About Blessing
The first morning, I woke before dawn to the soft clink of rigging and the smell of salt and coffee drifting up from the deck. We were anchored just off Padar, its jagged peaks glowing amber in the early light. I stepped out onto the private balcony of our Master Cabin – no other boats in sight, just the quiet hum of the ocean and the occasional dive of a tern. It felt less like a group trip and more like we’d borrowed a captain’s yacht.
We’d boarded the Blessing the afternoon before in Labuan Bajo, welcomed with cold towels and fresh pineapple juice. By 4:30 PM, we were already at Menjerite Island, slipping into the water for our first snorkel. The current was mild, and the reef pulsed with parrotfish and blue tang. Back on deck, the karaoke area was already buzzing – someone had queued up ‘Hotel California’ and the mood was loose, easy.
Day two began at 5:45 AM with a steep climb up Padar for sunrise. The view didn’t disappoint – three sweeping bays fanning out in different shades of turquoise. After breakfast, we hiked with rangers through Komodo Island’s dry forest, spotting two dragons near the ranger station, one basking lazily under a tree. By noon, we’d cooled off at Pink Beach, the sand a soft rose underfoot, then floated above Manta Point where two mantas circled beneath us, their wings brushing the surface.
On the final day, we motored to Taka Makassar, where the sandbar emerged at low tide like a silver thread between the sea. We walked across it barefoot, then snorkeled the outer edge where the current brought in schools of bannerfish and a small reef shark. A short sail brought us to Kanawa, where we swam right up to the shore and watched the sunset from the Serenity Deck with gin and tonics. The whole trip felt well-paced – enough activity to feel full, enough lounging to actually relax.
Blessing itself is 30 meters of polished wood and smart layout. The cabins are compact but thoughtfully designed – ours had a proper bathtub, something I didn’t expect on a liveaboard. The upper deck cabins all have balconies, which made for private moments at anchor. The main deck Family Cabins are roomier, better for couples or small families. We maxed out at 14 guests, well under the 20 capacity, so space never felt tight.
