On this page
- Which regions does a phinisi tour cover, and how firm is the record?
- When should you sail each region?
- Where do the tours start?
- How do the trip formats differ?
- What can be customised on a private tour, and what cannot?
- Is it possible to join a boat between regions?
- How do you choose a region for your trip?
- Who do you contract with if you enquire here?
- Asking prices we checked
- FAQ: what are the short answers on phinisi tours?
- Which sources support this page?
- How do I reach the desk?
By Pinisi Boat Editorial Desk
Sourced figures: prices in the table carry their source and check month. Asking prices are not sale prices, and nothing here is legal advice.
A custom tour on a phinisi yacht means chartering the whole boat and agreeing the route with its operator, instead of joining a set shared departure. The regions with the firmest public record are Komodo, reached through Labuan Bajo, and Raja Ampat, whose marine park permit is sold at Sorong and Waisai. Sailing months should come from the operator.
Which regions does a phinisi tour cover, and how firm is the record?
Public documentation is uneven across Indonesia. Komodo has reported visitor counts and a tariff page, Raja Ampat has a dated permit rule, Sulawesi has a heritage record with little on tourism, and we can cite nothing for phinisi trips in other waters. The table separates what is documented from what you still need to ask.
| Region | What is on record | Still to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Komodo, via Labuan Bajo | National park founded 1980, World Heritage Site 1991, 1,733 km2 of which 603 km2 is land | Months a given boat works there |
| Raja Ampat | International permit valid 12 months, new rates from 3 August 2026, sold at Sorong harbour, Waisai or online | Air connections for your dates |
| South Sulawesi | Builders at Ara, Bira, Lemo-Lemo and Tana Beru; traditional port of Paotere in Makassar | Whether any scheduled tour runs |
The Komodo figures come from Wikipedia's park entry, and our Komodo page adds the visitor numbers. The Raja Ampat details come from Stay Raja Ampat as published in October 2026, and the Sulawesi details from Wikipedia's pinisi entry. Keep two heritage labels apart: Komodo's World Heritage status belongs to the park, while the pinisi sits on a different UNESCO list, covered in the questions further down.
When should you sail each region?
This page gives no sailing months. Calendars for Komodo, Raja Ampat and Banda Sea crossings circulate, but we have not found a source we can test, and a wrong month costs far more than a missing one. Season still decides most tours, so get the evidence from the boat you are considering:
- A list of the departures it actually ran in your chosen month last year.
- Its alternative route if the planned one is closed by wind or swell.
- The written refund or rebooking rule for a leg cancelled on weather grounds.
- Where the boat works in the months before and after your dates.
Access can also fail for reasons that have nothing to do with sailing conditions, as the airport closure on our Komodo page shows, so leave slack around any departure date.
Where do the tours start?
Labuan Bajo has the fullest record as a starting point. Its airport, Komodo Airport (IATA code LBJ), has a runway extended to 2,250 metres by 45 metres to take A320 and 737-class jets. Sorong and Waisai enter the record through the Raja Ampat permit, which is sold at a booth in Sorong harbour and at the BLUD UPTD office in Waisai. Which airport and connection suit a Raja Ampat departure is a question for your operator.
On the Sulawesi side, the airport on record is Makassar's Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport (UPG), about 20 km or roughly 15 minutes by toll road from the city centre. Ask a local driver about the road time onward to Bulukumba before fixing a same-day plan.
How do the trip formats differ?
Four formats are worth separating before you compare boats, as a working description and not a confirmed standard. Length and contents differ from vessel to vessel, and not every boat offers all four, so use the table to narrow the question and leave the answer to the operator.
| Format | What you buy | Route set by | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day sail | A place on board, or the boat, for a day | The operator | A first look with no overnight stay |
| Open trip | A cabin or berth on a shared departure | The operator | One or two travellers |
| Private charter | The vessel and crew for agreed dates | The operator's usual route, with your changes | Groups and families |
| Custom itinerary | A private charter with a route written for you | You and the captain, within permits and weather | A specific aim, such as one dive area or a long stay |
What can be customised on a private tour, and what cannot?
