Managing seasickness on a Komodo phinisi

By Komodo Cabin Charter Editorial Desk

Plan for it rather than trying to predict it. NHS advice comes down to this: stay mid-boat, keep your eyes on the horizon or another fixed point, get fresh air, try ginger, and skip heavy meals, alcohol, reading and screens. A pharmacist can suggest tablets or patches. Pack those before you board, and tell the crew early if you feel unwell.

What helps with motion sickness on a boat?

The clearest guidance we can cite is general rather than local: the NHS advice on motion sickness. It was not written for Komodo, so the right-hand column below is our own application of it to a day on a phinisi.

People differ, and so do boats and days. So prepare the same way whether you think you are prone to it or not.

Which part of the route moves the most?

The first long leg, on one marketplace's account. OpenTripKomodo says the roughest motion usually comes on day one, when a boat leaves KP3 Port in Labuan Bajo for the central park across open sea with no islands to break the water. It says the boat steadies once it enters water ringed by islands, which covers the stops at Manta Point, Loh Liang, Padar and Pink Beach. Neptune Liveaboards gives a calmer general picture, saying Komodo itineraries stay inside the park, where the islands break the swell.

Both sell trips, and neither gives measurements. The practical step is the same under either account: take your precautions before the first passage, not after it, and spend that leg on deck. OpenTripKomodo adds that a boat will not turn back to port to drop one passenger, so in a severe case you tell the crew and rest on deck until the itinerary reaches land.

Where should you sit on a phinisi?

Near the middle of the boat, following the NHS, with the horizon in view and air moving past you. That advice is simple to follow on deck and harder in practice, because layouts vary and nobody publishes a plan of where each boat's seats sit. Ask a crew member when you board which covered spot is closest to the middle and has an open view.

Expect to weigh that against the weather. One traveller on a budget boat enjoyed the deck but found it exposed when it rained. If the deck is your remedy, find out before paying whether the boat has cover over it. Salam Ransel, an agent, includes a light jacket on its suggested list.

Cabin position is a harder question. We can cite no source that compares upper and lower cabins for motion, so we offer no rule. Going by the NHS logic, a cabin nearer the middle of the hull is a sensible request if you are worried, but price and bathroom type will also weigh on that choice. If you know you struggle, say so when you ask about cabins, and remember that the deck remains your first move when you feel unwell. The bigger comfort questions are in our guide to cabins, air conditioning and Wi-Fi.

Should you bring medication?

Yes, if you have any reason to think you may need it. Two sellers suggest it. Salam Ransel lists motion sickness medicine among what to bring, and Hello Flores, writing about one shared cruise, advises basic medication for motion sickness. The NHS says pharmacists can recommend tablets or patches, so that is the conversation to have, and it should happen before you travel. Sellers disagree on timing: OpenTripKomodo says about 30 minutes before the boat leaves, and Neptune Liveaboards says the night before boarding. Neither is medical advice, so ask the pharmacist about the product you buy. Tell the pharmacist about anything else you take, and ask whether the product will make you drowsy before a snorkel stop.

The reason to arrange this in advance is that you may have few options once you sail. Salam Ransel warns of patchy phone signal among the islands. Komodo Touristic, another agent, points out that the park itself has no major hospital, so serious care means getting back to Labuan Bajo. Ask the seller directly whether a boat carries medical staff, and do not assume. For the remainder of your bag, see what to pack for a cabin charter.

If you have a condition that goes beyond ordinary queasiness, raise it early. Neptune Liveaboards wants to hear about medical needs at least 14 days ahead and says some conditions rule out a liveaboard. Your own seller's deadline may differ, but the principle carries.

Do boats move at night?

In risky spots they are not supposed to. Metro TV reported a harbour authority ban on night movement through places like the Padar Strait, with boats sailing by day and sheltering at anchor after dark. On one shared cruise, Hello Flores describes overnight stops in calm water, though that is a seller writing about one boat. Two other sellers still describe night moves: OpenTripKomodo and Neptune Liveaboards both write of a boat repositioning while guests sleep. We cannot square those pages with the reported ban, so ask.

