Private yachting FAQs - General questions
Below, we provide you with a list of frequently asked questions in regard to booking a private yacht charter in Indonesia.
A private luxury yacht charter in Indonesia is different from yacht charters anywhere else in the world. Not only does the Indonesian archipelago with its more than 17,500 islands boats a beauty and diversity that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, but also the yachts used to explore these stunning islands are different from anywhere else. The great age of sail, which ended in the West in the early twentieth century, never quite ended in Indonesia. Traditional wooden yachts, the pinisi yachts, still cruise Indonesian waters – nowadays outfitted with modern safety and comfort facilities.
Traditional 2-masted wooden schooners in Indonesia are called pinisi yachts, or Sulawesi schooners, and are modeled according to the design of the vessels that transported spices from the islands known as the “East Indies”. Indonesian yachts have sailed around the Indian Ocean and beyond for centuries and nowadays offer a holiday like no other.
Exploring Indonesia on a private pinisi yacht is like travel back in time: a return to classical sailing, giving one a feeling of real adventure and discovery.
Barefoot Yachts Indonesia works in close partnership with a limited number of hand-picked boats and yachts. We offer flexibility to cover a wide variety of routes while catering to different budgets and cruise styles.
Barefoot Yachts Indonesia is an established expert in the field of private luxury yacht charters. We provide excellent service and are more than happy to assist you with organizing everything you may require around your cruising experience with us.
In today’s era of mass tourism and bulk-produced holiday packages, cruising on a traditional pinisi offers a greatly contrasting experience. Customized itineraries and personalized service help you to create an adventure of a lifetime.
Our customized private charters are suitable for adults and children alike. Each private charter will be tailored according to your interests and personal preferences.
A private luxury charter in Indonesia offers an escape for families and groups beyond the reach of common holiday tours. Private cruises are available throughout the diverse Indonesian archipelago including destinations such as Komodo, Sumbawa, Raja Ampat, West Papua, and the Moluccas. Indonesia is the world’s largest island country with more than 17,000 islands, boasting vast areas of wilderness supporting high levels of biodiversity. Our yacht charter destinations go everywhere from Bali to Lombok and Gili Islands, Moyo Island and Sumbawa, the UNESCO World Heritage site Komodo National Park to Sulawesi, Moluccas and Banda Sea and all the way to Raja Ampat and West Papua.
Private charters in Raja Ampat are surly one of the most sought after holiday experiences in the world. Enjoy the luxury and comfort on board a private yacht and explore this stunning region. Raja Ampat offers the best dive sites in the world, and it's beautiful landscape will leave you speechless.
Emabrking on a private yacht charter is a luxury experience that is hardly comparable with any other holiday adventure. The crew onboard is well-trained and provides you with the highest service standards, so that you will not miss out on any comfort during your joirney.
Cruising Indonesia on a private yacht allows you to customize your journey in accordance with your preferences. Private boat charters are suitable for families with small children or a group of adventures divers. Your cruise director and we will ensure that your journey is something that you will never forget.
Inquire now with Barefoot Yachts Indonesia for your private yacht charter. To get the outcome, best to tell us a little bit about yourself and your family or friends. What is most relevant to us is if you have any dates in mind already, if you have been to Indonesia before, what is your overall holiday plan in Indonesia, and what your expectations and interests are. Also, please let us know whether your charter should have a specific focus, such as scuba diving, freediving, snorkeling, surfing, land sites, or simply a blend of different activities. Don’t forget let us know in case you have guests with special needs, like elderly people or young children, in your group. Sharing all these details with us gives us the chance to understand your situation and come up with the best option for your holiday.
Once you begin to do some research about boats in Indonesia, you will notice that there is a plethora of routes, destinations, and yachts available. We are experts with years of charter experience and we will give you unbiased advice for your trip. We work closely with a selected range of yachts in Indonesia – each with own features and specialities. We believe the yachts listed on our website offer the best value and service to you. We might offer you different options in terms of routes and yachts for your evaluation – guaranteed always for the for the best price.
Once settled on a yacht, route, and dates, we will send you a transparent pro forma invoice along with all details and our Terms & Conditions. Usually, a deposit payment of 20-50 % is due on confirmation of your booking (to be balanced 30 to 90 days before departure), depending on the timeframe and yacht. We accept euros, USD and IDR. Credit card payment is available on request.
Once your charter is confirmed, book domestic flights and arrange details such as hotel stays before or after your cruise. We will assist you along the process and provide suitable recommendations. As your charter dates draw near, we will collect your passport details (for the harbour clearance), food restrictions/preferences, as well as, diving & snorkeling equipment sizes. Meanwhile, we can also fine-tune your yacht charter in terms of itinerary and additional services.
Embark for your private boat trip in Indonesia. We are available via phone/email/Whatsapp for any assistance needed.
The time will come to return home with once-in-a-lifetime memories and photos. Of course, we are excited to hear about your trip. Having booked your charter with us before, we are already familiar with each other and looking forward to planning your next trip. We offer additional benefits to our repeat guests. Indonesia is huge and diverse. The various regions offer a variety of amazing areas and routes. Certainly, a destination to return to, and we are proud to say that many of our guests do so, every year.
Below, we provide you with a list of frequently asked questions in regard to booking a private yacht charter in Indonesia.
Luxury Charter on Fenides
Chartering a private boat in Indonesia means you rent the vessel, including crew and all facilities for your personalized leisure experience with friends or family. Depending on the area a normal charter duration is 4-11 nights. We also provide yacht charters for a weddings, hens/bachelor parties, private company events, product launches, filmmaking or photo shoots.
