About us

CRUISING INDONESIA

The Liveaboard and Dive Specialists

We have the Indo experience that makes the difference: we are travelers, divers, phinisi boat builders and, the most important, we have been around for the last 25 years!

Boat Building Services

CONSTRUCTORS OF PHINISI-STYLE LIVEABOARD AND DIVING-MINDED YACHTS

Build your own phinisi sailing yacht or custom-built liveaboard

Anyone that appreciates wooden sailing vessels could have the unique opportunity to build his/her own Phinisi Schooner here in Indonesia.

Boat building services studio and agency in Indonesia

The size of these vessels vary from 18 to 35 meters LOD -length on deck-, for the smaller ones the cabin space below deck is max edible for 6-8 passengers, the stern section it does provide comfortable after deck space, bigger ones have a lot of space and are suitable for 14-16 guests in comfortable large cabins, plus lot of space for leisure and relax.

The cost for a entire building process of one of this beautiful vessels is still affordable, due to the low cost of work and materials in Indonesia. As for the hull shape it is better to follow the traditional way used by the skillful Konjo-Bugis builders, for each vessel interior can be modified to fit the new owner preference or total new design concepts can be developed for those looking for something special, transforming the Phinisi from a cargo vessel into a luxury yacht.

Projects span a period of 12-18 months to complete, included installations of all key systems running required for a long distance and commercial vessels: water maker, genset, air conditioning system, solar power system, wench products, electric and pipe systems, kitchen equipment, etc.

Power options on a vessel of this size are numerous and these models can achieve speeds of 6-9 knots with a 200 to 400 hp new or rebuilt diesel engine. As most people think of an annual docking as a major expense, we do lean towards a more traditional approach to this process. The traditional docking process of these vessels in often accomplished by bringing the vessel to a shallow beach on a full moon, for caulking and anti-fouling by the vessels own crew.

Our company could assist you in all the process from project, building, purchasing and installation of equipment and finishing to the selection of crew, cruising permits and registries, cruises management, web site developing and everything you need to get your Phinisi Schooner working out.

Marketing support is another service of our company, if you are interested in chartering your vessel here in Indonesia or beyond, we will be glad to sell your packages trough our website.

Build your own liveaboard

OUR ULTIMATE LIVEABOARD: TIARE CRUISE

The luxury phinisi Tiare Cruise

Tiare Cruise, The Ultimate Luxury Phinisi Liveaboard Built by Cruising Indonesia

Tiare Liveaboard in YouTube

On our new projects we have introduced significant adjustments to our precedent phinisi designs to improve comfort and safe. Taking our improved version of the Phinisi Liveaboard to higher level design. As in the case of Tiare Liveaboard. 

Is a matter of fact, Tiare Cruise is not only more beautiful but also more functional and comfy, for both diving and leisure purposes. And is also rock-steady and solid with its hull entirely built on iron wood and its keel completely cover by a protective sheathe of iron. And last but not least, Tiare Liveaboard is probably the only phinisi liveaboard where you never have any leakage in your cabin, due to our new building system: LEAKING FREE! 

Elegance and seaworthiness is the design key of our Ultimate Phinisi Liveaboard: Tiare Cruise. 

Build your own liveaboard

OUR PREVIOUS PROJECTS: SAMAMBAIA LIVEABOARD

Samambaia's state of art dive deck

State of Art Dive Deck of The Samambaia Liveaboard

Samambaia Liveaboard in YouTube

THE TRADITIONAL INDONESIAN PHINISI SCHOONER

Anyone that appreciates wooden sailing vessels will come to understand that the Indonesian Archipelago is home to one of the world's truly classic sailing fleets. The Indonesian Phinisi Schooner was the backbone of the original spice trade, carrying spice cargos from these Spice Islands to China and the Middle East since long before western cultures even discovered the Earth was not flat. Even today, approximately 80% of Indonesia's cargo is still carried aboard similar wooden cargo vessels to and from ports through this, the largest archipelagic nation on our planet.

Still in our days, around 80% of country freight are carried trough all Indonesian archipelago by this wooden sailing vessels. These majestic 2 masts, 7 sails schooners called “Phinisi” are built entirely in tropical wood. Its dimensions vary from 18 to 36 meters on deck. Very strong and capable are still built direct on the beach by very skillful workers with the only help of few traditional instruments. The precision of these workers is astounding.

The history of these boats and its builders, the Bugis and Konjo people of Southern Sulawesi, started many centuries ago, before the Europeans explorers reached these islands. At that time, Bugis sailors were already trading with Chinese Empire and Arabian merchants, using its boats to carry across the entire archipelago and beyond spices, wood, porcelain and all items they could trade. When James Cook reached for first time Australia, in 1771, found more than hundred of these Phinisi Schooner trading with the Australian Aborigines.

Until the end of the 1970s, the Phinisi had no engine and sailed following the trade winds, 6 months to the east and 6 months to the west, with no hurry, keeping pace with the world they belonged. At these days, all the boats are engine powered and sails are becoming less important.

In the last two decades, westerners have started to transform these cargo boats into luxury yachts, mainly to use as liveaboard for the diving industry. The very strong Phinisi’s hull structure has been equipped with all modern safety equipment like GPS, depth sounder, radar, radio, satellite phone, fire detectors, inflatable rafts, water maker, solar panel, electric generator. This kind of boat is perfectly adaptable as liveaboard having plenty of space for cabins, diving equipment and relax areas.

