VIP wooden phinisi, Labuan Bajo
Ayvara Cruise: Specifications, Decks and Facilities
A VIP-class wooden phinisi with seven above-deck sea-view cabins, a 360° rooftop deck, a shaded sundeck and Starlink internet, sailing Komodo National Park from Labuan Bajo.
Overview
Ayvara Cruise specifications and facilities at a glance
Ayvara Cruise is a traditional wooden phinisi in the VIP class, with seven sea-view cabins for a maximum of 15 guests. All seven cabins are above deck, a layout suited to private family cruising around Komodo. Based in Labuan Bajo, Flores, the vessel sails Komodo National Park and has been in service since 1 August 2025. It is owned and operated by Komodo Luxury, which lists the full vessel profile on its Ayvara Cruise page.
The specification sheet is short and practical: a Mitsubishi 6D14 engine of 160 PK, a cruising speed of 9–10 knots, electricity rated at 20 KVA + 20 KVA, 6,000 litres of fresh water, and radio, VHF and GPS for navigation. Guest facilities are a 360° rooftop deck, an expansive shaded sundeck, a fully equipped indoor dining area, wooden interiors, Starlink high-speed internet, and air conditioning with an en-suite bathroom in every one of the seven cabins. Snorkelling gear and life vests are carried on board, and trips include documentation by drone, GoPro and mirrorless camera, supplied as raw footage; the optional drone permit for Komodo National Park is not included.
Technical specification
Ayvara in numbers
- Cabins
- 7 above-deck sea-view cabins
- Guests
- 15
- Cruising speed
- 9–10 knots
- Model
- Traditional wooden boat (phinisi)
- Electricity
- 20 KVA + 20 KVA
- Fresh water
- 6,000 L
- Engine
- Mitsubishi 6D14, 160 PK
- Navigation
- Radio, VHF, GPS
- Internet
- Starlink high-speed internet
Specification as published by Komodo Luxury, checked 21 September 2026.
Deck by deck
Where you spend the day
360° rooftop deck
The 360° rooftop deck is Ayvara's open-air viewpoint, with a sightline in every direction. Three points on the 3D2N itinerary suit it: sunset at Kalong Island on day one, when flying foxes are often seen from the boat as they leave the mangroves; sunset on board after Taka Makassar on day two; and sunrise at around 06:00 on the last morning.
After dark, away from the lights of Labuan Bajo, the rooftop is also the natural place to look at the stars on a clear night. No yoga classes or mats appear on the facility list, so guests who like a morning stretch should pack their own mat. Komodo Luxury's photographs show the rooftop without a canopy, so the sunblock, sunglasses and beach hat on the packing list are worth having here.
Shaded sundeck
The sundeck is described by Komodo Luxury as expansive and shaded, and the shade is the point. The difference between the two outdoor spaces is simple: the rooftop is open to the sky for views and photographs, while the sundeck gives cover from the midday sun. It is the obvious place to sit out the sailing legs, such as the scheduled hour from Labuan Bajo to Kelor Island or the ninety minutes or so from Manjarite to Kalong Island.
For a group that has chartered the whole boat, the sundeck is the shared outdoor living space for up to 15 guests between snorkelling stops. On an open trip it is shared by the guests of all seven cabins. Photographs of both decks are in the gallery.
Indoor dining room
Ayvara has a fully equipped indoor dining area, so meals can be taken out of the sun and wind. Meals during the trip are included in the rates, along with mineral water, coffee and tea. Other drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and personal snacks are not included; snacks and supplements are on the packing list.
Meal times follow the route rather than the clock. On the 3D2N itinerary, lunch is served on board after the Kelor Island trek, breakfast follows the early Padar Island walk at about 08:15, and dinner comes after sunset on both evenings. No menu is published, so dietary requirements are best raised with the Komodo Luxury reservations desk at the time of booking.
Connectivity
Starlink internet at sea
Ayvara's specification lists Starlink high-speed internet on board. Starlink is a satellite internet service run by SpaceX that connects through satellites in low Earth orbit rather than through mobile phone towers. That matters in Komodo National Park, where mobile signal commonly fades once a boat is among the islands and away from Labuan Bajo. A satellite link gives the vessel its own connection at sea.
In practice, Starlink on a liveaboard is useful for messaging family, checking a flight change before the trip home, sending photographs and keeping a light eye on work email. No speed or coverage figure is published for Ayvara, and like any satellite link it can vary with weather, the boat's position and the number of people online. The packing list still includes a Telkomsel SIM card. More detail is in the guide to Starlink Wi-Fi on a Komodo liveaboard.
