A beautiful wooden Phinisi with a sturdy dive deck, local crew, the best destinations Indonesia have to offer... A gem!
A word from Marcel :” The Mailaillo Liveaboard is a beautifully crafted wooden, well-set-up Phinisi designed for extended trips at sea. Life on board is simple and comfortable, with spaces to rest between dives, good meals, and an experienced crew running a smooth operation. It’s a reliable base for reaching remote dive sites while keeping the focus on diving rather than luxury. One of Indo’s only liveaboards with an actual dive deck!”
1 Master Suite (Upper Deck)
2 Upper Deck Twin Cabins
2 Main Deck Twin Cabins
2 Lower Deck Double Cabins
2 Lower Deck Twin Cabins:
Typically 3–4 dives per day
12‑litre aluminium tanks are provided (DIN/INT); 15‑litre tanks are available
Gear rental (by advance request & at extra cost)
Free Nitrox
Typical water temperature: ~27–30 °C, 3mm wetsuit recommended
Accommodation & diving
Meals, snacks, fresh fruit, tea & coffee
Compressed air, tanks, weights & weight belts
Snorkeling equipment
Rinsing stations
Transfers from airport or local hotel
International or domestic flights to the departure port
Park fees, port fees, and permits (varies by region)
Dive courses or certifications
15‑litre tanks or special equipment rentals
Alcoholic drinks (unless specified)
Tips for crew
Travel insurance and dive insurance
Malaillo is a 45.57 m traditional Indonesian phinisi built from ironwood and teak, launched in 2021 and freshly refurbished in 2024, with a beam of 8.50 m and a displacement of 246 t, designed from the keel up as a serious dive vessel rather than a converted charter yacht.
The Malaillo runs curated itineraries (typically 7–13 days) through legendary dive regions like Komodo, Raja Ampat, the Banda Sea, Alor and Halmahera, with up to 33 dives per trip and the chance to encounter hammerheads, manta rays, macro critters and more. Itineraries often include cultural or scenic land excursions and take you into remote marine environments few boats reach.
Guests consistently praise the personalised experience, professional crew and well‑organised operations, with reviews highlighting the “very diving‑focused itinerary,” “amazing staff” and superb food and atmosphere.
Ratings on review platforms are exceptionally high (around 9.6/10) with many travellers recommending it for both dive quality and overall liveaboard experience.
Travel to the Malaillo Liveaboard is via Indonesia, usually connecting through Jakarta or Bali before a domestic flight to the departure port (such as Sorong, Ambon, Labuan Bajo, or others depending on the itinerary).
Guests are typically met at the airport or a local hotel on embarkation day and transferred directly to the boat.
We strongly recommend to arrive at least one day early to allow for domestic flight delays.
Typical itineraries include:
Raja Ampat (7–13 nights): Vibrant reefs, manta cleaning stations, WWII wrecks, and scenic islands.
Komodo National Park (6–7 nights): Drift dives, big pelagics, manta rays, sharks at Castle Rock, Manta Alley, Batu Bolong.
Alor – Banda Sea (10–11 nights): Remote walls, macro sites, hammerheads, volcanic underwater terrain.
Banda Sea (8–9 nights): Iconic sites like Pulau Suanggi and Serua Islands with schooling hammerheads and sea snakes.
Raja Ampat → North Halmahera (12–13 nights): Combines classic Raja Ampat dives with lesser‑visited North Maluku reefs and wrecks.