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Hellooo guys! Honestly… until now I still can’t believe that I actually managed to finish this trip. If someone asks me, “Is sailing 4D3N from Lombok to Labuan Bajo worth it?” My answer is only one: WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY!
This was my first experience being on a boat for four days and three nights. And honestly, I’m someone who gets panicked easily, can’t swim, and had never even slept on a boat before. So this trip was really full of surprises, drama, laughter, and even tears.
The craziest plot twist: I went with 6 of my friends, and we all agreed to wear One Piece costumes! I cosplayed as Nami, and my friends became Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Robin, and Usopp. Can you imagine how fun our boat looked?
Yes, for this trip we booked with Golden Island Cruises and we chose the Superior Standard Boat. Why? Later I’ll spill the advantages of this boat that made us super happy! So, let me tell you my real experience from the first day until the end!
Our journey started early in the morning. Just so you know, Golden Island Cruises provides a complimentary hotel pickup service using comfortable Toyota Hiace vans between 08:00 and 10:00 AM for guests staying in Mataram, Senggigi, or Kuta Lombok.
If you’re staying on Gili Trawangan, you’ll need to check in at the Golden Island Cruises Office, conveniently located right in front of the Night Market, at 07:45 AM. From there, their team will arrange your transfer to Bangsal Harbor. Meanwhile, guests staying on Gili Air or Gili Meno can head directly to Pandu Restaurant, Bangsal Harbor, for check-in between 09:00 and 10:00 AM. For those coming from Gili Air, you’ll need to take the 08:00 AM public slow boat first, which costs IDR 23,000 but don’t worry, Golden Island Cruises will reimburse your transportation fee.
As soon as we arrived at the Kopang Office, we were welcomed with a refreshing welcome drink. While relaxing and waiting for the other guests to arrive, we were invited inside for a trip briefing at around 11:00 AM. Honestly, the staff were absolutely amazing! They were friendly, fun to talk to, and always smiling. The person leading the briefing explained everything from the first day to the last in such a hilarious way that everyone couldn’t stop laughing. At that moment, I felt so lucky that I had chosen to book with Golden Island Cruises.
After the briefing, we were transferred to Kayangan Harbor by Hiace van. Once we arrived at the harbor, we headed straight to our cabins. My friends and I chose a shared cabin because we wanted to stay together and enjoy the trip as a group. The facilities on this Superior Standard Boat were surprisingly good, especially since all cabins are equipped with air conditioning (AC).
After dropping off our bags, we spent some time relaxing with our friends in the spacious common area. The boat finally started sailing at around 2:00 PM. The moment the engine started, I was honestly shocked! I immediately panicked because it was my very first time on a boat. Thankfully, the sea was calm, so I was able to relax and enjoy lunch onboard.
As time passed, we finally arrived at Kenawa Island at around 3:30 PM. While the other guests had already gone ashore, guess what we were doing? We were still changing into our costumes inside the cabin! We kept waiting for each other and knocking on each other’s doors, shouting, “Hurry up! It’s going to get dark and we won’t get any photos!”
Once all six of us were fully dressed in our One Piece costumes, we finally stepped onto the island together. We spent the afternoon taking photos and filming videos while running around beautiful Kenawa Island. Honestly, the scenery was breathtaking one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.
While we were hiking, a foreign couple spotted us from afar and suddenly shouted, “OMG, look! There’s Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, Nami, Robin, and Usopp!” They were so excited that they even asked to take photos with us.
At around 6:00 AM, Robin and I stepped out of our cabin to watch the sunrise. And oh my God… it was absolutely breathtaking! The view was unbelievably beautiful. It was actually my first time ever watching a sunrise from a boat.
By then, our boat had already arrived in Saleh Bay. From the deck, I could see other guests swimming with the Whale Sharks. I didn’t join them because I was still scared and honestly, I can’t swim either. The crew assured me that I could wear a life jacket and that they would keep an eye on me, but I still didn’t have the courage to get in the water.
To be honest, this remains my biggest regret from the trip. I really wish I had been brave enough to swim with the Whale Sharks. Hopefully, one day I can sail with Golden Island Cruises again because this is definitely an experience I still need to try!