For someone worried about seasickness, this is useful in a modest way. Your passages should mostly happen in daylight, when you can sit on deck, see the horizon and get air, all of which the NHS advice relies on. Your hours in a bunk should mostly be at anchor. Do not take that to mean the boat will lie still; the rule as reported names risky spots, not every stretch of water. Ask your operator where it plans to spend each night.

What should you avoid before sailing?

Heavy meals, alcohol, and time with your head down in a book or a phone, going by the NHS list. On a boat trip each of these has a local form, and each one takes a little planning.

• The big meal before leaving. A long lunch in town just before boarding works against you. Eat something light.
• Meals on board. On a shared boat, Hello Flores describes meals and the daily schedule as shared, so you may not choose when you eat. You can still choose how much, and it is fair to take a smaller plate if the boat is about to move.
• The first evening's drink. Keep it for when you know how you handle the boat, and not on a night before a morning passage if you are unsure.
• Sorting your photos. Scrolling through the day's pictures while under way is exactly the screen time the NHS warns against. Do it at anchor, or back on land.
• Going below at the first sign. A cabin takes you away from the air and the horizon. Move to the deck first.

What should you do if you feel sick on board?

Tell the guide or crew early, then move to the middle of the deck and look at the horizon. Ask your seller about this before you pay. A good question is simply: what do you do when a guest feels unwell during a passage?

Know what the crew can and cannot change. Salam Ransel describes the captain and guide changing the route or stops when conditions at sea change. That is about the sea, not about one guest's stomach, though it does show that the plan is not fixed. On a shared boat you are one of many, so expect the program to continue. If a guest becomes seriously unwell, you will want to know how the boat would reach Labuan Bajo and whether your insurance covers it. Komodo Resort advises checking that travel insurance covers boat trips.

Does the season change the risk?

It may, but we cannot put numbers on it. Salam Ransel's calendar has April to December drier and calmer and January to March wetter, with trips continuing. That is an agent's claim rather than weather data. OpenTripKomodo draws the line differently, with May to October kinder and stronger winds and bigger swell from November to April. If rough water is your main worry, ask about the likely conditions for your dates when you speak to the operator, and read our page on storms and charter terms to see what can change when the sea turns.

What else should you know about seasickness?

Will I get seasick on a Komodo phinisi?

We cannot say. No source we can cite gives odds for Komodo boats, and people differ. Prepare as if you might, because the preparation is simple and costs little.

Is ginger worth trying?

Yes, it is on the NHS list of things to try, alongside sitting mid-boat, watching the horizon and getting fresh air. Bring your own rather than relying on the boat's supplies.

Do phinisi sail overnight in Komodo?

Not through risky spots, on the rule Metro TV reported from the Labuan Bajo harbour authority, which names places such as the Padar Strait. Ask your operator for its own plan for each night.

Can I read or use my phone while the boat is moving?

You can, but the NHS advises against reading and screens for motion sickness. Save them for when the boat is at anchor if you feel at all uneasy.

Should I buy seasickness tablets before the trip?

Yes, if you think you may need them. Salam Ransel and Hello Flores both suggest bringing medication, and the NHS says a pharmacist can recommend tablets or patches. Arrange it before you leave home.

Which sources support this page?

• NHS: motion sickness
• Mini Adventures (traveller), overnight boat account
• Salam Ransel, Komodo boat tour comparison
• Hello Flores, shared cruise review by a seller
• Komodo Touristic (agent), safety checklist
• Neptune Liveaboards, terms
• Metro TV: night sailing bar in Labuan Bajo
• Komodo Resort: yacht charter guide
• OpenTripKomodo: seasickness by route leg
• Neptune Liveaboards: first-time liveaboard guide

How do I reach the desk?

If you want to know how a particular boat handles an unwell guest, send the boat's name and your dates to WhatsApp 6281139414563 or bd@juaraholding.com, and say what worries you. The desk can tell you what it knows and what to ask. For medical advice, speak to a pharmacist or doctor.