What a Sulawesi liveaboard price includes, and what it leaves out

By Sulawesi Liveaboard Editorial Desk

Sourced figures: prices in the table carry their source and check month. Published fares are not our offers, and fees change.

On the operator pages we checked, a published fare is tied to a cabin and a listed trip, while marine park and port fees, fuel surcharges, nitrox, rental gear and Wi-Fi are priced or listed apart. Treatment differs by operator, so do not assume two fares cover the same things. Ask for each line in writing, for your own cabin and date.

What is usually in the fare?

Less is spelled out than you might expect. La Galigo, White Manta and Mermaid are detailed about what falls outside the fare and short on what falls inside it. With so few operators in view, "usually" is a stretch, so here is what can actually be pointed to.

• A cabin category. Mermaid publishes a separate fare for each cabin type on a sailing, which tells you the price depends on where you sleep.
• A trip length and a dive count. White Manta shows 22 dives on its 8-day Lembeh and North Manado trip, Mermaid lists 25 dives on its 10-day Togian route, and Wallacea Dive Cruise gives a minimum of 33 on its Sorong to Bitung trip. These counts sit beside the fare, which is the nearest thing to a stated inclusion. Ask whether any dive can carry a further charge.
• Some equipment, on one boat. La Galigo lists snorkelling equipment at no charge.
• Safety kit on one boat. La Galigo's FAQ mentions emergency oxygen and an AED on board. That describes one vessel and cannot be stretched to a fleet.

Meals, soft drinks and shore visits stay out of the comparison below, because these three operators' terms, as quoted here, do not state them. That silence does not mean they are extra. Ask.

What is usually out?

Quite a lot, and the three operators below do not draw the line in the same place. "No statement" means their pages do not settle the point, not that the item is free.

This page's price table shows three of these lines: the park charges for La Galigo and White Manta, and Mermaid's fuel surcharge. Do not use the two park figures to rank the operators. They are for different trips, and La Galigo's changes with the date you sail. Rates for the rest are on the guides to nitrox and gear rental, fuel surcharges and the smaller charges that build up on board.

Other published terms follow a similar pattern with their own differences. Neptune Liveaboards' guide puts park, port and environment fees, some fuel surcharges, rental gear, alcohol and tips outside the fare on its Wakatobi trips. Oceanic Society excludes airfare, alcohol, airport taxes and gratuities on its Halmahera to Sulawesi expedition. The Wakatobi Dive Resort price list quotes Pelagian per person per night, with the activity package extra, so its headline figure is built on a different basis altogether. Even a marketplace summary can mislead: LiveAboard.com's La Galigo listing shows a park and port fee range that spans all that boat's routes, so for a specific sailing, go to La Galigo's own trip page.

Do operators treat transfers the same way?

No. Mikumba Diving lists pick-up from the airport or a hotel in its package, along with tanks, weights and dive guides, and excludes pick-up from other areas. We have not read the same statement from the other boats here, or a published price for the run from Manado airport to Bitung. The practical terms around it are easier to find than the cost:

• White Manta wants return-day flights to leave at 9am or later.
• La Galigo publishes a cut-off for guests on late flights.
• Crossings make it more complicated. White Manta's Sorong and Bitung route starts and ends in different places, so you are arranging two airports, and Oceanic Society's fare leaves airfare and airport taxes to you.

So ask four things: is the transfer in my fare, from which airport and hotels, at what times, and who pays if my flight falls outside them? The guide to getting to the boat covers the journey itself.

How should you read a fare that claims to include everything?

As a claim to test. We found no agreed definition of the phrase, so its meaning is whatever the operator's list says. Work through it like this:

1. Ask for the exclusions by name. La Galigo's list is a useful prompt because it is so specific: visas, port clearances, ranger, anchorage, village and marine park fees. Ask about each one.
2. Ask whether fuel can move after you pay. A dated example: on 20 March 2026 White Manta lifted its surcharge for new bookings and put a smaller increase on existing ones, so a confirmed booking was not immune.
3. Check what you must bring. White Manta requires a dive computer and Mermaid calls one mandatory per diver. If you do not own one, a requirement turns into a rental line.
4. Separate conditions from inclusions. An insurance requirement is a cost of boarding, and nothing we read places it inside a fare.
5. Ask for one written total. It should state the per-person figure for your cabin and date, line by line, with the currency of each line.

An offer from us deserves the same test, because a request through the desk can lead to a contract with a company in our group. We have an interest in the answer, so check our lines as hard as anyone's. For published fares to set against your written total, see the Sulawesi liveaboard cost page.

Which questions come up about fare inclusions?

Are Sulawesi liveaboard prices all-inclusive?

No, not on the operator pages we checked. La Galigo, White Manta and Mermaid each price some items outside the fare, and their lists differ. Ask for a written list for your own departure.

Are marine park fees part of the fare?

No, not on La Galigo or White Manta, which list them apart. Neptune Liveaboards' guide says the same of its Wakatobi trips. Ask how your operator bills them, and when.

Is nitrox included in the fare?

No, not on La Galigo, White Manta or Mermaid, which all price it separately. Their billing units differ, so compare the total for your trip and not the headline rate.

Is the fuel surcharge inside the fare?

No, White Manta and Mermaid both charge it on top. La Galigo reserves the option of a fuel allowance, requested no later than 30 days out. Ask whether the amount can change after you pay the deposit.

Is the airport transfer included?

Do not assume so. We have seen no source showing which fares cover it, or a price for the drive from Manado to Bitung. Ask whether it is in your fare, which airport and hotels it serves, and what flight times it assumes.

Are tips part of the fare?

No. La Galigo calls tipping optional, and Neptune Liveaboards' guide and Oceanic Society both place tips or gratuities outside the fare.

Which sources support this page?

• Mermaid Liveaboards: Mermaid I schedule and rates
• White Manta: Lembeh and North Manado trip
• Mermaid: Lembeh, Togian itinerary
• Wallacea Dive Cruise: Raja Ampat, Halmahera, Lembeh, 11 nights
• La Galigo: frequently asked questions
• La Galigo: Bangka, Lembeh and Sangihe trip
• Mermaid fuel surcharge
• Mermaid Liveaboards: nitrox
• Mermaid Liveaboards: equipment rental prices
• Mermaid Liveaboards: booking policy
• Neptune Liveaboards: Wakatobi liveaboard guide
• Oceanic Society: Halmahera to Sulawesi
• Wakatobi Dive Resort, prices
• LiveAboard.com, La Galigo listing
• White Manta: Raja Ampat, Halmahera and Lembeh crossings
• White Manta: booking information
• Mikumba Diving: Sulawesi trip information and sample itineraries

How do I reach the desk?

Paste the fare you are looking at and the sailing date, and name any line you cannot place. Whatever the desk sends back stays information until it appears in a written offer. WhatsApp +62 811-3941-4563 or email bd@juaraholding.com.