Pinta Liveaboard is a 30-metre ironwood-and-teak phinisi built in 2021 that carries a maximum of 14 guests in 5 en-suite cabins with 8 crew. Full scuba equipment is carried on board, guiding runs at the PADI-standard 4:1 ratio, and published dive-charter rates for the whole boat start at USD 11,250 for 4 days / 3 nights and reach USD 37,900 for 10 days / 9 nights.
What kind of dive boat is Pinta?
Pinta is a working dive platform inside a traditional hull. The shape is a Sulawesi phinisi — ironwood frames, teak decking, the same boatbuilding lineage that has been sailing the Flores Sea for generations — but the boat itself is new, launched in 2021, and the interior is deliberately plain and modern rather than heavily carved. What matters underwater is the rest of the package: a dedicated dive platform at the stern, a glass-bottom tender driven by two 40 HP Yamaha outboards, and a Mitsubishi 8DC1 main engine that is larger than most boats of this length carry.
That engine is the single most useful specification on this page. Komodo National Park is roughly 1,817 square kilometres of island and water, and the difference between a boat that cruises at 6 knots and one that cruises at 8–10 knots is one extra dive per day on a long itinerary. It is why a Pinta 4-day trip usually returns 9 to 11 dives rather than the 7 or 8 that a slower wooden boat manages on the same schedule.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vessel type | Traditional Indonesian phinisi, modern minimalist interior |
| Hull material | Ironwood (ulin) and teak |
| Year built | 2021 |
| Length × beam | 30 m × 6 m |
| Cruising speed | 8–10 knots |
| Main engine | Mitsubishi 8DC1 |
| Generators | 30 kVA + 15 kVA + 8 kVA emergency |
| Fresh water | 5,000 L |
| Fuel | 2,350 L |
| Maximum guests | 14 |
| Crew | 8 |
| Cabins | 5 guest cabins (all en-suite) + 2 crew cabins |
| Tender | Glass-bottom speedboat, 2 × 40 HP Yamaha |
What diving equipment is actually on the boat?
A full scuba set is carried on board and is included in the charter price. This is the point most liveaboard pages leave vague, so here is the honest version: the on-board set is complete enough that a certified diver can arrive with nothing but a mask, a computer and a logbook and dive the whole trip. Divers who own gear are welcome to bring it — there is room on the dive platform and a rinse routine built into the day — but nobody is required to.
| Item | Status on Pinta | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium tanks and weights | Carried on board, included | Standard INT/yoke fittings; DIN adapters available — request at booking |
| BCD, regulator, wetsuit, fins | Carried on board, included | Sizes are finite — send height, weight and shoe size when you book |
| Dive platform and ladder | Stern platform | Kitting up happens on deck, giant-stride or back-roll from the tender |
| Tender for drop-offs | Glass-bottom speedboat, 2 × 40 HP Yamaha | Also used for negative-entry drops at Castle Rock and Manta Alley |
| Guide-to-diver ratio | 4:1, PADI standard | Groups are split by certification and air consumption, not by who booked together |
| Nitrox | On request — confirm before you book | Do not assume it is on board for your dates; ask the reservations desk |
| Dive computer | Bring your own | Every diver needs a computer; we do not run tables |
| Emergency oxygen and first aid | Carried | Plus life raft, lifebuoys, life vests, flares, VHF, SSB, GPS, CCTV and fire extinguishers |
On nitrox specifically we would rather under-promise. Compressor and blending arrangements on Indonesian liveaboards change between seasons and between charters, so the only responsible answer is that nitrox is handled on request and confirmed in writing before your trip is ticketed. If nitrox is non-negotiable for your dive plan, say so in your first WhatsApp message and the desk will confirm availability for your exact dates rather than in general.
How much does a Pinta dive charter cost in 2027?
