AYANA Lako Di'a

AYANA Lako Di'a is a 54-metre phinisi, handcrafted in South Sulawesi, that sails from AYANA Komodo Waecicu Beach into the waters of Komodo National Park. It has nine cabins across three decks for 18 guests, looked after by a crew of 16: the upper-deck cabins face the horizon, the middle-deck cabins sit in the shelter of the hull and the lower-deck cabins are at sea level. The cabins are panelled in wood, with king beds, sofas and ocean-view windows, and some have a freestanding bathtub and balcony seating. There are two ways aboard. Shared voyages of one or two nights follow a set route by Padar, the pink sand of Pantai Merah and Kalong for the evening flight of the bats, adding the manta channels and a sandbank in the Flores Sea on the second night. A private charter of two to seven nights follows a route set around the party, among the Komodo dragons of Komodo and Rinca, the manta rays at Makassar and the reef sharks and Napoleon wrasse of Gili Lawa. Mornings start with yoga on the bow, then snorkelling, kayaking and paddleboarding, with dive guides who know the sites. The chef cooks with produce from the islands, and evenings bring a film projected on the mainsail, drinks on the upper deck and dinner.