Dive trip with Cachalo - 2 nights

Boat

Built in South Sulawesi over a two-year period and launched in 2024, Cachalo is a 51-metre Indonesian Phinisi created for long-range diving across the Coral Triangle. Her published beam is 11 metres and her hull and superstructure use reinforced ironwood with teak detailing. The scale is generous for only 18 guests: nine cabins share the vessel with an indoor lounge, dining room, private camera area, broad exterior decks and a 360-degree sundeck with a jacuzzi.

The technical specification lists two different main engines: one 750 hp Weichai Baudouin 6M33 and one 350 hp Weichai Baudouin WD12. Average cruising speed is published as 10 knots, with a 14-knot maximum and a range of approximately 1,000 nautical miles. A 900 kgf bow thruster supports close manoeuvring. Electrical power comes from two 75 kW and one 45 kW Weichai marine generators. Fuel capacity is 12,000 litres; freshwater capacity is 10,000 litres, supplemented by two watermakers with a combined advertised output of 10 tonnes per day.

Modern interiors soften the traditional timber construction. Large windows bring daylight into the salon and dining room, while the upper outdoor areas provide space for reading, stretching, sunset drinks and surface-interval relaxation. The operator promotes a mixture of Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Filipino, Western, American and Mexican food, with buffet service, à la carte meals, hotpot and barbecue nights used across longer trips. Dietary requirements depend on supplies available in remote ports and must be declared before departure.

Cachalo is presented as family-friendly and also carries kayaks and supports activities such as snorkelling, island walks, fishing, private-beach barbecues and drone photography. These are possibilities, not a guaranteed daily non-diver programme. Route, anchorage, park rules, sea state and diving operations determine what can safely be offered on each voyage.

The operator's crew information is inconsistent. Its technical table and principal vessel narrative state 18 crew, while another promotional panel says 20. The defensible description is therefore an approximately one-to-one guest-to-crew ratio; an exact staffing number should not be guaranteed without the departure manifest. Published safety equipment includes life rafts and life jackets, smoke detectors, extinguishers, a satellite telephone, first-aid supplies, an AED and two portable oxygen units. Every cabin is described as having an escape plan, two emergency torches, two life jackets, a smoke detector and an ABC fire extinguisher.

Cabin

Cachalo accommodates 18 guests in exactly nine ensuite cabins. The reliable allocation comes from the detailed room inventory and technical specification, which correct two errors elsewhere on the website: one summary repeats the Upper Deck Standard category in place of the Upper Deck Deluxe King category, and one English booking label incorrectly says two VVIP rooms even though all other data show one.

• 2 Lower Deck Standard Rooms: the official category photograph shows two separate single beds, a desk, storage, a minibar and two brass portholes. These are the lowest guest cabins and do not have balconies. The website markets all nine rooms as ocean-view cabins, but the view here is through portholes rather than full-height windows.
• 2 Main Deck Deluxe Ocean View Balcony Rooms: official imagery shows two separate single beds, a writing desk, lounge bench, large windows and exterior deck access. The category name confirms a balcony, although its dimensions and whether it is fully private are not published.
• 2 Upper Deck Standard Ocean View Rooms: the representative image shows twin single beds, large rectangular windows, a desk and built-in seating. No balcony is stated for this category.
• 2 Upper Deck Deluxe Ocean View King Rooms with Balcony: this is the only category whose published name expressly confirms a king bed. The official photograph also shows a double/king layout, desk, armchairs, large glass doors and balcony access.
• 1 Upper Deck VVIP Room: the largest-looking category in the operator's gallery, photographed with one double bed, a substantial private sitting area, coffee table, desk, panoramic windows and exterior access. The site does not publish the mattress size or explicitly call it a king bed, so it should be described as a photographed double configuration unless the booking confirmation states otherwise.

Every cabin is marketed with a private lavatory, private shower, air-conditioning, a hair dryer and shower gel. The broader vessel description adds individual climate control, double-layer thermal safety glass, acoustic and moisture insulation, premium cotton linen, a personal minibar, safe, Bose ceiling speakers, Dyson hair dryer, Kohler bathroom fittings and upgraded bath products. The FAQ specifically lists toilet paper, bath and dive towels, body wash, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste and indoor slippers.

The photos confirm distinct bed layouts, but the operator does not publish a formal bed-conversion policy. The Lower Deck Standard, Main Deck Deluxe Balcony and Upper Deck Standard Ocean View rooms are photographed as twins; the Upper Deck Deluxe King is explicitly a king; the VVIP is photographed with a double. Couples and twin-share guests should have the room category, exact bed arrangement and cabin number written into their confirmation.

No cabin floor areas, mattress measurements, doorway widths, balcony dimensions, minibar contents, housekeeping schedule or accessibility features are published. Multi-level access is by stairs, and no lift or wheelchair-adapted cabin is advertised. Guests with mobility, CPAP, charging, dietary or medical needs should request a written answer before paying.

Diving

Cachalo is equipped for a maximum of 18 divers. The dive system includes two 7.5-metre reinforced-fibreglass tenders, each powered by a Yamaha 115 hp outboard, two low-noise air compressors rated at 300 litres per minute and a separate 300-litre-per-minute Nitrox system. The website also shows a sheltered equipment area with individual stations and an indoor camera lounge for photographers.