Pinta is chartered as a whole boat rather than sold cabin by cabin, which is why the numbers below look large at first glance and then look reasonable once you divide by the group. The right-hand column does that division for you.
| Trip length | Typical dive count | Whole boat, 1–8 guests | Whole boat, 9–12 guests | Per person at full occupancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4D3N | 9–11 | USD 11,250 | USD 12,550 | ≈ USD 1,046–1,406 |
| 5D4N | 12–15 | USD 14,450 | USD 16,000 | ≈ USD 1,333–1,806 |
| 6D5N | 15–18 | USD 17,600 | USD 19,500 | ≈ USD 1,625–2,200 |
| 7D6N | 18–22 | USD 20,800 | USD 23,000 | ≈ USD 1,917–2,600 |
| 8D7N | 22–26 | USD 28,400 | USD 29,650 | ≈ USD 2,471–3,550 |
| 9D8N | 25–30 | USD 32,200 | USD 33,800 | ≈ USD 2,817–4,025 |
| 10D9N | 28–34 | USD 36,000 | USD 37,900 | ≈ USD 3,158–4,500 |
A worked example: eight divers on the 5-day / 4-night charter pay USD 14,450 for the boat, which is USD 1,806 each for roughly 12 to 15 dives, all meals, tanks, weights, guiding and four nights in an en-suite cabin. Twelve divers on the same trip pay USD 16,000, or USD 1,333 each. Group size moves the per-person figure far more than trip length does.
Included: Full-board accommodation in an en-suite cabin, all meals prepared on board, snacks, drinking water, tea and coffee, tanks, weights and belts, guided dives at a PADI-standard 4:1 guide-to-diver ratio, the glass-bottom tender, snorkelling gear, stand-up paddleboards and the kayak, and the crew of eight.
Not included: Komodo National Park entry tickets and the locally collected ranger, harbour and diver charges, flights to Labuan Bajo, nitrox where requested, personal dive-computer or full-gear rental beyond the on-board set, alcohol, dive courses and certification fees, travel and dive insurance, and crew gratuity.
| Item | 2026–2027 amount | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Komodo National Park entry ticket (foreign visitor) | IDR 250,000 per person per visit | PP No. 36 of 2024 — flat, no weekday/weekend split |
| Komodo National Park entry ticket (Indonesian, weekday) | IDR 50,000 per person | PP No. 36 of 2024 |
| Komodo National Park entry ticket (Indonesian, weekend/public holiday) | IDR 75,000 per person | PP No. 36 of 2024 |
| Trekking, wildlife observation, snorkeling | Included in the foreign-visitor ticket | Stated in the Balai Taman Nasional Komodo briefing on PP 36/2024 |
| Diver surcharge / harbour fee | Around IDR 25,000 per diver per day each, collected locally | Operator-collected, not a PNBP tariff — confirm the exact figure at booking |
Be careful with the park-fee figures circulating online. The IDR 650,000 and IDR 900,000 numbers you will see on some operator sites are bundled packages — the national-park ticket plus regional levies plus ranger and trail-management charges — not the government tariff. The tariff set by Government Regulation 36 of 2024 is IDR 250,000 per foreign visitor per visit, and trekking, wildlife observation and snorkelling sit inside it. The much-discussed IDR 3,750,000 conservation membership proposed in 2022 was cancelled and has never been charged.
Where do the 14 guests sleep?
Five guest cabins, every one with a private bathroom, across four published categories. The Master Sea View on the upper deck is the one people book first — it has 270-degree windows, a private balcony and a bathtub, which on a dive boat is a genuine luxury rather than a brochure line. Two lower-deck cabins take three or four people each, which is what makes Pinta workable for a family where only half the group dives.
| Cabin | Deck | Bed configuration | Features | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master Sea View | Upper | Double (convertible to twin) | En-suite + bathtub, private balcony, 270° windows | Couples, photographers who want deck access |
| Deluxe Sea View | Middle | Double (convertible to twin) | En-suite, sea-view window | Buddy pairs, divers who want a short walk to the dive deck |
| Junior Suite | Lower | Double + single | En-suite, work table, reading sofa | Families of up to four |
| Deluxe Cabin | Lower | Double + single | En-suite, spacious bathroom | Groups of three sharing, budget-minded divers |
Beds in the Master Sea View and Deluxe Sea View convert between double and twin, so a group of dive buddies is not forced into a double. Say which configuration you want when you book — the crew set the cabins before boarding, not after.
