Dive trip with Nawasena Liveaboard - 7 nights

Boat

Nawasena Liveaboard is a traditional-style Indonesian phinisi created for small-group diving, snorkelling and private exploration across the Coral Triangle. Its name is derived from Sanskrit and is presented by the operator as meaning “bright future”, a fitting identity for a vessel that combines Indonesian boatbuilding character with a contemporary hospitality concept.

The yacht measures 44 metres overall, with a 33-metre deck length and 8.65-metre beam. It was originally built in 2010 and is listed by the operator as refitted in 2026. The wooden structure uses ironwood and teak, materials long associated with Indonesian working and sailing vessels. A single 650 hp Doosan Marine engine provides propulsion; the public technical sheet does not state cruising speed, range or generator specifications, so these should not be invented in sales material.

There is an important status caveat. At the research date of 8 August 2026, the operator’s recent official social post still described Nawasena as being built and “almost ready”, while the booking widget displayed departures beginning in August 2026. The cabin and vessel imagery currently published is computer-generated design material rather than documentary photography of the completed refit. Before selling a near-term voyage, obtain written confirmation that the vessel is operational and that the exact departure will run aboard the completed Nawasena.

Nawasena accommodates a maximum of 14 guests in seven cabins. Its signature service model pairs a professional Indonesian guide with each cabin, equivalent to a maximum 2:1 guest-to-guide ratio when a cabin is occupied by two people. This is substantially more personal than the guide ratios found on many larger liveaboards, although daily group formation still depends on certification, experience, interests and conditions.

Social life centres on an air-conditioned salon with lounge seating, a single-table dining area, television, library and bar. Open decks provide separate places for sunbathing, stargazing and quiet time. The upper open deck is promoted for yoga and massage, while sheltered exterior areas allow guests to remain outside between activities without occupying the working dive deck.

Current trip records include breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. They also list non-alcoholic beverages and, on departures carrying the operator’s detailed inclusion schedule, one glass of house wine per guest with dinner. Additional alcoholic drinks are chargeable, and the company’s safety policy permits alcohol only after diving has finished for the day.

Non-divers are welcome. Snorkelling, sea kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, land excursions and water toys can be built into the voyage. Massage and training are offered but are not automatically included. Exact availability is controlled by route, weather, local permission, equipment serviceability and the dated booking confirmation.

Navigation equipment published by the operator includes chart plotting, high- and low-frequency sonar, magnetic compass, radar and GPS. Communications include VHF, SSB/HF radio and a satellite phone. Two rigid inflatable boats and one dinghy support dives and shore visits. The watermaking plant is rated at 10,000 litres per day, while fuel storage is stated as 18,000 litres.

The safety list includes personal location devices, EPIRB, lifejackets, ring buoys, flares, liferaft capacity for 35 people, emergency oxygen, first-aid kits, a backboard and AED. Fire protection includes detectors, extinguishers, heat sensors, a suppression system, fire hose, fire suits with self-contained breathing apparatus and related equipment. This inventory is reassuring but does not replace the embarkation briefing or a guest’s duty to follow the captain and cruise director.

No accessible cabin, lift or step-free circulation route is published. The four Ocean cabins are below deck, and tender boarding, stairs, raised thresholds and moving decks are inherent to this type of vessel. Anyone with reduced mobility, a significant medical condition or powered medical equipment should obtain a written suitability assessment before paying a deposit.

Cabin

Nawasena has exactly seven guest cabins for 14 guests. Every category includes storage, an ensuite bathroom and independently controlled air conditioning. Warm teak finishes are consistent across the accommodation, but the deck position, floor area, bed arrangement and private outdoor space differ materially between categories.

• 4 Ocean Cabins — lower deck, 12 m² each, maximum 2 guests per cabin: these ocean-level cabins can be arranged with one double bed or two twin beds. Each has an ensuite bathroom, independent air conditioning, storage and low-level exterior views. The flexible bedding makes this the practical category for friends, couples or same-gender sharing. The operator does not publish individual cabin numbers, exact mattress dimensions or a statement that every bed can be converted after embarkation; the preferred layout should therefore be confirmed in advance.
• 2 Balcony Cabins — top/upper deck, 16 m² interior plus a 3 m² private balcony, maximum 2 guests per cabin: each stateroom opens directly to its own balcony and includes an ensuite bathroom and independent air conditioning. An earlier operator lookbook described queen-size beds, while the current cabin page does not restate the bed measurement. The safe wording is “double/queen-style bed subject to the current rooming plan” until the operator confirms the installed mattress size in writing.
• 1 Master Suite — top/upper deck aft, 32 m² interior plus a 12 m² private balcony, maximum 2 guests: the Master spans the full beam and has a king bed, abundant natural light and a private balcony with an approximately 180-degree panorama. It is positioned aft of the two Balcony cabins and is the vessel’s largest accommodation. The current operator page lists 32 m²; older promotional material showed 34 m², so the current 32 m² figure should be used.

Capacity is straightforward: 4 Ocean × 2 guests + 2 Balcony × 2 guests + 1 Master × 2 guests = 14 guests. There are no advertised triple, family, bunk or dedicated single cabins. A solo booking therefore uses one of the double-occupancy cabins and may attract a supplement or require sharing, depending on the departure.

The four Ocean rooms are the only flexible twin/double category publicly confirmed. The two Balcony cabins should not be promised as twins, and the Master is specifically presented with a king bed. A charter organiser should collect the complete rooming request before contract, especially when a group contains more than four guests who require separate beds.

