Dear Max and Nana

Apologies for our delay in emailing following our special trip with you last weekend.

We all really enjoyed the experience aboard Ananda. Ian just loved living aboard, Lizzie enjoyed the diving opportunities and I appreciated the opportunity to completely relax.

Nana was so kind and thoughtful with her food prep for Lizzie which made it so much more enjoyable for us all. She really worked so hard to make sure we could all enjoy our food.

The highlight for Lizzie was definitely the Manta Rays and I think had she realised there could have been the chance to do a second dive with them she most certainly would have taken it. She did however enjoy the overall diving experience with Fandi.

We all enjoyed learning about the Komodo’s and the people of the islands but thought on reflection if you were to only do two walks with them we all would have missed the first one. The village walk was very thought provoking and the one from the Ranger station was interesting and museum helped enhance our learning.

Please do pass on our sincere thanks to all your crew for their friendly and efficient help on board.

Best regards

Julie Ian and Lizzie Barker

March/April 2024

We had a 4 night cruise with our family (2 sons of 16 and 18 years). It was a more than fantastic stay at the Ananda. The owners and the crew are very service oriented. We had marvelous breakfasts, lunches and diners. Don’t forget the well made cocktails at the private beaches, well prepared by the crew. 
We had lovely snorkeling and saw a lot of tropical fishes, turtles and sharkes and beautiful corals. 
The Ananda is a very well equiped ship: Nice cabins, very much space inside and outside. The crew was fantastic.

Bos family

August 2023

Dear Nana and Max,

Now back home in England, I wish to thank you very much for your hospitality during our luxury cruise on your beautiful boat.

Every member of the crew was very professional as well as very friendly.
And I very much appreciated your welcome and kindness. You adapted perfectly to our expectations,  Nana treated us to wonderfully delicious meals and I enjoyed the easy conviviality of the conversation and entertainment!

Sailing on the Ananda was definitely a highlight in our journey of discovery through Indonesia!

Sending you my very best wishes and kind regards,

Claudine Renshaw

August 2023

From the moment we stepped on board Ananda, the hospitality and welcome we received from Max, Nanna, and their team was fabulous. Ananda deserves a mention all of her own – what a beauty, just stunning. Komodo Park too exceeded our expectations; pink sand beaches with turquoise water, big skies viewed from secluded beaches. We saw dragons, dolphins, deer, boar, and on the reefs the snorkelling is world class. The kids felt safe with our hosts when looking for mantas, or being dragged behind the speedboat on a donut! We would love to return, not least for one of Nanna’s awesome feasts.

Guy Pudney

August 2023

The Ananda deserves a 6 star review. The Ananda is truly in a class by itself among boats exploring Komodo National Park (Komodo, Rinca and Padar). It has no competitors for beauty, comfort, guides, crew, cuisine and quality of activities. Owner Max has built a boat that combines the warmth of Indonesian style with classic European sophistication, comfort and charm. You come as guests and leave as family. Chef Nana is extraordinary. Pablo, our guide who happens to be a dive master (we only snorkeled but felt like we saw what many divers spot due to Pablo’s incredible eye), is a wonderful man. Crew member Freddie was delightful. My wife and I spent 5 glorious nights aboard this magical boat exploring breathtaking scenery, the prehistoric looking Komodo dragons and underwater wonders in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. The Ananda must be experienced to be believed. It will exceed the most well-traveled guest’s expectations. Thank you to Max, Nana, Pablo, Freddie and the crew. You represent the heart and soul of Indonesia, a country that should not be missed by anyone who fancies themselves a world traveler.

Best regards,
Richard and Florence

June 2023

We wish to thank you again for five wonderful days our family had the pleasure to spend aboard Ananda over Christmas. You and your crew did really everything to turn our cruise through Komodo national park into a truly unforgettable experience. The Ananda is a fantastic ship to spend your holidays on, it is extremely well-kept, and the attention given to details is remarkable. Needless to say that diving in Komodo is just amazing, and you took us to spectacular places with a variety of under water wildlife difficult to find anywhere else. Also our excursions to remote sandbanks and islands were wonderful experiences. Throughout our trip we were in extremely capable and diligent hands. And a special word of thanks to Nana whose cooking is not only delicious but is also making the cordial atmosphere aboard Ananda unique.

Thank you again for wonderful holidays!

Karolin, Thomas, Ferdinand, Julius, Korbinian

December 2022

It was a great holiday to go around Flores, Rinca and Komodo island with Ananda.

