4 Day Cruise to Komodo (on a budget)

A cruise... how fancy!

If you are anything like me, when you think cruise you imagine pure luxury.

A massive ship with fancy dinners, a killer pool with a water slide and something crazy like an ice skating rink in the middle of it.

Well I am here to tell you about a different type of cruise...

One that consists of sleeping on a deck next to strangers, ramen noodles, and my favorite.. no shower.

It is a 'Komodo budget cruise' and it is FREAKING AWESOME!

4 day boat cruise from Lombok to Flores via Komodo I was not going to leave Indonesia without a trip to Komodo National Park. Chasing Komodo Dragons and swimming with Manta rays... yes please, It was a must do for me! To be honest when I heard whispers of a 4 day budget Komodo cruise to get there I brushed it off. "No thanks, I'll fly" I thought. However I was in Gili Air at the time and flying to Komodo meant heading back to Bali to catch a flight. This was totally possible and what I planned to do until I met a girl named Claire (who you will hear much more of soon) who had signed up for one of these boats. They left from Lombok, the region Gili Air is in, and she basically sold me on the idea.

And I am so glad she did!

What is included?

The boat trip is 4 days long and takes you from Lombok to the Island of Flores, with Komodo National Park as the highlight. Included is 3 meals a day, water, snorkel, a mattress and all entrance fees to the national park. You can pay a little extra to snag one of the 5 private cabins on board, and since we were feeling fancy, we did!

I knew this trip was not going to be glamorous, but I knew it was going to be an adventure, and what can I say...

I live for this shit.

DAY 1

I made a crucial mistake day 1.

Where is all the wine?!

Lombok is predominately a Muslim region (unlike Bali which is mostly Hindu), and while alcohol is found everywhere in the touristy Gili islands of Lombok, there was no booze to be found at the port on mainland Lombok. As I searched all the convenient stores and came up blank... I realized I had made a mistake by not purchasing prior in Gili (don't make that mistake)

One of the tour guides sold me a bottle of his home-made rice wine.. and it was well, interesting..

lets just say I prefer the grape kind.

Anyways.. and we are off!

I chatted with everyone as we sailed away, a couple of English doctors, a group from Poland, Swedish scuba instructors and two young girls who overslept (due to previous nights antics) causing them to run out of their hostel in a panic, leaving half of their belongings behind but accidentally taking their friends passport, so there was that.

Our first day consisted of some snorkeling and relaxing on the boat. Such beautiful scenery and the water was a mesmerizing blue!

DAY 2

An early rise led us to our first stop of the day, an island with a pretty little waterfall hike. It was dry season so the waterfall was not in full swing yet still beautiful, with some fresh water pools and rope swings!

The rest of the day was spent sailing and snorkeling. Our boat made a random stop off the shore of one of the islands and a few of us swam to shore. There were a group of local kids searching in the sand for some kind of little shell creatures to eat. I wish I had my camera, because they would just not stop staring at us, they were mesmerized. We tried to speak with them but it seemed they did not know Indonesian, just their own islands language. We were in the middle of no where. I saw one of the boys trying to sneak photos of me (this happens more than you would think) so I walked up to him and asked (through motions) if he wanted a picture with me. They all got REALLY excited. As I walked away I heard giggles and laughter as they reviewed all the photos. I smiled, it was apparent this was not a normal occurrence for them. I imagine it is not everyday that random caucasian people swim up to their beach!

Sunsets

I think its pretty rare I get through a post without mentioning sunsets, and they views from the boat every evening were NO EXCEPTION...

DAY 3

The best day, the day we enter Komodo National Park, the main event!

Manta ray snorkel

A few guys from the crew hopped in the dingy boat early morning in search of the manta rays. They came to collect us once they started spotting the majestic creatures. We all chased them together, excitedly launching ourselves off the boat when someone spotted one. We saw SO many more than I could have EVER IMAGINED. The current was very strong, as soon as you jumped in you were one with the ocean, getting swept away to wherever it may. SO may times I needed to swim against the current to continue my view of a Manta, the workout I got in... was no joke, I was SO SORE then next day. #worthit

I spotted 1 manta that turned into 2 that turned into 4 that out of no where turned into like 12!

These creatures are HUGE and so majestic it was an absolute highlight, not only of the cruise, or Indonesia, but of my entire catalog of travels!

A pink beach

Have you ever seen a pink beach before?

ME EITHER

The beach gets its color from microscopic animals called Foraminifers, which produces a red pigment on the coral reefs. The pink hue shines brightest at sunset, however still visible under the bright sunlight, extremely unique and beautiful. The water here was just incredible.

Like the in my dreams kind of water.

Spotting the Komodo Dragon

The Komodo dragon is found only in Indonesia, on a few islands. They can run up to 20 km/h, eat mostly deer or water buffalo,  and dominate the eco systems they live in due to their size and abilities. They are FREAKING HUGE and their stubby legs made me laugh when I saw them run. To me they looked like a modern-day dinosaur.

Shall I just let the picture speak for itself?

Padar Island

I had seen this place in a photo and knew I had to see it for myself. A series of stairs lead you up to this view, one we made for sunset and oh my.. NO WORDS

DAY 4

Our last day, but a few surprises were still in store.

The best being this small island with a dream of a beach, turquoise waters and a little hike to get the whole panoramic view that for me summed up the islands in Komodo National Park

What an experience

Cruising through the Indonesian waters and islands for 4 days was just incredible.

I have seen so many beautiful beaches and bodies of water, but nothing quite like this. The remoteness, the endless waters, the colors, wow.. a place I would truly return too and that is not something I often say (Except for here or here)!

Not showering for 4 days, sleeping through a continuous roaring motor, eating in a circle on the floor, and the general chaos and lack of information that comes with any 'budget' venture.. is basically all of the unconventional reasons I love traveling and loved this trip. I mean it got me here..

Tips & InfoPrice. They will quote you 2,100,000 ($148) Rupiah for deck and 2,500,000 ($176) for cabin however you can certainly get them down to about 1,800,000 & 2,200,000 ish. Also pro tip: if you are with someone and would like a private cabin one of you can purchase a deck spot while the other the cabin, and you can both just stay in the cabin. They may say their are 'single' cabins but that is not true, they all fit two persons.

(P.s for those of you who ask how I see all these amazing things and afford it.. yes I got & saw ALL of this over 4 days for about $160 total! It is this type of thing that allows me to see and do so much for so little)Get to the food fast, because when it runs out.. it's gone! As stated in the beginning, bring your own alcohol. They ask ahead of time if you would like to order any through them however it is cheaper to bring your own. There are a few companies that do this trip and trust me they are all the same.. whoever is going to quote you the lowest price I would go with them. Get it all in writing, and a list of EVERYTHING it includes in writing such as taxes and park entrance fees (all which should be included), because when you show up to check in you do not want them asking for more fees you already paid for but do not have proof. Company website.. Komodo Star Cruiser The boat drops you in Labuan Bajo, Flores. We stayed here for a few days to scuba dive the national park before hopping on a cheap flight (book in advance for cheapest deal) back to Bali.

ENJOY, this is a memory that will last a life time

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