Last updated: August 2026 · Prices & availability verified for the 2026/2027 season
Ayana Komodo runs its own private jetty and leads Komodo Luxury’s pickup log with roughly 75 recorded transfers — more than any other Labuan Bajo hotel. The bundle works simply: nights at Ayana before and after, a 3D2N liveaboard in between. The USD 40 national park fee covers the whole trip, not per day.
The Bundle at a Glance — Dates, Cabin, Price
Across 82 booking conversations with Australian guests, 80% asked about dates before anything else, 43% asked about cabins, and 42% asked about price. So here are all three answers first, in one table.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Trip length | 3 days 2 nights (3D2N) — the minimum for open trips; 2D1N exists only as a private charter |
| Dates | Departures run year-round; guests reserve about 3 months ahead, earlier for August |
| Cabin options | Shared cabin from USD 300 per person · private double or twin cabin on a shared boat · full private charter |
| Boarding | Morning, from Ayana’s private jetty or Labuan Bajo harbor |
| Park fee | USD 40 per person, paid once for the whole trip — not per day; excluded from the package, handled by our team |
| Hotel nights | Ayana is booked separately — before the boat, after, or both |
Why Ayana Is Different: Its Own Private Jetty (±75 Pickups in Our Log — the Most of Any Hotel)
Our transfer coordination group has logged 372 hotel mentions across Labuan Bajo pickups. Ayana Komodo accounts for roughly 75 of them — about one in five — making it the most common pre-boat hotel we serve, ahead of Katamaran (47) and Sudamala (35).
The reason is not just the five-star hardware. Ayana is the only hotel in our records with its own private jetty: a pier off the resort boardwalk at Waecicu Beach where a liveaboard can come alongside and board guests directly. No harbor crowds, no van transfer, no waiting at the dock among day-trip groups. You walk down from breakfast and step onto the boat.
How the Bundle Actually Works, Day by Day
Worth being precise here, because the word bundle suggests a combined ticket that does not exist. You book Ayana directly or through your agent; we run the boat leg and coordinate the jetty boarding with the resort. It is a timing exercise — and after ±75 recorded Ayana transfers, one our team runs on rails.
Day 0 — Check In at Ayana, Receive the Boarding Brief
Arrive in Labuan Bajo at least the day before sailing. That evening our team sends your boarding brief on WhatsApp: jetty or pickup time, boat name, cabin assignment, and a packing reminder. Leave the main suitcase with the resort’s concierge; take a soft bag with three days of clothes, swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, and any medication you need afloat.
Day 1 — Board at the Jetty, Sail Into Komodo National Park
Boarding is in the morning. From Waecicu Beach the boat heads into Komodo National Park for the classic 3D2N circuit: the Padar viewpoint climb, the Komodo dragons walked with a ranger, Pink Beach, and snorkeling stops on the reefs between them. The USD 40 park fee is collected once for the entire trip — our crew handles the paperwork at the park, so you never queue for it.
Day 3 — Return to Labuan Bajo, Optional Second Ayana Night
The boat returns to Labuan Bajo on day 3. Guests flying out that evening can go straight to the airport, but many Ayana guests add a second resort night instead: shower, dinner, one more pool morning, then fly. If you want the boat to drop you at the Ayana jetty rather than the harbor, tell us when booking — it is a routing note, not an upgrade.
Which Boat Pairs Best With Ayana — Ayvara and Malca
Two boats dominate both our schedule and our inbox. In our scheduling group, Malca shows 208 recorded sailings and Ayvara 196 — the two busiest boats we operate, with Catnazse and Naturalia following at 179 and 178. In guest conversations the order flips: Ayvara is the most requested boat we run, named 101 times across our booking chats, with Malca close behind at 95.
The pairing logic is straightforward. Guests staying at a five-star resort usually want the boat to match, and the Ayvara VIP liveaboard — the flagship pairing for Ayana guests — is the one we assign most often for that brief. The Malca private phinisi charter is the alternative when Ayvara’s dates are taken, which — at 196 and 208 sailings respectively — happens more often than you would think.
