After more than two decades operating handcrafted phinisi yachts across Indonesia’s most remote waters, Silolona Sojourns is preparing for its next major expansion: a third vessel and a series of conservation-driven itineraries with a renowned marine scientist.

In a recent conversation with LATTE, Co-Owner Sarah Seery explained that the proposed third vessel will significantly increase capacity. “We’ve got the five cabin, the three cabins, we’d like to go up to an eight cabin,” she said. This is on the back of rising demand from “bigger groups and multi-gen families,” she explained, as well as travellers who are increasingly seeking “more remote locations” and custom-designed expedition routes.

The new yacht – like the two existing vessels Silolona and Si Datu Bua – will be a traditionally built wooden phinisi, crafted in Sulawesi using heritage shipbuilding techniques. “It takes two years,” she said of the process. “You select your tree and they’ll hand cut it down and get it out of the jungle.” The building techniques have been “passed through generations”, she added.

Meanwhile, 2026 will see the launch of a new portfolio of conservation-led, fixed-date departures, a first for the company, which has historically operated almost exclusively as a private-charter provider.

“Next year we’re doing something slightly experimental,” Seery shared. “We’ve been working with Mark Erdmann from Conservation International for 20 years, but next year we’re going to do these set itineraries with him.”

Erdmann has agreed to guide the voyages personally. “He’s kindly offered to be a guide on board for any clients that wish to do some more conservation work or go surveying for new fish species, releasing sharks into the wild, manta population, tagging,” she said. These trips will also be open to FIT travellers: “We’ll sell by cabin for those.”

The new voyages represent an important milestone for the company. “We just wanted to really give back even more than we have ever before,” Seery said. “It’s really exciting for us to offer something like that.”

Alongside these new departures, the company is also shifting into less crowded archipelagos. “We’re moving away a little bit from Komodo and doing Flores and Alor instead,” she revealed. In addition, itineraries will explore “the lesser known parts of Raja Ampat,” as well as Halmahera, the Spice Islands, and Cenderawasih Bay on Papua’s north coast – regions with few other liveaboards and exceptional wildlife.

“It’s very remote. The beaches are absolutely stunning. The diving is incredible,” she said. “We do the bird watching up in the mountains where there are traditional villages.”

Although the operator draws strong demand from the US, UK, Europe and Russia, Australia and Asia remain largely untapped. Increasing trade education to build awareness in those markets is therefore a key focus for next year, according to Seery. She identified the trade as the primary booking channel for guests, with 70% of sales coming through travel advisors.

Despite rising competition in the region, she believes Silolona Sojourn’s long history provides a strong advantage. “We’ve been operating for 22 years,” she stressed. “A lot of our crew are still with us from the beginning.” Their all-inclusive luxury concept also stands out with impressive crew to guest ratios – there are 17 crew on the larger vessel and 14 crew on the other. “All the food, beverage, water sports, everything’s included,” she added.