Mola Mola 1

Two engines, two compressors and two watermakers, built for divers who care about redundancy

From
$2,550 / person, shared cabin
Whole boat charter
$6,040
Check availability

Vessel Gallery

Mola Mola 1 phinisi liveaboard in eastern Indonesia

Cruising Areas

Raja Ampat

January to April out of Sorong, and the longest block in her calendar. Piaynemo and the karst viewpoints feature on the operator's own dive-spot page alongside the Dampier Strait reefs. The doubled compressors matter here more than anywhere: Raja Ampat itineraries run heavy dive schedules across sites that are hours apart.

Komodo

June to August out of Labuan Bajo, a narrower window than most boats in this collection, which run Komodo from April or May. Three months only, which means dates go early. Standard park diving with the currents at their strongest in the middle of that window.

Banda Sea

September to November out of Ambon, covering the Banda Sea and the Spice Islands. This is the season with the best odds for hammerheads and the calmest surface conditions, and it doubles as the repositioning window between Komodo and Raja Ampat.

Cenderawasih Bay

Listed by the operator among her destinations alongside Halmahera, though not on the fixed three-season rotation. Cenderawasih is whale shark country, with the animals gathering at the fishing bagans, and very few operators schedule it at all. Ask directly if the dates matter.

Alor

Alor departs from Kalabahi and is the most demanding water on the schedule. The Pantar Strait carries cold upwelling and real current, with muck sites in the bay as the counterweight. Two engines, two compressors and two watermakers are not a marketing line out here; this is where redundancy stops being theoretical.

Ambon

Ambon is the departure port for the Banda Sea legs, and the bay diving is muck rather than reef. Silt, rubble and sponge, worked shallow. Note that nitrox is charged separately on this boat, which is worth budgeting for on itineraries built around repeat shallow dives.

Halmahera

Halmahera comes up on the longest eastern crossings and is the least trafficked water in the range. Weda Bay carries walking sharks and a run of endemics on reef almost no other operator is working. The published operating months skip May and December, so the window here is narrower than the rest of the schedule suggests.

Who This Suits

Suits: divers who care about redundancy. Two engines, three generators, two compressors and two watermakers on a sixteen-guest boat is genuinely unusual, and it is the practical argument for her over similarly priced competitors on remote itineraries.

Also suits: solo travellers. The operator lets a single traveller either share a cabin at no extra cost or take one alone for a 50 per cent supplement, rather than forcing a full single supplement.

Less suited to: non-divers, who get no discounted rate at all, and anyone wanting Komodo outside June to August. Note too that snorkel gear, snorkelling guide and naturalist guide are all chargeable extras rather than included.

Vessel at a Glance

Phinisi
2018
Ironwood
32.5 m length on deck
16 guests
Shared + Charter
5D4N+
Dive Resort
Nitrox, Compressor, Dive Master
Snorkeling Gear

About This Vessel

Mola Mola 1 is the original boat of the Mola Mola fleet, built in 2018 and the vessel her larger sister was designed against. Thirty-two and a half metres on deck, eight cabins and sixteen guests. The boat is promoted with a nearly one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio, unusually high staffing for a working dive liveaboard.

Her machinery is doubled up in a way small boats rarely are. Two engines, a Mitsubishi 8DC9 Turbo at 400 HP and a 6D22 Turbo at 280 HP as backup. Three generators, one 60 KWH and two 32 KWH. Two Coltri 315 compressors rather than one, with a Coltri nitrox system alongside. Two watermakers producing 5,000 litres a day each. On remote itineraries where the nearest workshop is several days away, redundancy on power, air and water is the difference between a shortened trip and a completed one.

The cabins split four upper and four lower, two doubles and six twins, all with ensuite bathrooms, hot water, air conditioning, storage and natural light. Common space runs to an air-conditioned dining room and lounge on the main deck, a separate entertainment hall, an aft lounge with sofas and bean bags, and an open sun deck with loungers.

Her year is split three ways rather than spread thin: Komodo from June to August, Ambon and the Banda Sea from September to November, and Raja Ampat from January to April. The operator also runs Cenderawasih Bay and Halmahera. Single travellers are handled better here than on most boats, with the option to share or take a cabin alone for a fifty per cent supplement.

