Tambora, built in Sulawesi of ironwood and teak, is, like all the best liveaboards in Indonesia, of traditional Phinisi style. She has been entirely constructed out of Sulawesi iron wood and chosen Javanese teak. While her hull has been painted white, the superstructure, decks and roofs have all been finished with a view towards preserving the natural beauty of the teak wood. All decks and the salon rooftop feature teak parquet flooring. This way, the rustic charm and warmth of a traditional wooden vessel could be preserved. All guest suites and rooms on board have been designed by a renowned Indonesian interior designer, and built-to-design by an experienced interior architect. Guest suites are well appointed and tastefully designed in a perfect blend of traditional Indonesian motifs and modern functionality. The traditional Phinsi-style arrangement of the sails has been kept unchanged. Experiencing Tambora under sails, with a good wind blowing, is an amazing sight and a great way to travel through the Indonesian islands.

Great care has been taken to combine the space and atmosphere on deck with the day to day procedures of liveaboard diving. The diove tenders are equipped with customized racks to store diver’s gear in between dives; tanks do not need to be carried back and forth but can be re-filled directly on the tenders. At night and during longer legs of sailing, all gear is stored away from the elements in the dive station.

Each of the 8 guest suites, at least 15sq metres in size, and with a large en-suite bathroom, have a choice of double or twin beds, with a writing desk for tinkering on your laptop, writing a journal or updating your logbook. The cabins are tastefully decorated and the rich timbers make for a warm and relaxing atmosphere. Individual air conditioning controls allow you to adjust the temperature to that which you prefer. Portholes allow in natural light, and when the boat is not moving, fresh breezes!

The large saloon with separate dining and relaxing areas, offers enough space during mealtimes, as well as for plenty of space to relax between dives, or in the evening, chatting to new friends or reading a book. A large flat screen TV with DVD and home cinema system allow you to watch movies or view the photographs and videos taken by you and your fellow guests. Three separate lounge decks – bow, aft and salon rooftop – provide enough space and privacy, and can be fully shielded from the sun.

The food on Tambora is well known, with a range of Indonesian specialities and Western dishes laid out for your delectation. You certainly won’t go hungry, and if you fancy washing dinner down with a cool glass of wine, there is a large selection on board from which to choose.

Tambora offers a huge range of trips covering most of Indonesia, including Raja Ampat, Triton Bay, the Banda Sea, Sulawesi and the east coast of Kalimantan. Please click on the schedule link above for more details.