Traveling solo on an open trip: the day from one seat

Every cabin on the price card says Min 2 Pax, which means each cabin is sold for at least two guests. For one traveler, we confirm the solo option for your date in writing before any deposit.

Ask three things in your first message. Can one person book this date? What's the total for one? Where do we meet, and what does the fare cover that day?

Keep the written reply. It names the boat, the date and the terms, and it's the thing to send to whoever worries about you back home.

The walk-through below follows the 3 days 2 nights plan on the 2026 price list. Your open trip is the same length, and its stops and times come with your booking.

Day 1: pickup, a welcome drink and a trek up Kelor Island, a short, steep hill of 15 to 30 minutes. Then a snorkel at Manjarite, and sunset at Kalong Island with dinner.

You watch Kalong from the boat. The flying foxes leave the mangroves about 15 minutes after sunset, in a stream that runs around 30 minutes, so be on deck early with the camera charged.

Alone is easy here. On a boat of 14 or fewer, you'll know everyone's name fast. Sit at the shared table, not at the rail, and say hello.

Day 2 is the long one. Eat well. It opens with a trek on Padar Island around breakfast, then a snorkel at Pink Beach (Long Beach), a walk on Komodo Island, and the afternoon swims at Taka Makassar and Manta Point.

Padar is a 25 to 45 minute climb to the main viewpoint, with loose, steep ground in places. Wear sturdy shoes. For a sunrise climb, guests leave the boat well before first light with a headlamp. Sunrise falls around 05:30 in November and 06:20 in July. Set the alarm.

On Komodo Island you always walk with a park ranger. The trail takes 45 to 120 minutes depending on the route, with little shade. Closed shoes and a hat help. The dragons are wild, so a sighting is never guaranteed.

Then it's back in the water. Pair up with someone for the swims. A snorkel buddy is the oldest safety habit there is. Agree on a signal before you go in, like a raised arm for come back.

Manta Point is a drift along the reef. The current can be strong, so it's for confident swimmers, and a life jacket is a good idea. If you're the only one without a buddy, say so before the swim.

By evening you'll have photos nobody else has. Ask another guest to take one of you, or you won't be in any.

Trek days wear you out. Drink water and rest in the shade. An early night is normal.

Day 3 is a snorkel at Siaba Island, an early lunch, then back to Labuan Bajo around 11.30, and at your hotel or the airport around 12.30. Book the flight home for the afternoon, and send the plan to someone at home.

Say your goodbyes at the table, not on the pier, and swap numbers there. If you came alone and want to do it again, tell us after the trip. Small boats fill by word of mouth.

Both boats carry a life raft, life jackets, a ring buoy, a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit, with AIS, radar, a compass, GPS and two radios.

On a trip alone, one person at home is your backup. Before you leave, send them the boat name, the dates, our WhatsApp number and the written confirmation, and message them again when you're back in Labuan Bajo.

Carry your own medicines, labeled, plus a small first aid pouch. Wear the life jacket when you swim in a current, and don't swim off the boat alone.

Travel insurance is on you, and we'd take it for any sea trip. Check that it covers boat travel and water activities, and keep the policy number in your dry bag with your phone.

It suits you if you like small groups, a simple cabin with its own bathroom and a good deck. The route is built around snorkel stops, so it's a trip for the water rather than a dive trip.

Departure days move with the month, and the captain sets the day's plan with the weather. If that rhythm works for you, send the four-line message. The solo traveler page has the kit list.