**A Labuan Bajo open trip to Komodo is a shared, per-person boat booking on a fixed departure date — usually a 2D1N or 3D2N loop through the national park. You reserve one berth, pay a per-cabin rate from about IDR 3,000,000 per person (as of 2026), and sail alongside other travelers on a set route rather than buying the whole boat.**
That is the whole idea behind an open trip: you split the cost of the vessel and crew, so a sleep-aboard Komodo voyage lands within reach of solo travelers, couples, and small groups who do not need a private charter. Below you will find how the shared departures run, what each cabin class costs, and the exact steps to lock a seat on the next sailing out of Labuan Bajo.
What is a Komodo open trip, exactly?
An open trip (some operators call it a “sharing trip” or “join trip”) groups you with other guests who booked the same date and boat. Everyone follows one itinerary, sleeps aboard the same vessel, and pays per person instead of for the full charter. Departures are scheduled in advance on set days — commonly a Monday-and-Friday cadence for the shorter loops — so the boat leaves whether it fills to capacity or not, as long as the minimum booking is met.
Labuan Bajo (LBJ) on the western tip of Flores is the gateway. Komodo Airport receives daily flights from Bali, Jakarta, and other Indonesian cities, and from the harbor it is roughly one to two hours by boat into the park, depending on whether you are on a slow boat or a speedboat. A public ferry from Labuan Bajo Port runs about 2.5 hours once daily, but open-trip guests board a dedicated liveaboard rather than the ferry.
When do the open-trip boats leave?
Shared liveaboards run two to three days and up. The table below shows the typical weekly pattern and what each duration covers. Exact dates shift by season and demand, so treat these as the standing rhythm and confirm the live calendar with the trip desk before you pay.
| Duration | Typical departure days | Nights aboard | Route highlights | From (per person, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2D1N | Fri, Sat (peak) | 1 | Padar sunrise hike, Pink Beach, Manta Point, Kalong sunset | Below the 3D2N rate |
| 3D2N | Mon, Fri | 2 | Padar, Komodo & Rinca dragon treks, Pink Beach, Taka Makassar, Manta Point | IDR 3,000,000 |
The 3D2N is the classic open trip and the one most people mean when they ask about a Komodo boat trip. The 2D1N is a lighter, lower-cost taste of the same waters. Longer 4D3N–5D4N routes exist for travelers extending toward Lombok via Saleh Bay’s whale sharks, but those are covered on our multi-day pages.
How much does a Labuan Bajo open trip cost?
Open-trip pricing is set by cabin class and boat quality, not by the number of people in your party. A 3D2N shared trip starts around IDR 3,000,000–3,750,000 per person and climbs to roughly IDR 7,500,000 per person for higher cabin classes on more luxurious boats. For context, a one-day speedboat tour (no overnight) runs about IDR 600,000–1,500,000 per person.
| Cabin class | What you get | From (per person, 3D2N, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard shared | Simple cabin, shared facilities, fan or basic AC | IDR 3,000,000 |
| Deluxe | Private or semi-private cabin, en-suite, better AC | IDR 4,500,000 – 5,500,000 |
| Premium / luxury boat | Spacious en-suite cabin, upgraded dining, newer vessel | up to IDR 7,500,000 |
Park fees are separate
Komodo National Park charges are usually not included in your boat fare and are commonly quoted at weekday rates. The crew typically collects the full park fee in advance, and guests often reimburse it locally in IDR cash on arrival.
| Park fee | Approx. amount (weekday, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Entrance ticket | IDR 150,000 |
| Trekking | IDR 115,000 |
| Snorkeling | IDR 15,000 |
| Ranger (per group) | IDR 80,000 – 100,000 |
| Drone permit (if you fly one) | IDR 2,000,000 |
Weekends may carry a surcharge. A previously floated international-visitor conservation fee of IDR 3,750,000 was never implemented — earlier proposals ranged IDR 2,900,000–5,800,000, but those are past proposals, not current fees, and today’s charges are the lower ones above. All figures are as of 2026 and subject to change.
How does booking an open trip work?
- Pick a date and duration. Message the concierge with your preferred departure day (2D1N or 3D2N) and cabin class. The team confirms which shared boats have berths open on that date.
- Hold your berth. Because Komodo National Park caps visitors at 1,000 per day across the whole park under a February 2026 regulation — covering Padar, Komodo Island, Pink Beach, and every dive and snorkel site — spots must be booked and paid in advance. Your seat is not secured until payment clears.
- Pre-register your passport. Every boat passenger must submit a passport copy showing the photo page, plus full name, nationality, and passport number, to the boat host at least one day before departure. Passport details alone are no longer enough, and entry can be denied without the copy.
- Get a written invoice. You receive a written invoice confirming the boat, date, cabin, inclusions, and what park fees you settle on arrival. Always request boat photos and safety-equipment confirmation before you pay.
- Board in Labuan Bajo. Meet at the harbor, hand your park fees to the crew if reimbursing in cash, and sail. Treks on Komodo and Rinca must be led by a certified ranger, and life jackets are worn during speedboat transfers and in rough seas.
Open trip vs private buyout — which fits you?
If your dates are flexible and you are happy to share the deck, the open trip is the value pick. If you want your own schedule, your whole party on one boat, and no strangers, a private charter (full-boat buyout) starts around IDR 10,000,000 per day and up, scaling with boat size and amenities. Many couples and friend groups start on a shared 3D2N and upgrade to a private buyout only when the group grows past six or seven. The concierge can price both side by side on the same dates so you see the break-even before deciding.
When is the best time to sail?
The dry season, roughly April to November, brings calm seas, sunny skies, and the best underwater visibility. The rainy season runs December to March with rougher water, and most multi-day boat trips pause between January and March, though one-day speedboats generally keep running. Book only through verified companies with registered business details, avoid unusually low prices, and note that local reports flag some Labuan Bajo boats as unsafe — a written invoice and confirmed safety gear are your protection.
Join the next open trip
Ready to claim a berth? Message the Driftwater Voyages concierge and we will confirm the next available shared departure, your cabin, and total cost including park fees before you commit.
WhatsApp: 628113823875 · Email: sales@komodoluxury.com
Send your travel dates, group size, and preferred duration (2D1N or 3D2N), and the reservations team replies with live open-trip availability plus a private-buyout quote for comparison.
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*Reviewed by Rangga Wardhana, Driftwater Voyages trip desk. Published by Juara Holding Group. Open trips are operated and booked directly by Komodo Luxury, an award-winning Labuan Bajo operator founded in 2015. All prices and park fees are stated as of 2026 and are subject to change.*