The route pages advertise up to four dives per day, while the detailed operating rhythm describes three to four dives on normal days, two to three during long crossings and no more than two on the final diving day. The destination cards advertise up to 22 dives on an eight-day Raja Ampat or Banda Sea trip and up to 18 on a seven-day Komodo trip. These are ceilings, not entitlements: weather, current, park rules, travel distance, experience and safety briefings determine the actual count.

The operator publishes an inventory of 50 S80 cylinders and five larger S100 cylinders. It also lists five units under an unclear English translation, “backhand bottles”; their exact size and intended sidemount, stage or bailout use must be confirmed. Fifteen-litre cylinders and an additional sidemount cylinder are optional paid items. Standard cylinders, weights and weight belts are listed as included on the route pages.

Nitrox is advertised free of charge for appropriately certified divers. Personal diver GPS beacons are also described as complimentary, and the itinerary inclusion table identifies them as ENOS units. Dive teams are planned at one guide for four to five divers. PADI courses can be arranged for an extra charge, subject to time and instructor availability.

Experience wording conflicts across the operator's pages. The booking interface says Advanced Open Water with at least 25 dives, while the FAQ recommends AOW, more than 50 logged dives and a dive within the previous six months. Until the operator supplies route-specific rules, the safer sales standard is the stricter one: AOW, 50 logged dives and recent experience. Anyone below that level, or inactive for more than six months, should obtain approval before booking and may need a refresher.

Full rental equipment is available and is defined as BCD, regulator, mask, wetsuit, fins, boots and torch only. Dive computer, extra torch, wetsuit or fins can also be rented separately, along with an action camera, 15-litre cylinder or extra sidemount cylinder. A computer should not be assumed to form part of the “full set.” Sizes, brands, prices and loss or damage conditions must be confirmed in advance.

Raja Ampat, Komodo, the Banda Sea and Alor can involve current, negative entries, deep walls and remote surface pickups. Wildlife ranges from macro subjects to mantas, reef sharks and schooling pelagics, but no encounter is guaranteed. Mandatory dive-accident insurance must cover underwater emergencies and evacuation in Indonesia.

Other Information

Cachalo's commercial pages contain real contradictions, so inclusions should be copied from the selected departure's dated invoice rather than from one isolated marketing panel.

Published as included on the detailed route pages:

• Full-board cabin accommodation and five food services per day
• Water, tea and coffee
• Scheduled diving, potentially up to four dives on a full operating day
• Standard cylinders, weights and weight belts
• Multilingual dive guides and cruise director
• Transfers between the embarkation/disembarkation airport or local hotel and the vessel
• Scheduled land excursions
• Personal ENOS/GPS beacon
• Nitrox for certified users

The booking widget gives a narrower promise: accommodation, meals and onboard entertainment, with park and island-landing fees extra and gratuities excluded. Separately, the FAQ says soft drinks, laundry, dive towels and personal diver GPS are free, and that guests may bring alcohol without corkage. An older exclusion table, however, places soft drinks, laundry and onboard telecommunications outside the package. These conflicts must be resolved in writing. Free Starlink is advertised as a vessel feature, but offshore performance and whether unrestricted access is included are not guaranteed.

Published as excluded or additionally charged:

• 15-litre and additional sidemount cylinders
• PADI courses and all rental dive equipment
• Port clearance and harbour tax
• National-park, local and island-landing fees
• Fuel or distance surcharge
• Alcohol, onboard purchases and services not listed on the invoice
• Crew gratuities; the FAQ suggests USD 20 per guest per day
• Dive, travel and medical insurance
• Flights, visas, hotels before or after the cruise and personal expenses

The current FAQ quotes marine-park fees of USD 240 for 7 days/6 nights, USD 260 for 8 days/7 nights, and USD 325 for 9 days/8 nights or 10 days/9 nights. The page does not make clear whether every destination uses the same schedule, and public fees can change. Record the destination, amount and currency on the invoice.

Scheduled departures are described as confirmed once they reach a minimum of ten guests. The operator says complimentary local airport transfers apply to confirmed departures and that direct-booking guests can receive assistance with Indonesian domestic flights and hotels. Assistance is not the same as paying for flights or accommodation.

Underwater insurance is mandatory. Travel and medical cover should also include evacuation, missed connections, cancellation and remote-area treatment. Indonesian domestic schedules can change, and the operator recommends arriving in the embarkation city one day early. Keep a conservative interval between the final dive and flying; the cruise team and insurer should confirm the required minimum for the actual profile.

Onboard voltage is published as 220 V, but the socket types and USB provision are not clearly specified. The site accepts credit cards, WeChat Pay, Alipay and cash; listed cash currencies are USD, EUR, AUD, RMB and IDR, with exchange conversion referenced to XE. Card or processing fees are not disclosed.

Every booking should state the vessel, route, dates, cabin category and number, occupancy, bed setup, package inclusions, planned dive ceiling, Nitrox, transfers, park fee, port charge, fuel surcharge, rental equipment, insurance requirement, payment schedule and cancellation terms. This is especially important because parts of the route section retain copied wording from another vessel and several English labels conflict with the operator's own technical data.