CONSERVATION AND BIODIVERSITY

The conservation of Raja Ampat is imperative to the survival of the local people and the marine ecosystem. The archipelago is managed by a Marine Protected Area network, which is shifting the employment of the local population away from unsustainable fishing, towards sustainable ecotourism.

By diving with La Galigo, you are directly supporting the conservation of the local ecosystem and the sustainable development of the local peoples. Upon entry to Raja Ampat, all visitors must pay an entrance fee and receive a marine park tag which is valid for a year. The money collected is divided between tourism development, conservation patrols, and community support projects.

The region is the global epicenter of marine biodiversity and currently under consideration for UNESCO world heritage listing. The Raja Ampat area boasts a recorded 1,427 coral reef fish species and 553 hard coral species to date (75% of the worlds coral species occur in Raja Ampat).

The area is home to many endemic species that can not be found anywhere else in the world, including the ‘Nursalim’s flasher wrasse’, which can be found in the southernmost part of Misool. The male is synonymous for its stunning displays during courtship, often observed in the late afternoon, by fortunate divers to the area.

Manta Matcher – The WildBook for Manta Rays

Got a great photo of a Manta this trip? If you would like to personally contribute to the conservation of the species, then please submit the photo to the MantaMatcher project run by the Marine Megafauna Foundation. Manta rays are widely distributed, migratory, and have unique spot patterning on their underside that can be used to identify individuals. MantaMatcher is the first global online manta ray database, managing manta ray sighting and identifications worldwide. Any diver or snorkeler with a camera can take and upload a manta identification photo. Researchers can also upload and organize individually identified manta rays in the regional populations they are managing. MantaMatcher promotes collaborations, as scientists can now examine if populations are shared between neighboring countries, examine regional and long-distance movements, and examine the lifespans of manta rays.

You can submit your Manta photos at this link here.

The video below is titled “Guardians of Raja Ampat” by Blue Sphere Media this brilliant piece outlines the development of conservation and sustainability in the regency and the role that ecotourism has played thus far.
Below you will find links to some of the organizations involved in the conservation of the Raja Ampat regency – Conservation International and the Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre

Mission and Vision Statement

La Galigo Liveaboard Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy covers the information that we collect about you as a process of you using our services, or otherwise interacting with us unless a different policy is displayed. La Galigo Liveaboard, “we” and “us” refers to La Galigo Liveaboard and any of our travel divisions. We offer a Scuba Diving Liveaboard Services. We refer to all of these products, together with our other services and websites as “Services” in this policy.

This policy also explains your choices about how we use information about you. Your choices include how you can object to certain uses of information about you and how you can access and update certain information about you. If you do not agree with this policy, we politely suggest that you do not access or use our Services or interact with any other aspect of our business.

Where we provide the Services under contract with an organization (for example your employer) that organization controls the information processed by the Services. For more information, please see Notice to End Users below.

What information we collect about you

We collect information about you when you provide it to us, when you use our Services, and when other sources provide it to us, as further described below.

The information you provide to us

We collect information about you when you interact with our websites, our booking process and when you input your details and information as part of using the Services we provide.

Account and Profile Information:
We collect information about you when you register for an account, create or modify your profile, set preferences, sign-up for email newsletters or make an inquiry or booking through the Services. For example, you provide your contact information and, in some cases, payment information when you make a booking. You also have the option of adding a display name, profile photo, and other details to your profile information to be displayed in our Services. We keep track of your preferences when you select settings within the Services.

The content you provide through our products:
The Services include the La Galigo Liveaboard products that you use where we collect and store content that you post, send, receive and share. We collect your data when you fill in booking information or when you speak to our customer services personnel. Our primary purpose in collecting your information is to help with a smooth and efficient booking process for you. Having your information allows us to provide the correct services to best suit your needs and make your experience quick and easy. We collect the personal information we need to make a booking including and not limited to:
Name – so we can address you in any correspondence
Age – We have ages restrictions for being able to join our trips.
Country of residence – some suppliers vary rates by country of residence
Telephone number and email – so that we can contact you
Credit Card information – to charge you once your booking is confirmed

Content you provide through our websites:
The Services also include the websites owned or operated by us. We collect other content that you submit to these websites, which include any channels operated by us on social media or social networking websites. For example, you provide content to us when you provide feedback or when you participate in any interactive features, surveys, contests, promotions, sweepstakes, activities or events.

Information you provide through our support channels:
The Services also include our customer support, where you may choose to submit information regarding a problem that you may be experiencing with a Service. Whether you speak to one of our representatives directly or otherwise engage with our support team, you will be asked to provide contact information, a summary of the problem you have and any other related information that would be helpful in resolving the issue.

Payment Information:
We collect certain payment and billing information when you make a booking or enquiry, to enable us to charge you once the booking is confirmed. You might also provide payment information, such as payment card details, which we collect via secure payment processing services.

Information we collect automatically when you use the Services

We collect information about you when you use our Services, including browsing our websites, reading marketing emails, and taking certain actions within the Services.

Your use of the Services:
We collect and keep track of certain information about you when you visit and interact with any of our Services. This information includes the features you use, the links you click on and frequently used search terms. The information we collect about your use of the Services is limited to just the data we can see concerning how you interact with and use features in the Services, in addition to content-related information described in “Content you provide through our products,” above.

Device and Connection Information:
We collect information about the computer, phone, tablet, or other devices you use to access the Services. This device information includes your connection type and settings when you access our Services. We also collect information through your device about your operating system, browser type, IP address, URLs of referring/exit pages, device identifiers. We collect and use your IP address and/or country preference in order to approximate your location so that we can provide you with a better Service experience. How much of this information we collect depends on the type and settings of the device you use to access the Services.

Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies:
La Galigo Liveaboard and our third-party partners, such as our advertising and analytics partners, use cookies and other tracking technologies (e.g., web beacons, device identifiers and pixels) to provide functionality which enables us to recognize you across different Services and devices. We collect this information so that we can provide you with a better Service experience, such as remembering your last search or being able to pre-fill your details on a form. For more information, please see our Cookies and Tracking Notice, which includes information on how to control or opt out of these cookies and tracking technologies.

Information we receive from other sources

We receive information about you from other Service users, from third-party services, from our related companies, and from our business and channel partners.

Other users of the Services:
Other users of our Services may provide information about you when they submit content through the Services. For example, we may receive your email address from other people who use the Services, when they fill in details on a form in order to add you to a booking or invite you to the Services.

Other services you link to your account:
We receive information about you when you link a third-party service with our Services. For example, if you create an account or log into the Services using your Google or Facebook credentials, in order to authenticate you, we receive your name and email address as permitted by your Google or Facebook profile settings. The information we receive when you link or integrate our Services with a third-party service depends on the settings, permissions and privacy policy controlled by that third-party service. You should always check the privacy settings and notices in these third-party services to understand what data may be disclosed to us or shared with our Services.

La Galigo Liveaboard Partners:
We work with a global network of partners and companies who help us market and promote our products, generate leads for us, and resell our Services. We may receive information from these partners, such as billing information, contact information, and what country you are in.

