Wakatobi’s private boat service provides the ultimate in personal attention, spaciousness and diving freedom.

Wakatobi is well known for their spacious dive boats, which combine comfort with ample elbowroom. Our fleet of 21-meter (70 ft) vessels are custom-built by local craftsmen, and combine traditional Indonesian style with a full range of modern conveniences. Each boat is designed to provide plenty of seating and storage space for more than sixteen divers, but are seldom operated at full capacity. With room to spare, passengers need not straddle assembled dive gear during boat rides, and can spread out and relax on shaded and uncluttered seats. In fact, they don’t need to focus on dive gear until moments before entering the water, as resort dive guides and boat crews handle all equipment prior to dives, and assist in assembly and suiting up. Some have called it “concierge-style” or “valet diving,” and our staff takes great pride in providing the highest levels of service to each guest. But there’s an even more personalized dive or snorkel experience available at the resort: having your own boat.

Enjoy breakfast served on your boat while you plan your itinerary for the day. Photo by Walt Stearns

Guests can reserve an entire dive boat for personal use, either singly, as a couple or in a group of up to six. There is a very reasonable charge for the charter, which takes place aboard one of the resort’s full-sized launches, and includes the services of a captain and crew members.

Imagine pulling up to your favorite site where you can stay as long as you want. Photo by Wayne Osborn

While chartering a private dive boat for the day might seem like an extravagance, there are a number of reasons when this option makes sense. A private boat charter allows divers and snorkelers to create their own itinerary, visiting sites of their choosing on their own schedule. And rather than return to the resort after each dive, they can spend part or all of the day aboard, enjoying a private catered lunch, and even breakfast aboard if they want to get an early start on the day.

Personal spaces

For some, booking a private boat is a great way to share a special day. Many couples who come to Wakatobi Resort to celebrate a honeymoon or anniversary have shared a memorable day of diving and relaxing on the water by reserving a boat all for themselves. Throughout the cruise, the crew provides the extra touches that Wakatobi Resort is so well known for.

The private boat option is one of our greatest values because it allows divers and snorkelers the freedom to create their own itinerary for the day, or go with the flow as opportunities arise. Photo by Walt Stearns

Your day will include a scrumptious meal prepared by Wakatobi’s chefs. Photo by Walt Stearns

A personal dive guide is there to enhance the underwater experience by focusing entirely on the couple, who can explore and discover each site at their own pace. Upon emerging from the water, the pair will be greeted with a warm, mint-infused towel, an inviting beverage, and an entire boat deck to call their own. The day can also include a special meal created by Wakatobi’s talented chefs and served afloat.

Optimizing your imaging

One group that certainly appreciates the opportunities made possible by a private boat charter are underwater photographers. With no schedules to adhere to, and no need to accommodate the agendas or profiles of other divers, an avid photographer or videographer is free to spend as much time as desired at any given site. This might mean lingering for an entire dive at a single gorgonian while documenting the life of a pygmy seahorse, or making repeated drifts across a seamount to get just the right take. Back aboard, there’s no rush to make any needed adjustments to equipment. The crew is dedicated entirely to camera management, and there is a huge expanse of deck and shelf space to store cameras and accessories.

Photographers Wade and Robyn Hughes enjoy the flexibility and spaciousness a private boat charter offers. Photo by Wakatobi Dive Resort

Photographers Wade and Robyn Hughes are big fans of the private boat option. “We really liked the flexibility and the feeling of truly getting away from it all,” says Robyn. “It’s the closest you can get to diving from your own boat, in home waters. Having our our dive boat gave us the freedom to fully explore different areas, and sometimes even wander off where nobody else is around. Between dives there was plenty of room to get comfortable, the crew members were delightful company, and we liked having quiet lunches on the boat.”

“With a private boat we could go where we wanted, when we wanted, and spend as much time as we liked on any given site; and kick back for an awesome lunch served to us right on board. Doesn’t get any better than that.” Wade Hughes

Seacam founder and CEO Harald Hordosch took advantage of the private boat option on a visit to Wakatobi, and had this to say: “Having a private boat gave me the freedom I would not normally have to focus on what underwater photography should be—the ability to immerse yourself into the image you want to capture, and at the same time forget about the rest of the world,” he says.

The flexibility of a private dive boat allows photographers to get the most out of each dive. Photo by Claudia Pellarini

“Having a private guide made for an even better experience as he proved gifted at finding a wondrous list of captivating subjects. Additionally, he helped create an itinerary that best suited my expectations; allowing me to get the most out of each dive,” Harald said.

A family favorite

Families who vacation together at Wakatobi might also consider chartering a boat of their own. This is true whether the children are older, and dive certified, or are younger snorkelers. Because many sites at Wakatobi feature shallow reef tops that sit adjacent to deeper structures, it’s almost always possible to accommodate both divers and snorkelers at the same site. Visiting these sites on a private boat adds even more possibilities. Mom and Dad could perform a dive, then don snorkel equipment to explore the reefs with the kids.

A total focus on the family and a private boat out on the water can be the catalyst for creating lifetime memories. Photo by Didi Lotze

The flexibility of a private boat is especially attractive when dealing with the scheduling variables that are always part of family life. No need to rush sleepy teens out the door to catch an early boat, or to stay out longer when you want to return for a mid-day nap or beach walk, then venture back out for an afternoon on the water. In addition to these practicalities, there is much to be said for the memories that are created by sharing a day together where there are no distractions, and a total focus on family fun.