The 10-day Bali–Lombok–Sumbawa–Komodo expedition treats the crossing as the destination. Nine nights aboard, departing Benoa and finishing in Labuan Bajo, with full days at Moyo, Satonda, Sangeang Api and Banta instead of overnight sprints past them. Indicative pricing runs USD 4,000–6,500 per person in a shared cabin.
What ten days buys that eight does not
On an 8-day crossing the Sumbawa islands are stops. On a 10-day expedition they are days. That sounds like a marketing distinction until you look at what actually changes on board.
The extra two nights are spent, in practice, on three things: a full day rather than a morning at Moyo, a proper two- or three-dive day at Sangeang Api instead of a single dive on passage, and a slower entry into Komodo National Park with time for both the northern and central sites. It also removes the compression that makes shorter crossings tiring — fewer nights where the engine starts at 2 a.m., more nights at anchor.
For non-divers the difference is larger still. A 10-day expedition has five genuine land or snorkel days: waterfall pools, a crater lake, a volcano shoreline, an island ridge hike and Padar. That is a legitimate holiday, not a diving trip you are tagging along on. Operators running this format, Komodo Luxury among them, generally carry a mixed manifest of divers and snorkellers on these departures.
Stop-by-stop
| Day | Stop | Time there | What you do | Diving? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benoa / Serangan, Bali | Evening | Boarding, briefings, night departure | No |
| 2 | Gili Islands, north Lombok | Full day | Check dives, easy reef, turtles | 2–3 dives |
| 3 | Moyo Island, Sumbawa | Full day | Mata Jitu terraced waterfall pools, anchorage snorkel | 1–2 dives |
| 4 | Satonda Island | Half day | Brackish crater-lake walk, fringing-reef snorkel | 1–2 dives |
| 5 | Sangeang Api | Full day | Black volcanic sand, gas-vent bubble reefs, macro | 2–3 dives |
| 6 | Banta Island | Full day | Pinnacle and slope dives, short hike, frigatebirds | 2–3 dives |
| 7 | Gili Lawa Darat / Laut | Full day | Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, The Cauldron, sunrise ridge hike | 3 dives |
| 8 | Komodo & Rinca | Full day | Ranger-escorted dragon trek, Pink Beach, Manta Point | 2–3 dives |
| 9 | Padar & central park | Full day | Padar sunrise viewpoint, Kalong sunset flying foxes | 2 dives |
| 10 | Labuan Bajo | Morning | Breakfast aboard, disembark, airport transfer | No |
The stops that are genuinely conditional
Two need honest framing before you book on the strength of them.
Sangeang Api is an active stratovolcano north-east of Sumbawa. The diving along its black sand slopes and bubbling gas vents is reliable in normal conditions; going ashore is not. Landings depend on current volcanic activity and local guidance, and ash-producing eruptions occurred there during the 2010s. Any operator promising a guaranteed landing is guessing.
Satonda’s crater lake is reached by a short walk from the beach, and Moyo’s Mata Jitu pools by a similar shore excursion. Access is normal practice rather than a guaranteed right — sea state at the anchorage, local authority permission and, at Moyo, the presence of the Amanwana resort’s own operations can all change the plan on the day. Aman’s beach and facilities are private; boat guests visit the waterfall and public shoreline, not the resort.
Cabin plan and price bands
| Cabin | Deck | Configuration | Indicative USD / person (9 nights) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superior twin | Lower | 2 singles, porthole, ensuite | 4,000–4,800 |
| Deluxe | Main | Double or twin, window, ensuite | 4,800–5,700 |
| Master suite | Upper / stern | King, panoramic, larger bathroom | 5,700–6,500 |
| Full-boat charter | — | Whole vessel, 8–16 guests | See private charter rates |
Bands are indicative for 2027 planning, derived from published market rates of roughly USD 440–700 per person per night for comparable crossings. Solo travellers should ask about single-supplement or share-a-cabin policy before assuming either.
Included and excluded
Included: cabin accommodation, all meals and snacks, water, tea and coffee, guided dives or snorkelling with tanks and weights, tender transfers, all island landings, cruise director and crew, Labuan Bajo arrival transfer.
Excluded: flights, Komodo National Park entrance and ranger fees, Labuan Bajo harbour fee, diver surcharge, equipment rental, nitrox, alcohol and soft drinks, dive courses, gratuities, travel and dive insurance, visa.
On park fees: foreign visitors pay a daily marine-park ticket, published across 2025–2026 sources at anywhere from IDR 150,000 on weekdays and IDR 225,000–250,000 at weekends to a flat IDR 250,000 per person per day. Divers add roughly IDR 25,000 per day and there is a Labuan Bajo harbour fee of about IDR 25,000 per person per day. The figures are revised periodically; get the current number confirmed on your invoice rather than trusting any published table, including this one.
Who this suits — and who it does not
Good fit: couples and small groups with two clear weeks, mixed diver/non-diver parties, photographers who want varied substrate (black sand, coral pinnacle, rubble plateau, mangrove-backed bay), and anyone who has already done a short Labuan Bajo trip and wants the part of Indonesia in between.
Poor fit: travellers on a one-week budget, anyone with severe seasickness (there are still two long overnight legs), families with under-eights, and divers whose only goal is maximum tank time in Komodo — a park-based itinerary delivers more dives per day.
If ten days is more than you have, the 8-day one-way crossing covers the same geography at a faster pace. If you want to add whale sharks, the Saleh Bay extension attaches to this route. Divers focused on the northern park should read the north Komodo route page. For customising day counts and stops, the site’s customisation guide explains what is realistically adjustable.
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-diver enjoy ten days aboard?
Yes — this is the crossing format that works best for non-divers. Five days include shore landings or hikes, and snorkelling is available at nearly every anchorage. Confirm the boat carries a dedicated snorkel guide rather than expecting dive staff to double up.
How many dives will I get?
Typically 20–26 across the trip, three per day on full dive days plus occasional night dives. Exact counts depend on conditions and the group’s certification mix.
Is Sangeang Api safe to dive?
The dive sites sit on the volcano’s underwater flanks and are dived routinely. The land is the variable, not the water. Operators follow local volcanic guidance and will drop the shore element without notice if advised to.
What is the water temperature range?
Roughly 27–29°C through most of the route, with cooler upwellings possible around the park. A 3 mm suit is normally enough on this itinerary; south Komodo, which this route does not usually cover, is significantly colder.
Do we cross the Wallace Line?
You do, on the first night. The Lombok Strait is the deep channel that marks the biogeographic boundary between Asian and Australasian fauna — which is part of why the reefs east of it feel different from Bali’s.
What is the minimum age?
Most operators set eight to ten years for a crossing of this length, and require confident swimming. Junior diver certifications have their own depth limits. Discuss it before booking rather than at check-in.
How far ahead should I book a 2027 departure?
Six to nine months for July and August; three to five months for shoulder season. Expedition-format departures are less frequent than standard park trips, so the calendar is the constraint more often than the cabins.
Booking and enquiries
This itinerary is operated by Komodo Luxury, working from Labuan Bajo since 2015 as part of Juara Holding Group. Vessel, departure dates and final pricing are confirmed by their reservations team.
- WhatsApp: +62 811 3823 875
- Email: sales@komodoluxury.com
Tell them your month, party size, diver-to-snorkeller split and cabin preference, and whether you want the Saleh Bay day added. Expedition departures are often built around a confirmed core booking, so early enquiries have real influence over the route.
This is the leg where the biology changes: the route crosses the Wallace Line, which is why the birds and reef life around Sumbawa look different from Bali. The passage itself is covered in what to expect crossing the Lombok Strait.