A snorkel-and-trek trip on a private phinisi

The 3D2N route holds three treks, and they climb in effort. Kelor comes first on day one: a short, steep hill of 15 to 30 minutes with a view over the bay. It is a warm-up, and the group learns its pace there.

Padar opens day two. The climb to the main viewpoint takes 25 to 45 minutes on a loose, steep path, and guests leave the boat before sunrise with a head torch. The effort is moderate, and the view covers three bays with differently colored sand.

Komodo Island follows on the same day. Treks run 45 to 120 minutes with a park ranger from the Loh Liang station, on short, medium or long trails. Dragon sightings are not guaranteed.

The 4D3N route adds Rangko Cave on day one and Strawberry Rock on day three, and it spreads the three big walks over three different days. Wear shoes with grip for all of it, and closed shoes for Komodo.

Three snorkel stops carry the route: Pink Beach, Taka Makassar and Manta Point. Each has its own water. Gear is on board on all three boats, and so are life jackets.

Pink Beach is the easy one. The current is mild, the depth runs from 1 to 8 meters and the reef sits close to shore. Plan 45 to 90 minutes. Taka Makassar is shallower, from 1 to 5 meters, with a mild current, over a sandbank that shows at low tide only. Plan 30 to 60 minutes.

Manta Point is the hard one. The water is 3 to 15 meters deep, and the current is strong, so it suits confident swimmers. A drift runs 30 to 60 minutes, and manta sightings are never guaranteed.

Manjarite Beach on day one and Sebayur on day three add two more swims, so the route holds five. A group of keen snorkelers will have the water time it came for.

A mixed group moves at the speed of its slowest member, and the honest plan accepts that. Agree a meeting point at the top and at the landing, and nobody hurries.

Walkers split naturally. The fast ones reach the Padar viewpoint in 25 minutes and the others in 45. Both groups see the same view. Nobody has to climb, and a friend who stays aboard loses nothing the others cannot show them on a phone.

Swimmers split too. Pair each confident swimmer with a nervous one at Pink Beach and Taka Makassar. At Manta Point the strong current asks for confident swimmers, so a non-swimmer sits it out on deck.

Heat is the third limit. The trails at Komodo Island have little shade, so carry water and take the shorter trail if the group is tired. Slow is fine. A rushed group sees less.

Pack for two settings. For the trails, bring shoes with grip, a closed pair for Komodo Island, a hat, a head torch for the pre-dawn Padar landing and a bottle of water each.

For the reefs, bring reef-safe sunscreen, a long-sleeve top for the sun and fins if you want them. Masks and snorkels come with the boat. A mask of your own fits better for 60 minutes in a current.

Bring your own mask and fins. It saves nothing on the fare, but it saves the afternoon of a friend who cannot get a mask to seal.

Budget for the park ticket as well: IDR 50,000 on a weekday for a domestic guest, IDR 75,000 on a weekend, IDR 250,000 for an international guest. Guide and documentation stay outside a private charter and are quoted on request.