Disappointing Boat Trip from Lombok to…
Disappointing Boat Trip from Lombok to Labuan Bajo I was very disappointed from the very beginning. The website advertises a 4-day, 3-night boat trip. However, my experience fell far short of what was promised. Day 1 – Poor Organisation and Communication We were instructed to meet at a designated meeting point in Senggigi at 9:00 AM. When we arrived, we found nothing but an empty field. Only after asking several times were we directed to a travel agency located about 100 metres away. After waiting for approximately three hours, we then spent another three hours travelling across the island in a run-down bus with no visible safety features, including seat belts. This particularly angered me because the transfer arrangements had not been communicated in advance. It would have been much easier and cheaper for me to travel directly to the harbour where the boat was waiting. When I raised this issue with the person who appeared to be in charge, I was given some rather questionable excuses. Apparently, we had to come to Senggigi so that they could buy beer. This could surely have been organised differently. We finally arrived at the boat at around 3:00 PM. In my opinion, this hardly counts as a full day of a trip advertised as a four-day experience. We had also been promised 24-hour access to our luggage. However, upon arrival, our bags were placed in a small storage area. Depending on where your bag was stored, it could end up at the bottom of the pile, making it difficult or even impossible to access. This would not have been a problem if we had been informed beforehand. We had more than enough time during the long wait to pack everything we needed into a small daypack. Once again, the communication was extremely poor. Day 2 – Chaotic Snorkelling and Very Little to Do The whale shark snorkelling experience was chaotic and poorly organised. The animals were being fed and surrounded by approximately six boats at the same time. The whole experience felt overcrowded and far from ideal. Before we could even get into the water, we had to find a snorkelling mask and snorkel that were neither defective nor covered in mould. It took me five attempts before I finally found equipment that was usable. For the rest of the day, we spent most of our time sitting around on the boat with very little to do. There was comfortable seating for fewer than half of the 44 passengers. The decks had no proper seating at all. In my opinion, providing a few folding chairs or beanbags would not have been too much to ask, considering the price of the trip. Day 3 – The Komodo Tour The Komodo tour was well organised and interesting. This was one of the positive aspects of the trip. The beaches were beautiful, although overcrowded. Day 4 – Beautiful Beaches, but an Overwhelming Sense of Relief The beaches on the final day were also beautiful but overcrowded. Honestly, getting off the boat at the end of the trip was a relief. Overall Experience The crew on board were very friendly and did their best to look after the passengers. They genuinely seemed to care about our well-being, and I want to acknowledge their efforts. Unfortunately, the organisation behind the trip was a complete disaster. The shared deck was overcrowded, and the mattresses and sleeping arrangements provided were very uncomfortable. There was clearly an effort to cut costs wherever possible, often at the expense of comfort and the overall experience. The biggest problems were the poor organisation, lack of communication, inadequate facilities and the overall feeling that corners were being cut at every opportunity. The crew deserves credit for their friendliness and efforts, but the management and organisation of this trip need serious improvement. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this trip to anyone expecting a well-organised, comfortable and professionally managed four-day boat tour from Lombok to Labuan Bajo.
By Severin W.