Pinta Dive FAQ Hub 2027: 100 Diving & Snorkeling Answers

One hundred answers about diving and snorkeling Komodo National Park aboard Pinta Liveaboard, grouped into ten themes. The short version: Pinta is a 30-metre phinisi built in 2021 carrying 14 guests in 5 en-suite cabins with 8 crew; dive charters start at USD 11,250 for 4 days / 3 nights; the park ticket is IDR 250,000 per foreign visitor; and our minimum is Open Water or Advanced with 30 logged dives.

Quick reference

1. The vessel, cabins and crew

What kind of boat is Pinta Liveaboard?

A traditional Indonesian phinisi built in 2021 from ironwood and teak, 30 metres long and 6 metres in the beam, with a modern minimalist interior and a dedicated dive platform.

How many guests does Pinta carry?

Fourteen guests maximum, with eight crew. Dive charters are priced to twelve divers because guiding runs at a 4:1 ratio.

How many cabins does Pinta have?

Five guest cabins, every one with a private bathroom, plus two crew cabins. The categories are Master Sea View, Deluxe Sea View, Junior Suite and Deluxe Cabin.

Which cabin is the best on board?

The Master Sea View on the upper deck — 270-degree windows, a private balcony and a bathtub. It is the cabin that books first on every charter.

Can beds be arranged as twins?

Yes. The Master Sea View and Deluxe Sea View convert between double and twin. Tell the desk which configuration you want at booking; the crew set cabins before boarding.

Is there a cabin suitable for a family?

The Junior Suite on the lower deck sleeps a family of four with a double and a single bed, a work table and a reading sofa. The Deluxe Cabin fits three adults.

How fast does Pinta cruise?

Eight to ten knots on a Mitsubishi 8DC1 main engine, which is larger than most boats of this length carry. That speed converts directly into extra dives on multi-day itineraries.

What power and water does the boat carry?

Generators of 30 kVA and 15 kVA with an 8 kVA emergency set, 5,000 litres of fresh water and 2,350 litres of fuel.

Is there air conditioning?

Yes, every guest cabin is air-conditioned, with an en-suite bathroom and an in-room safety box.

How large is the crew and what do they do?

Eight crew, covering navigation, engineering, galley, service and dive guiding. Guides work at a PADI-standard 4:1 ratio.

2. Diving equipment and dive operations

Is scuba equipment included?

Yes. A full set — tanks, weights, BCD, regulator, wetsuit and fins — is carried on board and included in the dive-charter rate.

What do I need to bring myself?

A dive computer, a mask you trust, your certification card and your logbook. Everything else is on the boat, though you are welcome to bring your own gear.

Is nitrox available?

Nitrox is handled on request and confirmed for your specific dates before booking. Do not assume it is on board; raise it in your first message.

What tank fittings do you use?

Standard INT/yoke aluminium tanks. DIN adapters are available — request them at booking so they are on board for your trip.

How many dives per day?

Three on a typical day, plus a night dive on some evenings at sheltered sites such as Siaba Besar.

Do you offer night dives?

Yes, usually at Siaba Besar, which is shallow, sheltered and safe after dark. Night dives depend on conditions and on the group’s experience.

What is the guide-to-diver ratio?

Four divers to one guide, the PADI standard. Groups are split by certification level and air consumption, not by who booked together.

Is there a dive platform?

Yes, a dedicated stern dive platform. Drop-offs at sites needing a negative entry are made from the glass-bottom tender.

What tender does the boat use?

A glass-bottom speedboat with two 40 HP Yamaha engines. It doubles as the pick-up boat on every drift dive and as a reef-viewing platform for non-divers.

Do you get extra dives on the last day?

Yes. Check-out on the final day is late, at 5 p.m., which typically buys two or three extra dives that a midday-return boat cannot offer.

3. Certification, experience and courses

What certification do I need?

Our written minimum to join a dive charter is Open Water or Advanced Open Water with at least 30 logged dives. Advanced with 50 dives is what we recommend to access every site.

Can I dive Komodo with only Open Water?

Yes, on about half the park — Siaba Besar, Pink Beach, Karang Makassar and Tatawa Besar. The northern pinnacles and Manta Alley are not open to you.

Which sites require Advanced Open Water?

Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, The Cauldron, Manta Alley, Golden Passage, Tatawa Kecil and Batu Bolong, with 20 to 50 logged dives depending on the site.

Can I learn to dive on board?

Yes. Discover Scuba Diver, the three-day Open Water course, the two-day Advanced Open Water course and the Reactivate refresher are all run during charters.

How long does the Open Water course take?

