Where boats leave
Labuan Bajo harbour. Charters and shared trips use the same waterfront; your operator confirms the meeting point.
Getting There & Costs
The Crossing Is the Whole Journey
Everything leaves from Labuan Bajo harbour. Speedboat or wooden boat is the only real decision, and it changes the day more than most people expect.
Ask About BoatsSpeedboat or Wooden Boat
Crossing time
- Speedboat
- 30–45 minutes
- Wooden / phinisi
- 1.5–2 hours
Ride
- Speedboat
- Feels every wave
- Wooden / phinisi
- Rides swell better
Time on island
- Speedboat
- More
- Wooden / phinisi
- Less
Cost
- Speedboat
- Higher
- Wooden / phinisi
- Lower
Best for
- Speedboat
- One-day visits
- Wooden / phinisi
- Slower, multi-stop days
Neither is safer. In rough conditions the wooden boat is more comfortable and the speedboat is quicker to turn back.
Practicalities
What to Expect
A short sea crossing in a tidal strait. Plan for spray, sun and a schedule that answers to the harbour.
How often
There is no timetable. Departures are set by operators, and almost all leave early morning.
Sea spray
Routine on a speedboat. A dry bag for cameras and phones is worth more than a jacket.
If it is cancelled
Captains and the harbour call it together. A postponed crossing is the system working — keep a spare day in the wet season.
Chartering Privately
-
You set the clock
The main reason to charter: leaving before the shared boats reach Loh Buaya.
-
Cost per head falls
Private boats are priced per vessel per day, so four or five people close most of the gap on a shared trip.
-
Add a second stop
A private boat can fold in Padar or a snorkel site without renegotiating anyone else’s itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get on the Right Boat
Komodo Luxury match the vessel to the sea state, your group size and how much of the island you actually want.