Lifestyle

From Concrete to Coral: My First Voyage Aboard Alila Purnama

Murni Oktaviani|02/10/2026

Alila Purnama Yacht Charter Indonesia | The Yacht Club Indonesia

Eight days, seven nights, two breakfasts a day and several very real Komodo dragons (one of whom kindly posed for a photo with me). This is the story of my first-ever voyage aboard Alila Purnama, a hand-built phinisi sailing through Komodo National Park, and how one week on a Komodo sailing trip completely changed the way I want to travel.

How I Ended Up at Sea

Let me set the scene. I’m Talitha, and until very recently, my natural habitat was Jakarta: traffic, grey skies, air conditioning and concrete as far as the eye can see. I rarely swam, I owned exactly one swimsuit, and my idea of a trek was going up and down the MRT station (and even then, I usually took the escalator, or the lift).

Then I joined YMA Yachting and The Yacht Club Indonesia as their in-house PR and swapped Jakarta for Bali. Just two months later, my view had changed from office towers to open sea. I had stepped aboard a yacht once before, but I had never actually sailed on one, let alone for a whole week. So in September, off I went with my colleague Zara: my first time at sea, my first time ona Komodo sailing trip, and equal parts thrilled and nervous about both.

So, fair warning: this is not a review from a seasoned sailor. It is the honest account of a first-timer slightly out of her depth: what surprised me, what I got hilariously wrong, and why sailing has become my favourite way to travel.

Before Boarding: How a First-Timer Prepares for Life at Sea

Step one: shopping.

Obviously. One swimsuit was never going to survive a week of Komodo island snorkelling, so I treated myself to a few new ones. All in the name of preparation.

Step two: seasickness.

I had tried the usual over-the-counter remedy before, and it did absolutely nothing for me. A friend recommended an alternative, and because I am a cautious person, I checked with my doctor first. My advice: do the same, especially if you take any regular medication.

Step three: packing.

I am a Type A planner, so naturally I built an inventory list of every outfit and folded everything the Marie Kondo way. I am also not a light packer. The result: one cabin-sized hard case filled entirely with clothes, a pair of trainers, a pair of sandals, and zero room left for toiletries. Those went into my faithful backpack alongside my laptop, chargers, sunglasses and medicines. Spoiler: the toiletries barely left the bag.

As the plane descended over Labuan Bajo, I noticed I was grinning like a child. Whatever came next, I was ready for it. Or so I thought.

Meet Alila Purnama: My Home for the Week

Purnama means "full moon" in Indonesian, and she is every bit as dreamy as the name suggests. Alila Purnama was hand-built in the Bugis phinisi tradition of South Sulawesi and launched in 2012. She carries the considered style of Alila's hotels onto the water, with custom furniture made from responsibly sourced teak, rattan and local materials. Spread across three decks, she has just five suites for a maximum of ten guests.

She is also one of the yachts you can book through The Yacht Club Indonesia, and after a week on board, I can tell you exactly what I love most about her: Alila’s hotel-level service, wrapped in the intimacy of a small phinisi.

Take our voyage, there were just six of us, Zara and me included. Intimate, just the way I like it. Behind the scenes? A crew of 14, from the captain and sailors to the chef, dive guide and spa therapist. Yes, you read that correctly.

With that many hands on board, the first rule of yacht life becomes clear very quickly: you do not lift a finger. The second rule, I learned the hard way: shoes off the moment you step aboard. And socks. Especially socks. The cruise director did warn me, but I forgot, stepped aboard in my socks and promptly slipped. A graceful entrance it was not.

The Madura Suite

The Alila Purnama Interior | The Yacht Club Indonesia

Zara and I shared the Madura Suite on the lower deck, set up with twin beds. Even with two women and a week's worth of (over)packed luggage, it felt spacious, which says a lot. A few details that won me over:

Thoughtful amenities throughout, including Sensatia soap, shampoo and conditioner. Remember those toiletries I squeezed into my backpack? Completely unnecessary.
A hairdryer with a diffuser. Curly and wavy-haired ladies, you know exactly why this matters.
Reliable Wi-Fi. Good enough to answer emails between activities, if you absolutely must.