Chartering a private yacht gives you the greatest privacy, freedom and flexibility for your boat cruise in Indonesia. It’s just going to be you, your friends or family on the boat, hence the route itinerary, as well as the daily scheduled activities, can be tailored to your needs and preferences. A private yacht charter in Indonesia means ultimate freedom and privacy during your cruise experience. You can choose your cruise destination, route as well as the activities according to your personal preferences and style.
Activities on a boat trip in Indonesia may include scuba diving, snorkelling, surfing, wakeboarding, yoga, freediving, sea kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, fishing, bird watching, and beach bonfires.
Included services
Excluded services
Please note, each yacht is different and we will send exact inclusion and exclusion prior booking.
As operator, we have chosen Indonesia not only for the broad range of adventures, beautiful boats and ocean sites, but also for the great weather conditions that are typical for the Indonesian archipelago. The charter season in Indonesia is all year-round, only the destinations vary depending on the time of the year. As a guideline, the best time to visit Komodo and the Sunda Islands in Central Indonesia is April to November. The best time to cruise Raja Ampat in East Indonesia is considered November to April. Indonesia has many microclimates, and the best season also depends on the activities you like to do during your charter. All our yachts schedules are adjusted and planned according to the seasons.
We welcome families with children of all ages on our private cruises. Most crews are quite used to having children onboard and will be of great help to you. See here for more tips and tricks for parents cruising with children. For more information or if you would like to chat about your specific needs, please contact us. If bringing very young children, the cruise destination and boat will be chosen accordingly. From the age of 10 years old, you might also consider a junior scuba diving course when on board.
Below, you will find a more general list of frequently asked questions in regard to planning your private yacht charter and cruising holiday in Indonesia.
Private Yacht Charter on Aliikai
Most of our charters start from international airports in Denpasar, Bali or Jakarta. From there, you can take a domestic flight to Labuan Bajo for Komodo, Sorong (via Jakarta or Makassar) for Raja Ampat or Makassar for Sulawesi.
All Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the day of departure to Indonesia. Many countries are issued a $35 tourist visa on arrival, that lasts 30 days, renewable once. It can either be asked from an Indonesian embassy, online, or upon arrival at the airport. Please take a look at visa requirements for your country before booking a flight.
Travel insurance such as World Nomads is highly recommended when going on boat trip in Indonesia. For divers, please make sure to be covered for a hyperbaric treatment in a chamber and other diving incidents.
The yachts sail in mostly calm seas without large waves, so seasickness is rarely an issue. It always depends on the route, size of the boat, season and weather, of course. Motion sickness tablets are available on board and can be taken to ensure your comfort. In case seasickness mighty be a concern of yours, kindly let us know, and we will plan the route accordingly.
Depending on the size of the yacht, it may moor somewhere around 50-150 m to shore. There are very few mosquitoes, if not none at all, on sea. While Raja Ampat is generally an area with malaria risk, we have not experienced this concern so far. However, bringing some insect repellant and good clothing for land visits and hiking tours is highly recommended. In case you prefer to take malaria tablets, keep in mind that there might be side effects. Don’t hesitate to pay a visit to your doctor before coming to ask them what the best course of action is, in relation to your health.
Our last list of frequently asked questions concerning post-departure issues. Feel free and ask any questions that are not mentiond in these sections. The Barefoot Yachts team will answer them with pleasure and to the best of their ability.
Private Luxury Charter on Magia II
Most of our guests cruising Indonesia start their trip from international airports in Denpasar, Bali or Jakarta. From there, you can take a domestic flight to Labuan Bajo for Komodo, Sorong (via Jakarta or Makassar) for Raja Ampat or Makassar for Sulawesi. For Bali cruise departures, you can reach Serangan harbour via local transportation. To get to the Gili Islands in Lombok, take a fastboat transfer from Bali, Serangan or Padang Bai including pick up from your hotel.
In general, it is recommended to have some pocket cash on you for drinks, crew tips, souvenirs and
harbour & national park fees (if applicable).
Tips are not mandatory. However, if you perceive the service as good, it is common to tip 10% of cruise prices to our hard-working crews. Commonly, tips are shared equally among the Indonesian crew. Western staff, when available, may be tipped separately. When receiving any service from locals during island visits, you may give some money to appreciate their service, but keep it in relation to their income. Over-tipping will create beggars, jealousy and inequality. IDR 20,000 – IDR 100,000 per person are adequate; depending on the kind of service received.
We consider catching and eating fresh fish as a part of the life on a boat. However, the Indonesian seas, source of life and income, are depleting, and we are highly committed to conserving this valuable resource for future generations. We encourage all boat crew members and guests to treat fish as a valuable resource. We kindly ask that you do not fish in protected areas, that you do not fish or eat endangered species and that you do not fish more than you can eat. Fishing activities are not available in National Park areas.
Yes, there is voltage 220 V available on all yachts. On some boats, the electricity access may be limited during late night hours. In case you come from the US or Australia, please bring an adapter for your plugs. Indonesia uses Type F.
There is only limited Wi-Fi provided onboard, and we believe a cruise is a good chance to disconnect from our devices for a few days. However, there is 3G network available, depending on the position of the yacht. It is accessible with an Indonesian TELKOMSEL Network. Tourist SIM cards can be bought in Bali or Jakarta airport, and some yachts also have mobile Wi-Fi routers onboard.
Embarking on a cruising holiday in Indonesia is a wonderful experience that will give you insights into one of the most wonderful and diverse countries on this planet. Our dedicated team will make sure that everything runs smoothly and according to your needs and wishes. We have been providing Indonesian yacht charters and liveaboard experiences since 2016. Our great goal is to create the ultimate holiday experience and the highest level of service to find in the industry.
Barefoot Yachts Indonesia is an established expert for personalized private voyages throughout Indonesia since 2016.