Three days: theory from the current manual, confined-water skills, open-water dives and the exam. Completing the e-learning theory before you fly saves close to a day.

What does the Advanced course cover?

Five adventure dives over two days — Peak Performance Buoyancy, Deep, Drift, Underwater Navigation and Fish Identification — at real Komodo sites.

What depth can I dive after Open Water?

Eighteen metres, diving independently with a buddy. Advanced Open Water extends that to thirty metres and opens the advanced site list.

I have not dived in two years. What now?

Book the Reactivate refresher for day one. Recency matters more than lifetime dive count in current, and it costs you one dive out of the whole trip.

Do children dive on board?

Junior certifications are handled case by case with depth and site restrictions. Discuss ages and certifications with the desk before booking.

Are course fees included in the charter price?

No. Course and certification-card fees are quoted per person and sit outside the charter rate. Instructor availability is confirmed for your dates before booking.

4. Dive sites and marine life

What is the best dive site in Komodo?

Batu Bolong for sheer fish density, Castle Rock for sharks, Karang Makassar for accessible mantas and Manta Alley for manta numbers. Which is best depends on your level.

How many dive sites are there in the park?

There is no official count. Specialist operators work with around eighteen core sites, rising to thirty or forty if variants are counted. Treat precise totals online as guesses.

Where do you do the check dive?

Siaba Besar, in a sheltered bay at 5 to 18 metres with light current. It is also the night-dive site.

Are there sharks in Komodo?

Yes. Grey reef and whitetip reef sharks are routine at Castle Rock, Crystal Rock and Batu Bolong; bamboo sharks are common on the sand at Karang Makassar.

Can I see manta rays?

Yes, year-round at Karang Makassar and in far higher numbers at Manta Alley from December to March, when 20 to 50 or more animals have been reported on good days.

What else lives in the park?

More than 1,000 reef-fish species and more than 250 coral species — the park sits inside the Coral Triangle. Turtles, eagle rays, Napoleon wrasse, cuttlefish and trevally are routine.

Is Komodo good for macro photography?

Reasonable but not exceptional. Siaba Besar is the macro site. If macro is your priority, Raja Ampat is the stronger destination.

What is the Cauldron or Shotgun dive?

A northern channel dive where tidal flow accelerates through a gap and flushes divers out over a sand bowl used as a manta cleaning station. Advanced divers only, on the right tide.

Which site has the strongest current?

The Cauldron, with Castle Rock and Tatawa Kecil close behind. Tatawa Kecil carries the highest down-current risk in the park.

Can I see Komodo dragons on a dive trip?

Yes. Ranger-guided walks on Komodo or Rinca island are included as land stops on charters of three days or more.

5. Snorkeling and non-divers

Can non-divers join a dive charter?

Yes, and it is common. Snorkelling gear, the glass-bottom tender, two stand-up paddleboards, a kayak and the jacuzzi are all included.

Can I snorkel with mantas?

Yes, at Karang Makassar. It is shallow with gentle to moderate drift and mantas feeding at 8 to 18 metres are routinely visible from the surface.

What are the best snorkeling sites?

Pink Beach and Manjarite for accessible coral, Siaba Besar for turtles, Taka Makassar for clear water over a sandbar, Kanawa for the house reef and Karang Makassar for mantas.

Is snorkeling gear included?

Yes — mask, snorkel, fins and buoyancy vests. Send shoe sizes when booking so fins are ready on arrival.

What if I cannot swim well?

You are given a buoyancy vest and a guide in the water with you, and you enter from the tender in shallow protected water rather than starting on a drift.

Can children snorkel?

Yes, with a vest and a guide, at the sheltered sites. The ratio is tightened for children and nervous swimmers.

Is there anything to do without getting in the water?

The glass-bottom tender shows reef without entering the water, and the sundeck, jacuzzi and land stops at Padar, Pink Beach and the dragon trails fill the rest.

Do snorkellers pay the same charter rate?

No. If nobody dives, you are quoted on the leisure rate card, which starts at USD 4,900 for a 2-day / 1-night whole-boat charter.

What should I wear snorkelling?

A rash guard or long-sleeved shirt beats sunscreen at this latitude, and reef-safe sunscreen beats ordinary sunscreen for everything it does not cover.

Are the paddleboards and kayak included?

Yes, both, used at sheltered anchorages. They are part of the charter rate on the dive and leisure cards alike.

6. Currents, weather and seasons

When is the best time to dive Komodo?

April to June and September to November for the calmest seas and 20 to 30 metre visibility. December to March for manta density, at the cost of rougher seas.

Is Komodo diveable year-round?

Yes, though December to March brings monsoon conditions, southern crossings become weather-dependent and some vessels go into maintenance.

