Soe Besar Vanrei
Soe Besar Vanrei Phinisi
Water first, walking graded, no dive boat
Updated 8 November 2026
A Komodo snorkel and kayak boat trip for all ages on Soe Besar Vanrei: snorkelling gear, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are on board, and the three days hold five water stops. It is not a dive boat. Eight guests on 3D2N pay IDR 20,250,000 (≈ USD 1,242) each.
Water and walking: where the three days go
Three days, nine stops, and the water gets most of the hours. The shared 3D2N follows the order below, and the captain changes it with the weather and the tide.
Day 1: Kelor, a short hill walk; Manjarite, a snorkel; Kalong at sunset. Day 2: Padar in the morning, the optional climb; Pink Beach, a snorkel; Komodo with a ranger; Taka Makassar and Manta Point, in the water or from the deck. Day 3: Sebayur or Kanawa, a last snorkel, then the return to Labuan Bajo.
Count the entries and the balance is clear: five stops are mostly water, three are mostly walking, and Kalong is watched from the deck. The 2D1N keeps the first two days; the 4D3N adds Kanawa, Gili Lawa, Sebayur and Bidadari at a slower pace. Both are example routes agreed with the captain.
Caveat: no sighting is promised at any stop.
Day 1
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup from your hotel or Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, then to the harbour | passport or ID | |
| Boarding at Labuan Bajo harbour | ||
| Kelor Island, a short hill walk | shoes with grip, hat and water | |
| Manjarite | mask and snorkel | |
| Kalong Island at sunset, for the flying foxes | a light layer | |
| Dinner on board | ||
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat anchors for the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | |
Day 2
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Padar Island in the morning, or stay aboard | shoes with grip, hat and water | |
| Breakfast on board | ||
| Pink Beach | reef-safe sunscreen | |
| Komodo Island, to look for Komodo dragons with a ranger | closed shoes, park ticket | |
| Manta Point, to look for manta rays | mask and snorkel | |
| Taka Makassar | mask and snorkel | |
| Dinner on board | ||
| 🌙 | Night at anchor | |
Day 3
| What happens | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast on board | ||
| Sebayur Island or Kanawa Island | mask and snorkel | |
| Lunch on board | ||
| Back in Labuan Bajo, then to your hotel or the airport |
These stops swap order with tide and wind: Manta Point ⇄ Taka Makassar; Sebayur ⇄ Kanawa.
Times here are patterns, not a timetable. Pickup and return times are confirmed when you book, so choose a late-afternoon flight home.
Snorkel stops for every kind of swimmer
Not every swimmer wants the same water. The stops fall into three kinds.
- Easy: Manjarite on day one, Pink Beach on day two, and Sebayur or Kanawa on day three. A beach stop with shallow water suits children and cautious adults.
- Watch from the boat: Taka Makassar, a sandbar, can be enjoyed without swimming at all.
- Captain's call: Manta Point, where the current changes with the tide. The captain decides who gets in, and nobody is sent in against the advice.
Snorkelling gear and life jackets are on board. Sizes for children are confirmed in writing when you send the age and weight, and we do not promise any piece of gear in a given size.
This is not a dive boat. No dive equipment, compressor or dive guide is listed, and scuba is not offered. A guest who dives elsewhere can still snorkel here, and a guest who has never snorkelled can start at Manjarite.
Kayaks and paddle boards at anchor
Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are part of the afternoon at anchor, when the boat is still and the water is flat enough to stand on. The anchorage is the captain's choice, and a sheltered cove makes the best of it.
Each kind suits a different guest. A kayak carries a parent and a child, or a lone paddler, and it sits low on the water. A paddle board asks for balance and a willingness to fall in, which makes it the teenagers' choice and the one a grandparent watches from the deck.
Wear the life jacket when you paddle, and keep within sight of the boat. The number of kayaks and boards is not published, so a party of sixteen takes turns, which suits an afternoon anyway.
Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are on board. The number of each and a minimum age for paddling are confirmed in writing.
Walks graded from skip to short
Walking here is short, and every walk has a grade.
- Kelor, day 1: short. A hill walk with a view back over the harbour.
- Padar, day 2: optional. The climb is the longest effort of the trip; whoever stays aboard keeps the boat.
- Pink Beach, day 2: short. A beach, not a trail.
- Komodo, day 2: short, ranger-led. The ranger sets the pace and the distance.
Wear closed shoes with grip for Kelor, Padar and Komodo, and carry water and a hat. Trail lengths and times live on the Padar and Komodo pages, where the effort for each stop is written out.
The park sets what is allowed on its trails, and we claim no rule of our own. Ask us if a stroller or a carrier matters.
Prices for a snorkelling family
Eight guests, four adults and four children, on the 3D2N whole boat pay IDR 20,250,000 (≈ USD 1,242) each, from a boat price of IDR 162,000,000 (≈ USD 9,939). The price is per boat for 1 to 16 guests, so it does not fall when fewer guests come, and the gear, kayaks and paddle boards are inside it.
A smaller family can take cabins on the shared sailing instead. A Superior cabin is IDR 5,500,000 (≈ USD 337) per person, two sharing, and a bunk in the Sharing Cabin is IDR 3,850,000 (≈ USD 236). A guide and documentation are inside a seat; on a private charter they are quoted separately.
The park package is quoted per trip type and paid with the deposit. Children aged 0 to 2 travel free, and the full fare starts at age 3.
| Group size | 2D1N | 3D2N | 4D3N |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | IDR 40,500,000 | IDR 81,000,000 | IDR 121,500,000 |
| 4 | IDR 20,250,000 | IDR 40,500,000 | IDR 60,750,000 |
| 6 | IDR 13,500,000 | IDR 27,000,000 | IDR 40,500,000 |
| 8 | IDR 10,120,000 | IDR 20,250,000 | IDR 30,380,000 |
| 10 | IDR 8,100,000 | IDR 16,200,000 | IDR 24,300,000 |
| 12 | IDR 6,750,000 | IDR 13,500,000 | IDR 20,250,000 |
| 14 | IDR 5,790,000 | IDR 11,570,000 | IDR 17,360,000 |
| 16 | IDR 5,060,000 | IDR 10,120,000 | IDR 15,190,000 |
Swipe for more
per person · Whole boat ÷ group size
FAQ
Can we dive from the boat, or is it snorkelling only?
Snorkelling only. The operator lists snorkelling gear, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and life jackets, and it lists no dive equipment, compressor or dive guide. Soe Besar Vanrei is not a dive boat. Guests who dive elsewhere can snorkel here, and the easy stops suit beginners.
Can a seven-year-old snorkel at the stops?
Yes, at the easy stops, with an adult beside the child. Life jacket sizes are confirmed in writing after you send the child's age and weight, and the captain decides whether the water at a stop is suitable on the day. Manta Point is the stop to skip for a young swimmer.
Do the kayaks and paddle boards cost extra?
They carry no extra charge. Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards come with the snorkelling gear and life jackets, on the boat on the whole-boat price and the shared seat. Beside the price sit the park package, drinks beyond free-flow water, tea and coffee, and tips.
Check availability — Soe Besar Vanrei
Bookings for Soe Besar Vanrei run through the Komodo Explorer team in Labuan Bajo. We plan the voyage, take payment and answer in writing before you board; the boat keeps its own captain and crew.