The other suites are the Cirebon, Jawa and Bali on the lower deck, and the Sriwijaya Master Suite on the upper deck, with 180-degree windows and a private balcony.

The Library

Up on the upper deck, just across from the Sriwijaya Master Suite, sits a small library with a surprisingly interesting selection of books to borrow. It also doubles as a practical little workspace, with a laptop and printer on hand should you need them, and it can transform into a treatment room if you fancy a massage.

What really caught my eye, though, were a few Sophie Kinsella novels on the shelf. Fellow millennials, you will know the name: she wrote Confessions of a Shopaholic, which became one of the iconic rom-coms of the 2000s. An easy, feel-good read felt like exactly the right choice at sea, so I picked up The Wedding Girl and made it my companion for the week.

The Crew

Alila Purnama Crew | The Yacht Club Indonesia

Friendly, professional and, most importantly for a first-timer like me, endlessly encouraging. I tried almost everything for the very first time on this Komodo trip, and not once did I feel silly for it. They cheered me on and had a fresh juice waiting after every single activity, which soon became a small reward I looked forward to.

Then there were the little touches. Every time we headed off the yacht, each of us had our own water bottle, labelled with our name and carried by the crew so we never had to. I will admit it: I loved being pampered like this during this Komodo Liveaboard.

The Voyage: Eight Days, Seven Nights, Zero Regrets

Alila Purnama's Komodo Islands Expedition is a round trip from Labuan Bajo. A quick confession before we set off: I am not a trekking person. At all. Snorkelling, on the other hand? Now that I could get used to. Keep that in mind as you read.

Day 1: Arrival, and Easing In

Alila Purnama Team | The Yacht Club Indonesia

On the drive from the airport we stopped at Puncak Waringin, a hilltop viewpoint over Labuan Bajo's harbour. I had never seen a landscape quite like it, so naturally I snapped a few photos. Zara and I were the first guests aboard, and once everyone had arrived, we set sail for Sebayur Island. The divers headed straight into the water, while Zara tried snorkelling for the very first time. As for me? I kept her company from the speedboat, happy to simply soak up the atmosphere and ease into life at sea. Highly recommended.

Day 2: My First Snorkel, and a Trek I Will Never Forget

The First Snorkel in Komodo Island | The Yacht Club Indonesia

Swimming in Komodo Island | The Yacht Club Indonesia

At Gili Lawa Laut, the crew kitted me out with a wetsuit and mask, both provided on board, which I pulled on over my swimsuit. The cruise director also offered me a life jacket, which she said would make snorkeling at Komodo Island easier for a first-timer.

She was right. Buoyed up and slightly nervous, I snorkelled for the first time in my life. For about ten glorious minutes, it was magical. Then the sea found its way into my mouth (salty, who knew?) and then up my nose, and I made a dignified retreat to the tender.

Glasses wearers, take note: my daily contact lenses were perfectly fine under the mask. Back aboard, my first post-activity juice was waiting (carrot and orange, wonderfully refreshing), followed by pancakes. Later I swam laps around the yacht feeling very pleased with myself.

Sunset in Gili Lawa Darat Komodo Island | The Yacht Club Indonesia

That afternoon we climbed Gili Lawa Darat for sunset. I may be a regular at weight training (well, I was, before moving to Bali), but it turns out lifting weights and climbing a hill are two very different sports.

The climb up left me breathless. The view from the top? Breathtaking, in a better way. The way down? Steep, loose and, in my flat-soled gym trainers, frankly terrifying. In my defence, the MRT escalator had not prepared me for this. One look at my feet and our park ranger confirmed what I was starting to suspect: wrong shoes entirely. Trekking here calls for proper soles with grip. Bless him, he then held my hand the entire way down. By the time I was back on board, my legs had turned to jelly, and I slept like a baby that night.

