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    Exterior profile of the 40m phinisi Si Datu Bua at anchor

    Si Datu Bua

    Fifteen crew for six guests, a deliberately lopsided ratio on a forty-metre gaff-rigged hull

    Cruising Areas

    Komodo

    Si Datu Bua operates private Komodo charters from Labuan Bajo during the dry-season cruising window. Routes are designed with the expedition leader around diving, snorkelling, ranger-guided dragon encounters and quieter anchorages. The current public operator guide lists national-park fees separately from the charter.

    Raja Ampat, Banda & Eastern Indonesia

    Outside the Komodo season, Si Datu Bua cruises Raja Ampat, the Banda Sea, Flores, Sumba and selected eastern routes. These are bespoke private expeditions rather than fixed shared departures; routing, length, repositioning and any Papua administrative charges are confirmed in the charter proposal.

    Who This Suits

    Who Si Datu Bua suits

    Families and small groups of four to six buying the whole boat. Three cabins and fifteen crew is a deliberately lopsided ratio. Extra child beds go into any of the three suites, the crew are used to children, and the operator books more family groups than any other segment. If your party is six adults or four adults and two children, this is the size of boat the maths works on.

    Travellers who want the service level, not the square metres. A resident spa therapist with unlimited massage included, personal laundry included, a chef who takes menu requests before you board, and an expedition leader who reroutes the day around what you actually want. Larger phinisi give you more deck. This one gives you more attention per guest.

    Certified divers on a mixed trip. Licensed PADI dive centre, two compressors, nitrox, and dive gear including wetsuits inside the rate. Diving fits around dragon treks, village visits and kayaking rather than displacing them.

    Who it does not suit

    Solo travellers and couples wanting a cabin. The standard product is the whole vessel. Buying one suite is not how she is sold, and the per-person maths on a private charter of this size does not work for two.

    Groups of seven or more adults. Six adults is the ceiling. Larger parties are pushed to her sister Silolona, or to a tandem charter of both boats for sixteen to twenty guests.

    Dedicated dive groups wanting four tanks a day. The dive centre is genuine but the schedule is a charter schedule. Divers who want a fixed four-dive rhythm across a week will be better served by a purpose-built dive liveaboard.

    Anyone whose budget is anchored to Komodo market rates. The shortest Komodo charter is six days at USD 70,000 for the boat. This sits at the top of the Indonesian market, not near it.

    Vessel at a Glance

    • Phinisi
    • 2012
    • Ironwood
    • 40.2 m x 8.5 m, draft 3.2 m
    • 6 guests
    • 10 knots
    • Private Charter
    • 5D4N+
    • Dive Resort
    • Nitrox, Compressor, Dive Master
    • Stand-up Paddleboard, Kayak, Wakeboard, Water Skis, Towable Tube, Fishing Gear, Snorkeling Gear
    • Starlink

    About This Vessel

    Si Datu Bua is the smaller of the two phinisi in the Silolona Sojourns fleet, and the one most often taken by families and small groups who want the whole vessel to themselves without paying for space they will not use. She was launched in 2012 from the Konjo boatbuilding yards of South Sulawesi, the same yards that built her older sister Silolona, to a design by Seery Yacht Design and to German Lloyd standards. Her name means Beloved Princess.

    At 40.2 metres over a beam of 8.5 metres she carries three king suites and six adult guests, with a crew of fifteen. That ratio is the product. It buys an English-speaking expedition leader who sets the route with you each morning, a PADI dive instructor, a chef working Asian fusion menus you can specify in advance, and a resident spa therapist whose massages are inside the rate rather than billed at the end.

    She is a fully licensed PADI dive centre with two compressors and nitrox, and dive equipment including wetsuits is included for certified guests. She is not, however, a dive boat in the four-tanks-a-day sense. Diving sits alongside ranger-guided dragon treks, village visits, kayaking through limestone karst, waterskiing, sport fishing, and long afternoons on the foredeck sunbeds.

    Her seasons split cleanly. May to September she works Komodo from Labuan Bajo. October to April she repositions east and operates out of Sorong for Raja Ampat and out of Ambon for the Banda Sea and the Spice Islands, with Cenderawasih Bay and Triton Bay available on longer expeditions. Her 3.2 metre draft and her size relative to the 45 to 50 metre boats on the same routes let her use anchorages larger phinisi have to skip.

    Charters are sold by the day, whole boat, with a 50 nautical mile daily allowance and maritime Starlink aboard. The shortest Komodo product the operator publishes is six days and five nights.