We made a 6 days lasting trip, and each day we made 2-3 great experiences, exploring fantastic dive spots with the divemaster, watching the Komodo varans, or just made a barbecue on a lonesome beach.

The Ananda ship is very very comfortable, all the staff working there is friendly and helpful, and Nana is probably the best cook from East Indonesia!!!!!

We just can recommend Ananda cruise for 100%

Barbara, Supriyanto, Jean-Luc, Katja, Joachim

September 2022

We had a wonderful few days on Ananda. The crew looked after us really well, preparing lovely food and drinks and organising great excursions. The diving was the highlight and was out of this world. The dive team did a brilliant job and made us feel really safe. The boat has loads of character and is beautifully maintained. And last but by no means least Max was a super host. All of our family agreed it was the highlight of our holiday in Indonesia and we’d thoroughly recommend it.

Michael Topham

July 2022

We had an amazing time on the Anantara for 5 days in September 2022.  We sailed around the Komodo islands. 
We are a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 teenagers, all PADI certified divers.  The diving was outstanding and the crew was great, they all went out of their way to make sure we had a great time.
The engineer was super kind to our son and taught how to fish.  The dive master was funny, sweet and knowledgeable and took us to some amazing spots.  Max and his wife, Nana were the best hosts.   Nana makes world class cuisine and cocktails.  We do not drink a lot but we love a great cocktail or a fresh juice.  
We have rented catamarans before in the Caribbean and Asia and we live in Europe so are used to amazing quality food.  The food was one of our main concerns for going on a boat but we loved every dish. 
The boat is surprisingly large, with lots of space to relax and play games. 
Highly recommend for families with teenagers who are looking for an active, adventure filled trip. 

The Find Family: Maia, Frederik, Ludvig & Andreea 

August 2022

A big thank you to you and the crew for a fantastic 4 days in September 2022. It really was the highlight of our Indonesian holiday. 

We didn’t really know what to expect before our arrival but the boat is very comfortable and  had everything we needed as a family. The food was great and Nana produced a stream of delicious and perfectly executed dishes. The diving was a complete highlight and we loved our two dives a day routine. Egi , as the dive master , handled us extremely well given we were a mixture of newly qualified and rusty older divers but we grew in confidence during each dive and loved it.  I think there is more to see in Komodo than at the Great Barrier Reef and you pitched the level of the dive sites perfectly so they were challenging but not scary. 

Thank you again for a superb holiday. You anticipated our every need and we never had to ask for anything as it was already there and you made everything fun  …. From beanbags and beers on the sandbar to Pina Colada’s and fire on the beach and sundowners complete with seats so we had somewhere to sit ! 

Best regards 
Susie Oakley 

September 2022

Dear Nana&Max
Louise and I wish to thank you again for the marvellous time spent with you and Nana aboard the Ananda.
The return was busy thus the delay in conveying you our thanks. Most important they are very sincere. 
Over and above the pirate adventure on board, we appreciated your company and you made our stay memorable. They say that the proof is in the details and it is much so about our cruise on Ananda.
You went out of your way to cater to our desires such as raising the sails even in high winds, changing routes to find mantas, and even after we left, you provided your driver to take us to immigration, waiting for us and enabling us to catch our next flight at the last minute. 
Also a word about precious Nana. We found her cooking talents, but also a wonderful human being. Good moments at diner time while exchanging recipes with Louise. 
When we arrived on board, to us you were captain and crew waiting to be discovered. As we left, after only 4 days, we felt we would miss you like old friends. This says it all.

Enjoy every moment and may 2020 be the best year for you.
Louise and Michel

We spent a lovely week in this marvelous ship with even more wonderful company. Max and Nana took us to great places around the Komodo National Park, with the best diving experiences and dreamy corners to relax and disconnect.
The crew were incredibly nice and diligent and they were always attentive to our needs, so we were taken care of as babies! Nana is one of the best cooks we ever had the chance to come across and Max one of the best hosts.

We are truly speechless about this dream of a journey. Thank you so very much for making it come true!

Paloma, Rafael, Lucia & Javier

August 2019

Max and Nana made this trip unforgetable !
They showed us fantastic places above and under water.
Awesome indonesian food, great drinks, good music, unbelievable sunsets on marvelous places.
Thank you for the perfect time, we’ll be back !

July 2019

We had an amazing turn through Komodo National Park with everything we could imagine and more. We went scuba diving and snorkeling, saw many fancy fish, giant mantas, sharks, turtles, Komodo warans, dolphins …
The food was excellent, as we eat vegan, the crew prepared excellent vegan dishes from local ingredients.
It was the perfect off-time from all the busy daily tasks from the very first minute.
A great ship with a great crew! Thank you!?