Other Partners:
We may receive information about you and your activities on and off the Services from third-party partners, such as advertising and market research partners, who may provide us with information about your likes, dislikes, interests, your engagement with our Services and your engagement with online advertisements. We collect this information so that we can provide you with a better Service experience, such as being able to offer you the most relevant products or deals.

How we use information we collect

How we use the information we collect depends in part on which Services you use, how you use them, and any preferences you have communicated to us. Below are the specific purposes for which we use the information we collect about you.

To provide the Services and personalize your experience:
We use information about you to provide the Services to you, including to process transactions with you, authenticate you when you log in and provide customer support. We combine information about you and your activities to provide a seamless experience, such as to allow you to find information from one Service while searching from another, or to present relevant product information as you browse across our websites.

For research and development:
We are always looking for ways to make our Services smarter, faster, secure, integrated, and useful to you. We use collective learnings about how people use our Services, as well as feedback provided directly to us, in order to troubleshoot and to identify trends, usage, activity patterns and areas for integration and improvement of the Services. For example, to improve a certain feature, we analyze recent interactions of a number of people and how often they use the feature, to gather the most relevant information. We automatically analyze and aggregate frequently used searches to improve the accuracy and relevance of suggested products. In some cases, we apply these learnings across our Services to improve and develop similar features or to better integrate the services you use. We also sometimes test and analyze certain new features with a small group of users, before rolling the feature out to all users.

To communicate with you about the Services:
We use your contact information to send transactional communications via email and within the Services, including confirming your booking, reminding you for payments, responding to your comments, questions and requests, providing customer support, and sending you notices. We may also send you communications as you onboard to a particular Service to help you become more proficient in using that Service. These communications are part of the Services and in most cases, you cannot opt out of them. If an opt out is available, you will find that option within the communication itself or in your account settings.

To market, promote and drive engagement with the Services:
We may use your contact details and information about how you use the Services to send promotional communications that may be of specific interest to you, including by email and by displaying La Galigo Liveaboard ads, aimed at you, on other companies’ websites and applications, as well as on platforms like Facebook and Google. These communications are aimed at driving engagement and maximizing the value you get out of the Services, including information about latest deals that we think may be of interest to you. We may also communicate with you about new offers, promotions and contests. You can control whether you receive these communications as described below under “Opt-out of communications.”

Customer support:
We may use your information to resolve any issues you may encounter, to respond to your requests for assistance and to improve the Services.

For safety and security:
We use information about you and your Service use to verify accounts and activity, to monitor suspicious or fraudulent activity and to identify violations of Service policies.

To protect our legitimate business interests and legal rights:
Where required by law or where we believe it is necessary to protect our legal rights, interests and the interests of others, we use information about you in connection with legal claims, compliance, regulatory, and audit functions, and disclosures in connection with the acquisition, merger or sale of a business.

With your consent:
We use information about you where you have given us consent to do so for a specific purpose not listed above. For example, we may publish testimonials or featured customer stories to promote the Services, with your permission.

Legal bases for processing (for EEA users)

If you are an individual in the European Economic Area (EEA), we collect and process information about you only where we have legal bases for doing so under applicable EU laws. The legal bases depend on the Services you use and how you use them. This means we collect and use your information only where:

– We need it to provide you the Services, including to operate the Services, provide customer support and personalized features and to protect the safety and security of the Services.
– It satisfies a legitimate interest (which is not overridden by your data protection interests), such as for research and development, to market and promote the Services and to protect our legal rights and interests.
– You give us consent to do so for a specific purpose.
– We need to process your data to comply with a legal obligation.

If you have agreed to our use of information about you for a specific purpose, you have the right to change your mind at any time, but this will not affect any processing that has already taken place. Where we are using your information because we or a third party have a legitimate interest to do so, you have the right to object to that use, but in some cases, this may mean that you are no long able to use the Services.

How we share information we collect

We share information we collect about you in the ways discussed below. To complete your booking, we need your personal details including your name, address, email address, phone number and credit card number. In order to process the booking, we may in some instances pass all or some of this information on to our suppliers. This is done on your behalf through a password protected and encrypted secure site within a login environment. We will not sell or rent any personally identifiable information about you to any third party.

Sharing with third parties

We share information with third parties that help us operate, provide, improve, integrate, customize, support and market our Services.

Service Providers:
We work with third-party service providers to provide website and application development, hosting, maintenance, backup, storage, virtual infrastructure, payment processing, analysis and other services for us, which may require them to access or use information about you. If a service provider needs to access information about you to perform services on our behalf, they do so under close instruction from us, including policies and procedures designed to protect your information.

La Galigo Liveaboard Partners:
We work with third parties who help us improve the Services we provide to you. This help could be consulting, sales and / or technical assistance, to deliver improvements for you. We may share your information with these third parties in connection with the help they are giving to us, such as to assist with marketing and promotions. We may also share information with these third parties where you have agreed to that sharing.

Links to Third Party Sites:
The Services may include links that direct you to other websites or services whose privacy practices may differ from ours. If you submit information to any of those third-party sites, your information is governed by their privacy policies, not this one. We encourage you to carefully read the privacy policy of any website that you visit.

Social Media Widgets:
The Services may include links that direct you to other websites or services whose privacy practices may differ from ours. Your use of and any information you submit to any of those third-party sites is governed by their privacy policies, not this one.

Third-Party Widgets:
Some of our Services contain widgets and social media features, such as the Facebook “like” button. These widgets and features collect your IP address, details concerning the page you are visiting on the Services and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function properly. Widgets and social media features are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our Services. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing it.

With your consent:
We share information about you with third parties when you give us consent to do so. For example, we often display personal testimonials of satisfied customers on our public websites. With your consent, we may post your name alongside the testimonial.

Compliance with Enforcement Requests and Applicable Laws; Enforcement of Our Rights:
In exceptional circumstances, we may share information about you with a third party if we believe that sharing is reasonably necessary to (a) comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request, including to meet national security requirements, (b) enforce our agreements, policies and terms of service, (c) protect the security or integrity of our products and services, (d) protect La Galigo Liveaboard, our customers or the public from harm or illegal activities, or (e) respond to an emergency which we believe in good faith requires us to disclose information to assist in preventing the death or serious bodily injury of any person. For more information on how we respond to government requests, see our Guidelines for Law Enforcement and our Transparency Report.

Sharing with affiliated companies

We may share or transfer information that we collect under this privacy policy in connection with any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company. You will be notified via email and/or a prominent notice on the Services if a transaction takes place, as well as any choices you may have regarding your information.

How we store and secure information that we collect

Information storage and security

We use data hosting service providers in Asia, to host the information we collect, and we use technical measures to secure your data.

How long we keep information

How long we keep information we collect about you depends on the type of information, as described in further detail below. After such time, we will either delete or anonymize your information or, if this is not possible (for example, because the information has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your information and isolate it from any further use until deletion is possible.

Account information:
We retain your account information for as long as your account is active and a reasonable period thereafter in case you decide to re-activate the Services. We also retain some of your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, to resolve disputes, to enforce our agreements, to support business operations, and to continue to develop and improve our Services. Where we retain information for Service improvement and development, we take steps to eliminate information that directly identifies you, and we only use the information to uncover collective insights about the use of our Services, not to specifically analyze personal characteristics about you.