Later in the afternoon, we were relaxing at the front of the boat around Tambora Waters when suddenly… a pod of wild dolphins appeared and started jumping right beside our boat! Everyone immediately screamed with excitement. Seriously, it was only Day Two, and we had already experienced something so magical.
After enjoying the dolphins, we had another incredible activity we got to jump into the crystal-clear turquoise waters near Tambora. The water was unbelievably blue and crystal clear. It honestly felt like swimming in paradise.
As evening came and we continued sailing toward Komodo National Park, the real challenge began once again. Guys, I’m not trying to scare anyone, but since it was my first sailing experience, I panicked when I heard the strong wind and crashing waves. The boat was rocking from side to side, and I held onto my cabin door tightly because I almost lost my balance.
I started feeling nauseous, dizzy, and like I was about to throw up.
The crew immediately came to help me.
“Go eat something first. You need to force yourself to eat so you won’t feel sick. If your stomach still feels uncomfortable, apply some eucalyptus oil or FreshCare.”
Thankfully, the Superior Standard Boat comes with a fully equipped first-aid kit, so if anyone has a health issue, the crew is always ready to help.
The next morning, we had breakfast together with our friends before changing back into our One Piece costumes. Thankfully, I had packed plenty of shorts because the wind on the islands was incredibly strong wearing a skirt would have been a disaster!
After breakfast, we officially began our day at Komodo Island, heading to Loh Liang Village for a trekking adventure to meet the legendary Komodo Dragons.
Before starting the trek, we took plenty of photos in front of the iconic “Welcome to Komodo National Park“ sign while holding our One Piece tickets.
Then, we started our walk through the island, following the instructions of the park ranger, while being accompanied by the amazing guides from Golden Island Cruises. Honestly, throughout the entire trek, the guides explained everything in detail and made sure we were always safe and well looked after.
This was the first time in my entire life, after 20 years of living, that I had ever seen a Komodo Dragon in person! Robin and I even managed to take photos with one of them. They are absolutely huge, intimidating, and honestly, I didn’t dare to get too close.
If you’re planning to visit Komodo Island, remember these important rules:
We finished exploring Komodo Island around 10:00–11:00 AM.
After that, we returned to the boat and continued sailing toward Pink Beach. By this point, I had finally made peace with the waves and the wind. I felt calm again and no longer felt dizzy.
As soon as we arrived at Pink Beach, I was completely amazed. The sand was genuinely pink and incredibly beautiful! The scenery was absolutely breathtaking.
Here, we spent our time swimming, running along the beach to film videos, and taking even more photos.
But our visit to Pink Beach wasn’t just about having fun.
Together with my five friends, we carried out a meaningful mission that we had planned before the trip. We brought large black plastic bags and started collecting trash around the beach to help keep this beautiful place clean.
It felt amazing to enjoy paradise while also doing something good for nature.
After our beach clean-up activity, we returned to the boat at around 4:00 PM because it was time to head to Padar Island and catch the sunset.
I visited Padar Island during the dry season, so the hills were covered in golden grass instead of green. But honestly, it was still unbelievably beautiful.
This was my first time visiting Padar Island. Before this trip, I had only seen it on TikTok and social media. Standing there in real life felt surreal.
I remember silently asking myself,
“Is this really happening? Am I really here? Thank You, Allah…”
Before starting the trek, I even told my friends that the hike didn’t look too difficult.
Well… I was completely wrong.
As we climbed higher, I became extremely exhausted. I was breathing heavily, my legs felt like they couldn’t move anymore, and we had to stop at almost every rest point.
To make things even more challenging, it started drizzling a little, making the stairs quite slippery.
Thankfully, my friends patiently waited for me and helped me throughout the entire hike.
We intentionally didn’t wear our One Piece costumes here because we didn’t want to waste time changing and risk missing the sunset.
Honestly, I completely underestimated the trek. It was much harder than I expected, and my legs even started cramping.
But every bit of exhaustion disappeared the moment I reached the viewpoint.
The view from Padar Island completely paid off every struggle.
I almost cried not because I was tired, but because the scenery was so beautiful. Standing there and seeing three different beaches from the top of the hill was truly unforgettable.