July 2019

What a truly amazing 3 day and night luxury cruise. A trip of a lifetime and like nothing we have ever experienced before. Max and Nana are the perfect hosts and no need is left unmet. We went on the boat with our three children aged 10, 9 and 6 and the crew were amazing with them. They can also be quite fussy eaters but the whole family agreed that Nana’s cooking was the best in the world.

This was all before we even did any of the excursions or diving or snorkeling. We saw every type of fish possible, baby sharks, a turtle, giant manta ray, Komodo dragons and even dolphins at one point. All in 3 days. The accommodation was extremely clean and comfortable and I could not recommend this private charter highly enough!!!! You see so many reviews on trip advisor of the boats that leave Labuan Bajo, but this was an experience of a lifetime and worth every single penny and more!!! Thank you Nana, Max and all the crew of the beautiful Ananda….but please beware George is still very determined to kidnap Nana!!!!!

December 2018

The owners have rebuilt this traditional phinisi with beautifully crafted wooden decks and well-designed, comfortable bunks below. Max and Nana are delightful hosts, anticipating their guests’ every need and adding thoughtful little touches at every turn. Max took the time to discuss our itinerary in some detail with us, asking what we most wanted to see and offering us alternatives before finally deciding the route. He joined us on our treks to find Komodo dragons – apparently just as thrilled as we were that we saw so many; he took us snorkelling on a reef teeming with florescent fish and he found the best place for us to swim with manta rays. On our last evening, he transported us, together with bean bags and a bottle of chilled wine, to a deserted island beach to watch the spectacular sunset in style. Nana, meanwhile, has taught herself to cook an amazing variety of delicious meals in her galley kitchen, providing food of such quality and in such quantity that even our rugby playing teenager was momentarily defeated.

Cruising the South Pacific and Indian oceans on the Ananda was a truly memorable and fitting end to our Indonesian adventure. Highly recommended!

The Captain and owner Max and his wife made our stay extraordinarily special as we saw the most extraordinarily vibrant coral, turtles and exotic marine life!!! Nana, his wife, made exotic local Indonesian dishes with a European flare …a foodies paradise! We saw the most amazing sunrises and sunsets while seeing endangered Komodo dragons. Adrian, the scuba instructor, was very intimate and loving with my family on all the dives and has become our friend.

We would definitely sail with this fabulous crew again!!!

August 2018,

Naheed Shahid

Anfang 2018 durften wir eine Woche lang Gast auf der Ananda sein. Es waren die schönsten und aufregendsten Tage unsers Baliurlaubs. Schön, weil uns das Schiff ein Zuhause vermittelt hat. Chillen an Deck, dazu die Weite des Meeres, und der ständig blaue Himmel, der sich mit dem satten Grün der Inseln wie eine riesige, kitschige Urlaubspostkarte täglich vor unser Schiff schob. Max und seine zauberhafte Frau Nana, die uns jeden Tag mit einem 4-Sterne-Essen verwöhnte, sind uns zu lieben Freunden geworden.
Aufregend waren die Momente, als wir mit dem Schnellboot einsame Inseln ansteuerten. Wir fühlten uns wie Entdecker, die die ersten Schritte in den purpurnen Sand setzten, um sie der Nachwelt zu erhalten. Aufregend waren die Tauchgänge in diesem herrlichen Revier, das man sicher zu den schönsten auf dieser Welt zählen darf. Wir sahen Riesenschildkröten, Haie und Mantas, die majestätisch durch die Tiefen des Meeres glitten.
Nicht zu vergessen die Warane, die unserem Boot so nahe kamen, dass wir ihnen tief in die Augen blicken konnten. Streicheln wäre in diesem Moment nicht angebracht gewesen. Die Begegnung mit den Urdrachen war das emotionalste Erlebnis dieser Tour, abgesehen von den Sonnenuntergängen, die einem das Herz erwärmten.
Ein Lob und ein Dank auch an die zauberhafte Crew, die jeden Tag ihr Bestes gab, um uns die Reise so angenehm wie möglich zu gestalten.
Es war zauberhaft, wunderschön und spannend, Gerne sofort wieder, am liebsten jeden Tag.

Andrea und Gerhard aus Bremen

If I had a dollar for every time my kids ask me when we will be back at ANANDA I’d be rich by now!

Best holiday ever!

Hello Max&Nana!

we are post holiday recovery mode, had to jump back into work straight away which was a shock….

We had a wonderful time and dreaming of doing it again, will see you again somewhere in Indonesia for sure!

