Phone signal and Wi-Fi at sea

Treat Wi-Fi as not available on either boat unless your written quote says otherwise. Charging points are not promised either. Bring a power bank and your own plugs, and charge everything at the hotel the night before you board.

If a connection matters for work, plan the trip as three days offline and tell people at home before you leave.

Both boats have karaoke and music. If a quiet evening with no screens is what you want, that is already the default.

Telkomsel has the widest coverage near Labuan Bajo and offshore, and signal is still patchy between the islands. Plan on no reliable signal in the park. Every SIM must be registered, and visitors register with a passport.

An eSIM is the easier route. Install it before you fly and activate it on landing. Cash and cards need the same forethought, because there are no ATMs in the park or on the islands.

Electricity on land is 230 V, with two-round-pin plugs of types C and F. Ask in writing which sockets are on board, and carry an adaptor either way.

A teenager who lives on a phone needs a plan, not a promise. Download films, music and maps at the hotel before you board, agree a message time at a stop with signal, and plan the day around the stops and not the screen.

A parent who must work should tell the office in advance that the days on the route are out of reach. Three days is a short stretch to be offline. If you cannot be, a private charter is not a good fit for the work and an office day beside the hotel pool is.

See the teenagers page for the walks and snorkels that fill a teenager's day.

Send your itinerary and our WhatsApp contact to someone at home before you leave, and say that you will be out of reach on the route for most of three days. Agree when you will message, and what happens if you do not. A short plan, written down, beats a long worry on the water.

For emergencies, the numbers on land are 112 for general emergencies, 118 or 119 for medical help and 115 for search and rescue. Sea Familia 1 carries a marine radio and a Garmin GPS. Sea Familia 2 lists a complete set of safety equipment.

Keep a copy of your written booking with you. The arrival page covers flights, money and health.