Group of travellers cheering at the Padar Island viewpoint

3-day itinerary

Three days,
keel to open water.

Watch a phinisi take shape alongside the people who build it, then sail one into Komodo National Park — a short, private journey from Labuan Bajo.

Plan my three days See the days

Days from Labuan Bajo: 3
Nights ashore: 2
Komodo Airport arrival: LBJ
UNESCO heritage listing: 2017

Day by day

From the timber
to the horizon.

Two days with the builders, one on the water. Each day follows the order in which a phinisi is made.

Day 1

Arrival and the timber

Transfer from Komodo Airport to your stay, then a first afternoon at the yard: how ironwood and teak are chosen, and how the keel is laid.

Day 2

Frames, planks and sails

Ribs and planking with the master builders, a picnic lunch at the yard, then the rigging, the sail plan and the blessings held for a new vessel.

Day 3

Finishing, then the sea

Deckhouse joinery and interior fit-out in the morning; in the afternoon a cruise on a completed phinisi and a farewell dinner on board.

What you see at the yard depends on the stage of the boats under construction that week.

Day one

The wood decides
everything.

Ironwood (ulin) is dense and resists marine borers; teak brings strength and a fine finish. Each species has its job in the hull, and timber is dried and cured for months — sometimes a year — before it is cut.

Measurements are taken by trained eye rather than machine. The keel comes first: the backbone of the boat, shaped with hand tools and aligned with great care before anything else is fitted.

The first cuts set the integrity of the whole vessel.

Phinisi under full sail off the hills of Komodo

Day two

Built by hand,
by eye and memory.

Frames are fitted without blueprints, guided by proportions handed down through generations of builders.

Frames and ribs

Shaped with adzes and saws and fitted piece by piece to the growing hull.
Planking

Long planks are heated, bent into shape and fastened with wooden pegs and iron nails.
Rigging

Two masts, gaff-rigged sails and the rope work that lets the boat use the wind.
Blessings

Traditional ceremonies held for the vessel’s safety and prosperity at sea.

The Konjo builders of Bira, Ara and Lemo-Lemo in South Sulawesi are the recognised custodians of this tradition.

Custom new build program

Included

Everything arranged,
door to deck.

The trip is private and fully organised, with a concierge on call throughout.

Two nights in a Labuan Bajo resort or private villa
Private airport and yard transfers in air-conditioned vehicles
A guide and interpreter for every yard visit
Arranged access to a working boatyard and its builders
All meals, including a picnic lunch at the yard
A half-day phinisi cruise with crew and snorkelling gear
Komodo National Park entrance fees and permits

Extensions on request: longer stays, workshops with the artisans and further days in the archipelago.

See 2027 build slots

Day three

A craft worth
keeping alive.

The last morning looks at what keeps the tradition going: training young builders and sourcing timber responsibly.

2017

UNESCO heritage listing

Phinisi boatbuilding is recognised as intangible cultural heritage.
500+

Years of the tradition

Carried by Konjo boatbuilding villages in South Sulawesi.
3

Custodian villages

Bira, Ara and Lemo-Lemo.

Responsible tourism helps fund the training and sourcing that keep the craft alive.

FAQ

Three-day
questions.

Where it starts, what you see and what the trip covers.

Where does the itinerary start?

At Komodo Airport (LBJ) in Labuan Bajo, Flores. You are met on arrival and driven along the coast to your resort or private villa.

Do I need to know anything about boatbuilding?

No. A guide — often a local historian or a retired boat builder — explains each stage and interprets, so you can put your questions to the builders directly.

Do we actually go out on the water?

Yes. On day three you take a half-day cruise aboard a completed phinisi to a cove in Komodo National Park, such as Pink Beach or a snorkelling reef.

What is included?

Two nights’ accommodation, private transfers, guides and interpreters, arranged yard access, all meals, the phinisi cruise with snorkelling gear, and national park fees.

Can the trip be extended?

Yes — longer stays, workshops with the artisans and further days in the archipelago. The 5-day and 7-day itineraries go deeper into the build.