Day 3: Getting the Hang of It

Paddleboarding in Komodo Island with Alila Purnama | The Yacht Club Indonesia

Second snorkel, and something clicked. I relaxed, I looked around, and I loved it. This, I decided, was my kind of adventure. After breakfast I tried paddleboarding. Balance was not on my side, so I sat down on the board and paddled anyway. It still counts. At sunset we gathered on the top deck for yoga, which ended in a sound bath with Komodo Island on the horizon. Life on this Komodo Island liveaboard is pure bliss.

Day 4: Sandbars and Flying Foxes

More snorkelling at Mawan (yes, please), then Taka Makassar, a sandbar that seems to float in the middle of the sea. At dusk the crew took us out on the tender with gourmet snacks to watch hundreds of flying foxes, the fruit bats Kalong Island is named for, stream out into the sunset. Nature's own evening show.

Day 5: Padar at Sunrise, Pink Beach by Afternoon

The alarm went off before 04:30 for the sunrise trek on Padar. Another trek. You already know how I feel about those. Only three of us signed up, Zara and me included. I went in fairly confident: Padar has proper stairs, so how hard could it be? Harder than Gili Lawa Darat, as it turned out. Being the "very athletic" person I am, I reached the top last, having stopped five times to catch my breath. But the famous three-bay view at dawn made even me stop and stare (a sixth stop, if we are counting). Going down, those same stairs were my best friend. I practically skipped down and, for once, reached the bottom first. My calves, however, had other ideas: by that evening, they ached with every single step, a painful reminder of every one of those stairs.

By afternoon we had swapped the stairs for sand at Pink Beach. The Alila Purnama crew had already set up daybeds, towels, fresh coconuts and cold soft drinks. While some of the other guests went snorkelling, I chose the daybed, a coconut and an uninterrupted view of that impossibly blue water. Then came the plot twist: a few pigs wandered over from nearby, and they clearly had the same idea, happily helping themselves to coconut water. Honestly? Adorable. Balance restored.

Day 6: Face to Face with a Komodo Dragon

Komodo Dragon Encounter | The Yacht Club Indonesia

The main event. On Komodo Island, a ranger led us to the dragons, and yes, I have the photo to prove it. Our group chose the long trail, nearly two hours around the island. When the path turned downhill, my nerves from Gili Lawa Darat came flooding back. Thankfully, our lovely cruise director stayed patiently by my side, held my hand and talked me through every step until I felt calm again. Trekking and I may never be friends, but for a real-life dragon, and with that kind of support, I made an exception.

Day 7: A Well-Earned Rest and a Beach Farewell

By now my calves had officially filed a complaint. While the others snorkelled at Tatawa Besar and Tatawa Kecil, I stayed in my cabin and slept, and nobody minded one bit. That is the beauty of a Komodo Island Liveaboard: the itinerary bends to you. That evening the crew set up our final dinner on the beach. Good food, good company and plenty of laughter: the perfect farewell.

Day 8: One Last Double Breakfast

On the final morning of our Komodo sailing trip there was no schedule to keep, so both breakfasts were served whenever we wanted them. A fitting way to end the week, really. For my last cold breakfast, I went for sourdough with butter and a few pieces from the fruit platter. For my last hot breakfast, there was only ever going to be one choice: fried rice with a runny sunny-side-up egg and bacon on the side. Then we sailed back to Labuan Bajo, the crew transferred us to the airport, and I was already plotting my return.

Eat, Sail, Repeat: The Food on Board

If there is one thing no one goes without on Alila Purnama, it is food. Every day starts with not one but two breakfasts, continues with two three-course meals, and squeezes in afternoon snacks too. With all the Komodo island snorkelling and three treks, I certainly burned plenty of calories on board. I suspect I ate even more.

