Lombok to Flores boat trip

Hello, I am considering going by boat from Lombok to Flores. I have heard a lot about the unsafety of some boats. Can somebody recommend a reputable boat company? I can leave from anywhere in Lombok and will get to the port independently. This will be after Rinjani trek so Anyar or some port close would be the best. I am keen for the stops in Moyo or other islands, but not so keen to stop in Komodo (as I want to do that independently from Labuan Bajo). Thanks a lot for all advice from more experienced travellers!

Of the regular tourist boats plying this trip, the only really reputable company around is Perama. They have a website with details of the sailings, and where they stop. Perama is a large tourism company in Indonesia, which organizes many other things in addition to the boats. Perama's boats are larger than most of the other boats making the trip, and come with basic safety equipment, like life jackets and radios. One of the Perama boats sunk, a few years ago, but everyone on board was rescued.

The small boats plying this route aren't run by companies, more just the individual boat owners. The boats are not big at all, and many lack even the most basic of safety equipment. Tourists have died when these boats sank before.

Nearly all these boats stop on Komodo or Rinca, since allowing people to see the dragons is a major part of their allure. The Perama boats from Lombok to Labuanbajo don't stop off at Pulau Moyo; I wasn't all that impressed by the island on a short stop off there though. The boats visit various other small islands instead.

Thank you. The thing I do not fully get is - all the boats finally go from Labuhan Lombok, but they pick all people from Senggigi/Gili for a day trip across Lombok. Can I start only from Labuhan Lombok? Will I get it cheaper if I skip the transfer from Senggigi?

Too bad about the stop in Komodo, I was hoping to do Komodo properly, e.g. full day for Padar island trekking, not just a few hours stop.

Have you found this thread (only 4 days ago)?
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/asia-south-east-asia-islands-peninsula/indonesia/labuan-bajo-ferry-tour-to-komodo-or-bali-in-march?page=1#post_22649530

You will find more information including the Perama website that gives details of their trips. You can contact them and ask them about their trips.

You can also "island hop" -- by large ferries and buses. This allows you to see other things besides the sea. The LP guide book would be a good source of information for this. You can then choose your own trip to "do Komodo properly". Reports on this branch of TT suggest that this is hard to negotiate. But good luck.

Paul

Yes,you can go from Labuhan Lombok if you want.

The pick ups are just for convenience (most tourists are on the other side of Lombok).But they are optional,not compulsory.

When i did the trip (opposite direction)I got out at Labuhan Lombok and all the others on my boat went over to the West Coast (I was heading elsewhere ;-)

..but I think the price is the same..no discount.

Just to let you know how it went. I went with Wanua Adventures and the trip was great, we were lucky for very calm see. The boat had life jackets and safeboats and keeps near shore, so the safety is not such a problem as described on forums. Not much comfort on the boat, but food was great. Definitely not take cabin as it looks hot and noisy from engine. You can haggle the price to 1450000 rp.

thanks for the precious information.
I would like more information ...
1) Have you booked from your home or have you hired at lombok?
2) from which port did you leave?
3) how long the ride lasted, how many people were in the boat, and what did you see?
Thanks again

Hi, you are welcome.
I have booked while already in Lombok, I booked via the same guy I booked Rinjani trek. But I am sure you can book from home too.

We left from Labuhan Lombok, other passengers were shuttled from Gili/Sengigi, I arrived to port by myself.

We have been maybe 15 people on the boat plus crew. There were 2 other boats that we met regularly on our stops, all quite similar.

We have seen a lot. We stopped in Kenawa island first, then Moyo for the waterfalls, and then we spent 2 days around Komodo. By far the best was that you wake-up at 6 am at a small island in Komodo archipelago (Gili Lawadarat), you climb to the hill and have the best early morning view of the archipelago. We also visited Komodo and Rinca for the dragons and ended in the evening in Labuan Bajo.

All together 3 nights and 4 days.

Thank you, for all this info. Very glad I found it.
I have a question, since I am planning a trip to Indonesia with my girlfriend this summer and would very much like to visit Komodo park. I would also love to see Padar Island and have a nice trek there, for the pictures, and of course see rhe dragons and snorkel Pink Beach.
But since none of the companies I found online offer these things together(always just 1 or 2). I am wondering if it would be possible to negotiate a costum tour apart from the agencies with ship captains in the harbour. I would appreciate if someone with experience could tell me if this is possible and to which port should I go.

Thank you

A custom trip may or may not be possible, but it would mean the two of you would have to pay the whole ship, which is meant for cca 15 people, so it would be costly.

The trip I did covered the dragons on both Komodo and Rinca, Pink Beach and Gili Lawadarat (perfect view definitely comparable to Padar without any crowd). If you insist on Padar, I guess you would need to go for it from Labuan bajo as a day trip together with Komodo and Rinca (maybe day trips to Padar only are also possible). The advantage of sleeping on the boat in Komodo archipelago is that you will be at the view at 7 am, while leaving from Labuan bajo for a day trip, you would make only several hours later.

Thank you for your answer.
I am aware of that, I was thinking about maybe going with one of the smaller ships (-5ppl).

Could you tell me with which company you went? And if you booked in advance of on the spot in Indonesia.

Regards

I went with Wanua Adventures, it was a bigger ship for cca 15 people equipped with lifejackets. I booked on the spot, be sure to haggle the price. Be careful about safety, there have been sinkings in the past. I can imagine smaller ship may be more relaxed about safety than the bigger ones.

There is quite a bit of info about the Perama trips (there are a few - (a) with different durations and (b) they stop at (slightly) different islands, depending which direction you are going) on their website

https://www.peramatour.com/hkc/schedule?hkcId=1
https://www.peramatour.com/hkc/detail/1/hkc-01

and a detailed user-experience report at Tezzas site:
http://tezzasthaiinfo.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/perama-slow-boat-flores-to-komodo-np-to.html

In my experience (not with Perama), operators running scheduled trips will haggle on price if you are in the first ten or so applicants (when they are keen to fill a boat and justify the trip). but after the 'minimum quota' for the boat is met, it's all money-in-the-bank and tickets get sold at full price only.

These days, most every operator will have lifejackets on the boat, but is still a good idea to ask in advance anyway!

I am also trying to find a good company to do this trip with. I would prefer to do it with a smaller group of people on board. Could anyone recommend a company?
I heard that doing the trip reversed, so start in Labuan Bajo, makes it less crowded. I'm courious what your experiences are with this!

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