A boat safety checklist before you charter in Komodo

Safety lists differ from boat to boat in Labuan Bajo, so use the same list on every boat you compare. Six items cover most of it.

• Life jackets. One for every guest, plus the crew, in sizes that fit adults and children.
• Life raft. On board, in date, and reachable from the deck.
• Fire extinguishers. More than one, placed where the crew sleeps and cooks.
• Radio and GPS. A working marine radio, and a crew member who monitors it.
• First-aid kit. Stocked, and the crew knows where it is.
• Sailing permit. Issued by the harbor authority for the trip you booked.

On Arham Jaya 2, Nusantara Karya and Segara Liveaboard there is a life jacket for every guest. Each boat stops at 14, so the count of jackets always matches the guest list.

Use the next section for the questions to put to any owner. They fit on one screen of a phone.

Use these questions on any boat in Labuan Bajo, ours or someone else's. They fit on one screen of a phone.

• How many life jackets are on board, and are there enough for every guest plus the crew?
• Is there a life raft, and when was it last checked?
• How many fire extinguishers are on board, and where are they?
• Is there a working marine radio, and who monitors it?
• Is there a first-aid kit, and does the crew know where it is?
• Does the captain hold the sailing permit from the harbor authority for this trip?
• Does the guest count on the ticket match the boat's limit?

The harbor authority in Labuan Bajo, KSOP, has issued a safety guideline for tourist boats. As reported by detik.com, it says life jackets and life rafts must be on board in good condition and sufficient for all passengers. The passenger names on the ticket must match the manifest.

Passengers must not exceed capacity, the guideline adds. That is why every one of our three boats stops at 14, and why we never offer a fifteenth seat.

Safety questions cost nothing. Ask them by message, keep the answers, and book the boat that answers in writing.

Sometimes a boat does not sail. A breakdown, a port order or a park closure can cancel a departure, and none of them is the group's fault.

Our rule is plain. If the boat cannot sail, we put you on a phinisi of equal or higher standard on the same date at no extra cost. The other choice is a full refund within 14 days. That replacement-boat guarantee applies to all three boats and it is in the booking terms.

Two other cases are different. If you cancel, the refund follows the notice you give, and the terms page shows each band. If the weather or the harbor authority stops sailing, the same replacement or refund rule applies.

Order of stops and anchorage are the captain's call on the day, and a route on a boat page is an example only.

Sailing permission in Labuan Bajo comes from KSOP, the harbor authority, and it is based on the sea forecast. It can close tourist routes to the park for a few days when waves and wind are too strong. When it does, no boat sails to those stops, and the route changes.

Clouds and haze change the plan too. Sightings of mantas or dragons are not guaranteed.

What you can control is the margin. Fly in the day before so a late flight does not eat the first morning, and keep a spare day on the way home if your flight is tight.

Some of the safety work is yours. A few minutes at booking and on the first morning cover it.

• Tell us who cannot swim and who has a medical condition. Send it with the guest list, so it is known before the first stop.
• Bring your own medicines, seasickness tablets if you need them, and a small kit for blisters and sunburn.
• Wear shoes with grip on the boat and on the islands. Decks and trails are wet and steep in places.
• Wear a life jacket for every tender transfer, and sit down while the tender moves.
• Snorkel with a partner, stay inside the area the crew marks, and keep clear of the current at Manta Point if you are not a confident swimmer.

Sources: the KSOP safety guideline as reported by detik.com; sailing permission rules as described by KSOP; our booking terms. Last check 27 October 2026.