Senada Phinisi
Senada Phinisi
Snorkellers on the boat, divers on a day boat, one group at dinner
Updated 26 October 2026
Komodo boat for mixed group divers and non-divers: Senada Phinisi takes up to 18 and is a snorkeller's boat with snorkel gear, life jackets and a canoe. Diving is not offered on board, so divers book diving elsewhere. Seats from IDR 4,000,000 (≈ USD 245).
The snorkeller's boat, not a dive boat
Senada is a snorkelling boat, and diving is not offered on board. The boat carries snorkel gear, life jackets, a canoe and a tender speedboat.
That is a plain fact to put in the group chat before the money moves. If the group's divers expect to dive from this boat, they will be disappointed, and the better time to find out is now.
What the boat is good at is the rest. Six cabins, each with its own bathroom and air conditioning, a sundeck, a dining area and a lounge: a base for a group where some people want a snorkel and a reef, and others want a deck and a book.
The snorkel stops for the non-divers
Four stops are for the water. Pink Beach is a shallow reef close to the shore. Taka Makassar is a sandbank ringed by shallow reef. Manta Point is a current stop for confident swimmers. Siaba or Sebayur is the easy snorkel of day 3, with a mild current and a reef 2 to 10 metres deep.
A non-diver in a life jacket can do three of the four. Manta Point is the one where the guide decides who goes in, because of the current.
Depths are modest. A diver who comes along for the company will find the reefs shallow, and a snorkeller who has never been in will find them kind. We promise nothing about what any reef shows, and the sea decides.
The table shows each stop. The snorkellers go in together, and a diver who prefers the sand has the beach.
Where the divers go instead
Divers in the group book their diving with a dive operator of their own choice. We do not sell or arrange diving, and we make no promise about how a dive day lines up with the boat.
The simplest plan puts the dives before or after the boat, in Labuan Bajo, while the non-divers rest at the hotel. The group then meets for the boat days together, and nobody is split across two boats.
Two safety points belong to the divers. Carry dive insurance if you dive, and ask your dive operator and your doctor how long to wait before flying after a dive. The park adds a diving surcharge per diver per day on top of the entry ticket, and it is in no price of ours.
Count how many dive, and how many dives each wants. The answer shapes the week.
Meeting for dinner
Dinner is the meeting point. The nights on the boat are for everyone: dinner on board on night one, the bats at Kalong before it, and the indoor dining area with its sign on the wall. A diver who is on the boat is at the table. A diver who dives from another boat is not on Senada, and meets the group at the hotel or the pier.
So the dinner that brings a mixed group together is at the hotel the night before or after the boat. That is where the divers tell the story of the reef and the snorkellers tell the story of the sandbank, and nobody has to be a diver to enjoy either.
The group should not plan a meeting at sea.
A split that works for the cabins
Six cabins give a mixed group room to arrange itself. Put the early risers together, the late sleepers together, and the divers together so they wake each other for the day. A pair per cabin is the standard, and the three Panoramic Suites take extra beds.
Who sleeps where, for a group of 12 with 5 divers: five divers share three cabins with the odd one in a trio, and seven non-divers fill the other three cabins. Nobody is on an extra bed. Adjust it for couples.
The Superior Suites take two guests each and no extra bed, so they suit two friends. The balcony is in the three Panoramic Suites. The cabins page shows every cabin in photographs.
Prices follow the head count, not the cabins, so rearranging beds changes nothing on the invoice.
| Cabin | Rooms | Beds | Sleeps | with extra bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panoramic Suite Balcony (upper deck) | 2 | 1 queen + 2 extra | 4 | 8 |
| Panoramic Suite Balcony (main deck) | 1 | 1 queen + 1 extra | 2 | 3 |
| Deluxe Ocean Suite | 1 | 1 queen + 1 extra | 2 | 3 |
| Superior Suite | 2 | 1 queen bed | 4 | 4 |
| Berths in total | 6 | 12 | 18 |
FAQ
Can divers dive from Senada?
No. Diving is not offered on Senada. Divers in the group book diving with a dive operator, before or after the boat, and the whole group meets on the boat days.
Is snorkel gear supplied?
Yes. Snorkelling gear and life jackets are supplied for the trip, and there is a canoe. Say in your message what each guest will wear in the water, and we confirm in writing.
Can non-swimmers join?
Yes at the shallow stops, in a life jacket, with the guide. Manta Point has a strong current, so the guide decides who goes in there. A non-swimmer can stay on the boat, in the canoe or on the sand.
Can the divers meet us at dinner?
On the boat, only if they are on the boat. A diver who dives from another boat meets the group at the hotel or the pier. Dinner on board on night one is part of the trip for everyone aboard.
Can we rent tanks on board?
No. Diving is not offered on Senada, so tell the divers before they pack. On board: life jackets, a liferaft, SSB and VHF radio, a compass, GPS and a map, and snorkel gear.
Check availability for Senada Phinisi
Senada Phinisi is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia. We confirm your cabins, take the payment and arrange the pickup. The boat sails with its own crew of 7.