Who is Pinta best for?
- Best for certified groups of 8 to 12 who want the whole boat and the freedom to set their own dive schedule rather than follow a shared-trip timetable.
- Best for mixed dive-and-snorkel families — the glass-bottom tender, paddleboards and kayak give non-divers something real to do while the dive group is down.
- Best for divers who want length — the 7-, 8-, 9- and 10-day charters reach the southern sites and Manta Alley, which short trips almost never do.
- Less suitable for solo travellers on a tight budget — whole-boat charter maths does not favour one person; a shared trip on a larger vessel will be cheaper.
If you are still comparing hulls rather than dates, the wider dive-equipped liveaboards in the Komodo Luxury fleet range from 20-guest shared boats to full private yachts, and the reservations desk will tell you honestly when another vessel fits your group better than Pinta does.
Frequently asked questions
How many guests can Pinta Liveaboard take?
Fourteen guests maximum, in five en-suite cabins, with eight crew. Dive charters are priced to twelve divers because guiding runs at a 4:1 ratio and the dive platform works best with twelve people in the water.
Is diving equipment included on Pinta?
Yes. A full scuba set — tanks, weights, BCD, regulator, wetsuit and fins — is carried on board and included in the charter price. You still need to bring your own dive computer, mask and certification card.
Is nitrox available on Pinta Liveaboard?
Nitrox is handled on request and confirmed for your specific dates before booking. Do not assume it is on board; state your requirement in the first message to the reservations desk.
What is the cheapest Pinta dive charter?
The 4-day / 3-night dive charter at USD 11,250 for one to eight guests. Divided across eight divers that is about USD 1,406 per person for roughly nine to eleven dives, all meals and three nights on board.
Do I pay the Komodo National Park fee separately?
Yes. Park tickets and locally collected ranger and harbour charges are excluded from every charter rate. The government tariff under PP 36/2024 is IDR 250,000 per foreign visitor per visit.
How fast is Pinta and why does it matter?
Pinta cruises at 8 to 10 knots on a Mitsubishi 8DC1 main engine. On a multi-day itinerary that speed converts directly into extra dives, because less of the day is spent moving between the northern, central and southern zones of the park.
Can non-divers join a Pinta dive charter?
Yes, and it is common. Non-divers use the glass-bottom tender, snorkelling gear, two stand-up paddleboards, the kayak and the jacuzzi while the dive group is down. Snorkelling sites are chosen so both groups stay together.
How do I hold a date on Pinta?
Message the Komodo Luxury reservations desk on WhatsApp with your dates, group size and certification levels. Dates are held short-term without payment while the quotation and cabin allocation are confirmed.
Book Pinta Liveaboard
Pinta runs on a whole-boat basis, so the calendar moves fast in the April–June and September–November windows. Pinta is operated and marketed by Komodo Luxury (part of Juara Holding Group, running Komodo trips since 2015). Reservations, cabin availability and current-season rates: WhatsApp +62 811 3823 875 or email [email protected]. Quote the trip length and your certification level in the first message and the desk can hold a date the same day.
Keep reading
- The 11 best Komodo dive sites in 2027 — depth, current and skill level for every site Pinta runs.
- Certification requirements for Komodo — which sites need Advanced Open Water and how many logged dives we ask for.
- Pinta dive FAQ hub — 100 answers on diving and snorkelling from this boat.
- Rates and booking 2027 — dive, leisure and course rate cards side by side.
