MV Pindito

Pindito was launched in 1992, the project of Edi Frommenwiler. The vessel measures 124 feet long by 29 feet wide (about 37.8 × 8.8 metres). Its classic lines remain part of the appeal, while the cabins received substantial work in 2017 and another refresh in 2025.

Double or twin: the bunk arrangement matters

Pindito accommodates 16 guests in six double and two twin cabins, all with private bathrooms and individually controlled air-conditioning. The double cabins have a fixed upper single bunk following the 2025 refresh. The twins, Ambon and Aru, also use bunk beds rather than two beds side by side.

Sharing a twin and reserving a cabin privately are different purchases. The exact bed and occupancy arrangement belongs on the booking confirmation, particularly for families and anyone who finds an upper bunk awkward.

Life between dives

The air-conditioned saloon is the natural meeting point at mealtimes, while the shaded upper deck offers a more open setting for a book or a chat between dives. The dedicated camera room keeps housings, chargers and preparation work away from the dining table—a useful distinction when photography is a large part of the holiday.

Meals mix Asian and Western cooking, served family style. An early self-service breakfast comes before the first dive, with a fuller cooked breakfast afterwards; lunch, dinner and snacks fit around the diving day. Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary arrangements are available with advance notice. Wine sits outside the operator’s standard drinks inclusion; other alcohol inclusions depend on the booking package.

Small groups, tenders and included Nitrox

Full diving days generally offer three daytime dives and a night dive. The beginning and end of a voyage have a lighter schedule. Pindito carries four tenders, with the operator describing three in regular use and one on standby, so the fleet size does not mean four separate excursions run continuously.

Nitrox up to 32% is included for appropriately certified divers. The operator does not publish a minimum logged-dive count, but certification is required and groups are arranged around experience. That is different from saying every current-swept site suits a new diver. Travel and diving insurance are required; medical and evacuation cover are particularly important for remote crossings.

Choosing a Pindito route

Raja Ampat loops, Komodo voyages and longer crossings offer quite different holidays. Pindito adjusts daily sites around weather, tides and currents rather than promising an unchanging dive list. The map below distinguishes regional route examples and port variants; it is not a navigation chart or a schedule of guaranteed stops.

Programme checked 9 November 2026. Markers represent towns or broad island references, not exact dive sites. Lines are schematic links, not navigable tracks. Airport gateways may require a road transfer to the boarding port. Port variants and reverse departures must match the individual booking.

Show all routes Reset to Raja Ampat

The route table above remains available if the map cannot load.

The wider programme also lists Kaimana/Triton Bay and Forgotten Islands voyages. These require departure-specific route confirmation; the map above does not represent them. Special Raja Ampat departures may focus on mantas or natural history without becoming a different geographical circuit.

A glimpse of Pindito in Komodo

Play Pindito voyage film

Pindito Promo by Lee Burghard, filmed aboard and around Komodo. Boat photo: LiveAboard.com. The film is an introduction to the voyage, not an inspection of the 2025 cabin refresh. Watch the film at its source

A comparable cruise budget

The 30 November–11 December 2026 Raja Ampat departure is advertised at US$6,400 per person for 11 nights, sharing a cabin. Its trip listing adds US$80 harbour fees, US$200 fuel and an estimated US$200 park fee. The operator’s general terms instead list US$250 for fuel and an estimated US$250 for parks.

This range makes the published fee discrepancy visible; it is a planning allowance, not a guaranteed final total. The departure quotation should settle the applicable charges. Flights, additional hotels, insurance, equipment rental and gratuities remain outside it.

The cruise includes accommodation, full board, scheduled diving, Nitrox, offered land excursions and local airport transfers. Wine is extra. Rental equipment is priced separately, and the final package should specify drinks and any promotional inclusions. Longer expeditions and private cabins need their own comparison.

Arrival and non-diving companions

Same-day airport or city-hotel transfers are included at the start and end of the cruise. Arriving the day before gives a domestic-flight delay some breathing room; a missed departure may mean paying for a private transfer to catch the boat.

Travelling with a non-diver?

Non-divers are welcome, and selected voyages offer snorkelling, naturalist activities, island visits or whale watching. A private snorkel guide can be arranged. No current standard non-diver discount was verified, so that fare needs a departure-specific quotation.

What guests loved — and what could be better

LiveAboard.com displays 8.8/10 from seven verified reviews, checked 9 November 2026. The sample is small and spans several years; it supports useful individual observations rather than a promise that every voyage feels the same. Divezone’s visitor votes remain separate.

Have you travelled aboard Pindito? Your route, travel month and cabin details would help the next diver choose. Share your experience.

Research checked 9 November 2026 using Pindito and LiveAboard.com. This is a researched review, not a new firsthand inspection. Photos selected from the current partner gallery; film by Lee Burghard. Existing reader comments remain below.