Gandiva

Five cabins, one with a balcony and bathtub

Arjuna, the Owner’s Suite, takes the upper deck and adds a private balcony with its own bathtub, sea view over the rail while you soak. It is the only cabin on Gandiva with an outdoor bathing feature of its own, and if it is free when you book, take it. Everything else on this 28.5 meter phinisi is built around it: five cabins, twelve guests at most, six crew running the boat.

Nakula and Sadewa are the next call, a matched pair with ocean views and a double bed each, priced the same and often split between two couples traveling together. Bima sits lower in the hull with a plain double bed and no view to speak of, the practical pick for anyone who’d rather save on the room than the itinerary. Last up is Yudhistira, which adds a double bed and two single beds, worth knowing about if your group needs more sleeping space than a straight double gives.

Above deck, once the anchor’s down

Three sundecks, each with its own sofas, spread the group out so nobody’s stuck sharing one bench by the second afternoon. Below deck, a lounge carries a 65-inch television with karaoke and a small bar, the option once the sun’s down or the weather turns. Stand-up paddleboards and a canoe come out whenever the anchorage allows, on top of the snorkeling gear everyone brings along anyway, and the dinghy runs guests to shore on its own 40hp engine.

Book a cabin, or book the boat

Gandiva sells two ways. The Shared trip is a fixed three day, two night route, booked by the cabin with at least two people per booking, and a tour guide plus full trip documentation come included. Charter the boat privately instead and the length runs from two to eight days, with the rate set by how many are in your group rather than the number of nights, though the guide and documentation are usually arranged separately on that private rate, worth confirming with us when you book. Both stay inside Komodo Islands waters, and there’s no diving product on this boat, so it’s built for cruising only.