Marketing information:
If you have elected to receive marketing emails from us, we retain information about your marketing preferences for a reasonable period of time from the date you last expressed interest in our Services, such as when you last opened an email from us or ceased using your account. We retain information derived from cookies and other tracking technologies for a reasonable period of time from the date such information was created.

How to access and control your information

You have certain choices available to you when it comes to your information. Below is a summary of those choices, how to exercise them and any limitations.

Your Choices:
You have the right to request a copy of your information, to object to our use of your information (including for marketing purposes), to request the deletion or restriction of your information, or to request your information in a structured, electronic format. As below, we describe the tools and processes for making these requests. You can exercise some of the choices by logging into the Services and using settings available within the Services or your account. For all other requests, or if yours require assistance, you may contact us via the details provided in the Contact Us section below.

Your request and choices may be limited in certain cases:
For example, if fulfilling your request would reveal information about another person, or if you ask to delete information which we are permitted by law or have compelling legitimate interests to keep. If you have unresolved concerns, you may have the right to complain to a data protection authority in the country where you live, where you work or where you feel your rights were infringed.

Access and update your information:
Our Services give you the ability to access and update certain information about you from within the Service. For example, you can access your profile information from your account. You can update your profile information within your profile settings and modify content that contains information about you using the options associated with that content.

Deactivate your account:
If you no longer wish to use our Services, you may be able to deactivate your Services account by changing your account settings. Otherwise, to request assistance, please contact us via the details provided in the Contact Us section below. Please be aware that deactivating your account does not delete your information. Your information may remain visible to other Service users based on your past participation within the Services. For more information on how to delete your information, see below.

Request that we stop using your information:
In some cases, you may ask us to stop accessing, storing, using and otherwise processing your information where you believe we don’t have the appropriate rights to do so. For example, if you believe an account was created for you without your permission or you are no longer an active user, you can request that we delete your account as provided in this policy. Where you gave us permission to use your information for a limited purpose, you can contact us to withdraw that consent, but this will not affect any processing that has already taken place at the time. You can also opt-out of any use of your information for marketing purposes by contacting us via the details provided below. When you make such requests, we will resolve it within 30 days of receipt. If there is delay or dispute as to whether we have the right to continue using your information, we will restrict any further use of your information until the request is honored or the dispute is resolved.

opt out of communications:
You may opt out of receiving promotional communications from us by using the unsubscribe link within each email, updating your email preferences within your Service account settings menu, or by contacting us via the details provided below. We will subsequently have your contact information removed from our promotional email list or registration database. When you make such a request, we will resolve it within 24 hours of receipt. Even after you opt out from receiving promotional messages from us, you will continue to receive transactional messages from us regarding our Services. You can opt out of some notification messages in your account settings.

Turn off Cookie Controls:
Relevant browser-based cookie controls are described in our Cookies and Tracking Notice.

Data portability:
Data portability is the ability to obtain some of your information in a format you can move from one service provider to another (for instance, when you transfer your mobile phone number to another carrier). Depending on the context, this applies to some of your information, but not to all of your information. Should you request it, we will provide you with an electronic file of your basic account information and any information that you created within the Services that are under your sole control.

How we transfer information we collect internationally

International transfers of information we collect

We collect information globally and primarily store that information in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. For the purpose of providing the Services to you, we may transfer, process and store your information outside of your country of residence, to wherever we or our third-party service providers operate. Whenever we transfer your information, we take steps to protect it.

International transfers within La Galigo Liveaboard:
For the purposes described in this policy, in order to facilitate our global operations, we may transfer information to either Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the United States and allow access to that information from countries in which we have operations. These countries may not have equivalent privacy and data protection laws to the laws of many of the countries where our customers and users are based.

Other important privacy information

Notice to End Users

We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy and not using your personal information for anything you have not agreed to. We take a proactive approach to security and privacy, and work to international standards and protocols. We are not responsible for the privacy or security practices of any other organization, which may be different than this policy.

Security of transactions:
Our secure booking server uses 128 bit encryption which ensures the highest levels of security. This is shown by the padlock in the closed position at the base of your browser screen. Any information, including credit card details, that you enter and submit on that page will be encrypted and securely transmitted. When your transaction is complete, your information is stored in an encrypted state. All information transmitted on the booking page is done using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). SSL uses a cryptographic system that uses two keys to encrypt data; which are a public key, and a private or secret key known only to the recipient of the message.

Our policy towards children:
The Services are not directed to individuals under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that a child under 16 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information. If you become aware that a child has provided us with any personal information, please contact our support services.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

We may change this privacy policy from time to time. We will post any privacy policy changes on this page and, if the changes are significant, we will notify you by sending you an email notification. We encourage you to review our privacy policy whenever you use the Services to stay informed about our information practices and the ways that you can help protect your own privacy.

If you disagree with any changes to this privacy policy, we politely suggest that you should stop using the Services and deactivate your account, as outlined above.

Terms and Conditions

Please read this document carefully, then make sure you write ‘YES’ under the ‘Terms and Conditions’ section in the La Galigo ‘Guest Data Sheet’ for ALL customers.
All prices stipulated in this document are in United States Dollar ($USD).

1. RESERVATIONS, PAYMENTS, SINGLE TRAVELLERS & SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

All rates are quoted on a shared basis; price is per person. If you are booking as a party of 2, you will be guaranteed that the room will be reserved for your party of 2 people only.

If you are booking as a single traveler, you may be roomed with another person of the same gender, dependent on availability.
If you would like a guaranteed private cabin for 1 person, there is a 65% surcharge on top of the listed price for single occupancy.
A 30% deposit is required at the time of your reservation. Final payment is due 60 days before the date of La Galigo cruise departure. If payments are not made in the time frames required, La Galigo reserves the right to refuse the services contracted, retain the money paid asdeposit (30%), and resell the excursion. In the case where a reservation is made less than 61 days before the departure date, the total price must be paid at the time of reservation. All deposits and full balance payments are nonrefundable.

All prices given by our booking office or an Agent, are meant as cash prices, respectively when money is wired via bank transfer. Other payment methods such as credit card and other payment gateways will be liable to an additional charge as stated by the reservation officer at the time of booking. Please note all payments should be received by La Galigo net of ALL bank charges, please ensure you select payment of all charges when completing your wire transfer.

$USD currency is accepted for onboard payments. Currency exchange rates are calculated onthe date of payment, please see section 13 for full details. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept $USD bank notes of smaller denomination, or old, worn, damaged or torn notes of any denomination. We can only accept $10, $20, $50 or $100USD.

Children are accepted aboard La Galigo from the age of 12 years old from start of charter, during scheduled open charters. This rule however is flexible upon reserving a full boat charter, with prior communication with La Galigo management. During the cruise we remind you that children remain the TOTAL responsibility of their parents. Parents are required to ensure that the children respect all safety procedures, listen to all safety briefings, and do not disturb the peace and quiet of the other passengers, or the effectivemanagement of the cruise. No crèche facilities or services are offered onboard.

