Is The Kudanil Explorer The Ultimate Indonesian Adventure Yacht?

Forbes

09-05-2025

I'm just going to come out and say it. Yes. Here's why.
First off, few yachts I've seen are so well suited to their intended purpose. In this case, transporting adventurous charter guests to gloriously remote dive and surf sites in Indonesia. But what really blows my mind is that while the Kudanil Explorer's looks will never be confused with a superyacht, it provides accommodations that are in many cases even more luxurious than I've experienced on much larger and more expensive superyachts.
Kudanil Explorer in remote Indonesia
Kudanil Explorer
How is that possible? Well, first off, it's not really a 'yacht' in the traditional sense. It's a converted commercial ship that was specifically designed, and lovingly (and thoroughly) rebuilt to be the ideal Indonesian adventure yacht available for charter with Pelorus Yachting by owner Thibaud Epstein.
'I'm originally from Paris,' he says. 'But, I've always loved the sea. So joined my uncle's company that used these boats commercially in Indonesia.
'And when I wanted to do something different, I thought, why not convert one of these cool capable boats into a luxury expedition ship that we could use to explore remote Indonesian dive and surf sites?
Massive Manta Ray in Indonesia
Kudanil Explorer
'And of course we got carried away. In a good way. I mean, she's not a superyacht. But we hired a hotel designer to create a a luxury interior that allows each cabin to have its own private balcony. She also has a massive top deck for dining and relaxing. And a big aft deck to make it easy to go on adventures. No other indonesian charter boats are anything like this.'
A private balcony aboard the Kudanil Explorer
Kudanil Explorer
As you can see in the photo above, the guest cabin balcony idea really works. In fact, only the owners suites of the largest and most expensive superyachts have the same level of floor to ceiling indoor-outdoor access that all eight guest cabins have aboard the Kudanil Explorer.
'We see the boat as a platform for our guests to have meaningful experiences and to make memories with friends,' he continues. 'Our guests want to do something special. They want to share it with the special people in their lives. And we want to build an experience they will never forget."
And that was certainly the case for Vicky Whithouse who cruised aboard Kudanil Explorer last November. 'We really connected with the crew," she says. "They were warm and friendly and made us feel at home. And it was cool to see that they honestly enjoyed sharing their special part of the world with us. We were quite emotional when it came time to leave.'
'All of us onboard have adventurous souls," Thibaud adds. "We're always asking: 'How can share our love these wild places and diverse cultures in the right way?' And when you combine this purpose-built boat, the crew's warm, adventurous, family vibe with all the amazing places to explore in Indonesia, you get something very, very special.'
'What is it about exploring Indonesia that's so special?' I ask. 'Is it the remoteness? Is it undeveloped nature of the archipelago? Is it the diving? The surfing?'
'It's all that,' he says. 'It's the ultimate yachting destination. The diving and surfing are world class. And there are more than 17,000 islands covering the area the size of the United States to explore.'
'How great is the diving really?' you ask. Well, a typical Kudanil Explorer dive trip in the southern Raja Ampat features some of the world's best dive sites such as: Farondi Cave in the Balubulol Lagoon, Magic Mountain and Whale Rock in the protected Misool Marine Park are on the itinerary. And of course, the ship's enthusiastic and highly experienced dive masters are always there make sure the diving is safe and fun.
'The diving was amazing,' Vicky adds. 'We saw sharks, and a huge manta ray, and a giant clam that I've never seen that before. It was like you were in an aquarium. You were surrounded by fish and coral all the time. In fact, on one dive, I kind of lost which way was up because there was just fish everywhere.'
The famous heart shaped lagoon in Indonesia
Kudanil Explorer
And there's more than diving to be experienced. Thibaud and company has hiked with guests to the famous heart shaped lagoon, and Lenmanaka Lake (filled with rare stingless jellyfish) in the Misool archepelago. And they take guests into sacred caves too.
'Kudanil is hands down the most capable expedition yacht in Indonesia—but beneath her rugged exterior beats a heart," says Pelorus' Director of Yachting Gayle Patterson. "From the love poured into her by Thibaud, to the genuine warmth of her crew who welcomed us like family, and the mind-blowing diving experiences, every moment felt like coming home….with a serious dose of adventure.'
Thibaud also creates similar itineraries that focus on the world-class surfing that's also to be found in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the ship's warm and smiling crew will always make sure the service—from the gourmet locally sourced meals, to chilling out on the top deck with a drink, or playing with all the water toys (including a large inflatable pool off the back of the boat), enjoying a soothing massage, or visiting a local village—is conducive relaxing and meaningful connections with your family and friends.
'It's funny how life works out, right?' Thibaud says. 'With so many islands and over 250 languages spoken, there's always another island, area and culture to discover. That's why I fell in love with Indonesia. That's why I love sharing it with our guests aboard the Kudanil Explorer. And that's why I can never get leave."