    Amenities & Facilities

    Dive & Snorkeling Sites

    Activities

    Marine Life

    Crew & Diving

    • 15
    • 1

    Safety & Navigation

    • Engine
      Gaff rig with 586 sqm sail area, auxiliary diesel
    • Cruising speed
      10 knots

    The Cabins

    Banda Suite

    1 cabin Sleeps 2 guests
    Banda Suite master cabin with king bed aboard Si Datu Bua Cabin interior with original Indonesian art aboard Si Datu Bua Twin-vanity ensuite bathroom in the Si Datu Bua Banda Suite
    • Private Bedroom
    • Ensuite Bathroom
    • Air Conditioning
    • Hot and Cold Shower
    • Wardrobe
    • Towels and Toiletries
    • King Bed
    • Sea-view Window

    The master cabin, 6.8 metres by 5.6 and named for the Banda Islands. A king bed, an ensuite bathroom with twin washbasins, and original art and woven textiles from the Spice Islands throughout. Sleeps two adults, or two adults and one child with the extra bed the crew can install.

    Toraja Suite

    1 cabin Sleeps 2 guests
    Toraja Suite king cabin aboard Si Datu Bua
    • Private Bedroom
    • Ensuite Bathroom
    • Air Conditioning
    • Hot and Cold Shower
    • Wardrobe
    • Towels and Toiletries
    • King Bed
    • Sea-view Window

    Five point eight metres by four point one, named for the highland Toraja of South Sulawesi and hung with textiles and carving from that culture. King bed, ensuite bathroom with hot and cold shower, and the same twin-washbasin fit-out as the master. Sleeps two adults, or two adults and a child.

    Celebes Suite

    1 cabin Sleeps 2 guests
    Celebes Suite king cabin aboard Si Datu Bua
    • Private Bedroom
    • Ensuite Bathroom
    • Air Conditioning
    • Hot and Cold Shower
    • Wardrobe
    • Towels and Toiletries
    • King Bed
    • Sea-view Window

    The twin of Toraja in size at five point eight metres by four point one, decorated for the Celebes and finished in the same warm timber and cream palette. King bed and full ensuite, with windows on the outboard side. Sleeps two adults, or two adults and a child.

    Pricing Overview

    • From
      $70,000
    • Whole-boat charter
      $70,000 total
    • Booking options
      Private Charter
    • Trip durations
      5D4N+
    • Price last verified
      30 August 2026

    Included in Your Rate

    • Included
      Airport Transfer, Accommodation Onboard, 3 Meals Daily, Snacks, Coffee & Tea, Drinking Water, Snorkeling Equipment, Kayak / SUP Use, Dive Guide, Local Guide / Ranger, Towels & Toiletries, Fishing Gear
    • Rate notes

      Whole-vessel private charter for up to six guests. The stored operator-declared rate is USD 14,000 per night with a five-night minimum for the shortest Komodo programme, producing a USD 70,000 minimum charter and a displayed full-capacity equivalent of USD 11,667 per guest. The active operator website does not currently publish a rate table, so request a dated quotation before booking.

      Current public operator materials include accommodation, crew and expedition planning; all meals and snacks; non-alcoholic drinks; snorkelling and guided kayaking; supporting watersports equipment; diving for certified guests; excursions; local transfers; fuel within the agreed cruising allowance; and onboard service. A prior operator rate sheet also specified a local beer and wine allowance, massage, laundry and Starlink data; confirm these allowances on the current proposal.

      Not included under the current public operator guide: national-park fees, specialist dive courses, beverage upgrades, flights and airport taxes, personal travel and dive insurance, medical evacuation, crew gratuities, excess cruising miles, non-standard repositioning and usage above any stated internet allowance.

    Not Included & Extra Costs

    • Not included
      Crew Gratuity, Travel / Dive Insurance, Flights, Personal Expenses
    • Komodo National Park fee
      Not included
    • Solo traveller supplement
      Not applicable. Si Datu Bua is sold as a whole-vessel private charter, not by the cabin.

    Book This Vessel

    Availability and quotes for Si Datu Bua are handled by the operator directly. KomodoInsider does not take bookings or add a commission.

    Check dates on the operator site

    Opens silolona.com in a new tab

    KomodoInsider-verified. Last checked .

