La Galigo

The La Galigo liveaboard was built by traditional Southern Sulawesi craftsmen in Indonesia in 2012. She is a traditional two mast Phinisi style sailing boat. Her sturdy hull is Kalimantan ironwood and the rest of the liveaboard has been finished to perfection in warm tropical teak. She is 33m (108ft) in length and accommodates up to 14 divers in 7 cabins. La Galigo has been designed by an avid liveaboard diver with the liveaboard diving lifestyle comfort and practicality in mind.

La Galigo operates 7-11 night trips in Raja Ampat between December and April and 5-7 night trips in Komodo between May and August. Relocation trips are on offer in-between seasons. They may include Ambon and the Banda Sea, Maumere or the Wakatobi Archipelago.

We think…

La Galigo is one of those smaller liveaboards that offers great service, experienced and knowledgeable crew and a safe yet exciting diving environment.

Raja Ampat itineraries depart Waisai and end in Sorong; Komodo itineraries start and end in Labuan Bajo.

The boat consists of three main decks for living and diving plus an additional rooftop deck that is opened during favourable conditions. La Galigo has 7 privately controlled air-conditioned, ensuite cabins each with an American-style deep spring mattress. Cabins are either twin or double bed. For added luxury, you can choose ‘The Suite’, which has everything you need for your ultimate liveaboard experience, including a fridge, a 48” HD TV and a private balcony with 270-degree views.

The lower deck accommodates 4 deluxe cabins, each with a double bed, eloquent stone finished en suite with glass shower doors and air-conditioning. 2 deluxe cabins can be converted to twin beds.

The upper deck has 2 master cabins and the grand suite. The master cabins are very spacious and offer a double bed (convertible to 2 twins), air-conditioning and a spectacular panoramic view from your window.

The grand suite is the biggest cabin on board. This premium accommodation offers everything you need for your ultimate liveaboard experience. This huge cabin has a double bed, extra-large en suite, private balcony with table and chairs to maximize your panoramic views of the Archipelago, own private lounge rooms with couches and a state of the art 48” high definition flat-screen TV, PS4 with a selection of the latest games, own private fridge, and 270 degree views.

All cabins and en suites are filled with plentiful natural light and spectacular views of the passing seas and islands. They all have wardrobes with plenty of space for your luggage, and a desk to fill out your logbook after a spectacular day diving. All cabins also have hot water in the showers. Electricity is 220V, surge protected, available for 24 hours, with European style 2 round pin plugs.

The main floor is the spacious living and diving area. The back deck is the dive deck with ample space to kit up into your gear without the hassles of a crowded dive boat. The homey lounge area towards the vessel’s centre is where divers meet after a day’s diving to exchange stories and download pictures of the day. This space has many power points for charging laptops, cameras and video equipment as well as a large TV and a well-stocked bookcase for your entertainment. This is also the dining area where you will be served delicious meals. On La Galigo you will mainly be served the flavours of Indonesia, but Western-style meals are available, and vegetarian and vegan meals can also be catered for. Please request before your voyage. Non-alcoholic drinks, tea and coffee are included in the price of the charter, and beer and wines are available to purchase.

Dive service

Your service is guaranteed with a low crew to customer ratio – all dives are guided at a ratio of 1 guide to 5 divers or better. The dive guides will guide each dive very conservatively and to a maximum depth of 30m (100ft). As the best marine life is in the shallower water, it’s not really necessary to spend too much time in the deep water. A check-out dive is offered to all divers upon boarding as part of the schedule. Before every dive, a crew member enters the water to check the conditions. This will ensure that we can offer you the best conditions for your dive. Up to 3 dives are offered per full dive day plus an optional night dive. 2 dives are offered the day before disembarking; no diving on check-out day.

There are two 6m dive tenders available, each with 40Hp outboard engines for 8 diving guests. Tanks are 12L aluminium with DIN and YOKE fittings and Nitrox is available.

As most divers come with their own dive equipment, only a limited range of dive equipment is available for hire, so please give advance notice it you require some. For underwater photographers with their own camera gear, La Galigo provides dry cabinets for camera storage inside, a wet area camera drying zone on dive deck, expert professional photographer guides, ample charging and downloading spaces.

The boat is fully stocked with a first aid kit, emergency oxygen, and a defibrillator. Every effort has been made to attain high safety standards. The crew has access to an EPIRB emergency locator, long range radio phone (for use in emergencies only), FM and SW Radio, 4 VHF and SSB radio, fire alarm, fire extinguishers, 2 life rafts, 25 life jackets, flotation devices and 25 lifebuoys.

Dive areas

Komodo: The dive sites around Komodo are among the best in Indonesia. The strong currents create nutrient-rich waters, making the area very interesting for experienced divers. Komodo offers an incredible diversity and variety of reef structures. Hard coral gardens, cliffs overgrown with soft corals, and particularly the slightly cooler water around Rinca guarantee an underwater world where every dive is different.

Raja Ampat: The waters surrounding West Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) offer enchanting coral gardens, cliffs and an extraordinarily diversity of fish. Macro lovers will find this region a true paradise. Pygmy seahorses, frogfish, blue ribbon eels and an incredible variety of nudibranchs are just a few creatures of this special little world. The dive sites also provide encounters with big fish. The reefs in Sorong, Waigeo and Misool are spectacular. Current diving is excellent here. Highlights include manta rays and a fascinating macro paradise. La Galigo offers an ultimate Raja experience diving from north to south, as well as trips exclusively to the north or south.

Wakatobi is the name of an island and regency located in an area of Sulawesi Tenggara Province (Southeast Sulawesi), Indonesia. It is also the name of a national park established in 1996, with a total area of 1.39 million hectares that consists of marine biodiversity hotspot known as Wallacea and some coral reefs, the condition and scale of which occupy one of the highest priorities of marine conservation in Indonesia. Wakatobi has been designated in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by the Man and the Biosphere Programme of the UNESCO on 11 July 2012.

Staying Connected

Many of the trips are in remote locations and mobile phone coverage or internet service are unavailable.

You should know…

All divers with La Galigo must have a minimum of 50 logged dives within the past 5 years with an open water certification or 20 logged dives with an advanced open water certification. Certifications from relevant international agencies such as PADI, NAUI, SSI, and BSAC are accepted. You will be requested to provide details from your dive certification card upon booking.

Trip dates & availability

Please see pricing table below the availability panel for inclusions, exclusions, and extras.

La Galigo - Inclusions, Exclusions and Extras