Lamborajo
Lamborajo phinisi fleet
First Time in Indonesia: Before Your Lamborajo Trip
Updated 20 October 2026
Most visitors enter Indonesia on a 30-day visa on arrival or an e-VoA, then fly to Labuan Bajo through Bali, Jakarta or Surabaya. Fees and rules change, so check the official immigration site before you fly. Bring rupiah, a passport and a plan for patchy phone signal.
Visa and entry: what to check before you fly
The table lists the visa routes, the stay length and the arrival card. Treat the fee line as a figure to verify: visa fees are set by the immigration service and can change without notice.
Use the official immigration site for any application. Third-party sites charge extra for the same form. Passport validity and an onward ticket are checked at the border, so do not leave them for the airport.
| Visa on Arrival (VoA) | Open to nationals of 97 listed countries, including most of Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Japan, South Korea, China, India and the Gulf states. Other nationalities apply in advance at evisa.imigrasi.go.id. |
|---|---|
| e-VoA | The same 30-day visa, applied for online before you travel at evisa.imigrasi.go.id. Once approved, you must enter within 90 days. |
| VoA / e-VoA price | IDR 500,000 per person; children pay the same. Fees can change, so check the official site before you fly. |
| Length of stay | 30 days from the day you arrive, single entry |
| Extension | Once, by 30 days (60 days in total), for IDR 500,000. Apply at an immigration office about a week before the first 30 days end. |
| Visa-free entry | 30 days, not extendable, for citizens of ASEAN countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. |
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date, with at least 2 blank pages |
| Onward ticket | Proof of a return or onward ticket is required for a VoA |
| All Indonesia arrival card | Free and compulsory. Fill it in within 72 hours before arrival at allindonesia.imigrasi.go.id or in the app; it covers immigration, customs and the health declaration. |
| Arriving in Labuan Bajo | Most visitors clear immigration in Bali, Jakarta or Surabaya and reach Labuan Bajo on a domestic flight |
| Bali tourist levy | IDR 150,000 per foreign visitor if you enter through Bali, paid at lovebali.baliprov.go.id. It is separate from the visa fee. |
Checked 11 October 2026 · Entry rules and fees change: confirm them on the official immigration site before you travel.
Flights into Labuan Bajo
Komodo International Airport sits 2 to 3 km from the harbor, about 10 minutes by car. Most international visitors land in Bali, Jakarta or Surabaya first and take a domestic flight on.
Airlines and schedules change, so confirm them when you book. For a Monday or Friday sailing, land the day before and book the flight home after 14:00.
| Airport | Komodo International Airport, code LBJ |
|---|---|
| Usual connections | Bali (DPS), Jakarta (CGK) or Surabaya (SUB); Lombok and Kupang are smaller feeders |
| Flight time to Labuan Bajo | From Bali about 1 h 10 min to 1 h 20 min; from Surabaya about 1 h 30 min; from Jakarta 2 h 30 min to 3 h; from Lombok about 1 h |
| Airlines | Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Citilink and Indonesia AirAsia from Bali and Jakarta; Super Air Jet from Surabaya; Wings Air on the shorter island routes. Schedules change, so check before you book. |
| Airport to the harbour | 2 to 3 km, about 10 minutes by car |
Checked 11 October 2026
Money and cash on the boat
Rupiah is the working currency in Labuan Bajo. Cash machines stand in town and at the airport and none stand on the islands, so withdraw before you board.
Cards work at hotels and larger restaurants; the venue sets any surcharge. Warungs, markets and taxis take cash. The table gives the withdrawal limits and tipping norms we found, with a source for each; verify them when you arrive.
| Currency | Indonesian rupiah (IDR); about IDR 16,000 to 16,500 to the US dollar and IDR 17,500 to 18,000 to the euro in mid-2026 |
|---|---|
| ATMs | BCA, Mandiri, BNI and BRI on Jl. Soekarno-Hatta near the harbour and at airport arrivals; none in the national park or on the islands. Take cash before you board. |
| ATM limits | IDR 1,250,000 to 3,000,000 per withdrawal; a local fee of about IDR 25,000 to 50,000, plus your own bank's charges |
| Cards or cash | Cards work at hotels, dive centres, boat companies and larger restaurants, often with a surcharge of 2 to 4 per cent. Small eateries, markets, taxis and small shops take cash. |
| Tipping | Appreciated, never compulsory. In restaurants 5 to 10 per cent when no service charge is added; for a boat crew, IDR 50,000 to 100,000 per guest per day is a common range. |
Checked 11 October 2026
Phone signal and Wi-Fi on the water
Phone signal comes and goes between the islands. Telkomsel has the widest coverage, and it is still patchy offshore. Install an eSIM before you fly and activate it on landing.
