On the boat
Swimwear you can live in, two or three light cotton or linen changes, a long-sleeve rash top for all-day snorkelling, and something you would happily wear to dinner on deck. Barefoot most of the day.
Practical · Before you fly
Three climates in one suitcase
A boat deck at 32°C, a village at 1,100 m, and a crater rim before dawn where you will wish you had brought a jacket.
Ask a plannerIn short
Pack light and breathable for the boat, one modest set for villages, and genuinely warm layers if your itinerary includes Kelimutu or Wae Rebo.
- Soft bag, not a hard case — boats have no room for shells
- Reef-safe sunscreen; the regular kind harms coral
- A warm layer for 05:00 at 1,639 m
- Shoulders and knees covered for villages
By setting
What each part of the trip asks for
In villages
One set with shoulders and knees covered for Wae Rebo, Bena and church visits. A sarong doubles as a cover-up, a towel and a layer on a cold morning.
On the summit
Kelimutu at 05:00 is genuinely cold at 1,639 m. A fleece or light down layer, long trousers and a torch. Most people who skip this regret it for the full 45 minutes.
On the trail
Trainers with grip for the Wae Rebo trek — it is a forest path, steady rather than steep, and slippery after rain. Not sandals.
The bag itself
Soft-sided. Cabins are generous by boat standards and small by hotel standards, and a rigid case has nowhere to go once emptied.
Power
Indonesia runs 230V on type C and F plugs. Boats have sockets in cabins; the highlands have occasional cuts, so bring a power bank.
The four things people forget
Reef-safe sunscreen. Oxybenzone and octinoxate bleach coral, and you will be over reefs for days. Buy it before you fly — it is not reliably available in Labuan Bajo.
Seasickness tablets. The Flores Sea is calm from April to October and the crossings between islands still move. Take them before you feel you need them, not after.
Cash. Card acceptance thins fast east of Labuan Bajo. Village donations, small warungs and the coffee seller at the Kelimutu car park are all cash.
A dry bag. Tender transfers are wet landings more often than not, and phones do not survive the first one.
Provided or bring your own
Snorkelling mask, fins and vest
- On board
- Provided
- Bring
- Bring your own mask if you are particular about fit
Towels and linens
- On board
- Provided
- Bring
- A sarong is still worth having
Drinking water, coffee and tea
- On board
- Provided, free-flow
- Bring
- A reusable bottle
Dive equipment
- On board
- Arranged with your dive package
- Bring
- Computer and mask if you own them
Warm layer for Kelimutu
- On board
- Not provided
- Bring
- Essential if the crater lakes are on your route
Reef-safe sunscreen
- On board
- Not provided
- Bring
- Buy before you fly
Kayaks or paddleboards are fitted on most vessels in the fleet; your planner will confirm which are on yours before you pack anything bulky.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure what your route needs?
Send us your itinerary and we will tell you exactly which layers, shoes and gear it actually calls for — and what the boat already has.