At the pier
Cheapest. Walk the waterfront at four the day before and agree the boat, route and price face to face.
Photo: MANSURKOI / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Booking
Three ways to book, and the cheapest is the pier.
Walk-in, through your guesthouse, or arranged ahead — what each costs you in money and in risk.
In short
Most people arrange a boat the evening before by walking the Riung waterfront around 16.00–17.00 and talking to the captains directly.
- Walk-in is cheapest and works outside peak season.
- Your guesthouse will arrange it for a small margin.
- Book ahead only around Indonesian public holidays.
Three routes
Pick by how much risk you want to carry
The price difference between these is smaller than the difference in certainty.
Via your guesthouse
A small margin buys you a captain who already knows the owner, and someone to complain to.
Bena, near Bajawa. Photo: Serenade / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Arranged ahead
Worth it for the Komodo leg, a liveaboard, or travel around a public holiday. Otherwise it is money for nothing.
Photo: Komodo Luxury.
Before you agree
Settle four things at the pier
Per boat or per person. Which islands. What time back. Whether lunch and gear are in.
All four are normal to ask and all four are where misunderstandings happen. Agree them before money changes hands, not at the second island.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to put dates on it?
Riung boats are arranged locally, at the pier. For the Komodo leg or a full Flores itinerary, the reservations desk answers on WhatsApp.