The Lamborajo boats offer local Wi-Fi: a hotspot the crew shares from a mobile signal, so it is as patchy as the signal. The May 2026 brochures list no satellite internet, and video calls from the water are not something to plan around.
| SIM cards | Every SIM must be registered; visitors register with a passport |
|---|---|
| Best network | Telkomsel has the widest coverage in Labuan Bajo and offshore; signal is still patchy between the islands |
| eSIM | Install it before you fly and activate it on landing; a typical plan of 25 GB for 30 days costs about USD 15 to 22 |
Checked 11 October 2026
Health, water and the sea
Take travel insurance with medical cover and evacuation. Hospitals ask for payment first, so a policy with evacuation is the sensible cover.
Tap water is not drinkable, and the boat's mineral water is included in the fare. Bring prescription medicines in their original packaging, with sunscreen, since pharmacies in town stock a limited range.
A guest with a heart, back or mobility condition should tell us before booking, so the cabin and the walks suit the person.
| Insurance | Travel insurance with medical cover and emergency evacuation is strongly recommended; add dive cover if you dive |
|---|---|
| Private hospital | Siloam Hospitals Labuan Bajo, Jl. Gabriel Gampur, +62 385 2440 666; it has a hyperbaric chamber |
| Public hospital | RSUD Komodo, Labuan Bajo, with an emergency unit; no hyperbaric chamber |
| Pharmacies | Available in town with a limited range; bring prescription medicines and sunscreen from home |
| Emergency numbers | 112 general; 118 or 119 medical; 110 police; 115 search and rescue |
| Health risks | Dengue, chikungunya and malaria are present, so protect yourself against mosquito bites. Rabies exists in dogs and monkeys: seek care at once after a bite. |
Checked 11 October 2026
Port rules on sailing day
Two offices decide whether a boat sails: the harbor master issues each boat's sailing permit, and the park office controls who enters the park. Either can close a route at short notice for weather.
Every passenger needs an electronic boarding pass in the name on the passport, and the company that books your boat registers it (on a booking with us, our team). Carry the passport on the day, and keep a photo of it on your phone.
If a route is closed, the replacement guarantee applies: a phinisi of the same class or higher on the same dates, or a refund within 14 days.
| Who decides | The harbour master's office (KSOP Labuan Bajo) issues each boat's sailing permit; the park office (Balai Taman Nasional Komodo) controls access to the park |
|---|---|
| Boarding pass | Passengers on boats to the park need an electronic boarding pass, and the name on it must match the passenger list; your boat company registers you |
| Safety on board | The harbour master's guideline requires life jackets and liferafts sufficient for everyone on board, no more passengers than the boat's capacity, and a weather check before each sailing permit |
| Recent closures | 1 to 8 February 2025: Komodo and Padar closed, Rinca only. 29 December 2025 to 4 February 2026: staged closures, with all tourist boats held from 14 to 20 January 2026. 6 to 8 August 2026: Komodo and Padar closed for waves and wind, Rinca open. |
Checked 11 October 2026
Komodo National Park: KEXI's park package
| Trip | Foreign guest | Indonesian guest |
|---|---|---|
| 3D2N | IDR 650,000 | IDR 350,000 |
| 4D3N | IDR 750,000 | IDR 350,000 |
One package covers the government entrance ticket (IDR 250,000 per foreign visitor per day, PP 36/2024), the ranger fee and the local levies. It is quoted per guest and paid on top of the boat price, unless your quote says it is included. For other trip lengths, the desk quotes the package with your booking.
| International visitors | IDR 250,000 per person per day |
| Indonesian visitors | IDR 50,000 per person per day · IDR 75,000 weekends & holidays |
Regulation: PP 36/2024 · Verified 10 October 2026.
FAQ
Do I need a visa for Indonesia?
Most nationalities use a 30-day visa on arrival or an e-VoA, and a few are visa-free. Check the official immigration site for your passport before you fly.
How do I get to Labuan Bajo?
By air, through Bali, Jakarta or Surabaya, to Komodo International Airport (LBJ). Komodo Airport lies 2 to 3 km from the harbor.
Should I bring cash?
Yes. Cash machines stand in town and at the airport, none on the islands, and warungs, markets and taxis take cash only.
Is there Wi-Fi on the Lamborajo boats?
Local Wi-Fi, from a hotspot the crew runs on a mobile signal, so it is patchy. The May 2026 brochures list no satellite internet. Do not plan video calls.
Is the Komodo park fee in the fare?
No. The entry ticket is bought per person per day through the park's online system, and it is outside every Lamborajo fare.
Check availability: Lamborajo
Lamborajo is published and booked by PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia, a booking partner for the three Lamborajo boats. The vessels belong to their owner.