Our Story
More than a decade chartering Indonesia's remote waters with travelers from around the world.
The Premise
Indonesia is home to some of the most extraordinary waters on Earth: reefs at the heart of the world's marine biodiversity, volcanic islands, and seafaring cultures unchanged for centuries. Indo Yachts exists to connect adventurous travelers with these waters through private yacht charters built on more than a decade of first-hand experience.
The First Expedition
In 2012, there was virtually no reliable information on yacht charters in Indonesia. Planning a trip from overseas was nearly impossible. Even from Bali, where our founder was living at the time, finding a boat to explore Komodo National Park could only be done by word-of-mouth.
One day, a Belgian explorer handed over a hand-written itinerary to some rarely visited islands on a boat he had been fixing up. Googling the island names turned up almost nothing. The idea of going to places still undiscovered by tourism, let alone the Internet, was irresistible.
So began a 12-night journey that would cover over 1,000 kilometers at sea.
The view from our first expedition. Islands that hadn't been visited by outsiders in years.
Into the Unknown
A dive compressor was rented and bolted to the deck. Provisions were loaded. The expedition set out on what would become a transformative journey.
The crew set foot on islands that hadn't been visited by outsiders in years. They found themselves as guests at a Buginese wedding. They dove with a congregation of some 50 mobula rays. Bonfires were lit on beaches with no one around for miles. Encounters with seafaring Bajau, who had spent their entire lives on small wooden boats, offered glimpses into cultures unchanged for generations.
Something shifted during that trip. The seed was planted for what would eventually become Indo Yachts.It was, until that point, the adventure of our lives.
A Different Way to Travel
More trips followed: diving and hiking in Komodo, exploring forgotten islands and atolls on rugged phinisis. Having spent time on boats in Europe and the Caribbean, it became clear that cruising Indonesia was something else entirely.
The boats blend into the landscapes. The focus is on adventure, with freedom to roam and connect with the natural world. There are no marinas, no crowds, no fixed itineraries. Every day brings a new anchorage, a new reef to explore, a new village to visit.
Those early charters planted the seed of wanting to share these experiences with others. It took three more years before the idea of starting a company took shape.
"The boats blend into the landscapes, and the focus is on a sense of adventure with more freedom to roam."
Dunia Baru at anchor in Wayag, Raja Ampat
An Untapped Market
The problem was clear: there was no reliable information on yacht charters in Indonesia. Making an informed decision was impossible without personal relationships or seeing a boat in person.
Travel agents had no local expertise. International brokers didn't know the waters or the vessels. Yacht owners produced no marketing materials. And Indonesian law requires chartering locally-registered yachts, creating a closed market inaccessible to outsiders.
A Komodo dragon swimming between islands. Komodo and Rinca remain the only places in the world where they live in the wild.
Most boats focused exclusively on dive trips, with little sense for planning experiences that included hiking, beach time, and cultural exploration. And while there were all levels of yachts, they all looked the same from afar. Most sold cabin berths. We decided to focus on private charters only, customized from the start.
The Founding Principle
Indo Yachts was founded in 2015 with one simple promise: never charter a boat that hadn't been personally inspected first.
This approach makes growth slower, but ensures a level of quality that can be genuinely stood behind. When sending anyone out to sea, first-hand knowledge of the vessel should be a prerequisite, not an afterthought.
In a world of yacht brokers and travel agents, Indo Yachts offers something different: specialist service built on real experience in a specific region. Everything on our site comes from personal knowledge. The result is the most complete resource on Indonesia's charter yachts and the waters they cruise.
"Never charter a boat for someone else that I hadn't been on myself first."
The founding principle of Indo Yachts
Selecting the Yachts
The bow of Dunia Baru. Traditional design meets modern engineering.
The yachts Indo Yachts represents are wooden sailing yachts: traditional phinisi design outfitted with modern technology. Each vessel was built for Indonesia's archipelago, with the range and self-sufficiency to reach remote anchorages.
Every yacht in the program is selected for its category. The approach is to work only with vessels known intimately. Growth is slower this way, but essential for recommending yachts with complete confidence.