If you’re planning to trek at Padar Island, please prepare:
And please be careful because some parts of the stairs can be steep and slippery.
Padar Island has one of the most beautiful views in Indonesia, so make sure to save your energy for the hike!
After returning to the boat, we were completely exhausted. Our legs were hurting, and we were starving. The moment we got back onboard, we immediately attacked our dinner. Then, around 10:00–11:00 PM, the crew started the Boat Party. My friends and I joined the party, and honestly… it was so much fun! We danced together with the DJ, enjoyed the incredible atmosphere, and partied with other guests until around 1:00 AM. Only then did we finally return to our cabin to sleep and recharge our energy for the next day the final day of our adventure before returning to the real world. Honestly, I couldn’t believe it. It was already our last night onboard.
At around 8:00–9:00 AM, we arrived at Manjarite Island for one hour of snorkeling in the crystal-clear waters.
Honestly, the water was unbelievably clear! We had plenty of time to explore the beautiful coral reefs and even came across several sea turtles gracefully swimming around us. It truly felt like swimming inside an aquarium.
After about an hour of snorkeling, we returned to the boat and continued sailing toward our final destination.
We arrived at Kelor Island around 2:00 PM. At first, my friends and I just sat together and enjoyed the scenery.
Even though the weather was incredibly hot, I forced myself to join the trek to the top of the hill. To be honest, I was already exhausted just from looking at the blazing sun. But because the view at Kelor Island looked so beautiful, I felt like I had to climb up and see it with my own eyes.
As it turned out, the trek was quite challenging. The trail was rocky, dusty, and steeper than I expected.
Thankfully, my friends helped me once again because I had never climbed a hill or mountain before, and my legs were seriously struggling.
But guess what?
I made it to the top!
Honestly, the view was absolutely incredible. With every step I took, I could only say:
“Masyaallah…”
I still couldn’t believe that I was actually standing on Kelor Island, Labuan Bajo.
The view from the top was truly unforgettable.
After spending some time on the hill, we walked back down to the beach to look for baby sharks.
And yes… they were really there!
You can actually see groups of baby sharks swimming right along the shoreline, even without getting into the water. The sea was so crystal clear that we could see the little sharks swimming clearly beneath our feet.
It was such a unique and exciting experience.
After fully enjoying our last island, it was finally time to return to the boat. We began sailing back toward Labuan Bajo Harbor.
Honestly, this entire 4 Days 3 Nights sailing trip was absolutely worth it.
Every rupiah I spent felt completely worth it. Even though we chose a Superior Standard Boat, the service was exceptional, the people were friendly, and the atmosphere was so much fun.
We also made new friends from different countries.
The crew members were incredibly kind, and even the captain took the time to explain how he navigates the boat.
Overall, I genuinely fell in love with every single moment of this trip.
From the magical sunset at Kenawa Island, to swimming opportunities with the Whale Sharks, to the breathtaking views of Padar Island every day felt like a dream.
Even though I had my emotional moments crying because of the rough waves and getting rescued by medicine from a kind French guest that’s honestly part of the beauty of traveling.
The people and crew on this trip were some of the warmest people I’ve ever met.
That’s why I highly recommend booking the Superior Standard Boat by Golden Island Cruises.
For those starting the route from Lombok to Labuan Bajo, they provide free hotel pickup services from Kuta, Senggigi, Mataram, and Bangsal. They also have official offices in Gili Trawangan and Gili Air, making the check-in process super easy and hassle-free.
At exactly 1:00 PM, our boat finally docked at Labuan Bajo Harbor.
This 4D3N adventure became one of the happiest and most unforgettable memories of my life.
Even though I was physically exhausted, my soul felt completely fulfilled by this incredible adventure.
A special shoutout to the guides because they were honestly THE BEST GUIDES EVER!
They felt more like family than guides during the trip.
And honestly…
I’m already manifesting my next trip.
When I come back someday, I definitely want to do the reverse route from Labuan Bajo to Lombok, and without a doubt, I’ll choose the Superior Standard Boat by Golden Island Cruises again.
Thank you so much for following my One Piece Open Trip Adventure!
See you on my next adventure. Bye-bye!
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