinking of doing the same adventure!

In July 2018 whilst backpacking through Indonesia, we decided to embark on the popular boat trip adventure from Lombok to the Komodo Islands and Flores with Wanua Adventure. Eight months down the line and this is still, hands down, one of our favourite experiences of our travels! Not only did we get to see some stunning places, incredible wildlife and meet some amazing people, but we had an unbelievable time aboard Wanua’s boat! The first port of call was to decide which class we wanted to sleep in. There’s the choice to sleep in a private cabin or on the deck with 30-40 other people, and we went for the latter. Yes, it was a bit of a tight squeeze, but the breeze and the views – two things you don’t get in a cabin – made the basic sleeping arrangements worth it; and it was the cheaper option! Other things that were included on our trip were:

• 3 freshly cooked Indonesian meals a day + snacks – there was plenty of food to go around and even enough for seconds!
• 6 bottles of drinking water each and a cool box to keep them in (you can also keep any drinks you buy beforehand in here)
• Unlimited tea and coffee
• National Park and camera fees – no extras to worry about
• Snorkelling gear for the beautiful reefs we visited on the trip as well as the time spent at Manta Point (one of the main highlights of the trip!) – this doesn’t include fins however, so if you’ve got a pair, bring them! The currents at this particular spot can be pretty strong at times.
• Charging points – but in our case this was one or two sockets in the captain’s cabin, so bring a few power banks if you have them… or take this wonderful opportunity to have a few days off from your phone!
• Buckets of fresh water on board – for you to shower off with after being in the sea, and on our trip we even had a proper wash using them!
• Shuttle bus to the port – we caught this from Bangsal Harbour, Lombok and it was a pretty bumpy ride! We definitely recommend some medication if you get travel sick (trust me you’ll need it!) and do not sit in the back! (I want to add a quick note on travel sickness – if you suffer from this, don’t let it put you off doing this trip! I personally suffer from this pretty badly, and there is one long overnight journey on the boat where it is very hard to avoid, however it’s nothing a travel sickness tablet can’t solve; they even carry a stock of them on the boat for just such occasions!)
• Trips to see waterfalls, a pink beach, stunning view points and Komodo dragons – the itinerary is packed to the brim with amazing experiences!
• A disco on the last night – the crew (who are all lovely even though they don’t all speak the best English) get out the lights and speakers and throw a party on the final night of the trip! They love to bust out some moves, and it’s a great way to round off the adventure. Just make sure you buy some drinks before you set sail, either from the crew or a shop near the initial meet up point.

Lombok to Flores Boat Trip: Is It Worth It? 😀

If adventure is what you’re looking for, the Lombok to Flores boat trip is sure to deliver! If you’re hoping for a luxury cruise… perhaps not so much. This is a real budget backpacker experience. For those willing to embrace the lifestyle and forgo creature comforts for a few days, a thrilling and scenic journey awaits. 

Swimming with whale sharks, snorkelling with manta rays and exploring a pink beach are just a few of the highlights of this unique trip. And that’s not to mention getting up close to Komodo dragons – the largest lizard on the planet (and the nearest thing to a real life dragon you will find)!

All aboard! We’re going on a dragon hunt!

Have you taken the Lombok to Flores boat trip? Let us know about your experience in the comments.

Contributors:

South East Asia Backpacker is a ‘travel diary for everyone’. This article has been written with the help of backpackers and local experts. We would like to thank…

🙏 Ellie and Will | Tapp and Bear Travel
🙏 Megan Adams | South East Asia Backpacker Community Member

Lisa Barham

Having always dreamt of travelling the world, Lisa finally decided to follow that dream in her mid-thirties when she left her nine-to-five in London for life on the road. After trekking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal and learning to surf in Sri Lanka, she headed for wondrous Southeast Asia, where she can currently be found solo backpacking, navigating through life and unfamiliar streets.

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