Ask which of pace, stops, meals, cabin allocation and the mix of activities can change, since we have no confirmed standard. Three things are fixed from outside. Park rules come first: the Balai TN Komodo page covers both tariffs and tourism carrying capacity, so a popular site may not be available whenever you want it. Flag comes second: the rules on foreign vessels restrict carrying passengers domestically, which matters if the boat is not Indonesian-flagged. Environmental law comes third: PM 29 of 2014, amended by PM 24 of 2022, governs pollution prevention for vessels operating in Indonesian waters.
Budget is the other boundary. A broker publishes a nightly rate for Lamima, a 65.2-metre motor-sailer with 7 suites for 14 guests and a 2015 delivery date on Boat International. Her rate appears in the price table on this page, checked in October 2026, and such rates can move with the season. For how the hire process runs on any size of boat, read how chartering a pinisi works.
Is it possible to join a boat between regions?
A boat that works in more than one region has to travel between them, so the question is reasonable. If an operator offers a joinable voyage, treat it as a different product from a cruise inside one park. Ask how many consecutive days are spent in open water, what the alternative port is, whether cabins are sold on this leg at all, and whether your travel insurance covers it. Our guide to pinisi safety and seaworthiness covers seaworthiness in more depth.
How do you choose a region for your trip?
Start from what you want from the trip, then check the matching row. The pairings are editorial suggestions based on the record above and are not rankings.
| What matters most | Look first at | Confirm before paying |
|---|---|---|
| A national park with official tariffs and visitor data | Komodo | The current tariff and whether your fare includes it |
| A longer stay under a single permit | Raja Ampat | Who buys the permit, you or the operator |
| The boatbuilding tradition itself | Bulukumba, South Sulawesi | That a hull is actually under construction when you visit |
Region guides go further: see phinisi trips in Komodo and phinisi trips in Raja Ampat.
Who do you contract with if you enquire here?
Whoever you book with, the contract should name the vessel, the dates, the route as agreed and the rule for changing it. A request sent through this desk may lead to a contract with our company, so weigh our offer as you would a competitor's. The offer names the company that signs, with any fee and the payment terms.
Asking prices we checked
Asking prices from public third-party listings, each with its source and the month we checked it. They are not sale prices, valuations, or our offers.
| Item | Asking price | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamima, 65.2 m phinisi motor-sailer, published charter rate (broker) | US$27,000 per night | naveliaindonesia.com | Oct 2026 |
| Raja Ampat marine park entry permit, international visitor (valid 12 months, from 3 Aug 2026) | IDR 1,000,000 per person | stayrajaampat.com | Oct 2026 |
FAQ: what are the short answers on phinisi tours?
What makes a phinisi tour custom?
The route is written for your party. You charter the whole vessel and agree stops and pace with the operator, within permits and weather, whereas a shared departure keeps to a plan set before you booked.
Do Komodo and Raja Ampat charge separately?
Yes. Komodo tariffs are published by Balai TN Komodo, and the Raja Ampat permit is sold through its own channels. Ask which of them your fare covers, because a listing may include one, both or neither.
Is Komodo National Park on the same UNESCO list as the pinisi?
No. Komodo National Park became a World Heritage Site in 1991. The pinisi was inscribed in December 2017 (12.COM, Jeju) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which recognises the art of building it.
What does the published Lamima rate tell me about smaller boats?
Very little. It is one broker listing for a 65.2-metre vessel with 7 suites, so a quote for the exact boat and dates is the only useful comparison.
Which sources support this page?
- Wikipedia: Komodo National Park
- Stay Raja Ampat: marine park entry permit
- Wikipedia: Pinisi
- Wikipedia: Komodo Airport
- Wikipedia: Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport
- Balai TN Komodo: official tariff and carrying capacity page
- Directorate General of Sea Transportation: PM 29/2014 revision notice
- Navelia Indonesia: Lamima listing
- CharterWorld: Lamima completion report
- Boat International: Lamima profile
How do I reach the desk?
For a question about a route or region, ask the editorial desk on WhatsApp at 6281139414563 or write to bd@juaraholding.com.
Send the desk what you need: build, buy, or charter, plus rough size and timing.
Ask the desk on WhatsApp bd@juaraholding.com