All seven cabins are ensuite. The public pages do not specify shower dimensions, separate shower stalls, electric WC type, toiletries, robes, safes, minibars, televisions, USB outlets, voltage, sound insulation or housekeeping frequency. An older operator lookbook mentioned hairdryers in every category, but the current cabin page does not repeat this amenity. These details should be checked on the pre-departure information sheet rather than added as assumptions.

Deck position influences the experience. Lower-deck Ocean cabins sit closer to machinery and water sounds but generally have less high-level motion than upper accommodation. The Balcony and Master categories offer more light and private exterior access, while their elevated position can increase perceived movement. The aft Master may also experience activity from open decks or vessel operations. No cabin can be guaranteed silent on a working wooden yacht.

The phrase “personal guide for each cabin” describes the service ratio, not a private butler permanently assigned to the room. Guides support diving and exploration; cabin cleaning, meals and deck work remain shared crew functions. Private charter guests may request a specific operating style, but the captain retains control of safety and navigation.

Before final payment, request a cabin allocation showing category, deck, bed configuration, occupancy, private balcony where applicable and any single-use supplement. Guests with allergies should also ask what feather, latex or other bedding materials are installed, since mattress and pillow composition is not published.

Diving

Nawasena is designed around highly personalised recreational diving. The operator advertises seven guides for seven cabins, and current detailed trip records describe a 2:1 guest-to-guide ratio. This allows photographers, macro enthusiasts, wide-angle divers and mixed-experience couples to follow different tempos without forcing all 14 guests into one group.

The dive deck provides individual seating and gear storage, with each guest station beside the associated guide station. There are two freshwater showers, a wetsuit hanging area and a rinse tank. Diving is conducted from two rigid inflatable boats, allowing the main vessel to remain at a safe anchorage and enabling separate groups to time entries around current.

On departures with the full current inclusion list, certified divers receive scheduled fun dives, standard tanks, weights, weight belt and SMB. Nitrox fills are included for appropriately certified EANx divers. A 15-litre cylinder, full rental kit, computer, torch and individual equipment pieces are displayed as paid extras. Every diver is required to use a personal dive computer.

Published routes generally require at least Open Water Diver or equivalent certification. The booking system sets a route-specific experience threshold of either 30 or 50 logged dives. Explore Raja Ampat, The Gems of Alor, The Gems of East Nusa, The Secret of Seram Sea and The Banda Saga II currently show 30; many other routes, including Beyond Komodo, Best of Raja Ampat, Raja Ampat Exploration, Halmahera’s Crown and the longer Lesser Sunda crossings, show 50. These are minimum booking indicators, not a promise that every site suits every diver.

Currents can be strong in Komodo, Alor, the Banda Arc, Halmahera and exposed Raja Ampat channels. Blue-water entries, negative entries, reef hooks, deep walls, surge and remote conditions may occur. The cruise director can modify a profile or refuse a particular dive when recent experience, buoyancy, gas management, medical fitness or sea conditions make participation unsafe.

The operator promotes PADI instruction from introductory experiences to advanced and technical training. Courses are separately priced and must be reserved. No public technical inventory confirms twinsets, sidemount cylinders, helium, oxygen boosting, bailout, scrubber material or rebreather support. Technical or CCR divers must obtain an equipment-and-gas confirmation rather than interpreting the word “technical” as universal support.

Wildlife references describe possibilities, not guarantees. Depending on region and season, trips may encounter mantas, wobbegong sharks, schooling hammerheads, reef sharks, whale sharks, turtles, sea snakes, pygmy seahorses and rare macro life. Weather, current, animal movement and conservation restrictions determine actual encounters.

Dive-accident insurance requires special attention. Some current itinerary records list operator-provided dive-accident insurance among inclusions, yet the company’s terms separately require every diver to provide proof of active qualifying insurance covering hyperbaric treatment and evacuation. Unless written confirmation says the included cover fulfils that obligation, guests should arrive with their own policy and proof.

Other Information

Nawasena sells both shared voyages and private charters. Commercial details vary between departure records, and some expedition entries show abbreviated inclusions. The invoice for the selected date is therefore authoritative.

Current departures carrying the operator’s full inclusion schedule list the following as included:

• Accommodation in the confirmed air-conditioned ensuite cabin
• Return transfer between Nawasena and the nearest airport or hotel in the embarkation/disembarkation town
• Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• One glass of house wine per person with dinner
• Snorkelling equipment
• Use of paddleboards, sea kayaks and stated water toys
• Dedicated diving guide at a maximum 2:1 guest-to-guide ratio
• Scheduled fun dives for certified divers
• Standard tanks, weights, weight belt and SMB
• Nitrox fills for EANx-certified divers
• Dive-accident insurance as stated on the trip record, subject to the insurance caveat above
• National-park and port fees
• Wi-Fi where local mobile/network coverage is available

Normally excluded or separately charged on those same detailed records:

• International and domestic flights
• Hotels before and after the cruise
• Comprehensive travel and cancellation insurance
• Alcohol beyond the stated dinner wine inclusion
• Rental dive equipment, 15-litre cylinders, computers and torches
• PADI courses, refreshers, specialties and certification costs
• Massage treatments and laundry
• Personal purchases and crew gratuities
• Relocation fees outside standard routes or home ports
• Early arrival or late departure outside standard check-in/check-out times
• Any service not specifically written into the dated confirmation