Pindito is in a class of its own

Pindito remains one of the most robust and seaworthy liveaboard vessels in Indonesia.

Swiss/Indonesia owned, she has an exemplary safety record and leads the way in shipboard safety and hospitality. While she is a traditional Pinisi design, she is not a pinisi, as she was originally built to passenger shipping standards with German Lloyds.

Operating with up to 24 crew, servicing 6 guests, every attention to detail is attended to. We have 30 years unbroken experience of the region, far longer than any other vessel. With four zodiacs and in-water guide to guest ratios of 4:1, we offer a wonderful level of discovery and interpretation.

Who comes on our trips?

Our trips tend to suit more people in the 45+ age bracket who are looking to associate with other people of like mind, who enjoy exploring. They tend to be adventurous in spirit and want a bit of extra comfort and service.

We have a very high return visitor rate owing to exceptionally good onboard hospitality and operational standards.

You won't lift a finger while onboard ... this includes all your gear. To make your journey as convenient and comfortable as possible, you will receive meticulous trip planning support from us. We do depart from some fairly remote places and are on hand to help book your flights too. Plus, all your questions will be answered, as our team is easy to work with and quick to respond.

The Pindito is quite a tranquil environment and because it’s a home as well as a ship, there is an open-bridge policy. Crew and guests get to know each other well. However, she is also a large ship with only a small number of guests. Hence, there is plenty of space to get your own privacy.

She is also an extremely quiet vessel. Therefore, on the top-deck you can hardly hear her engines. We can even use free-standing telescopes on tripods to observe whales, as she's twin-stabilised. As she generally cruises in calm tropical waters, flanked by islands, conditions tend to be somewhat benign. However, when rough seas arise unexpectedly (which can happen unfortunately these days, due to climate change), she is extremely seaworthy.

The majority of trips are in flat water and if there’s need to move offshore, calm days are picked. So, few people ever get sea sick. It also helps that we run flexible itineraries designed very much with the holiday-maker in mind.

Edi Frommenwiler was a mechanic, long-distance lorry driver, then adventure tour guide for ten years before he decided to embark on the journey of his life.

It was 1991 on the island of Pulau Laut off Kalimantan when Edi, Ella and a team that included Edi's brother Robi and Ella's brother Toto, dug a dry dock and on 31 March laid the first timber keel of the Pindito.

Despite having no previous expertise in ship-building, Edi taught himself AutoCAD design. He designed the ship he wanted, one that would float for a hundred years and could be insured by German Lloyds.

Built from the strongest Indonesian timber, Pindito is almost over-engineered. The keel is made from a single piece of hardwood. Tens of thousands of bolts and a team of almost a hundred carpenters toiled to bring the ship to life before its launch in 1992.

Pindito has eight teak-panelled 3 x 3 m cabins. These all have individual air-conditioning and recently-refurbished ensuite bathrooms, plus five 220v AC electrical outlets (European 2-pole plugs), available 24/7.

Your cabin is cleaned daily with fresh towels, as necessary. Also, in our double cabins, we will happily add an upper bunk to accommodate a family with one child or two people who just want an extra surface on which to place their gear.

We are very happy to accommodate single travellers with another same-sex traveller. Or, single supplements are available for 1.5x cruise price.

• MV Pindito is a fully airconditioned motor sailor. The salon is equipped with flat screen TV, DVD and
• audio systems for presentations.
• Construction: Wooden ship with BKI classification, Type Pinisi (Traditional Indonesian Motor Sailer).
• Mechanical Equipment: Yanmar 6HA2M-WHT 350 PS engine. Generators, 2 x 40kW. 2,000 gallon fuel tank and Desalinator, reverse-osmosis Watermaker. 4 Zodiacs (4).
• Safety Equipment: VHF and DSC & HF DSC radios. EPIRB, 2 x GPS’s, radar, 2 x depth sounder, flares, basic first aid kits, 3 tenders with outboards, flotation rings, 2x life rafts, Venol oxygen unit, O2.
• Satellite communication (Iridium) and email.
• Diving Equipment: 2 Mariner Bauer, Nitrox membrane compressor (32%). 40 x 80cf tanks with DIN adaptors available
• Guest Accommodation: For maximum 16 guests. 6 cabins with double beds, 2 cabins with twin beds.
• Extra bunk available upon request for double cabins. All guest cabins have their own shower, washbasin, toilet, individually controlled air conditioning and electricity 24 hours a day - 220v, 50Hz (110v available in Camera Room).
• Crew: All crew are trained and certified. There are 17 Indonesian crew members plus Guides. Dive guides are multilingual (English, German, Bahasa Indonesian)
• Beam: 29 ft
• Length: 124 ft
• Speed: 8-9 knots cruising
• Cruising range: 1,300 nautical miles
• Fuel consumption on an average trip, 5,000 litres. (~312l per guest)