About Barakati
The first morning light hit the teak deck just as we anchored near Kelor cool and golden with mist still curling off the water. I remember sipping sweet Balinese coffee from a thick ceramic mug wrapped in a thin sarong against the early breeze watching geckos dart between the polished wood slats. The boat smelled of salt and fresh bread from the galley where the cook was already pulling out golden banana pancakes. That quiet moment set the tone not flashy but deeply settled like the boat had been waiting for us in these waters for years.
We'd boarded Barakati late the afternoon before in Labuan Bajo after a quick safety briefing and cabin assignment. My partner and I had the Bonelalo Room Deluxe tucked midships with a solid door and twin portholes that stayed open at night for the breeze. The bed was firm with a breathable cotton cover and there was a real reading light above not just a strip bulb. No AC but a strong overhead fan that hummed quietly and we never needed more.
Day two started with Padar Island at dawn. We hiked early just after 5:30 when the air was still soft and the light cut long shadows across the pink sand below. The view from the saddle never disappoints but what surprised me was how quiet it felt even with a few other boats. After the climb we snorkelled at Komodo then moved to Pink Beach by lunch where the sand really does glow when the sun's high. The crew had set up shaded mats and cold towels on deck and I spent the afternoon reading under an umbrella with one foot in the water.
Mid-afternoon brought the real highlight floating above Manta Point. We drifted for nearly 40 minutes fins just breaking the surface as five mantas circled below some passing so close I could see the patterns around their mouths. The guide stayed close tapping my shoulder to point out a cleaner wrasse on a giant's wing. Back on board a cold lime soda and a shower with real water pressure waited. That evening we watched the sky burn orange behind Kalong Island where thousands of fruit bats swirled out of the mangroves at dusk a swirling black cloud against the twilight.
The final morning we anchored at Taka Makassar the sandbar that appears at low tide like a mirage. We waded out to it laughing as we sank slightly in the soft white sand then swam out to where the blue turned deep. Kanawa followed with coral just 20 metres from shore full of parrotfish and clownfish. The return to Labuan Bajo was smooth the engine a steady pulse beneath the dining cabin where the crew served one last plate of fried bananas and strong coffee. I didnt realise how much Id come to trust the rhythm of the boat until it stopped.
Barakati isnt the biggest or most modern Phinisi but it felt honest. The wood creaks in the heat the sails dont always unfurl but the crew knows the channels like their own hands. We missed the sunrise on the last day because the anchor took longer to lift than expected but no one seemed stressed just adjusted the plan. It reminded me this is still wild coast and the boat for all its comfort is part of that wildness.
