Gains: stability
Two hulls barely roll. If anyone in the group gets seasick, this is the answer.
Two hulls
Catamaran Charter in Lombok
Flat, shallow-drafted and enormous on deck. The right answer for a group where most people are not diving.
A catamaran trades the cabin count of a phinisi for stability, shallow draft and deck area - it barely rolls at anchor, it can sit closer inshore, and it suits groups with more snorkellers than divers.
- Very little roll at anchor
- Shallow draft, so closer to the reef
- Huge deck area for the size
- Fewer, smaller cabins than a phinisi
The trade
What you gain and lose
Gains: draft
Sits shallow, so it anchors closer to the reef and inside bays a deep hull cannot enter.
Gains: deck
Trampolines forward and a wide aft deck. More usable outdoor space per metre than anything else.
Loses: cabins
Fewer and smaller than a phinisi of the same length, and a tighter dive deck.
Who it suits
Groups where the diving is part of the trip rather than the whole point. Snorkellers, children and anyone who would rather be on deck than under it.
Anyone worried about motion. A catamaran at anchor in the Gilis is about as still as a boat gets in Indonesia.
Not the choice for a hard dive week. A phinisi or a purpose-rigged dive boat has the deck and the tank capacity for three dives a day across a group.
Good to know
Go deeper
Lombok Diving Package
How a private crewed charter works, and what it covers.
Luxury charters
The top of the fleet: suites, spa, water toys and the service with them.
Dive trips
Dives per day, guides, nitrox and certification aboard.
What a package covers
Where the line between included and extra actually sits.
Best dive sites
The sites by area, their conditions, and the level each one needs.
Diving & snorkelling
What the water is like, and what you can do without a licence.
Ask what is free
Send dates and group size. If a catamaran suits and one is available we will say so - and if it does not, we will say that too.