Interior & Dining

Air-conditioned dining area aboard Mola Mola 1

Sun Deck & Outdoor

Amenities & Facilities

Dive & Snorkeling Sites

Activities

Marine Life

Crew & Diving

16
Nitrox is charged separately. The system on board is Coltri

Safety & Navigation

Safety equipment
First Aid Kit, Smoke & Fire Alarm
Navigation
GPS, Radar, VHF Radio, SSB Radio
Engine
Mitsubishi 8DC9 Turbo 400 HP main, Mitsubishi 6D22 Turbo 280 HP secondary; generators 1 x 60 KWH plus 2 x 32 KWH
Watermaker capacity
2 x 5,000 L/day

Area

The Cabins

Upper Deck Double

2 cabins Sleeps 2 guests from $2,550 / person

Double cabin on the upper deck of Mola Mola 1

Ensuite bathroom with wash basin aboard Mola Mola 1

Private Bedroom
Ensuite Bathroom
Air Conditioning
Hot and Cold Shower
Wardrobe
Towels and Toiletries
Double Bed

Two of the four upper deck cabins carry a double bed. Ensuite bathroom with wash basin and hot water, air conditioning, storage, and enough natural light that the room does not feel like a hull. Agency listings put the upper deck band at around USD 420 per person per night.

Upper Deck Twin

2 cabins Sleeps 2 guests from $2,550 / person

Twin beds in an upper deck cabin aboard Mola Mola 1

Corner cabin on the upper deck of Mola Mola 1

Private Bedroom
Ensuite Bathroom
Air Conditioning
Hot and Cold Shower
Wardrobe
Towels and Toiletries
Twin Single Beds

The remaining two upper deck cabins, two single beds side by side, same fit-out and same price band as the doubles. One of them is the corner cabin, which takes light from two sides.

Lower Deck Twin

4 cabins Sleeps 2 guests from $2,550 / person

Lower deck twin cabin aboard Mola Mola 1

Lower deck cabin bathroom aboard Mola Mola 1

Private Bedroom
Ensuite Bathroom
Air Conditioning
Hot and Cold Shower
Wardrobe
Towels and Toiletries
Twin Single Beds

Four cabins below deck, twin beds in each, and the reason her cabin count reads as two doubles and six twins overall. Ensuite bathroom, hot water, air conditioning and storage, identical in fittings to the upper deck rooms but lower in the hull, which means less motion at anchor and less daylight.

Pricing Overview

From
$2,550 /person
Whole-boat charter
$6,040 total
Booking options
Shared + Charter
Trip durations
5D4N+
Price last verified
2026-08-29

Included in Your Rate

Included
Airport Transfer, Accommodation Onboard, 3 Meals Daily, Snacks, Coffee & Tea, Drinking Water, Dive Guide, Local Guide / Ranger, Towels & Toiletries
Rate notes
Note on pricing. Mola Mola 1 does not have a published per-night charter figure the way her sister does. Agents selling her quote around USD 420 per person per night for an upper deck cabin, with private charter available from a minimum of eight guests to a maximum of sixteen, and the charter structured as payment for fourteen guests with two more joining free. The figures shown on this page are calculated on that basis, three nights at fourteen paying guests, and should be replaced with the operator quotation before being used commercially.
Included: VAT, fuel surcharge, airport transfers, full board with snacks, drinking water, tea, coffee and welcome cocktails, the diving package, land excursions, and cabin, deck and beach towels with toiletries.
Not included: national park fees at roughly USD 150 to 200, port fees, gratuities, hotel transfers, alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, extra dives, nitrox and nitrox courses, private dive guide, rental gear, scuba courses, naturalist guide, and snorkel gear and guiding.
Solo travellers may share a cabin at no extra charge or take one alone for a 50 per cent supplement. There is no non-diver rate and no group discount. The last dive of a trip is around 11am on the second-to-last day, with disembarkation before noon, so allow the standard 18 hours before flying.

Not Included & Extra Costs

Not included
Komodo National Park Entrance Fee, Crew Gratuity, Dive Equipment Rental, Nitrox Surcharge, Travel / Dive Insurance, Flights, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft Drinks
Nitrox surcharge
Nitrox is charged separately. The system on board is Coltri
Solo traveller supplement
Optional. Solo travellers may share a cabin at no extra cost, or take a cabin alone for a 50 per cent supplement on the published price

Book This Vessel

Availability and quotes for Mola Mola 1 are handled by the operator directly. KomodoInsider does not take bookings or add a commission.

Check dates on the operator site

Opens molaliveaboard.com in a new tab

KomodoInsider-verified. Last checked 2026-08-29.

