18 to 25 knots
Roughly double a sailing hull. More of the park inside a three-night trip, and the far anchorages become reachable.
When Speed Is Worth Paying For
A motor yacht reaches Padar in ninety minutes where a sailing hull needs three to four hours. On a short trip that is the whole difference.
A motor yacht trades sail and teak for transit time. It is the right hull when the trip is short, the group is large, or someone aboard would rather not be at sea for four hours.
- Typically 18 to 30 metres, carrying 6 to 12 guests overnight.
- Labuan Bajo to Padar is about 30 nautical miles — 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Enclosed, air-conditioned saloons rather than open deck as the main space.
- 18–25 kn
- Cruising speed, against 8–10 under sail
- 30 nm
- Labuan Bajo to Padar Island
- 6–12
- Guests overnight, up to 25 on day trips
- 10–20%
- Typical fuel surcharge on the base fee
What you gain, and what you give up
Cutting a four-hour passage to ninety minutes buys back most of a morning — enough for the Padar hike and a snorkel on the same day. What you give up is the deck. A motor yacht puts its space into an air-conditioned saloon and cabins; a phinisi puts it outside, under sail.
On five nights or more the speed advantage largely disappears, because the itinerary stops being constrained by transit.
What a motor yacht gives you
Enclosed comfort, more reach in a day, and a platform that suits families.
Enclosed saloons
Air-conditioned interiors with proper shelter from sun and rain — the difference on a wet-season charter.
Good for families
Shorter passages, enclosed spaces and somewhere for children to be out of the sun between stops.
Day charters too
Up to about 25 guests on a day trip, which no overnight cabin count would allow.
Ask about certification
Crew certification such as STCW, life-raft capacity and child-sized life jackets are fair questions before booking.
Fuel is billed
A surcharge of 10 to 20 percent of the base fee is normal, or metered per litre. Speed has a running cost.
How the extra hours get spent
The same stops as any charter, with more time at each and less between them.
Motor yachts are not a price bracket
Across 145 Komodo vessels that publish a starting rate, the market runs USD 1,550 to 20,000 per night for the whole boat, and motor yachts appear throughout it. Tier and cabin count set the figure; the engine does not. What the engine does add is fuel, billed separately at 10 to 20 percent of the base fee.
Motor yachts, answered
How fast is Labuan Bajo to Padar?
About 30 nautical miles. A motor yacht cruising 18 to 25 knots covers it in 1.5 to 2 hours; a phinisi at 8 to 10 knots takes 3 to 4.
Is a motor yacht better than a phinisi?
Better for short trips, large day groups and anyone who dislikes long passages. Worse if what you came for is deck space and sail. Neither is the premium option — both run the full price range.
Are motor yachts safe for families?
Yes, and the enclosed air-conditioned interiors help with small children. Ask about crew certification, life-raft capacity and child-sized life jackets before you book.
What is the fuel surcharge?
Typically 10 to 20 percent of the base charter fee, or metered per litre. Day trips covering Padar, Pink Beach and Manta Point burn the most, so confirm how it is calculated.
How many guests?
Six to twelve overnight on an 18 to 30 metre yacht, and up to about 25 on a day charter where no one needs a cabin.
Get your dates back
Tell us the window and the party size. You will get the motor yachts free that week and what the fuel surcharge looks like.