The Bali–Labuan Bajo crossing is a one-way liveaboard passage of roughly 350–400 nautical miles, normally sold as an 8-day / 7-night sailing from Benoa or Serangan in Bali to Labuan Bajo in Flores. It suits travellers who want the islands between the two, not just Komodo. Expect roughly USD 400–700 per person per night in a shared cabin.
What exactly is the 8-day crossing?
Most trips sold as “Komodo liveaboards” never leave Flores. They start and finish in Labuan Bajo and run 2 to 4 days inside the national park. The crossing is a different product entirely: the boat leaves Bali, sails east through the Lombok, Alas and Sape straits, stops at Sumbawa’s islands along the way, and arrives in Labuan Bajo a week later. You fly home from Komodo Airport (LBJ) instead of returning to your departure port.
The reason it exists is geography. Bali and Komodo are separated by two large islands and three tidal straits. A boat crossing that gap passes Moyo, Satonda, Sangeang Api and Banta — places with real diving and real landings that day-trippers never reach. Operators who run this route, including Komodo Luxury, which has worked these waters since 2015, treat the passage as part of the itinerary rather than dead transfer time.
Day-by-day route table
The pattern below follows the standard westbound-to-eastbound sequence used by crossing operators. Anchorages shift with weather and tide, so treat it as the shape of the trip, not a timetable.
| Day | Area / overnight anchorage | Approx. sailing | Main activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benoa or Serangan, Bali | 1–2 h to first anchorage | Board late afternoon, safety and dive briefing, evening departure |
| 2 | Gili Islands / north Lombok | 8–12 h overnight | Check dives, easy reef, adjusting to the boat |
| 3 | Moyo Island, Sumbawa | 8–10 h overnight | Mata Jitu waterfall pools, reef snorkel off the anchorage |
| 4 | Satonda Island | 3–5 h | Brackish crater-lake walk, fringing-reef snorkel |
| 5 | Sangeang Api | 4–6 h | Black-sand and bubble-vent diving beneath an active volcano |
| 6 | Banta Island (Gili Banta) | 3–4 h | Pinnacle and slope dives, short island hike |
| 7 | North Komodo — Gili Lawa area | 2–4 h | Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, The Cauldron, sunrise ridge hike |
| 8 | Central park → Labuan Bajo | 3–5 h | Padar or Manta Point, then disembark late morning |
How much of it is actually sailing?
This is the question people should ask and rarely do. Chart distance from Bali to Labuan Bajo is roughly 350–400 nautical miles, about 650–740 km. A private vessel pushing straight through covers it in something like 20 to 36 hours of continuous passage, depending on hull speed and current.
On an 8-day itinerary that same distance is broken into overnight hops, so you are typically under way 6 to 12 hours per night and at anchor or diving during the day. The two long nights are Bali–Lombok and Lombok–Moyo. After Sumbawa the legs shorten considerably. Skippers time strait transits to tide and daylight, which is why departure hours move around: the Lombok, Alas and Sape straits all run hard on spring tides.
Cabin categories and realistic price bands
Published rates for mid- and upper-tier crossings sit in a fairly narrow band. Bluewater Dive Travel’s 12-day 2026 Bali–Komodo departure was priced from about USD 6,100 per person, roughly USD 500 a night. Seven Seas lists 10-, 11- and 13-day Komodo trips between about USD 5,600 and USD 7,500 per person, which works out near USD 625–645 a night. Aggregator listings for Komodo boats start around USD 440 per person per day.
| Cabin type | Deck | Typical size | Sleeps | Indicative USD / person / night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior / twin | Lower | 10–14 m², porthole | 2 (twin) | 400–500 |
| Deluxe | Main | 14–18 m², window | 2 (double or twin) | 500–600 |
| Master / suite | Upper or stern | 18–28 m², panoramic | 2–3 | 600–700+ |
Bands are indicative for 2027 planning and change by vessel, season and how far ahead you book. Confirm the exact figure for your dates before paying a deposit. For a wider view of what different trip lengths cost, the site’s liveaboard price breakdown covers the Labuan Bajo-based products too.
