Vhale is a 19 m budget liveaboard with 12 ocean-themed cabins and the largest shared capacity sailing out of Labuan Bajo — 32 to 34 guests. She runs the full 3D2N Komodo route, Padar to Pink Beach to Manta Point, from USD 362.16 per person.
Vhale at a glance
| Class | Standard phinisi |
|---|---|
| Length | 19 m |
| Guests | 32–34 |
| Cabins | 12, private or shared, ocean-themed names |
| Crew | 9 |
| Base | Labuan Bajo |
| Style | Shared cabins on scheduled 3D2N departures; private cabins bookable |
On board
If you are looking for a cheap Komodo boat tour from Labuan Bajo that still sleeps you inside the park rather than day-tripping to it, Vhale is the boat we point to first. Twelve cabins carry ocean names — Atlantic, Pacific, Oceanic, Azure, Coral — and the honest headline is density: up to 34 guests on 19 metres, run by a crew of nine. Indonesian travelers know the format well as open trip Komodo murah, and this is a fair example of it done properly.
You still choose your privacy level. Coral berths sell as shared or private, and the Atlantic and Oceanic cabins at the top of the sheet are proper private rooms. A sundeck and a paddle board cover the at-anchor hours, and the trip ends with a 12:30 drop-off at your hotel or the airport — early enough to catch an afternoon flight. The crew of nine is a strong ratio for this bracket, and it shows: landings stay organized even at full manifest.
How to do a budget trip well
A few field notes make the difference on a boat this social. Book the Atlantic or Oceanic cabins if your budget stretches — the premium over a shared Coral berth is modest and buys real sleep. Board early to claim a sundeck corner; on a 34-guest manifest the good spots are a currency. Pack light and soft, since storage is honest but finite, and bring your own reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag — shop prices in Labuan Bajo will not be the bargain the boat was. Finally, treat the 12:30 day-three return as reliable but not contractual: book a 3 p.m. flight at the earliest and the schedule will never own you.
Kristo’s curation note
I grade Vhale as the value board of this fleet, and I will not dress that up: thirty-plus guests on nineteen metres means lively decks, queues at the ladder and no quiet corners. But the itinerary is stop-for-stop the same park the luxury hulls sail, and per dollar nothing else we board comes close. Bring earplugs, take the upper-sheet cabins if you can.
Best for
- Budget travelers who want a real budget liveaboard Komodo trip, not a day boat
- Backpacker pairs and groups happy to trade elbow room for fare savings
- Solo travelers — shared Coral berths are the cheapest bed in the park
- Anyone flying out on day three: the 12:30 return is dependable
A typical 3D2N route
The route concedes nothing to the budget phinisi Komodo label: Kelor and the Kalong bat flight on day one; Padar’s ridge, Komodo Island’s dragons, Pink Beach, Manta Point and the Taka Makassar sandbar across day two; Kanawa and Rinca on the final morning before the 12:30 drop-off. Stop-by-stop timing for this shape is on the 3D2N Komodo charter page.
Pricing, plainly
One transparency note before the numbers: you may see Vhale advertised from USD 334.39, but the cheapest cabin actually bookable on the current sheet is USD 362.16 — we quote the bookable figure, not the teaser. Per-person 3D2N fares: Azure and shared Coral berths at USD 362.16, private Coral at USD 378.08, Pacific at USD 505.47, Oceanic at USD 537.32 and Atlantic at USD 572.64. Park fees are itemized separately at booking.
Check dates for Vhale
High-season departures fill weeks out at these fares. Message the fleet desk on WhatsApp (+62) 811 3823 875 or sales@komodoluxury.com and we will send live cabin availability. Vhale is boarded and graded — honestly — under the Komodo Luxury curation standard.
Similar boats in the fleet
- Segara — standard phinisi with a calmer manifest
- Pesona Bajo — budget-bracket alternative worth comparing
- KLM Lambora 1 — the classic no-frills park workhorse