The yachts complement each other. Each one has specific traits suited to different groups, itineraries, and styles of travel.
Swimming alongside whale sharks in Cenderawasih Bay, the only known habitat of non-migratory whale sharks.
Trust & Reputation
Reputation in this industry is built through long-term relationships with clients, yacht owners, and partners. Indo Yachts has established a track record chartering the region's top yachts and creating experiences consistently described as "vacations of a lifetime."
Most business comes from referrals: past clients returning year after year, yacht owners recommending Indo Yachts to friends, and the region's leading resorts entrusting their highest-value guests. Other charter companies and travel management firms contract Indo Yachts for local expertise: verification, up-to-date yacht information, and custom itinerary development.
Indo Yachts was founded with a simple operating goal: about forty well-crafted charters per year. In the early years, one July saw twenty charters in a single month. That was the moment the formula proved itself.
In 2018, Indo Yachts became the first and only IYBA (International Yacht Brokers Association) member in Indonesia, aligning operations with international standards while maintaining the local expertise that makes the difference.
Full-Service Experiences
Each yacht in the program is a study in Indonesian boatbuilding.
As client needs evolved, so did the services. Beyond yacht charter, Indo Yachts now coordinates every part of the Indonesian journey, from the first inquiry to the last departure.
As brokers, the team negotiates terms on the client's behalf. As charter specialists, they shape each day on board around what the guests actually want. For stopovers and extensions, a working list of the villas and resorts we recommend is maintained.
Special events, expert-led excursions, and, most recently, private aviation keep even remote destinations within reach.
Becoming parents brought first-hand insight into what families need when chartering with children aboard.
Founder & Director
Nikko Karki
Indonesian charter specialist since 2015
With a background spanning yachting, hospitality, and finance, including a master's thesis at Aker Yards on selling cruise ships, Nikko brings the operator-level yacht knowledge and the taste required to match the right vessel to the right guest.
Indo Yachts specializes in a style of charter that is neither liveaboard nor white yacht. These are wooden phinisi: treasures of Indonesian design and craftsmanship, built from the hardwoods of the very islands they sail. Guided by crews who know these waters intimately, each journey becomes something more than a trip.
The skill is in making adventures happen. Weaving together the best of the best for each day: the right anchorage, the perfect dive site, the village celebration happening that evening. It's a level of curation that comes only from years of experience and genuine relationships throughout the region.
Credentials
Industry Recognition
IYBA Member
First and only member in Indonesia
Best Charter Company Nominee
Singapore Yacht Show 2018
Best Charter Company Nominee
Thailand Yacht Show 2019
The Journey
Our Milestones
First Expedition
A 12-night journey through rarely visited islands on a hand-written itinerary. The adventure that planted the seed.
Indo Yachts Founded
After three years of exploration, Indo Yachts was established in Bali to share these adventures with the world.
International Recognition
Nominated Best Charter Company in Asia at Singapore Yacht Show. Joined IYBA as the first Indonesian member.
Continued Excellence
Nominated Best Charter Company at Thailand Yacht Show.
Through the Pandemic
First operator back in both Komodo and Raja Ampat as restrictions lifted, with standards held throughout.
Indonesia Reopens
Fully operational as Indonesia reopened to travelers worldwide.
US Office Opens
Expanded to North America to handle service across time zones.
The Tenth Year
A decade of charters across Indonesia's remote waters, with the same first-hand standard from day one.
Elevating the Experience
Refined the yacht program, itineraries, and onboard service for more personalized journeys across Indonesia.
Continue Exploring
Dispatches from Indonesia's most extraordinary waters. Yacht features, expedition reports, and the stories behind our most memorable charters.
Ultimate Guide to Komodo Dragons
Dunia Baru Reborn
Breathing Life Into The Phinisi
6 Breathtaking Spots in Indonesia
Practical Guides
Everything you need to know before chartering in Indonesia. From costs and logistics to destination comparisons and packing lists.
Ready to Begin?
Every charter starts with a conversation. Tell us what you have in mind.