No air conditioning, no fixed schedule, and a real reason for both. Nomad Archipelago is now on Coralbound with two sister vessels, Bugis and Bajau.
This is a platform announcement. If you're here to plan an Indonesia liveaboard trip, start with the Indonesia liveaboard guide.
Nomad Archipelago
Nomad Archipelago was launched in 2020 by a team with decades of experience sailing Indonesian waters, built around a simple idea captured in their own motto: explore with purpose. It's a slow travel operator through and through — small groups, flexible itineraries shaped by tide and curiosity rather than a fixed daily plan, and a deliberate avoidance of the busier, more crowded routes other operators run.
The boats' names aren't decorative. Bugis and Bajau are named after two of the great seafaring peoples of the Indonesian archipelago — the Bugis of South Sulawesi, historically among the region's most accomplished boat builders and sailors, and the Bajau, the so-called "sea nomads" who have lived on and around these waters for generations, many of them still based in and around Komodo and the Banggai region. Guests meet Bajau communities directly on several itineraries, rather than the culture being reduced to a name on the hull.
Nomad Archipelago is a social enterprise, jointly built in partnership with Nomad Plastic and Blue Alliance Marine Protected Areas. It's a "reef positive" business by design — 100% of proceeds go directly toward the Marine Protected Areas that Blue Alliance co-manages in the Banggai region, a network covering close to 900,000 hectares of coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass habitat. In 2025, the operator was awarded Silver in the Planet category at the EXO Foundation Sustainability Awards, recognising work advancing ocean-positive tourism across Southeast Asia.
A guest looks out over a cluster of forested karst islands and turquoise lagoon from an elevated viewpoint.
Why there's no air conditioning
Both Bugis and Bajau are solar-powered, running silently at anchor with no engine noise, and neither has air conditioning — a deliberate choice rather than a cost-cutting one. Cabins sit above deck with large windows and ventilation louvres designed to work with the sea breeze rather than against it. The solar setup alone saves an estimated 100 litres of diesel and prevents around 270 kg of CO2 emissions a day at anchor. It's a different kind of comfort to a sealed, air-conditioned cabin — one built around listening to the ocean through an open window rather than shutting it out.
This won't suit every traveller, and that's worth being upfront about. If a cool, air-conditioned cabin is non-negotiable for your trip, Nomad Archipelago isn't the right fit — but for guests who want a quieter, more connected way to experience Indonesia, it's precisely the point. Rates sit in the mid-range of the Indonesian liveaboard market, which makes the build quality and finish on both boats stand out — this isn't a budget product priced to match a budget feel.
Bugis
Bugis is a 27.2-metre handcrafted wooden liveaboard carrying a maximum of 8 guests across 4 identical cabins, each with a double bed and an overhead bunk — flexible enough for couples or two travellers sharing. A crew of nine looks after those eight guests, an unusually generous ratio for this segment of the Indonesian market.
Three shared areas make the most of the above-deck design: a covered main deck for casual dining and lounging, a quiet forward upper deck for sunrise coffee or reading, and a part-shaded rear upper deck with a bar for sundowners and stargazing. Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and an adventure tender support exploring anchorages and beaches along the way. Bugis's onboard activities room is set up for snorkelling — this is a snorkelling and leisure-focused vessel on shared departures, with scuba diving available only on private charter by request.
Bajau
Bajau is nearly identical to Bugis in size, design, and philosophy — same dimensions, same solar-powered silent operation, same crew of nine for eight guests. The meaningful difference is her dedicated dive room in place of Bugis's snorkelling activities room, fully equipped with scuba gear, a prep and rinsing area, storage, repair tools, first aid, and emergency oxygen. That makes Bajau the vessel of choice for private groups wanting scuba diving alongside the slow travel format — shared departures remain snorkelling and leisure focused, consistent with the wider Nomad Archipelago program.
Cabins on Bajau are more varied than her sister ship: two cabins with a double bed and overhead bunk, one with a two-person bunk configuration, and one with a king bed — the most spacious single sleeping option across the fleet.
Where Bugis and Bajau sail
Itineraries run 8 to 11 nights across Komodo and Raja Ampat, the Banggai Archipelago in Central Sulawesi, and longer Discovery routes through Wakatobi, Taka Bonerate, Halmahera, and the Banda Arc — a wider geographic spread than most operators offer, and one that reaches parts of central and southeast Sulawesi that very few liveaboards visit at all. Private charters are available across the full range, with shorter customised options possible on request.
What's available to book
Both vessels' upcoming departures are now live on Coralbound with real-time availability and pricing direct from the operator.
Questions? Reach us on WhatsApp or via the contact form. Bookings through Coralbound come at the same price as booking direct, with booking gifts including the option of a complimentary hotel night.