On board
Facilities
- 360° rooftop deck
- Expansive shaded sundeck
- Fully equipped indoor dining area
- Starlink high-speed internet on board
- Wooden interiors
- Air conditioning and en-suite bathroom in every cabin
- Snorkelling gear and life vests
- Drone, GoPro and mirrorless documentation (raw footage)
Heritage
What a phinisi is, and where Ayvara fits
A phinisi, also spelled pinisi, is the traditional wooden vessel of South Sulawesi, long sailed as a cargo ship by Bugis and Makassar seafarers and built by Konjo boatbuilders in the Bulukumba area. Strictly, the word names the rig: seven to eight sails set on two masts. In everyday use today it also covers the wooden hulls built in this tradition, many of them motorised and fitted out for liveaboard cruising in places such as Komodo.
In 2017 UNESCO inscribed Pinisi, art of boatbuilding in South Sulawesi on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The listing recognises the boatbuilding knowledge itself, not any individual vessel. UNESCO names Tana Beru, Bira and Batu Licin as the present centres of the craft, where skills pass from one generation to the next within families and to others through the division of labour in the boatyards.
Ayvara's specification describes the vessel as a traditional wooden boat of the phinisi model, with wooden interiors. It is motorised, with a Mitsubishi 6D14 engine of 160 PK and a cruising speed of 9–10 knots, and each cabin has air conditioning and an en-suite bathroom. The background to the boat type is covered in What is a phinisi?
Operator
Owned and operated by Komodo Luxury
Ayvara is owned and operated by Komodo Luxury, part of Juara Holding Group, with in-house crew and maintenance, so the company that takes the booking is also the one that runs the boat. The operator's own record, as shown on komodoluxury.com and checked on 21 September 2026: Komodo Luxury is rated 4.9/5 by 1,530 guests on its Trustindex profile, and the site states the company is a 2025 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice winner. Both refer to the operator as a whole, not to Ayvara alone.
Bookings are not taken on this site. The Komodo Luxury reservations desk quotes both ways of sailing: a cabin on the 3D2N open trip, from IDR 6,750,000 (USD 450) per person per voyage in a Superior Cabin, or the whole boat on private charter, from IDR 92,000,000 (USD 5,500) per charter for 2D1N with 1–8 guests. These are 2027 publish rates, rate sheet dated 11 September 2026. Komodo National Park fees are not included and are set by government regulation.
Questions
Good to know
What are the specifications of Ayvara Cruise?
Ayvara Cruise is a traditional wooden phinisi in the VIP class with seven above-deck sea-view cabins for up to 15 guests. The specification lists a Mitsubishi 6D14 engine of 160 PK, a cruising speed of 9–10 knots, electricity rated at 20 KVA + 20 KVA, 6,000 litres of fresh water, radio, VHF and GPS navigation, and Starlink internet. The vessel profile is published on the Komodo Luxury Ayvara page.
Does Ayvara Cruise have Starlink Wi-Fi in the cabins?
Starlink internet is listed on board Ayvara, but the specification does not say how the signal is distributed between cabins and decks, and no speed is published. Treat it as a way to stay in touch at sea rather than a guaranteed office connection. The packing list also includes a Telkomsel SIM card, which is a sensible back-up. See Starlink Wi-Fi on a Komodo liveaboard.
What is the difference between Ayvara's sundeck and rooftop deck?
The rooftop deck is open to the sky with a 360° view, which suits sunrise, sunset and stargazing on clear nights. The sundeck is shaded, so it is the more comfortable place during the middle of the day and on the sailing legs between islands. The indoor dining area is a separate space. All three are shown in the gallery.
What safety and navigation equipment does Ayvara carry?
The specification lists radio, VHF and GPS for navigation, and life vests and a guide are included in every trip. Destinations may change with weather and field conditions for safety and comfort, and guests are required to follow the guide's instructions throughout. Questions about certification or insurance should go to the Komodo Luxury reservations desk, which can answer for the vessel directly.
Keep reading
Related pages
Booking
Check Ayvara dates with Komodo Luxury
Availability and bookings for Ayvara Cruise are handled by the Komodo Luxury reservations desk on WhatsApp +62 811-3823-875 or at sales@komodoluxury.com.