Breakfast, Twice

First breakfast is laid out at 07:30, before the morning activity: breads and pastries, yoghurt, granola, cereals, a cheese platter, a fruit platter and a spread of spreads. My rotation settled quickly: toasted white bread with butter, brie, Nutella or strawberry jam, or yoghurt with granola, honey and fruit. Always with a cappuccino or caffè latte made just the way I like it.

Second breakfast arrives after the morning activity, cooked to order. The pancakes and French toast were both delicious, but my heart belongs to the Indonesian classics: fried noodles and fried rice, each crowned with a runny sunny-side-up egg, with bacon on the side.

Lunch and Dinner

Lunch and dinner are both three-course affairs: a starter or soup, a main and dessert, the latter sometimes served with a scoop of sorbet or ice cream on the side. The menu changes daily and moves easily between international and Indonesian cooking, so no two meals felt the same during this Komodo Liveaboard.

My favourite of the entire trip? Pisang goreng (Indonesian fried banana) with vanilla ice cream. It sounds simple, and it is a dish I have eaten countless times, but the chef's version was something else entirely: soft, tender and not too sweet, which made it the perfect partner for cold vanilla ice cream. When the crew offered me a second helping, I politely said no. I have regretted it ever since. If anyone from the galley is reading this: I would like that second helping now, please.

And in between...

Gourmet snacks appear every afternoon, just in case anyone was at risk of feeling peckish (no one was). There is a fresh juice after every activity, and as the evening breeze picked up, a warm ginger tea became my little onboard ritual.

What I Wish I'd Known: A First-Timer's Guide to Komodo by Yacht

First time on a yacht, or sailing to Komodo for the very first time? Learn from my mistakes so you don't have to make them.

Pack this for your Komodo sailing trip

Proper trail shoes with grippy soles. Some of the treks are short but steep and loose underfoot. Gym trainers will not cut it, as my ranger can confirm.
Pain-relief cream and patches. After all that snorkelling and trekking, my muscles gave up. A little cream at night had me back on my feet by morning.
A cardigan or light sweater. Evenings at sea get breezy. A light layer is all you need.
More than one swimsuit. You will be in and out of the water most days. Plan (and shop) accordingly.
Seasickness remedies you trust, checked with your doctor first if you take other medication.

Leave this at home

Most of your toiletries. The suites come stocked with Sensatia products and a hairdryer with a diffuser.
Snorkel gear. Wetsuits and masks are provided on board. Just bring your swimsuit.
Sandals. Honestly, you will barely wear shoes at all. I only put mine on for the treks and slipped into swim fins for snorkelling. The rest of the time, I was happily barefoot.

Good to know

Socks off the moment you board. Trust me on this one.
You do not need to be sporty. With life jackets, gentle snorkel spots and patient crew, beginners are in very good hands.
You can still work. The Wi-Fi is reliable, though I highly recommend switching off.
Skipping an activity is allowed. A nap in your cabin is a perfectly valid itinerary item.

The Verdict: Hooked on Life at Sea

I boarded Alila Purnama as a nervous first-timer who had never snorkelled, paddleboarded or set foot on a Komodo trail. I left with sore calves, a Komodo dragon photo and a whole new idea of what a holiday should be.

Truth be told, trekking and I will never be best friends. Komodo island snorkelling, though, completely won me over, and I would love to do it all again. One thing has changed for good: sailing is now, without question, my favourite way to see Indonesia.

If my story has you dreaming of your own voyage aboard Alila Purnama, the good news is that you can book her through The Yacht Club Indonesia. Our team knows Alila Purnama, and Indonesia’s waters, inside out, so you can trust us to help you choose the right season and itinerary, decide between a private charter and a shared voyage, and tailor every detail to your group. Just promise me you will pack better shoes than I did.

From Concrete to Coral: My First Voyage Aboard Alila Purnama

How I Ended Up at Sea

Before Boarding: How a First-Timer Prepares for Life at Sea