    Cabins & Berths

    • Total cabins
      3
    • Master
      1
    • Bed configuration
      King
    • En-suite bathroom
      All cabins
    • Hot shower
      Yes

    Routes & Departure

    • Operating months
      January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December
    • Departure port
      Labuan Bajo, West Flores, for the Komodo season from May to September. From October to April she is based in West Papua and joins in Sorong for Raja Ampat, or in Ambon for the Banda Sea and the Spice Islands.
    • Check-in time
      Flexible. Embarkation is agreed with the operator when the charter is confirmed.
    • Minimum guests to depart
      1

    Good to Know

    • Suitable for non-swimmers
      Yes
    • Tender boats
      2

    Komodo National Park Fees

    What you payAmountBasis
    Park entrance, foreign visitor Rp 250,000 ≈ $14 per person, per visit Identical on weekdays and public holidays. Already includes trekking, wildlife observation and snorkelling inside the park.
    Park entrance, Indonesian visitor, weekday Rp 50,000 ≈ $3 per person, per visit Raised from Rp 35,000 in October 2024.
    Park entrance, Indonesian visitor, weekend or public holiday Rp 75,000 ≈ $4 per person, per visit The holiday uplift applies to the Indonesian rate only.
    Park entrance, Indonesian student group Rp 25,000 ≈ $1 per person, per day Group bookings only.
    Scuba diving permit Rp 25,000 ≈ $1 per diver, per day Charged on top of the entrance fee. Snorkelling is not charged separately.
    Vessel entry varies Assessed on the engine capacity of the boat, so it is normally settled by the operator rather than by passengers.
    • Booking runs through SIORA, the park's own system, and is handled by a licensed operator before arrival. There is no ticket window at the gate.
    • A daily cap of 1,000 visitors applies across the park, split between Komodo, Rinca and Padar and the dive sites around them.
    • Entry runs in sessions rather than all day, which is why a boat's arrival time is set by the park and not by the crew.
    • A drone permit is separate, expensive, and has to be requested well in advance.

    Statutory rates set by Peraturan Pemerintah No. 36 Tahun 2024, in force since 30 October 2024. Checked 25 August 2026. Amounts are payable in rupiah; dollar figures are converted at Rp 17,900 and rounded. A rise in the foreign rate was under government review in April 2026 and had not taken effect.

    Cancellation & Booking Policy

    • If you cancel
      Cancellation and refund terms are set by the operator. Confirm the written policy before payment; KomodoInsider does not take payments or handle refunds.

    Location

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I book a single cabin on Si Datu Bua?

    Not as a rule. She is sold as a whole-vessel private charter, and the rate is the same whether you sail with two guests or six. The operator has begun running the occasional cabin-by-cabin departure on both fleet vessels, but these are rare and scheduled well in advance. Assume the full boat unless the operator tells you otherwise.

    How many guests does she actually sleep?

    Six adults in three king suites: Banda at 6.8 by 5.6 metres, Toraja and Celebes at 5.8 by 4.1 metres each. The crew can install an extra child bed in any of the three, which takes the vessel to nine berths. All three suites are air-conditioned with ensuite bathrooms and twin washbasins.

    What is the shortest charter available?

    Six days and five nights in Komodo, at USD 70,000 for the whole vessel including government tax. That works out at roughly USD 11,667 per person on full occupancy of six adults. Longer routings cost more per day, not less: the eight-day Komodo and Raja Ampat charters run USD 98,000, and the fifteen-day Raja Ampat expedition USD 196,005.

    When does she sail Komodo and when does she sail Raja Ampat?

    May to September she is based in Labuan Bajo and works Komodo, Flores and the Savu Sea. October to April she moves east: Raja Ampat and Cenderawasih Bay joining in Sorong, and the Banda Sea and Spice Islands joining in Ambon. She also sails Triton Bay, and at select times of year the Andaman Islands, the Mergui Archipelago, western Thailand and Langkawi.

    Is diving included?

    Yes, for certified divers. Si Datu Bua is a fully licensed PADI dive centre with two compressors and nitrox, and a PADI instructor sails as part of the fifteen-person crew. Dive equipment including wetsuits is inside the rate. PADI certification courses are not included and are charged separately.

    What is not included in the rate?

    Flights and airport taxes, travel insurance, medical treatment and evacuation, visa costs, crew gratuities, PADI certification courses, alcohol beyond the daily allowance of local beer and four bottles of local wine, cultural programme costs, souvenirs, and hotel nights either side of the charter. Two charges catch people out: a repositioning fee if the charter starts or ends away from the seasonal base, and an additional regional administrative charge on all Papua itineraries.

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