A passenger or third party who makes a reservation for other participants must ensure the obligations of their travelling parties (specifically in the respect to payment) as with their own individual obligations. The contractual obligations and general conditions are applicable to all the travelling party.
Each guest must have completed and returned the ‘La Galigo Guest Data Sheet’, read, understood and signed our ‘Terms & Conditions’, where applicable a signed medical statement from your Doctor confirming you are fit to dive, before arriving on the vessel for the charter. If you are making a reservation through our booking office, please discuss your method of payment with your advisor. Our preferred method of payment is by bank transfer however other payment options are available, we can accept bank transfers within Indonesia at reasonable rates. If you are booking via an agent, your payment method and all further enquiries with regard to your charter is through them.

2. FULL BOAT CHARTER

It is possible to charter the boat. In this particular case, the conditions and price are determined on the basis of a special group offer. The maximum number of passengers is 14 (2 per cabin). These trips cannot be cancelled once the deposit is paid, as the deposit your commitment to complete the booking and payments relating to it.
For full boat charters, we require a 30% deposit to secure the booking, the remainder must to be paid 60 days prior before departure. In cases where bookings are made less than 60 days in advance, 100% of the booking is required, this is non-refundable.
It is possible to charter La Galigo for specific destinations and itineraries, outside of our normal open program, under the following conditions:
• A non-refundable deposit of 30% is made at the time of your reservation.
• 60 days before the charter the balance must be paid in full. In case of cancellation, no refund will be given.
• The additional costs due to a specific relocation of the vessel are added to the cost of the charter. This will depend on the normal program location of the vessel both before and after the reserved charter. The price of the relocation will be communicated to the client before the deposit is paid. All quoted relocation costs must be paid at the time of the deposit and are subject to bookings and availability.

3. CANCELLATIONS AND ALTERATIONS

In the case of a cancellation after the charter has been confirmed, firstly, La Galigo booking office or your agent must be informed by phone or email (signed then scanneddocument via email or fax is acceptable). To determine the date of cancellation, the following business date of the signed fax or email will be used as the specific cancellation date, no refunds will be given.
If for any particular reason a passenger cannot travel for the voyage reserved, the reservation may be transferred to another person. La Galigo must be informed as soon as possible and with a minimum of 2 weeks notice before the scheduled date, including the reason, all information about the replacement passenger provided. An administration fee may be applied. The new passenger must respect all conditions of the contract and La Galigo cannot in any way be held responsible for any expenses or changes outside of the cruise (Hotels, flights etc.) A new contract will be established with the replacing customer in the shortest timeframe possible. All conditions of the contract must be respected including passport validity, dive certification (unless non-diver), medical certificate etc. All documents need to be signed and the balance of the cruise paid.

4. CANCELLATION BY LA GALIGO

4.1. Client Behaviour
So as to preserve the serenity and safety of the vessel; it’s customers and it’s staff, La Galigo reserve the right to cancel the reservation prior departure or landing of a passenger during the trip, if an inappropriate action or indelicate behavior of the said client justifies it. In this case La Galigo will not reimburse any of the amounts already paid. All complaints against La Galigo Liveaboard will be exclusively contested in a court of law in Indonesia.

4.2. Unforeseen events, force majeure or other similar reasons
La Galigo reserves the right to modify, interrupt or cancel a charter when unforeseen events are imposed on the company or when the security of the travelling clients may be compromised. These may include but are not limited to: refusal or cancellation of navigation rights, flight landing rights, strikes, civil or international war, political or economic disturbances, terrorist threat or activity, fire, climatic, seismic or volcanic events endangering the safety of our passengers. In any case you will be informed by La Galigo/ your agent as soon as is possible. In these particular cases, the customer may not apply for reimbursement from La Galigo customers, who have foreseen travel insurance taking these unforeseen events into consideration, may request reimbursement directly with their respective insurance company. In case of technical damage occurred aboard La Galigo and preventing the departure of the cruise, La Galigo will either:
• Provide you with an equivalent service on a similar type of boat. Or
• Postpone the trip without charge at a later date.

5. COMPENSATION

La Galigo assume no responsibility and offer no compensation for injury, death or damage occurred to the passengers or damage or loss to the passengers’ property during the cruise, that does not directly involve its staff.

6. INCLUSIONS / EXCLUSIONS

6.1. Included in the price
 Transfers to and from disembarkation harbor on the first and final day of your cruise, from a local hotel or airport
 All meals, non-packaged snacks, coffee and tea, and post dive refreshments.
 Diving services including tanks, weights, SMB reel, reef hook, air fills, guides and dive tenders.
 Land excursions where applicable.
6.2. Not included in published price
 Flight tickets
 Travel, dive and repatriation insurance
 Visas and fees
 Airport taxes and extra baggage fees
 Airport to hotel transfers
 Port, clearances, ranger, anchorage, Village and marine park fees
 Dive rental equipment
 Nitrox $25 per day, up to 4 tanks per day.
 15Ltr tanks $15 per day, up to 4 tanks per day.
 Dive courses and certification, (price on application).
 Alcoholic beverages such as beer. The selection of wine and spirits in Indonesia is limited and can be expensive; we recommend that you bring your favorite tipple with you.
 Soft drinks and packaged snacks
 Fuel surcharges** (may fluctuate with markets, you may be asked to pay an extra fuel allowance up to 60 days prior to departure, of no more than $150USD per person)
 Staff gratuities, recommended $25USD/IDR350,000 (preferred in local currency)
 La Galigo Merchandise
Please note that all on board payments must be made in US$. Payments by card incur a 4% charge, other payment gateways may be higher.

7. PARK FEES

We charge the following additional fees to cover Indonesian national marine park fees, local area access fees, harbor fees, anchorage fees, and land-based activities that require donations.

 Raja Ampat: $190 per person per trip.
 Komodo: $160 per person per trip.

Raja Ampat national park tags are valid for one year. You will receive your tag onboard the vessel at the end of the trip. If you still have a valid tag, please contact us directly for a discounted price for park fees. (This is only available when booking direct with La Galigo). You will be required to bring your old tag along to show to the authorities when they board the vessel. Failure to do so may result in a fine of up to $5000 as dictated by the port authorities.
La Galigo will organize all park fees for its customers, which are payable in USD onboard the vessel.

8. ITINERARY

We strongly recommend that guest arrive at least one day prior to the charter start date. Guests are also encouraged to book any return flights be it domestic or international, at least 24 hours after the time of departure from La Galigo, thus allowing the body enough time to fully gas off, to enjoy some land based activity, and to ditch your sea legs. La Galigo will not be held responsible for any missed flights or other connections.

The La Galigo team has created a schedule based on the best time of the year to be in Raja Ampat/ Komodo/ Wakatobi, considering conditions such as swell, waves, wind, and tidal behavior. La Galigo has no control over natural climatic conditions, and the Indonesian weather system is notoriously unpredictable. Regardless of what your itinerary states, if the captain feels that travelling to a certain area due to any of the above factors, may jeopardize the safety of the boat, its crew, and passengers, the captain’s word is final. Please do not feel that we are trying to compromise your trip, there are many dive sites around the areas we travel, and it is often possible to avoid unfavorable weather and ocean conditions within a short journey.

