**A 4-day, 3-night comfort cruise around Flores and Komodo needs less than you expect. Your ensuite small ship supplies bedding, towels, meals, drinking water and snorkel gear. You bring reef-safe sunscreen, quick-dry layers, sturdy sandals for the Padar sunrise hike, seasickness tablets, and enough cash for park fees and tips.**
That is the short answer. Everything below is the room-by-room detail so nothing stays behind in your Labuan Bajo hotel. Arunika Cruises is operated by Komodo Luxury, a Labuan Bajo operator founded in 2015, and its reservations team confirms exactly what each cabin class includes when you book, so treat this as a planning guide rather than a fixed inventory.
What does the ship already provide?
On a comfort-class ensuite voyage, most of the bulky items are handled for you. A backpacker deck boat leaves you to fend for yourself; a small ship with private cabins does not. Because a 4D3N route sits in the sweet spot between a quick sampler and a full expedition, your list stays short but specific, and it helps to read this alongside our 4d3n flores cruise packing and cost breakdown so you know which of these items are already inside your fare.
Here is what a typical Arunika ensuite cabin voyage covers, as of 2026 and subject to confirmation at booking:
| Provided onboard | Bring your own |
|---|---|
| Cabin bedding, pillows, bath towels | Beach towel for shore stops |
| All meals and drinking water | Reef-safe sunscreen and after-sun |
| Snorkel mask, fins, life jackets | Personal medication and seasickness tablets |
| Tea, coffee, some soft drinks | Preferred snacks, alcohol if allowed |
| Basic cabin toiletries (varies by ship) | Toothbrush, razor, contact-lens kit |
| Deck sun-shade and shared lounge | Hat, polarised sunglasses |
Confirm the snorkel-gear and toiletry lines with the reservations team, since inventory differs between vessels and cabin grades.
What should you pack yourself?
Keep it to one soft duffel or a small wheeled bag. Cabins on small ships are compact, and hard suitcases are awkward to stow. Pack for warm days, breezy evenings and salt water.
- Two or three swimsuits, so one is always dry
- Quick-dry shorts and light tops for daytime
- One long-sleeve rash guard for sun and jellyfish protection
- A light sweater or windbreaker for the 05:00 Padar climb and open-deck evenings
- Sarong or light cover-up for village and shore visits
- Water shoes plus one pair of grippy trainers for hiking
- Dry bag (10 to 20 litres) for phones and cameras on the tender
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Reusable water bottle to refill onboard
- Travel insurance documents and a photo ID
Operators across the region, including Le Pirate, strongly recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation, medical emergencies and trip disruption. Carry the policy number where you can reach it fast.
How much cash should you carry onboard?
This is the part travellers forget. Komodo National Park entrance fees are a separate line item paid on top of your cruise fare, and they are non-refundable. The park is managed by Balai Taman Nasional Komodo under Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the exact fee table is not publicly fixed, so your booking confirmation quotes the current amount. Any figure you read online should be treated as subject to change.
Bring Indonesian rupiah in cash for:
- Park entrance and ranger or conservation fees, if paid on the day
- Crew tips at the end of the voyage
- Small purchases at village stops and Labuan Bajo cafes
- Buffer cash, since onboard card payment and signal are unreliable at sea
Labuan Bajo has ATMs near the harbour, but they run dry in peak season. Withdraw what you need before you sail.
What clothes suit the April to September sailing window?
The comfort small-ship season runs April to September. Aqua Expeditions, which sails the same Bali-Komodo-Flores waters, operates only within that window to avoid the harsh conditions the rest of the year, and independent Flores guides name April to June as the prime stretch for lush hills, clearer water and thinner crowds.
Inside that window you are packing for heat and strong sun, not cold. Daytime temperatures stay warm, the sea breeze does the cooling, and the only chilly moment is the pre-dawn hike. One light layer covers it. Everything else should breathe, dry fast and shrug off salt.
What should you pack for the Padar sunrise hike?
Padar’s viewpoint over its three curving bays is the signature stop, and most itineraries tackle it at first light. The climb is short but steep on loose steps.
- Trainers or trail sandals with real grip, not flip-flops
- A head torch or your phone light for the dark start
- A thin layer you can tie around your waist once the sun is up
- Half a litre of water minimum
- Your camera, charged, in the dry bag until you reach the top
The same footwear carries you across Komodo and Rinca, where rangers lead the dragon walks, and onto the sand at Pink Beach and the reef edge at Manta Point.
What tech and health items matter most at sea?
Signal fades once you leave the harbour, so power and medication are the two things you cannot restock.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Power bank (10,000 mAh or more) | Cabin sockets are limited and shared |
| Seasickness tablets or patches | Open-water crossings can get lively |
| Personal prescriptions, labelled | No pharmacy between islands |
| Reef-safe sunscreen | Standard sunscreen harms the coral you came to see |
| Insect repellent | For dusk at anchor and village stops |
| Basic first-aid extras | Plasters, antiseptic, rehydration sachets |
Tell the reservations team about allergies or mobility needs before departure so the crew can plan meals and shore excursions around them.
When should you arrive in Labuan Bajo?
Fly into Komodo Airport, IATA code LBJ, and give yourself a buffer. Operators advise arriving one day before departure to absorb any flight delay, and Aqua Expeditions cites roughly a 15-minute transfer between the Labuan Bajo port area and the airport. On a scheduled comfort departure you meet at the operator office around 09:00 to 09:30, the ship leaves at 10:00 sharp, and you return near 15:00 on the final day, so a same-day flight in is a gamble you do not want.
What should you leave at home?
- Hard-shell suitcases, they will not fit the cabin
- High heels and delicate resort wear
- Single-use plastics, since the park discourages them
- Valuable jewellery you would hate to lose in the sea
- Non-reef-safe sunscreen and aerosol cans
Pack light, pack for salt water, and let the ship carry the rest.
Ready to lock in a cabin on a comfort Flores and Komodo voyage? Message the Arunika Cruises concierge, run by the Komodo Luxury reservations team, on WhatsApp at 628113823875 or email sales@komodoluxury.com for current 2026 departures and cabin availability.
Written by Kirana Dewanti, onboard-experience editor at Arunika Cruises. Figures are current as of 5 July 2026 and subject to change; confirm all fees and inclusions at booking.