This is a brief review…..

we had to eat too much food including
Fresh bread every day
Fresh fish every day except for the 2 days we had to eat fresh crayfish/lobster
There was always beer in the fridge
Pitchers of margarita and hot pizza delivered to the empty white sandy beach , with a multicolored sunset and moonlight….
Lounging on the upper deck with more food and drinks forced upon us while watching dolphins and whales…
Max and Nana were spoiling us rotten….
We were contemplating on having a mutiny on our last day so we would not have go back to reality and work…

What more do i need to say?
🙂 🙂 🙂

Have been twice aboard this expressive boat. First time in march 2013, sailing from Bali to Flores and Komodo Island. The second time we went the big Komodo – round including visiting the islands with that big dragons. Both times we enjoyed snorkeling, swimming, the warm hospitality of the crew and – last but not least- the superb food on board! Sure we come again.

Ananda Sailing, ein Erlebnis welches unvergesslich bleiben wird. Eigentlich ist es fast lächerlich zu versuchen, dies mit Worten zu Beschreiben. Eines ist jedoch klar, wenn man Dinge erlebt welche einem das ganze Leben lang begleiten werden, kann man nur Dankbar sein. In diesem Sinne, Danke Max, Danke Sailing Ananda, Danke, Danke, Danke !!! Freue mich jetzt schon auf ein Wiedersehen. Liebe Grüße aus Wien, Wolfgang Laab

Notre meilleur souvenir d’un groupe de plongeurs Franco-Suiise, aujourd’hui 21 mars 2015, nous sommes ensemble à nous remémorer notre magnifique croisière à bord de l’Ananda. Merci à Max et son épouse pour tous les bons moments passés à bord ainsi qu’à l’équipage. Les plongées encadrées par Adriana ont toutes été excellentes…. Les poissons au rendez-vous de notre émerveillement. Le bateau est absolument magique pour les plongeurs et les accompagnants, que des bons souvenirs à partager entre amis….

Mein Name ist Willi Benkovics, ich habe schon einiges erlebt und viel in der Welt gesehen. Eines meiner Erlebnis-Höhepunkte war die Kreuzfahrt mit der Ananda. Ich habe die herrliche Natur genossen, die mir Max mit seinem Schiff näher gebracht hatte, das herrliche glasklare Wasser mit seiner Unterwasserfauna, die grimmigen Komodovarane, die träge im Schatten der vereinzelte Inseln liegen. Nicht zu vergessen die Weißkopfseeadler die die Ananda umkreisten… es war eine andere Welt. Auch das vorzügliche Essen an Bord war ein Traum…Bei nächster Gelegenheit werde ich wieder an Bord gehen…

Andrew and I just wanted to take a moment to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for what ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the trip. We head back to NYC today with visions of Nana’s wonderful meals and the amazing boat as well as the Komodos. Playing guitar on the deck and getting to know you both was incredible and we will never forget all your hard work and hospitality to make our honeymoon nothing short of spectacular. If you are ever in NYC please let us know and we would love to treat you to a NY style dinner. I hope you both are well and enjoying your next adventure and seeing your little girl. We will never forget any of it. Thank you again!

Spent three days on the boat during our month vacation in Indonesia March 2014. This was far and away the highlight of our trip. The boat, the crew, the scenery were all to die for but the most outstanding for us was the hospitality on board from Max and wife. She cooks sublimely and gave us the best food of our vacation. How she manages to do that and be the perfect hostess always around, always involved and always fun we just couldn’t believe. An experience of a life time!

Ananda Sailing war für mich ein unvergesslicher Törn durch eine einzigartige Natur und vielen tollen Eindrücken die ich nie vergessen werde und die mir ganz viel Kraft gab, eine Zeit den Alltag komplett zu vergessen und wieder zu sich zu finden. Begleitet von einen Hauch Abenteuer und ganz viel Spaß mit ganz ganz lieben Menschen und Freunden, freu mich schon sehr, bald wieder an Bord der Ananda kommen zu dürfen 😀

Ganz großen Dank an die tolle Crew die stehts um unser Wohlergehen bemüht war und an meinen Freund Max!

Dickes Bussi aus Niederösterreich,
Brigitte

spent 2 weeks on the boat in 2013. It was an unforgettable experience. I think everyone must see the beautiful sea in the comodo Islands. I will never forget this hollyday.

Auf diesem Weg wollte ich mich nochmals recht herzlich für den schönen Urlaub bedanken und einen schönen Gruß da lassen. 🙂

L.G. aus dem (auch schönen) Österreich von Alex