Your safety is our number one priority, we pride ourselves on providing you with the best possible trip, within our operating capacity.

9. PASSPORTS, DOCUMENTATION, CERTIFICATION

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your period of travel and have at least 2 empty facing pages within it. You are required to have a return ticket, outbound from Indonesia.
Customers are responsible for ensuring they have the proper documentation to travel into each country on their itinerary, as well as for re-entry and return to their Country. Please check with the appropriate consulate to ensure you have the proper documentation. Always check your passport and visa requirements.

To partake in any scuba diving activity with La Galigo, we will require that you, the customer, hold a valid certification from a recognized scuba diving agency such as SSI, CMAS, BSAC, PADI or similar. The customer is responsible, as a certified diver, to respect and follow the guidelines given by the La Galigo guides and instructors, plus adhere to the regulations stipulated by their certification agency. Clients are solely responsible to provide a diving medical statement or physicians medical dated within the last 12 months, certification card and log book. Ignoring the directions given by the guides, or not presenting certification card, log book or valid medical paperwork may cause a limitation or disqualification from scuba diving on the voyage. The diver accepts their responsibility to be technically capable of participating in the activity of scuba diving and fully accepts the risks associated. We reserve the right, for safety reasons, and at the discretion of the La Galigo guides, to refuse access to one, several or all dives, if the diver does not have the necessary competence to participate safely.
All divers must be either Advanced Open Water certified with at least 20 logged dives, or Open Water certified, with at least 40 logged dives and have dived within the past 5 years. A mandatory refresher shall take place at our first dive site for anyone who hasn’t dived in the past year, which is included in the cost of the trip.

10. MEDICAL AND HEALTH

La Galigo or its staff are not certified to give you any medical advice or any prescription drugs. If you are unsure about any medical matter, then please seek advice from your general practitioner before scuba diving and similar activities. Likewise, if you are unsure about your physical level of fitness for the itinerary you wish to book, please inform our office and we can discuss your needs in more detail.
Before commencing any holiday, one should be physically able to enjoy themselves. The activities that La Galigo offer can be physically demanding, and as such you will be required to be reasonably physically fit to participate and enjoy these activities. Activities include hiking to view points as well as diving. Discomfort, displeasure and pain resulting from the inability to do said activities as a result of physical unfitness are not ground for complaint or refund. We recommend a complete physical before your trip. There is a DAN certified recompression chamber located in Bali.

If you have any health problems, are on any form of medication or have had any illness, injury or operation that may affect you whilst diving, please let your booking agent know in advance. As we require an up to date medical statement confirming you are fit to dive. Failure to inform us about this may result in you not being able to dive, as it may not be able to be obtained from local Indonesian general doctors that are not specialist in hyperbaric medicine. Failure to disclose such prior information, may result in your insurance being invalid, or your trip being a non-diving one.

Anyone with specific dietary requirements, including vegetarian/ vegan diets, or food intolerances or allergies should advise us at least 61 days before the trip. Should you have any restrictions or requirements and not inform our booking office previous to your trip departure, it may be difficult or impossible to meet such requirements.

La Galigo is equipped with advanced first aid kits onboard, including oxygen and an AED. Currents and winds may cause moderate movement of the vessel at times. You may want to bring motion sickness medication if you feel you will need it. We suggest you bring over the counter motion sickness medication or consult your doctor about prescription brands, such as the trans-dermal patch or Scopace tablets. Please be sure to consult your Doctor about using such medications when diving. We also have an herbal alternative onboard that many people find successful, but as with anything that you consume for medical purposes, please be aware of its contents before consumption. La Galigo and their staff are unable to accept any medication brought onboard for safe keeping including those that require refrigeration. Should a guest have a medication requiring temperature control, they will need to travel with a travel cooling case or small storage cooler with several blue ice packets. The crew will be happy to store and recharge the blue ice but are unable to accept possession of, or responsibility for the proper care and storage of medication. This should be kept in your cabin.
Should you suffer from any of the conditions outlined below, please provide a signed medical statement from your doctor within the last 3 months.
 Asthma. Please be aware that we do not accept divers with asthma if you have had an attack in the last 3 years – or those who take medication for prevention or treatment of asthma on all our dive trips. If you had an attack between 3-10 years ago, we will ask to see the results of a Spiro metric test (lung function test) dated not older than 3 months.
 Diabetes. Unfortunately, we do not accept divers with this condition, as our staff are not medically qualified to a level to deal with any medical problems that may arise.
 Thyroid Disease. Divers with thyroid disease or having no thyroid gland should bring a medical statement dated within the past 3 months proving that their cardiovascular system has been critically assessed.
 La Galigo also cannot accept divers with Hypertension (high blood pressure) or divers using anti-depressants.
 We would advise anyone with severe allergies to reconsider booking such a trip. The use of peanut oil and crustaceans are widespread throughout Asia, and due to our remoteness, it might be difficult to receive the right treatment for adverse reactions. We do not guarantee with any of our meals that there might be traces of peanut and seafood.
 Previous cases of DCS and DCI in the last 5 years require a medical clearance from a hyperbaric trained specialist.
Please note that for the above mentioned conditions we do NOT accept medical statements issued locally in Indonesia, unless they are from an accredited hospital or surgery. If you need any assistance or further advice on this subject, please contact us for further information.
La Galigo is not willing to risk your life or endanger those around you by overlooking such conditions. Please be aware, that due to our location, medical attention is not always easy to obtain. It might, in a worst case scenario require medical evacuation; La Galigo holds no responsibility or liability for medical evacuation costs.
Failure to make La Galigo and your insurers aware of any existing conditions may lead to your insurance being invalid or being refused for diving activities whilst onboard.

11. INSURANCE

We strongly recommend to our guests that they purchase a fully comprehensive travel insurance package that covers; accidents, medical assistance, baggage, trip cancellation and interruption, personal liability and effects, when a reservation is made. All guests should ensure they have appropriate insurance to cover the activities they will be undertaking during their trip, regardless of risk. Please be advised that if guests choose not to carry travel insurance, La Galigo will not be held responsible for any financial disappointment caused by reasons beyond our control.

Travel insurance is a personal preference and highly recommended, DIVING insurance, however, is not.
We require all divers to have a diving insurance policy that includes medical evacuation for the entirety of your trip, La Galigo will require a copy of your insurance policy, at least 24 hours prior to departure.
This insurance should take into consideration the costs involved in accident treatment including hyperbaric treatment and/or repatriation. In the case of a diving accident, or other accident, where the accident was not caused by a service provided by La Galigo or their employees, La Galigo will not be held responsible and any requests for compensation will be refused.
We highly recommend dive insurance offered by the Divers Alert Network and travel insurance. Special 10 day or 30 day DAN dive insurance packages are available, La Galigo reservation office can assist you with obtaining this insurance before your trip. www.diversalertnetwork.org

12. CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS

If you have observations, complaints or requests for reimbursement, you should contact us immediately, or at least within 10 days from the return of your trip. Beyond this time, it becomes extremely difficult for us to intervene due to the nature of the law in Indonesia. All requests for reimbursement relating to additional services, or services invoiced but not provided, will be studied on presentation of documentation and additional information. In the case of litigation legal jurisdiction will be Indonesia.

