What Happens When the Sea Says No

Who makes the call: the harbourmaster, not us

Every morning before any boat is allowed to leave Labuan Bajo harbour, the Syahbandar (harbourmaster's office) reads the wind and swell and either issues or withholds that day's sailing clearance. No clearance, no departure — for any vessel, ours included, regardless of what the booking calendar says. We hand that call to an authority outside ourselves on purpose, so the decision stays about safety, never about schedules or money.

Komodo's two seasons, in plain terms

April through December is the dry season — the calmest seas and the clearest snorkelling water, peaking around July–August. January through March is the wet season, where swells run higher and weather cancellations tend to cluster. Worth knowing: the guarantee on this page applies year-round, not only in the wet months — an isolated squall in the dry season can still be enough for the harbourmaster to hold departures.

If we cancel: your two options, step by step

1. You hear from us first. The moment sailing clearance is withheld, we message you on WhatsApp — usually the evening before, sometimes that same morning if conditions shift overnight.
2. Option A — reschedule. We agree a new date together in that same WhatsApp thread, at no extra cost, valid for up to 90 days out — subject to seat availability on your chosen date.
3. Option B — refund. Just ask for your deposit back; it is returned through the same payment channel you used to send it, normally wrapped up within a few business days.

If you need to cancel

Tell us as early as you can on WhatsApp. Because guest-side cancellations depend on how close you are to departure and what the crew has already committed to, the rule that applies to your specific booking gets written out for you in that chat — we always try a reschedule before we talk refund.