Phinisi limited draft allows it to reach almost every shore and reef. In a country composed by 18,307 islands scattered in an area as the size of USA, with many areas still out of beaten tracks and without tourist structures, liveaboard is the only way to reach dive sites otherwise unreachable.

Imagine being on board of one of this beautiful schooners, sailing in the most beautiful and untouched seas of the planet, visiting uncountable deserted white-sand beaches… Imagine diving 3-4 times a day in pristine wonderful reefs, and perhaps being the only one and the first one… enjoying the sunset in a deserted bay surrounded by hills covered in tropical jungle while making barbecue on the beach. These are not just dreams, but the ingredients of a liveaboard scuba diving vacation with Cruising Indonesia.

Build your own liveaboard


Liveaboard Agents and Dive Travel Services

SPECIALISED AGENTS IN CRUISES FOR DIVERS

Why contact Cruising Indonesia to organize your next diving trip?

In Cruising Indonesia we are specialists in diving trips and cruises for divers, a service that we have provided for more than 2 decades with 95% of repeat customers. Living in Indonesia has always allowed us to verify in the field the quality of service of the operators with whom we regularly work. In Cruising Indonesia we offer you only diving boats, liveaboards, resorts and hotels that we know personally and that have excellent value for money. And this does not mean that the liveaboard or resorts you choose must necessarily be expensive or luxurious, but with Cruising Indonesia you will get the best value you can get for the money you pay. Being expert tour operators in Indonesia we can organize for our clients custom expeditions and trips according to their own individual or group requirements. And create diving or pleasure trips, for each budget. Contact us to create a customized travel budget.

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The diving trips of Cruising Indonesia

In our travel proposals you find the affirmed dive sites, the most desired dive goals among the best dive destinations in the world; as well as new dive sites, “the ultimate diving hotspot”, the recently discovered paradises for scuba diving internationally. Our pages will surprise you with the infinite exploration opportunities that the Indonesian archipelago offers to diving. Contact us and you will have a personalized diving vacation based on the requirements of your group of divers or your requirements as an individual traveler. On our diving trips snorkelers are welcome!

liveaboard sailing raja ampat islands

Samambaia Liveaboard - The Best Liveaboard Diving Experience with Cruising Indonesia - see on YouTube

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OUR EXPERIENCE: Cruising Indonesia since 1987

Our travels through Indonesia began in 1987. We were among the first Westerners to explore Bunaken and Bangka in North Sulawesi, at that time islands with no tourist infrastructure whatsoever and a place where even a snorkel and mask were strange items to the local people. The few travelers making it this far had to sleep in fishermen’s huts and eat plain rice, fish in chili sauce, and fried bananas to clean the mouth from chili effect.

But this inspirational image of pristine natural beauty pushed us to explore more and more of this amazing country, even if traveling on crowded and overloaded old wooden boats, trucks and pony carts. We reached places like The Togians, Banda Islands, Komodo, Halmahera, Alor and Papua all places now becoming famous as diving paradises.

In 1997 we decided to set up in Indonesia. We have spent our time here working in the dive business and traditional boat building industry. Our experience and deep knowledge of the country allow us to offer our customers the same emotions and sensations we experienced in our travels across the country, with all safety and comfort of the modern life. We can arrange tailor-made cruises in the most world famous diving destinations of Indonesia or in the most remote Archipelago’s areas, where diving and traveling are still pioneering ones...

And because the best way and sometime the only to cross Indonesia is by boat, we build liveaboards or transform phinisis -the traditional wooden sailboat of Indonesia- in functional and luxurious motor yachts for private use or dive cruises. The liveaboard cruises are in great demand among European, American, and Asean diving and travel operators and could be a great alternative of business in Indonesia.

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CRUISING INDONESIA TERMS & CONDITIONS

Cruising Indonesia has a few but clear and concise terms and conditions. Please take your time to read them:

Reservations made through Cruising Indonesia are subject to operators’ payment and cancellation policies, in any case those that be will indicated in your booking/proforma/invoice, in any case:

- Your reservation is not confirmed until your deposit for booking confirmation is received

- You will pay all bank charges and fees

- Your deposit for booking confirmation is non-refundable

- Your interim payments and balance payment are non-refundable

- All offers published by Cruising Indonesia apply exclusively to new bookings. No offer is retroactive.

You must have a diving insurance.

You should have an accident/medical insurance to prevent financial disappointment in case of trip cancellation/interruption, otherwise you accept cover all trip cancellation/interruption expenses on your own.

Cruising Indonesia will act as the agent on behalf of the operators. Cruising Indonesia acts as an intermediary and therefore cannot be held responsible for possible shortcomings in the operators’ performance.

Cruising Indonesia can be only responsible for mistakes in the services provided; the maximum liability shall not exceed the amount charged by Cruising Indonesia to the operator.

In any case, Cruising Indonesia cannot be held liable for and will not be responsible for personal injuries, property damage, or wrongful death that may occur during activities, as a result of the inherent risks associated with scuba diving, or any activity offered by the operator or as a result of acts or omissions of other third parties.

An administration fee of one hundred euros will be charged as an agency fee in case of trip cancellation, whatever the reason for the cancellation and regardless of the charges and costs charged by the operator.

The official version of these Terms and Conditions is the one in English.

You accept all these terms and conditions with the sending of your first payment/deposit.

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18,307 islands
World-class scuba diving destinations
Cruising Indonesia - diving and liveaboards