Gammara Phinisi
Gammara Phinisi
From your front door to the deck of Gammara
Updated 3 November 2026
Private phinisi honeymoon travel from Bali starts a day early: fly to Komodo Airport, sleep in Labuan Bajo, meet the Gammara pickup at 09:00 to 09:30, and sail between 10:00 and 11:00. On a 3D2N trip the boat is back about 12:00, so book your flight home after 15:00. Checked 3 November 2026.
Front door to deck: a chain of times
Day before: land at Komodo Airport. 09:00 to 09:30: pickup at the airport or your hotel. 10:00 to 11:00: the boat leaves the harbour. Day three, about 12:00: back at the pier.
That is the full chain on the open-trip sample route, and a private charter follows the same outline, with the pickup time agreed against your date and movable to fit a flight. Before the first of those times, the arrangements are yours: tickets, hotel, passport. After it, Gammara takes over.
Below is what we know about flights, and how sure we are of each point. Timetables shift with the seasons, so confirm every flight with the airline before paying.
| 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
Bali, Jakarta or Lombok, then Komodo Airport
Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya are where most couples change planes, with Lombok as a smaller option. Every route finishes at Komodo Airport, the one airport for Labuan Bajo.
From Bali the flight is about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes; from Jakarta, about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours. Take those as a guide, since the airlines set the actual schedule. Several carriers fly from Bali and Jakarta, and which ones changes from season to season.
Town is 2 to 3 km from the airport, and the harbour area about ten minutes by car. There are few direct international flights, so from Europe or Australia you will connect in Bali or Jakarta. Arriving in Indonesia via Bali means paying a Bali tourist levy as well as the visa; look up the current amount on the Bali provincial site before you go.
Entry rules and the passport in your bag
What you need to enter depends on the passport you hold, and the rules move. Some nationalities get a visa on arrival, some must apply online for an e-visa beforehand, and some need no visa at all. The table sets out the checks we know of; confirm each on the Indonesian immigration site before buying a ticket.
For almost everyone, three things count. Six months left on the passport after arrival, with blank pages. Proof that you are leaving again. An online arrival card, completed before landing. Use only the official government portal for these, as copycat sites add their own fees.
Seven days before boarding we ask for your passport details. The park ticket and the harbour list are both made in your name, and the name must match the passport. Carry the original on the day you sail.
| 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.
Eve of boarding
Land the day before. It comes up on every page that deals with the first morning, because nothing else does as much to turn a frantic start into a calm one.
Spend that evening in town. A hotel near the harbour makes the pickup short; the hotels page has the options. Draw rupiah from an ATM while you can, since there are none in the park or on the islands. Charge the phones and the camera, and pack your closed, grippy shoes on top, ready for Padar's steps and Kelor's hill.
For the bag that night: passport and a copy, hat, sunscreen, a torch for steps in the dark, and any tablets you depend on. Labuan Bajo's pharmacies stock only a little, and the islands stock nothing. Then go to bed. Tomorrow starts early and finishes on the water.
Meeting at nine, sailing at ten
Open-trip guests are collected at Komodo Airport or their Labuan Bajo hotel between 09:00 and 09:30, and the boat casts off somewhere from 10:00 to 11:00. That transfer to the harbour is included in the fare.
On a private charter the start time is agreed along with your date. An earlier start is worth asking for; whether it works depends on the day's plan. Before the day, we send you the pickup place and time in writing.
Those minutes before ten are busier than they look. Luggage goes aboard and names are checked against the harbour list. Have your original passport in hand and a charged phone, and you will be standing on deck before ten.
Flying home: harbour hour and the safe ticket
For your flight. A 3D2N open trip ties up at Labuan Bajo pier at about 12:00 on day three and finishes between 12:00 and 13:00, so anything departing after 15:00 is safe. Traffic, weather and tides can push the return later, and a connection booked too tight is the one problem here we have no way to fix.
The longer private routes finish at midday or during the morning of the final day. Those are sample times; the captain agrees the actual plan with you. The airport is 2 to 3 km from the pier, around ten minutes by car.
If your plans have no slack in them, say so in your first message. A private charter can be shaped around a flight. An open trip cannot, as everyone aboard shares the same morning.
FAQ
Where exactly do we meet on the first morning?
On the open trip you meet at Komodo Airport or at your hotel in Labuan Bajo between 09:00 and 09:30, and the boat leaves the harbour between 10:00 and 11:00. A private charter sets its own time with your date. We confirm the place and the time in writing before the day.
Is there a direct flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo?
Yes, flights run between Bali and Komodo Airport. The flight takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Airlines and days change with the season, so check each flight with the airline before you buy. We do not sell flight tickets, but we can help you choose a sensible arrival day.
Does a first-time visitor need a visa before landing?
It depends on your passport. Many nationalities buy a visa on arrival or apply for an e-visa online, and some enter visa-free. Fees and rules change, so verify on the Indonesian immigration site before you travel. Our first-visit page lists the checks, including passport validity and the online arrival card.
Which airport do we fly into, and how far is the harbour?
You fly into Komodo Airport, the only airport for Labuan Bajo. It sits 2 to 3 km from town and about ten minutes by car from the harbour area. The pickup on the open trip covers the airport, your hotel and the harbour, so you need no other transport on boarding day.
Should we land the day before or on the morning itself?
The day before, every time. The pickup is at 09:00 to 09:30, and one delay on a same-morning flight can mean missing the boat. A night in town also lets you draw rupiah, charge everything and meet the pickup rested. Our hotels page lists places near the harbour.
Check availability — Gammara Phinisi
Bookings for Gammara Phinisi are made with the Komodo Explorer team in Labuan Bajo.