Why are the currents so strong?

Tidal water moves between the Flores Sea and the Indian Ocean twice a day, and the islands force it through narrow channels. That current is also why the diving is world-class.

What is a down-current?

Water pushed down a wall or off a pinnacle. The first sign is usually your depth increasing while you do nothing. Swim horizontally away from the wall rather than fighting it upwards.

Which sites have down-current risk?

Tatawa Kecil above all, then Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, The Cauldron and the exposed faces of Batu Bolong.

How warm is the water?

Twenty-six to twenty-nine degrees Celsius in the north and centre. The south drops to 21 to 25 degrees during the June-to-September upwelling, with a sharp thermocline.

What wetsuit should I bring?

Three millimetres is enough for the north and centre. If your itinerary includes Manta Alley or the south in June to September, bring 5 mm plus a hood.

How is visibility through the year?

Fifteen to thirty metres in the north and centre, best April to June and September to November. The south runs 10 to 20 metres because of nutrient-rich upwelling.

Will my itinerary change during the trip?

Almost certainly, and that is a good sign. Site order follows the tide, and Karang Makassar, Taka Makassar and the northern pinnacles swap places daily.

Do trips get cancelled for weather?

Individual sites are substituted routinely, especially in the south from December to March. Full cancellations are rare and handled under the terms on your quotation.

7. Prices, inclusions and booking

How much is a Pinta dive charter?

From USD 11,250 for the whole boat on 4 days / 3 nights with one to eight guests, to USD 37,900 for 10 days / 9 nights with nine to twelve guests.

How much is a snorkel-only charter?

From USD 4,900 for 2 days / 1 night with one to four guests, to USD 16,650 for 8 days / 7 nights with ten to thirteen guests.

What does a dive-course charter cost?

Course-focused charters are quoted in rupiah: IDR 140,000,000 for 4 days / 3 nights with one to four guests, rising to IDR 260,000,000 for 6 days / 5 nights with nine to twelve.

Is Pinta sold per cabin?

No, it is chartered as a whole boat. That is why per-person cost falls sharply with group size — about USD 1,406 each at eight divers on the 4-day charter, about USD 1,046 at twelve.

What is included in the price?

Full-board accommodation in an en-suite cabin, all meals, snacks, drinking water, tea and coffee, tanks, weights, guided dives at 4:1, the tender, snorkelling gear, paddleboards, the kayak and eight crew.

What is excluded?

Park tickets and local charges, flights, nitrox, extended gear rental, alcohol, dive courses, insurance and crew gratuity.

How much deposit is required?

The deposit percentage and balance-due date are stated on your quotation. Dates can be held briefly without payment while the quotation is finalised.

How far ahead should I book?

Four to six months for July, August and the December-to-March manta window. April to June and September to November have more availability.

Can I extend the charter by a day?

Usually, if the calendar allows. Extra-night pricing follows the step between published trip lengths; ask for the exact figure for your dates.

How do I hold a date?

Message the Komodo Luxury reservations desk on WhatsApp with dates, group size and certification levels. Dates are held short-term while the quotation is prepared.

8. Komodo National Park fees and rules

What is the Komodo National Park entrance fee?

IDR 250,000 per foreign visitor per visit under Government Regulation 36 of 2024. It is flat, with no weekday or weekend difference.

What do Indonesian visitors pay?

IDR 50,000 on weekdays and IDR 75,000 at weekends and on public holidays, under the same regulation.

Is trekking included in the ticket?

Yes. Trekking, wildlife observation and snorkelling are included in the foreign-visitor ticket according to the Balai Taman Nasional Komodo briefing on PP 36/2024.

Why do some sites quote IDR 650,000?

Because those figures bundle the national-park ticket with regional levies and ranger or trail-management charges. The government tariff itself is IDR 250,000.

Is there a IDR 3,750,000 conservation fee?

No. That membership scheme was announced in 2022, cancelled, and has never been collected.

Are there extra diver charges?

Local diver surcharges and harbour fees of around IDR 25,000 per person per day each are collected in practice. These are operator-collected charges, not government tariffs — confirm the exact amount at booking.

How big is Komodo National Park?

Around 1,817 square kilometres of land and sea, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991, with Komodo, Rinca and Padar as its three main islands.

Are drones allowed?

Drone use in the park is regulated and permits are charged. Ask the desk before you fly anything; rules and fees change and enforcement is real.

Can I touch or feed marine life?

No. Touching, riding and chasing animals ends the dive. Reef hooks go on rubble and dead substrate only, never on living coral.

How close can I get to a manta?

