Sailing Indonesia
This page provides insights from 2 separate sailing trips in Indonesia aboard SV Wandoo (2015) and SV Black Duck (2021-2022). These voyages covered a wide range of destinations, from western to eastern Indonesia, including West Papua, Raja Ampat, Wakatobi, and Komodo National Park (Labuan Bajo).
Drawing on 15 months of sailing across these regions, this guide offers practical tips on where to anchor, how to source diesel, LPG, and drinking water, and the procedures for VISAS and clearing into Indonesia at various ports.
What is There to Know?
- Indonesia is rapidly growing in popularity, with places like Raja Ampat, which 8 years ago was a secret paradise, seeing a huge increase in new resorts and yacht charters.
- With growing tourism, popular islands and Marine Parks are raising fees. For example, Komodo National Park now requires multiple permits, including a Park Entry Permit, Sailing Permit (CAIT), Ranger/Guide Fee, and Snorkeling/Diving Permit, totaling around $32 to $61 per day.
- People still follow the trends, and the majority of Indonesia is still untouched by tourism.
- With charts still being widely inaccurate in most Indonesian water, satellite images are a must-use navigation tool!!
- Indonesia is a nation of Sailors, and the most valuable sailing information is local knowledge. I highly recommend learning some Indonesian Sailing Lingo—it is not a hard language.
Indonesian Anchorages
Our list of anchorages is sorted into the Indonesian regions of Sundra Islands, SE Sulawesi (Wakatobi and Buton Strait), Maluku, West Papua and Raja Ampat, The Java Sea, Belitung, and the Riau Archipelago; click the link below.
Refueling & Water in Indonesia
For information about refueling, types of fuel, LPG refills, and how to get clean water in the different cities around Indonesia.
Visas & Clearing into Indonesia
The formalities in Indonesia, i.e. check-in procedures and visa extensions, can be a bit of a headache if you are not prepared.
SV Black Duck's Route
Click on the Anchorages and Routes to see Lat/long, Hours underway, sailing/motoring, diesel use, weather conditions, and dates.
The routes in this map are estimates and should not be used for direct navigation. See Indonesian Anchorages above for more detailed anchorage information.
Speaking the Language
Guides to Indonesian Sailing Destinations
In these guides, I’ve pulled together everything we found helpful during our city stops for visa extensions and restocking.
You’ll find tips on where to get diesel, gas, drinking water, and fresh food, along with our experience at the Immigration Office for visa extensions.
I’ve also added locations of hardware stores and other shops that came in handy for getting parts and supplies.
Indonesia Sailing Guides
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Clearing out of Indonesia – Fast, Free and without Agent (Belitung)
This is a step by step Guide to Clearing out of Indonesia based on our process at Tanjung Pandan, Belitung. I Imagine this process would be at least similar in other Ports of Indonesia.It requires no Agent and cost only USD 4.7 and whatever fee you will be able to negotiate for transportation. At the…
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13 Things we wish we knew before sailing to Indonesia
In ‘13 Things We Wish We Knew Before Sailing to Indonesia‘, we talk about things that can be prepared for and other things that are just nice to know. We touch on subjects like navigation, stocking up, safety, and communicating in a country where not everyone speaks English. We have also consulted a few other…
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A Sailors Practical Guide to Buton Strait, Raha and Baubau
Maleura Beach, a local tourist spot only 7nm south of Raha, was recommended to us many times by locals, who referred to it as ‘Mini Raja Ampat’
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A Sailors Practical Guide to Sorong
Below is a map of Sorong where I have marked all the places we found useful doing our stay here, from Immigration Office to water and food shops. Click on the icons to see details. Red is boat related and refills, blue is formalities and Green is Food. Hope it is helpful! Anchorage 00°52.906’S 131°15.189’E…
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A Sailors Practical Guide to Ambon
A practical guide to Ambon. Where to anchor, how to get around and where to get food, water, diesel, gas and parts for your boat.
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A Sailors Practical Guide to Kupang
Anchorage 10°10.050’S 123°33.832’E22m sand bottom Convenient anchorage can be found NE of the jetty in Kupang. The bottom is steep and the depth quickly changes from 60 to 10 meters. We anchored quite far out, as the bay was already full of boats when we arrived. If choosing a shallower anchorage, watch out for the…
More on Indonesia from me off this site
- Indonesian crewed yacht charters
- How to charter a yacht in Raja Ampat
- 4 best dive destinations you can only reach by boat
++ Useful Navigation Resources ++
- Navionics https://www.navionics.com/gbr/apps/navionics-boating
- Zulu Waterways web/app https://www.zuluwaterways.com/
- Cruising Guide to Indonesia by Andy Scott https://cruisingguideindonesia.com/
- Offline Maps app
- The Hacking Family’s website hackingfamily.com sailing SV Ocelot in Indonesia.
- Sherry and Dave McCambell’s website, svsoggypaws.com
Sailing Stories from Indonesia
- The Independent Life of an Indonesian Sailing Family
- Darwin to Kupang – Into the Wind and Waves
- Nights at Sea #1 Shiver me Timbers is that a Tornado?
- Nights at Sea #2 Loneliness and the sound of thoughts
- Nights at Sea #3 Stress is a part of It
- From Singapore Strait to Singapore Streets – Warships and Water Shows
- Reading the Signs – Lessons from Neptune and Jesus
- On Passage with Black Duck – Jibing through the Java Sea
- From Sea to City – The Jakarta Excerpts
- A Muslim, a Christian and two Atheists walk into a Mosque
- The lost Time at the Mecca of Paperwork and The unsuspected Captain
- Weird and Wonderful
- Lebebae – for a Sustainable and Musical Ambon
- What About the Rooster? – Sailing Buru
- The Village On the Water