About Dream Ocean
We keep the bow steady into the current off Manta Point at first light—just enough drift to let guests slip into the water and watch the reef sharks circle beneath Dream Ocean. At 14 metres, Dream Ocean isn’t built for show, but for holding position where it counts. That’s why we anchor early near Batu Bolong’s southern edge, letting the tide bring the mantas in close. The single cabin layout means we’re not stacking guests, so everyone gets deck space when we tie up at Kanawa’s east beach for lunch.
This boat was re-rigged in 2020 to handle Komodo’s chop, and the twin 150HP diesels push us through the Sape Strait without rolling. We don’t race through the itinerary—instead, we time departures to avoid the midday swell at Taka Makassar. That sandbar appears at low tide, and we’ve seen guests wade nearly 50 metres to the tip, but only after we check the charts and confirm the depth. If the wind picks up, we reroute to Sebayur’s lee side, where the coral walls stay calm.
Our crew of three knows every anchorage from Rinca to Komodo Island. On Day 2, we wake before dawn, engine off, gliding toward Padar’s northern flank. The hike starts at 06:30, timed so guests summit as the sun clears the horizon over Loh Liang. By late morning, we’re on the move again—this time to Pink Beach, where the crushed coral gives the sand its hue. We drop the dinghy on the east side, away from the day-trip crowds that land after 11 a.m.
Snorkeling gear is staged on the aft platform, ready for sudden stops. We’ve pulled up beside Manta Point on impulse more than once when spotters radio in a group of six or more. The boarding ladder stays down until the last guest is back onboard. Back at the boat, there’s shaded seating under the canvas roof and fresh towels in the rinse bucket.
Dinner is served at 18:30, usually just after we’ve anchored in Kalong’s mangrove line. The crew fires up the gas stove early—curried snapper, stir-fried bok choy, rice steamed in banana leaves. We eat under the awning, with the sound of fruit bats taking flight overhead. No generator noise. No bright lights. Just the anchor chain settling into the silt.
We return to Labuan Bajo by midday on Day 3, docking at PIER 3 near the airport road. If flights allow, we’ll swing past Bidadari Island for a final swim. The boat refuels and re-ices that afternoon, ready for the next group by 15:00.