Three metres, horizontally and vertically, and never from above. At cleaning stations divers settle to one side and let animals come to the station.

9. Getting there and logistics

Where does Pinta depart from?

Labuan Bajo, on the western tip of Flores. Boarding is at the harbour, and most itineraries return there in the morning of the final day.

How do I get to Labuan Bajo?

Fly into Komodo Airport (LBJ). Denpasar to Labuan Bajo is about 1 to 1.5 hours non-stop; Jakarta is about 2 to 2.5 hours.

Which airlines fly there?

Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Citilink and the Lion Air group all serve the route, with frequencies that change seasonally. Check schedules close to your dates.

What do flights cost?

In the 2026 market, roughly IDR 600,000 to 1,500,000 one way from Bali and IDR 900,000 to 2,200,000 from Jakarta, depending on season and how early you book.

Should I arrive the day before?

Yes, wherever possible. A missed connection into Labuan Bajo cannot be recovered once the boat has sailed, and an evening in town is a pleasant way to start.

How long after diving before I can fly?

Plan 18 to 24 hours between your last dive and your flight. Itineraries finish in the morning specifically to make same-day evening flights workable.

Is there Wi-Fi on board?

Yes, Wi-Fi is available, though coverage in the national park is genuinely patchy. Do not plan critical work calls around it.

Is there laundry on board?

Yes, there is a washing machine, which on trips of six days and longer is more useful than it sounds.

What is the food like?

All meals are prepared on board and included, with snacks, drinking water, tea and coffee. Dietary requirements are catered for — send them at booking, not on arrival.

Can we have a beach dinner?

Yes, a beach dinner set-up is part of what the crew do on longer charters, conditions permitting.

10. Health, safety and practicalities

What safety equipment is on board?

A life raft, lifebuoys, life vests, flares, GPS chart plotter, compass, SSB and VHF radios, walkie-talkies, CCTV, fire extinguishers, first aid and emergency oxygen.

Do I need dive insurance?

Yes. We ask for a policy number covering hyperbaric treatment and medical evacuation before departure. The nearest recompression facility is not in Labuan Bajo.

Do I need my own dive computer?

Yes. Every diver on board carries a computer; we do not run tables.

Do you use surface marker buoys?

Yes, one per buddy pair on drift sites, deployed before ascent so the tender knows where you are.

What happens if a diver gets separated?

Standard procedure: search for one minute, then ascend safely, deploy your SMB and wait. The tender follows the dive and will collect you.

Is seasickness a problem?

Anchorages are chosen for shelter, but December-to-March nights roll. Bring medication if you are susceptible, and consider April to June or September to November instead.

Are there medical facilities in Labuan Bajo?

There are clinics in town, but serious cases — including decompression illness — require evacuation by air. This is why insurance is non-negotiable.

What power sockets are on board?

Indonesian standard, 220 V with European-style two-pin sockets. Bring an adapter if your equipment uses another plug.

Is there a safe in the cabin?

Yes, each cabin has a safety box, along with an en-suite bathroom and air conditioning.

Who operates Pinta Liveaboard?

Pinta is operated and marketed by Komodo Luxury, part of Juara Holding Group, which has been running Komodo trips since 2015. Reservations go through the Komodo Luxury desk.

Still not answered?

The questions above cover what the reservations desk is asked most often, but a charter is a bespoke thing and the useful questions are usually specific: this group, these dates, this certification mix. Everything on this page reflects the published 2026–2027 rate cards and the vessel as built; confirm the current figure for your dates before booking flights. If Pinta is not the right hull for your group, say so and the desk will point you at shared departures or private yachts instead.

Book Pinta Liveaboard

Ask the awkward question — whether Pinta is right for your group is a better conversation than whether it is available. 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

• Pinta dive specs and 2027 rates — vessel, equipment, cabins and the full rate card.
• Komodo snorkeling guide — nine sites and how non-divers are looked after.
• The 11 best Komodo dive sites — depth, current, skill level and best months.
• Rates and booking 2027 — dive, leisure and course rate cards side by side.

Deeper dive-site and logistics answers

• What Sharks Will You Actually See Diving Komodo?
• What Is Diving Cannibal Rock and Southern Komodo Actually Like?
• Castle Rock or Crystal Rock: Which Komodo Pinnacle Suits Your Logbook?
• Batu Bolong: How Do You Read the Current Before You Roll In?
• Can You Really Get Open Water Certified in Three Days on a Liveaboard?
• Do You Need Dive Insurance for Komodo, and Where Is the Nearest Chamber?
• How Long After Your Last Dive Can You Fly Home From Labuan Bajo?
• Do You Pay Extra for Diving on Top of the Komodo Park Ticket?