13. PRICE FLUCTUATIONS **

All quoted published rates have been calculated from Indonesian Rupiah to United States dollar. The rate supplied is current at the time of initial payment. In case of a devaluation of the US Dollar to the Indonesian Rupiah; La Galigo reserves the right to levy a supplemental charge directly proportional to the amount of the exchange rate devaluation on a per passenger basis. The amount of the supplemental charge as of sixty (60) days prior to the departure date, which La Galigo advises, shall be added to the final payment of each invoice. The exchange rate shall be determined by the rate as stated on the international exchange rate website xe.com at noon GMT, sixty (60) days prior to the day of departure.

14. LIABILITY, RELEASE AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK

La Galigo cannot be held liable for and will not be responsible for personal injuries, property damage, or wrongful death that may occur during activities arranged, booked or performed by La Galigo. There are inherent risks associated with all activities offered by La Galigo, and those risks must be accepted and accounted for by each individual customer. La Galigo is neither negligent nor liable if accidents happen as a result of acts or omissions of other third parties. La Galigo cannot be held liable for and will not be responsible for loss or damage of personal items such as individual dive equipment, camera and video equipment, strobes and other accessories, passports, flight tickets, etc.
Scuba diving requires a certification from a recrecognized dving agency such as PADI or SSI. It is your responsibility to demonstrate that you are suitably qualified to participate in any diving activities, and to provide proof of such qualification upon request, prior to you taking part. Such activities include all diving activities other than Open Water Diver or Scuba Diver Course, or Discover Scuba Diving activities that allow participants to take part without a license.

15. PERSONAL BELONGINGS

La Galigo does not recommend that you bring personal belongings of exceptional or sentimental value onboard during your trip. Such items as laptops, cameras, tablets and other electrical goods may become damaged due to water damage. Likewise, with valuable pieces of jewellery, La Galigo and its staff will not be held responsible for the damage or loss of such items. All items you decide to bring are at your own risk.

16. PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT

Sole responsibility for handling, care, cleaning and maintenance of personal camera equipment, including camera bodies, lenses, memory cards, housings, strobes, lights or other photography or videography accessories, lies with guests. La Galigo, neither its staff including boat crew and dive professionals, or the facility through which this experience is offered, may be held liable or responsible in any assistance offered or as a result of the negligence of any party, whether passive or active. In asking La Galigo staff to assist with any of the afore mentioned items, Guests hereby personally assume all risks, whether foreseen or, that may befall equipment whilst being assisted by the crew. This includes periods of required handling between the main vessel and the speed boats, handling between the speedboats to and from the water, prior and post to diving or snorkeling, and cleaning and storage whilst on board La Galigo Camera dome covers provided by the manufacture should be kept in place whenever the camera is not in use, especially during transporting to and from dive sites and when stowing cameras. La Galigo also recommends storing all camera equipment in a durable waterproof casing. A dry cabinet has been provided in the lounge area for guest use.

17. NUMBER OF DIVES

Please note that the number of dives we list in any package is a best estimate based on normal circumstances, not a guarantee. Circumstances may arise during your liveaboard holiday (weather, illness, personal choice) where the total number of dives done is less than the number we estimate. There will be no partial refunds in these circumstances.

All our dives are guided at a ratio of 1 guide to 5 customers or better. Our normal schedule consists of the following but can change due to conditions, 3 dives a day plus 1 night dive when possible. There will be 1 check out dive on arrival day, 2 dives on the last day of the cruise and no dive on the check-out day dependent on location and logistics.

18. DIVING CONDITIONS

Our charters offer remote pristine diving, and the dive sites we explore each offer something a little different. The water temperature in Raja Ampat varies from 27-30C/ 82-86F and air temperature 25-32C/ 78-89F. In Komodo on the other hand, water temperatures in the south can drop between 21-24C/ 69-75F at times, and the north remains warmer at 28- 29C/ 82-84F. During our Komodo season, the majority of the charter is spent in the north. These unique itineraries offer diving on healthy and vibrant reefs, seamounts, sheer walls, caves, beautiful coral gardens and magnificent critter dives. A 3mm wetsuit and hood is recommended, however, only you really know your own requirements. Many of our guides are happy in a rash guard, but if you know you get cold, please, bring a wetsuit. All diving is from tenders or from our dive deck.
For safety, all divers are provided with a reef hook and a 30m reel and DSMB and a dive computer free of charge, if they do not have one of their own for the trip.

19. DIVE GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS

We recommend that for comfort you bring your own personal dive equipment, including exposure suit (wetsuit/ rash guard), mask, snorkel, regulators and gauges, BCD, dive computer, safety markers, torch, and fins. Dive equipment is available to rent if you require, please make La Galigo aware at least 60 days prior to departure on the ‘Guest data sheet’ if you require rental.
a) Full equipment rental per day:
 $35 includes BCD, Regulators, Wetsuit, Torch, Computer, Fins & Boots, Mask & Snorkel, Safety Marker Buoy (SMB) with reel, and Reef Hook.
b) Individual item equipment rental per day:
• BCD – $15
• Regulators – $15
• Wetsuit – $10
• Dive torch – $10
• Computer – $0
• Safety Marker Buoy with reel – $0
• Mask, Fins with Boots & Snorkel – $0
• Reef Hooks – $0
If any of the above mentioned rental equipment is damaged beyond feasible repair or is lost, regardless of whether it is rented from or lent to the person using the equipment they will be liable for the cost of replacement. Please note, prices for lost / damaged items include shipping and handling, are payable direct to La Galigo before the end of the charter, in cash. All equipment rental payments can be made after the final day of diving at the following cost to the individual.
c) Individual equipment replacement costs:
BCD – $400
Regulators inc gauges – $600
Mask – $50
Safety Marker & Reel – $100
Wetsuit – $250
Fins – $150
Dive Boots – $50
Dive Computer – $400
Dive Torch – $150
Reef Hook – $50
Weights – $10

20. DECOMPRESSION DIVING

Please note that all diving undertaken whilst onboard La Galigo Liveaboard is No Decompression Diving. We do not allow any of our guests, regardless of certification level or experience to complete any decompression dives. This is for the safety of all guests and crew onboard. Disregarding these rules whilst onboard may result in being restricted from diving that day or removed from diving for the rest of the trip whilst on La Galigo Liveaboard.

21. CUSTOMER LIABILITY

Any intentional damage that occurs to any property belonging to La Galigo, is the whole responsibility of the person or persons, responsible for such damage. The cost of repair or replacement is dictated solely and reasonably by La Galigo. Any objections to the values or costs or repair or replacement are exclusively contestable in an Indonesian court of law.

22. ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION ONBOARD

Whilst onboard ‘La Galigo’, alcohol is available to purchase and consume 24 hours per day. However, the responsible consumption is the obligation of the individual. If a guest decides to consume an alcoholic beverage during any time of the day, whilst diving activities are still an option, that day will be considered a non-diving day for the rest of that day for that individual. If your guide decides that you are not fit to dive due to your alcohol consumption the night before, and you decide to contest this decision, it will be put towards the management, discussed, and a resolution will be resolved. This decision is final. Likewise, as a customer, if you are not satisfied with the condition of our staff, please make the management aware, and we will resolve the issue with as little issue and alteration as possible.

23. DRUGS

Please be aware that Indonesia is one of the strictest countries in south east Asia with regards to drug trafficking and possession. Offences such as drug trafficking have been known to result in the death penalty. The Indonesian authorities are ready to make an example of foreigners who possess and/or use illegal drugs in their jurisdiction. La Galigo operates a zero-tolerance policy towards banned narcotics onboard our vessel. Anyone caught attempting to smuggle drugs on board La Galigo will be refused boarding, and their trip cancelled without refund. People caught in possession or under the influence of narcotics during their time onboard will be handed over to the relevant authorities, no refund will be issued.

How to get to Raja Ampat

We have a few suggestions for you to get to each destination dependant on where you are coming from. If you need any assistance or advice with booking flights or a hotel, please contact us via [email protected].

Our team has many years of travel experience around Indonesia.
Below we have advised the most direct route for you to get to where La Galigo departs from. These are not necessarily the cheapest options, and it may be necessary to overnight in a local hotel to catch ongoing flights. We have also recommended a few hotels, all of which the owners have personally stayed in to ensure their quality for the area.
With all our trips, we highly recommend arriving and staying in the town located where La Galigo departs from the night prior to your trip beginning. Domestic flights in Indonesia can be unpredictable and are often subject to delays.

Raja Ampat

General Advice – Within Asia itself, Singapore is a great place to start your journey into Indonesia to get to Raja Ampat. Check out flights with Silk Air to Manado. From Manado it may be necessary to overnight there to catch a short flight to Sorong, where La Galigo will be waiting for you in the harbour.
From Europe – The quickest route we have found is to take a flight using Singapore Airlines to Changi international airport in Singapore. From there we would recommend using Silk Air which will provide you with a direct flight to Manado in Indonesia. From Manado there is a short flight to Sorong, the entrance point to Raja Ampat.
From the Americas (West Coast) – United Airlines and their partners can fly you from the west coast of the Americas to Manado in Indonesia with around 2 transits. A short flight with NAM or Wings Air will bring you to Sorong where you can board the vessel.
From the Americas (East Coast) – At the time of compiling this information, China Southern were offering a flight from NY to Jakarta with 1 stop over. From Jakarta the fastest route to Sorong (Raja Ampat) would be to take a direct flight using Xpress Airlines.
From Asia – Dependant on where you are flying from will depend on where we would recommend a flight from. Generally speaking, Singapore is a good place to access Raja Ampat due to the fact you can reach Manado easily using Silk Air. A short layover and short flight will take you to Sorong in Indonesian Papua from where you will embark the boat.
From Australia – A flight from Perth to Bali is short and inexpensive, however we would recommend booking a onwards flight to Jakarta where it is possible to save yourself the time and effort of several transits. Check out Xpress Air from Jakarta, they currently offer a direct flight to Sorong. From the east travel times vary, but we would still recommend flying through to Jakarta and following the above advice.

Recommended Hotels

Sorong

Swiss-Bellhotel Sorong – $$ – Located just a 10-mintue drive from Dominique Eduard Oso Airport in Sorong, The Swiss-Bellhotel Sorong offers an outdoor pool, on-site restaurant and free WiFi access in all areas of the property.
Although probably a little overpriced, the food is some of the best in Sorong, and it is about as comfortable a hotel you will find in the area.
Royal Memberano hotel – $ – Featuring free WiFi and a restaurant, Royal Mamberamo Hotel offers accommodation in Sorong. Guests can enjoy the on-site bar.
More than fine for an evening, some of the cheaper rooms have no windows, breakfast is below average, but hey, rooftop bar!

Recommended Hotels
$ – Cheap and cheerful
$$ – Mid range comfort
$$$ – More luxury = more money

Singapore

The Crown Plaza – $$$ – The Crowne Plaza is a luxurious hotel located within the Singapore Changi International Airport. It offers stylish accommodation with an outdoor landscaped pool, a fitness centre and 2 restaurants.
A personal favourite of mine. High quality service and facilities make this a regular stop off for me. I would stay here longer if it wasn’t such a distance from the centre of Singapore.
Ambassador Transit Hotel – $$ – The Ambassador transit hotel in Terminal 3 offers accommodation in Singapore’s airport, and is great for a short layover. Each room at this hotel is air conditioned and comes with a flat-screen TV with cable channels.
I haven’t stayed at this particular hotel yet, but friends who have say it’s a decent option for catching an onwards flight the next day, and that the staff are very friendly and helpful.

Manado

Novotel Manado Golf Resort & convention centre – $ – Pampering spa treatments, grass tennis courts and a golf course are provided at Novotel Manado Golf Resort & Convention Center, a 4-star property just 15 minutes’ drive from Sam Ratulangi Airport. An outdoor pool, free wired internet and 24-hour room service are also available.
Great for a short stopover due to how close it is to Manado airport. Even if you’re not a golfer, it’s other facilities are good enough to make you feel that you haven’t overspent to stay here.
Sintesa peninsula hotel – $$ – The Sintesa Peninsula Hotel offers rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows featuring views of the mountain and nearby islands. It provides free Wi-Fi and has an outdoor pool and fitness centre.
A charming older hotel, one of the finest in the area in terms of food and service, however, it is in need of an update. If you can look beyond the old carpet and faucets, it is genuinely a nice place to stay.

Jakarta

Swiss-Bellin hotel airport – $ – Featuring an on-site spa and wellness centre, Swiss-Belinn Airport in Jakarta offers comfortable and relaxing accommodation with free WiFi access in all areas of the property.
Close proximity to the airport and good value for money, I regularly stay there for comfort, but mainly convenience.
FM7 Resort hotel Jakarta airport – $$ – Located 2 km away from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, is the 4-star FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta. It features an indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a free airport shuttle upon request.
This place is large, you might have to take a golf cart to get breakfast dependant on your room number, but it’s worth it, quality food and comfortable after a long flight.

Bali

Harris hotel Tuban – $ – This property is 4 minutes walk from the beach. A 5-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport and Tuban Beach, HARRIS Hotel Tuban Bali offers free WiFi around the property as well as in the room and parking. The hotel has an outdoor pool, spa, a cafe and a bar. Free airport transfers are provided.
Cheap and simple, yet very close to the airport, and all bookings include airport transfers for free. The food isn’t great, but there are plenty of other options within walking distance.
Novotel Bali Ngurah Rai Airport – $$ – This property is 10 minutes walk from the beach. Novotel Bali Ngurah Rai Airport is conveniently located in Bali Denpasar International Airport with direct access to the international departure and domestic arrival sections. Featuring an outdoor pool, the hotel is set in Kuta, 1.3 km from Tuban Beach and 2 km from Waterbom Bali. Free WiFi can be accessed throughout the property and the front desk is available 24 hours to assist guests.
This is a new hotel and a very welcome addition to Bali airport. I recently stayed here for the first time landing from an International flight…..30 minutes from luggage pick up to a comfy bed…..more please! Good tasty food, friendly staff, solid facilities.

