About Mutiara Cruise Phinisi
We keep the bow into the current at Manta Point just after 09:00 – it’s the cleanest approach for guest entry and keeps Mutiara Cruise Phinisi stable while swimmers drift with the reef sharks and mantas. At 47 metres, Mutiara Cruise Phinisi isn’t the longest phinisi in the fleet, but her displacement hull and teak-thick decks handle the Komodo straits like a workhorse. We’ve ridden out sudden Sumbawa squalls near Sebayur with all guests dry below, and that’s not luck – it’s knowing how to trim the sails when the wind shifts from the west.
The ten cabins are laid out for airflow and quiet. No shared walls between guest rooms, and each has a private ensuite with rain shower and marine-grade ventilation. Upper deck cabins open to the alfresco lounge – guests take coffee there at sunrise after the Padar Island hike, when the pink granite catches the first light. We run three dedicated stewards for housekeeping, and the water system feeds both hot showers and the rooftop jacuzzi, which we keep at 38°C after dinner. Snorkeling gear is laid out on the stern platform by 07:30 every morning, pre-checked for fit.
Day one starts with arrivals from Labuan Bajo airport – we meet guests at the dock by 13:00 and cast off for Kelor Island. The anchorage there is sheltered, ideal for first-time swimmers. By 17:00, the group is in the water off Menjerite’s northern ledge, where the current brings out the blue-legged crabs and giant clams. We serve grilled tuna with sambal matah on the upper deck that evening, under the masthead lights.
Day two begins at 05:45 with a landing on Padar – we time it to avoid the midday heat and the busiest trails. The Komodo ranger station at Loh Liang is next, where our licensed guide walks the group through the dragon habitat. Lunch is cold coconut salad and beef rendang, served on the sand at Pink Beach. By 14:00, we’re drifting at Manta Point – the cleaning station near Karang Makassar is most active mid-tide. Kalong Island at sunset draws the flying foxes; we anchor just outside the mangroves to avoid disturbing the colony.
On day three, we shift east to Taka Makassar – the sandbar emerges at low tide around 09:30. We lay out the stand-up paddleboards and let guests wade across the flats. Kanawa Island follows – the coral bommies at its southern tip are some of the most intact in the national park. We reboard by 14:00 and make the return run to Labuan Bajo, arriving by 16:30. The crew clears all gear, sanitises wetsuits, and prepares cabins for turnover by 18:00.
