About Samara 1 Cruise
The first thing I noticed was the smell – salt, wood polish, and fresh coffee brewing on the deck as dawn broke over Kelor Island. We’d arrived late the night before, still buzzing from the transfer van ride from the airport, but waking up aboard Samara 1 felt like we’d already slipped into another world. Samara 1 Cruise was moored just off the beach, and through the cabin porthole, I could see the water shifting from indigo to turquoise. By 7:30, we were on deck with flasks of coffee, watching the sun climb over the island’s red-rock spine as a few early snorkellers jumped in off the back platform.
We spent the morning at Kelor, hiking to the viewpoint that frames the island’s curved beach like a postcard, then floating above the coral gardens just offshore. The boat’s crew had laid out fresh papaya and mango on the sundeck by the time we got back. Samara 1 isn’t the largest phinisi out there at 27 meters, but with only four cabins and space for 12 guests, it never felt crowded. I shared a double kayak with my partner later that afternoon, paddling around Menjerite while the sun dipped low, the limestone stacks casting long shadows across the surface.
Day two started before sunrise – packed breakfast, warm sarongs handed out, and a 5:30 transfer to Padar. The climb in the half-light was worth it. We reached the top as the first full rays hit the three bays, each with its own colour of sand and water. Back on board, there was time to rinse off and grab a sandwich before the dry season breeze kicked in for the sail to Komodo Island. The ranger met us on the dock for the dragon walk – we saw seven, including a young one slithering through the underbrush. After lunch, we snorkeled at Pink Beach, where the sand really does glow, then drifted at Manta Point, spotting three mantas gliding beneath us as we clung to the surface bar.
Our final morning was Taka Makassar – sometimes called the Bora Bora of Komodo. The sandbar emerged at low tide, and we waded across to it, taking photos and floating in the shallows. The crew had set up a final snorkel stop at Kanawa, where the current brought in schools of fusiliers and a sleepy turtle tucked into the reef. We returned to Labuan Bajo around 2 PM, just as the heat was peaking. No one minded – we’d seen everything we’d hoped for, and the rhythm of the boat, the timing of meals, the quiet professionalism of the crew, made it feel unhurried despite the packed itinerary.