Cabins & Berths

Total cabins
8
Twin
6
Bed configuration
Double, Twin Single
En-suite bathroom
All cabins
Hot shower
Yes
Air conditioning
Individual control per cabin

Deck Plan

Routes & Departure

Operating months
January, February, March, April, June, July, August, September, October, November
Departure port
Labuan Bajo for Komodo; Ambon for the Banda Sea; Sorong for Raja Ampat; Kalabahi for Alor
Minimum guests to depart
8

Komodo National Park Fees

What you pay	Amount	Basis
Park entrance, foreign visitor	Rp 250,000 ≈ $14	per person, per day The statutory Class I entrance rate. The 150% holiday rule applies to Indonesian visitor and student rates, not this foreign visitor rate.
Park entrance, Indonesian visitor, normal day	Rp 50,000 ≈ $3	per person, per day The normal-day Class I entrance rate.
Park entrance, Indonesian visitor, holiday or collective leave	Rp 75,000 ≈ $4	per person, per day 150% of the normal Indonesian visitor rate on the dates covered by the statutory holiday rule.
Indonesian student group, normal day	Rp 25,000 ≈ $1	per person, per day For Indonesian student groups of at least five people.
Indonesian student group, holiday or collective leave	Rp 37,500 ≈ $2	per person, per day 150% of the normal student-group rate; the minimum group size remains five.
Scuba diving activity	Rp 25,000 ≈ $1	per diver, per day A separate activity charge in addition to the applicable entrance fee.
Motorised vessel entry	Rp 100,000–200,000 per boat, per day	Rp 100,000 for 40–100 HP, Rp 150,000 for 101–500 HP, and Rp 200,000 above 500 HP.
Drone use	Rp 2,000,000 ≈ $112	per unit, per day A separate special-use charge. Complete the required SiOra/SIMAKSI process before travel.

SiOra is the park’s e-ticketing and SIMAKSI system. Reserve before travel; Ministry guidance recommends completing the reservation by H-1. An operator can assist, and self-service is available at the Komodo Visitor Center and KP3 terminal.
Payment is cashless through the methods available in SiOra, including BRIVA or bank transfer and supported e-wallets. Keep the e-ticket and ensure the traveller details are correct.
A 1,000-visitor daily quota has applied since 1 April 2026 to the main visitor islands and 23 dive sites. Availability therefore depends on the travel date and registered itinerary.
The final SiOra total can include entrance, activity, vessel and special-use charges. Ask the handling operator for an itemised total before issuance.
Official public guidance does not state one universal refund or rescheduling rule for every reservation. Confirm the current SiOra terms in writing before the ticket is issued, including treatment of weather disruption.

Statutory fees under Peraturan Pemerintah No. 36 Tahun 2024, in force since 30 October 2024. Verified 31 August 2026 against the official PP 36/2024 schedule, the Ministry of Forestry SiOra notice and the Ministry’s 2026 quota notice. Amounts are payable in rupiah; dollar figures are courtesy estimates converted at Rp 17,900 and rounded.

Cancellation & Booking Policy

If you cancel
Cancellation and refund terms are set by the operator. Confirm the written policy before payment; KomodoInsider does not take payments or handle refunds.

Location

Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Get Directions

Frequently Asked Questions

How is Mola Mola 1 different from Mola Mola 2?

She is the smaller and older of the pair: 32.5 metres against 44, eight cabins for sixteen guests against nine for twenty, built 2018 rather than 2022. Her advantage is redundancy, with two engines, two compressors and two watermakers, and a crew of sixteen for sixteen guests.

When does she sail where?

Komodo from June to August, Ambon and the Banda Sea from September to November, and Raja Ampat from January to April. Cenderawasih Bay and Halmahera are also on the operator's destination list outside that rotation.

Is there a single supplement?

Only if you want your own cabin. Solo travellers may share at no extra cost, or pay a 50 per cent supplement to have a cabin to themselves. There is no non-diver rate.

What is not included in the price?

National park fees of roughly USD 150 to 200 and port fees are required extras. Optional extras include nitrox, rental gear, extra dives, a private dive guide, scuba courses, naturalist and snorkelling guides, snorkel gear, hotel transfers, drinks and gratuities.

What is the minimum for a private charter?

Eight guests minimum and sixteen maximum. The charter is structured as payment for fourteen guests, with two additional people joining free of charge.