What is included — and what is not
Normally included: cabin accommodation, all meals and snacks, drinking water, tea and coffee, guided dives or snorkelling with tanks and weights, dinghy transfers, island landings, onboard crew and cruise director, airport transfer in Labuan Bajo on the final day.
Normally excluded: flights, Komodo National Park and harbour fees, dive equipment rental, nitrox, alcohol and soft drinks, dive courses, crew gratuities, travel and dive insurance, Indonesian visa.
Park fees are the item most often misquoted online. Foreign visitors pay a daily marine-park ticket; published figures for 2025–2026 range from IDR 150,000 on weekdays and IDR 225,000–250,000 on weekends and holidays, up to a reported flat IDR 250,000 per person per day. Divers pay a small extra daily surcharge, commonly quoted around IDR 25,000, plus a Labuan Bajo harbour fee of roughly IDR 25,000 per person per day. Fees are revised periodically — ask the operator to state the current figure in writing on your invoice.
Who this route is wrong for
- Short holidays. With flights, an 8-day crossing eats 10–11 days. If you have a week, fly to Labuan Bajo and take a 3D2N or 4D3N park itinerary instead.
- Severe motion sickness. Two long overnight passages are unavoidable. Medication helps most people; it does not help everyone.
- Very young children. Night passages, dinghy transfers and long days at anchor suit confident swimmers aged roughly eight and up.
- Divers who only want Komodo. If the park’s dive sites are the entire point, a dedicated park itinerary gives you more dives per dollar.
If the calendar is the constraint rather than the appetite, the same route is also sold eastbound-to-westbound — see the return crossing to Bali, which is often repositioning-priced. Travellers who want more time on the Sumbawa islands should look at the 10-day expedition version, and anyone shopping for specific dates should start with the 2027 departure calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How many nautical miles is Bali to Labuan Bajo?
Roughly 350–400 nautical miles, about 650–740 km, by the usual island-hopping track. Direct point-to-point routing is shorter but no liveaboard sails it that way.
Is the crossing rough?
It can be. The Lombok Strait is the most exposed section and is usually crossed at night. From April to November, the dry season, seas are generally calmer and visibility better. December to March brings the north-west monsoon and lumpier conditions, though trips still operate year-round.
Can non-divers do the 8-day crossing?
Yes. Moyo, Satonda, Banta, Gili Lawa and Padar are all land or snorkel days. Non-divers snorkel while divers dive, and the crossing has more shore time than a park-only itinerary.
Do I need to fly back to Bali afterwards?
Yes, unless you continue overland in Flores. Denpasar–Labuan Bajo flights take about an hour to an hour and a quarter, with several daily services in high season. Komodo Airport is 10–15 minutes from the harbour.
Can I fly the same day I disembark?
If you have been diving, leave a conservative surface interval — most agencies advise at least 18–24 hours before flying after multi-day repetitive diving. Book an afternoon or next-morning flight.
Which Bali port will I board at?
Benoa Harbour handles most large liveaboards and sits about 30 minutes from Ngurah Rai Airport. Serangan is used for some larger phinisi. Padangbai suits fast catamarans. Sanur and Amed are fast-boat hubs, not liveaboard ports.
How far ahead should I book?
For July–August 2027 departures, six to nine months. Shoulder months are often bookable two to four months out. Full-boat charters need longer.
Are park fees really not included?
On most crossing itineraries they are collected separately, either prepaid with your balance or paid on board. Ask which applies before you travel so you carry the right cash.
Booking and enquiries
Departures on this route are operated by Komodo Luxury, part of Juara Holding Group and working out of Labuan Bajo since 2015. Vessel allocation, current pricing and cabin availability are confirmed directly by their reservations desk.
- WhatsApp: +62 811 3823 875
- Email: sales@komodoluxury.com
When you write, include your travel dates or month, number of guests, cabin preference, whether you dive and at what certification level, and any dietary requirements. That is enough for a firm quote on the first reply.