Shared Cabin vs Private Cabin vs Full Charter From Ayana
Cabin questions came up in 43% of our Australian guest chats, so here is the honest breakdown:
- Shared cabin — from USD 300 per person on a Komodo open trip 3D2N shared cabin from USD 300. You share a cabin and the boat with other travelers. The budget-sane way to add Komodo to an Ayana stay.
- Private double or twin cabin — your own room on a shared boat. Couples get privacy without paying for the whole vessel; deck, meals, and itinerary stay communal.
- Full charter — the whole phinisi, your own itinerary and departure time. This is where a Komodo 3D2N luxury liveaboard genuinely matches the Ayana standard, and the only way to run a shorter 2D1N itinerary, since open trips start at 3 days 2 nights.
What the Bundle Does NOT Include — USD 40 Park Fee, Insurance, Alcohol, Diving
A Komodo boat package is not all-inclusive, and we would rather say so plainly than let it surprise you at the park gate. Budget separately for:
- Komodo National Park fee — USD 40 per person, paid once for the whole trip, however many days you sail. Our team handles the payment. It is never charged per day.
- Travel insurance — arrange your own cover before flying.
- Alcohol on board.
- Diving — snorkeling gear is on the boat; dives are arranged and billed separately.
- Drone permit — USD 130 per drone, once per trip.
- Ayana room nights — booked with the resort, not with us.
When to Book: Why Guests Reserve About 3 Months Ahead
Our booking records put the average lead time at about 3 months before departure. The demand curve explains why: August logged 1,114 trip requests in our system against 48 in November and 20 in December. If you want a specific boat — and Ayana guests usually ask for Ayvara — three months is the realistic minimum for peak dates.
The insider angle: November, our quietest month on paper, is also the best manta season in the park. Same resort, same boat, a fraction of the crowd. If your dates are flexible, that is the trade worth making.
FAQ
As a couple, can we get a small private cabin on a Komodo boat without paying for a private charter?
Yes. On a shared boat you can book a private double or twin cabin — the room is yours while the deck, meals, and itinerary stay communal. It sits between a shared cabin from USD 300 per person and a full charter, and it is a common pick for couples pairing Ayana nights with a 3D2N trip.
Is there a big difference between a shared cabin and a private cabin on Komodo boats in terms of noise, privacy, and comfort?
In a shared cabin you may room with other travelers; in a private cabin the space is yours, which matters mostly for noise and changing in private. Everything else is identical — same boat, same food, same stops. Light sleepers and couples usually go private; solo travelers who want company do fine shared. Cabin questions came up in 43% of our Australian guest chats, so you are not alone in asking.
What is included in the price of a Komodo 3 days 2 nights boat package, and what extra costs should I expect?
The boat price covers your cabin, meals on board, snorkeling gear, and crew. It never includes the Komodo National Park fee — USD 40 per person, paid once for the whole 3D2N trip, not per day; our team handles it at the park. Also excluded: travel insurance, alcohol, diving, and drone permits at USD 130 per drone, once per trip. Ayana room nights are booked separately.
How should travellers coming from Europe, the US, or Australia time flights into and out of Labuan Bajo around a 3D2N tour?
There are no long-haul flights into Labuan Bajo — you connect through Jakarta or Bali. Arrive at Ayana at least the day before boarding; that buffer absorbs a delayed connection. On the way out, the boat returns on day 3, so book an evening flight or, better, a second Ayana night and fly the next morning. Guests reserve boats about 3 months ahead; flights usually follow.
The working order for this bundle: pick your sailing date first — the boat sells out before the resort does — reserve your cabin or charter, then book Ayana around it. Start with live dates on the 3D2N Komodo open trip page, or message us to hold Ayvara for a private departure from the Ayana jetty.