How to get to Komodo

We have a few suggestions for you to get to each destination dependant on where you are coming from. If you need any assistance or advice with booking flights or a hotel, please contact us via [email protected]
Our team has many years of travel experience around Indonesia.
Below we have advised the most direct route for you to get to where La Galigo departs from. These are not necessarily the cheapest options, and it may be necessary to overnight in a local hotel to catch ongoing flights. We have also recommended a few hotels, all of which the owners have personally stayed in to ensure their quality for the area.
With all our trips, we highly recommend arriving and staying in the town located where La Galigo departs from the night prior to your trip beginning. Domestic flights in Indonesia can be unpredictable and are often subject to delays.

Komodo

General advice – The best way to access Komodo is via Bali, a simple 1 hour flight will drop you off in the cozy town of Labuan Bajo, which is the access point for all our Komodo trips. The flight from Bali can be made in relative comfort with Garuda or NAM airlines. Cheaper alternatives are available with low costs local airlines such as Lion Air or Sriwijaya. If you are fortunate enough to land in Bali from your international flight before midday, it will be easy to catch a connecting flight to Labuan Bajo. At the time of composing this, the last flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo is at 2 p.m. Bali time.

From Europe – We would highly recommend finding a Singapore Airlines flight to Changi international airport or a similar Flight with Malaysian Airlines taking you to Kuala Lumpur. If you land early enough, you will able to transit the same day on to Bali. It will be likely that you will need to overnight in Bali unless you land and collect your luggage before 2 p.m.
From the Americas (West Coast) – At the time of writing, Cathay Pacific were offering a very reasonably priced flight from LAX to Bali via Hong Kong. It may be necessary to overnight in Bali, but there are a decent selection of hotels located around Denpasar (Bali) airport. From Bali, obtain a short flight to Labuan Bajo, with either Garuda, NAM, or Lion air, whereupon you may embark La Galigo.
From the Americas (East Coast) – At the time of researching, Qatar Airways were offering a time effective flight from JFK to Bali with a short layover in Doha (Qatar). After a short layover in Bali, simply hop on an early flight with one of the local airlines to Labuan Bajo in Flores, which is where all our trips depart from to Komodo.
From Australia – A flight from Perth to Bali is short and inexpensive, and when Jetstar land early, it often ties in nicely to enable you to transit onto Labuan Bajo – Komodo. Flights from the east coast should follow the advice for perth flights, however, dependant on which carrier you choose, will be dependant on wether or not a layover in Bali is necessary.
Recommended Hotels
$ – Cheap and cheerful
$$ – Mid range comfort
$$$ – More luxury = more money

Labuan Bajo

Puri Sari hotel – $$ – Offering free Wi-Fi access, Puri Sari Beach Hotel features an outdoor swimming pool with panoramic views of lush greeneries. Complimentary two-way airport transfers are also provided.
The Puri Sari is comfortable and clean, and in my opinion, good value for money. Please bear in mind that this hotel is located quite a fair distance from the centre of town and restaurants. Check with reception for how much they charge one way to take you into the centre of town to get a decent meal.
Bintang Flores hotel – $$ – Sitting on a private beach, Bintang Flores Hotel features a beachfront pool and a diving counter. Boasting tropical garden landscapes, it also offers free Wi-Fi access in all areas of the hotel.
General standards of hotels in Labuan Bajo are not great, however, this hotel goes some way to giving you a feel of value for money. Breakfast has a wide variety to choose from, however it is sadly lacking in quality. Lovely pool overlooking the bay, and a mean ‘Bloody Mary’.

Singapore

The Crown Plaza – $$$ – The Crowne Plaza is a luxurious hotel located within the Singapore Changi International Airport. It offers stylish accommodation with an outdoor landscaped pool, a fitness centre and 2 restaurants.
A personal favourite of mine. High quality service and facilities make this a regular stop off for me. I would stay here longer if it wasn’t such a distance from the centre of Singapore.
Ambassador Transit Hotel – $$ – The Ambassador transit hotel in Terminal 3 offers accommodation in Singapore’s airport, and is great for a short layover. Each room at this hotel is air conditioned and comes with a flat-screen TV with cable channels.
I haven’t stayed at this particular hotel yet, but friends who have say it’s a decent option for catching an onwards flight the next day, and that the staff are very friendly and helpful.
Manado
Novotel Manado Golf Resort & convention centre – $ – Pampering spa treatments, grass tennis courts and a golf course are provided at Novotel Manado Golf Resort & Convention Center, a 4-star property just 15 minutes’ drive from Sam Ratulangi Airport. An outdoor pool, free wired internet and 24-hour room service are also available.
Great for a short stopover due to how close it is to Manado airport. Even if you’re not a golfer, it’s other facilities are good enough to make you feel that you haven’t overspent to stay here.
Sintesa peninsula hotel – $$ – The Sintesa Peninsula Hotel offers rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows featuring views of the mountain and nearby islands. It provides free Wi-Fi and has an outdoor pool and fitness centre.
A charming older hotel, one of the finest in the area in terms of food and service, however, it is in need of an update. If you can look beyond the old carpet and faucets, it is genuinely a nice place to stay.
Jakarta
Swiss-Bellin hotel airport – $ – Featuring an on-site spa and wellness centre, Swiss-Belinn Airport in Jakarta offers comfortable and relaxing accommodation with free WiFi access in all areas of the property.
Close proximity to the airport and good value for money, I regularly stay there for comfort, but mainly convenience.
FM7 Resort hotel Jakarta airport – $$ – Located 2 km away from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, is the 4-star FM7 Resort Hotel Jakarta. It features an indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre and a free airport shuttle upon request.
This place is large, you might have to take a golf cart to get breakfast dependant on your room number, but it’s worth it, quality food and comfortable after a long flight.
Bali
Harris hotel Tuban – $ – This property is 4 minutes walk from the beach. A 5-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport and Tuban Beach, HARRIS Hotel Tuban Bali offers free WiFi around the property as well as in the room and parking. The hotel has an outdoor pool, spa, a cafe and a bar. Free airport transfers are provided.
Cheap and simple, yet very close to the airport, and all bookings include airport transfers for free. The food isn’t great, but there are plenty of other options within walking distance.
Novotel Bali Ngurah Rai Airport – $$ – This property is 10 minutes walk from the beach. Novotel Bali Ngurah Rai Airport is conveniently located in Bali Denpasar International Airport with direct access to the international departure and domestic arrival sections. Featuring an outdoor pool, the hotel is set in Kuta, 1.3 km from Tuban Beach and 2 km from Waterbom Bali. Free WiFi can be accessed throughout the property and the front desk is available 24 hours to assist guests.
This is a new hotel and a very welcome addition to Bali airport. I recently stayed here for the first time landing from an International flight…..30 minutes from luggage pick up to a comfy bed…..more please! Good tasty food, friendly staff, solid facilities.