Waow

Q: What is the website?

http://www.waowcharters.com/, https://news.waow.ch/node/61

WAOW was known as the ultimate dive ship in Indonesia,
offering pristine diving and luxurious service. We are now creating WAOW 2 to carry on her legacy.
(2)

WAOW 2 will start sailing in 2028. WAOW is a three masted sailing vessel, constructed entirely from wood using traditional methods, evoking the southern seas, freedom, adventure, comfort, quality and style. All to be shared by those going to sea on her. With ten cabins for the guests, crew accommodation, dive equipment, multi media equipment and dream destinations, we wish to achieve dreams for al

l those aboard. WAOW is principally set up as a dive charter vessel. However, she is also available for charters such as:
- Theme voyages such as photography or marine biology, accompanied by experts in these fields.
- Company seminars and team building.
- Custom made voyages for families and groups.
- Honeymoon cruises.
- Other charter reasons corresponding to the capacities of the vessel. Charter operations began in April 2012 in Indonesia, an archipelago made up of over 17'000 islands. Our 17 different itineraries includes the following areas :
Komodo - Flores - Alor - Forgotten Islands - Banda Sea - Seram Sea - Papua (Triton Bay - Misool - Raja Ampat - Cenderawashi) - Halmahera - Sulawesi (Sangihe - Togian - Banggaï) - Wakatobi National Park. WAOW has 10 cabins available catering for a guest list of 20 passengers. The daybed in each cabin (90X200cm) can also be used for a third person per cabin, or for twin share purposes. With this charter configuration, WAOW can have a capacity of up to 24 passengers. Each of the cabins is luxurious, spacious and provides all of the amenities expected of a vessel of this standing. They all have private bathrooms with separate shower, separate WC, air conditioning, desk, entertainment system and LED lighting. The disposition of the cabins is as follows:
- 6 “Deluxe” cabins each of approx. 24m2 located below the main deck. This is a size well above that proposed on most charter vessels, especially sailing vessels. In 4 of the 6 Deluxe cabins the double bed can be converted into 2 seperated single beds.
- 1 Deluxe Upper Deck (16m2) with a double bed (toilets and shower in the same unit)
- 2 “Superior” cabins of approx. 21m2 plus an aft deck lounging area, located on the rear of the main deck.
- 1 “Master” cabin of approx. 45m2 with it's spacious private sundeck furnished for private use, is located at the rear of the upper deck. A totally luxurious cabin providing you the feeling of being “The Master and Commander”. Your comfort and onboard experience is of great importance to us. Find below a list of facilities available on WAOW to enhance your charter experience.
- Restaurant and Bar area. Seating for 26 people
- Lounge area with TV projection and music facilities
- Dedicated camera room with charging stations 220V/110V plus computer system
- 40m2 dedicated dive area shaded in the bow of the vessel
- Sun deck on the foredeck of 40m2
- Shaded main deck area of 120m2 with tables, deck furniture and showers
- Upper sun deck in front of the wheelhouse of 50m2
- Shaded rear deck area of 25m2
- Air conditioning throughout the vessel including cabins and restaurant/lounge areas
- In room entertainment systems including monitor and onboard movie system
- Wi-Fi Internet access with download data allowance in each cabin
- Massage service
- Full catering service including 3 main meals per day plus snacks after dives
- Full service bar including non alcoholic beverages, wine, beer and spirits
- Full service dive operation including courses and equipment rental
- Canoes and Stand Up paddle
- Land excursions

09/06/2026

Did you know that the “O” of WAOW stands for Ocean?

This ocean-centred map shows something we often forget: there is only one ocean.

A single blue world connecting continents, cultures and ecosystems.

Our passion for exploration begins here.

And so does our responsibility to protect it.

Because there is no WAOW without the Ocean.

05/06/2026

WAOW 2 begins as a dream.

Then come the trees.
The hands.
The tools.
The patience.

And slowly, almost imperceptibly, a shape rises from the earth.

Born from the forest.
Destined for the sea.

For a little while, she belongs to neither—
reaching toward the sky,
held by the hands of men,
waiting for the water.

📷

28/05/2026

WAOW 2 is in the shipyard.

The sea voyages, the remote reefs, the sunsets under sail - all of that still lies ahead.

And yet, some guests are already part of the journey. Through our participatory pre-sale, they are helping bring WAOW 2 to life while securing privileged access and preferential conditions for the years to come.

Long before the first departure, the adventure has already begun.

→ 🇬🇧🇫🇷🇩🇪 Links: https://linktr.ee/waowcharters?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=24535090-0139-4549-be13-e353567f6db4

📸 Lorine Grandjean

15/05/2026

Around WAOW 2, life moves everywhere. And not all who wander the shipyard is officially part of the construction team…Some simply supervise. 🙂
Between the ribs of the boat and the scent of fresh wood, some move freely — goats passing by without a care, chickens weaving through the scaffolding, cats claiming the best shaded corners. Birds sing above the sound of hammers. Below, a whole smaller world hums — insects, discreet but ever-present, part of the same rhythm.
Here, the shipyard is not set apart from nature. It lives within it.
And as WAOW 2 takes shape, she grows surrounded by a simple, vibrant and noisy world — quietly becoming part of the story too.

08/05/2026

Some evenings at the shipyard feel almost suspended in time.

The sound of hammers slowly fades, the light turns golden, and for a few quiet minutes WAOW 2 simply rests under the Bira sky.

It’s easy to focus on the big milestones of a build like this — the keel, the ribs, the planking — but there is also beauty in these smaller in-between moments. The ordinary rhythm of the chantier. The wood dust on the decks. The silhouettes climbing down the scaffolding at sunset.

One day WAOW 2 will sail across Indonesia.

For now, she is still growing here, between sea breeze, hard work, and golden evenings.

📸

01/05/2026

Golden hour, full sail… one of those magical moments we can’t wait to experience again aboard WAOW 2.

📸 Jay Monney

24/04/2026

Caulking is one of those quiet, essential steps that transform the initial wooden structure into a seaworthy vessel.
Once the planks are carefully fitted along the hull, fine gaps remain between each piece of wood — natural, inevitable, and necessary. These spaces must be sealed with precision, without ever forcing the material, allowing the boat to live, breathe, and move with the sea.
At the shipyard, this process is carried out entirely by hand. Natural fibres — made from the bark of the Gelam tree (Melaleuca cajuputi) — are patiently driven into each seam using a mallet and a caulking iron. The gesture is steady, controlled, almost rhythmic. Too loose, and the seal won’t hold. Too tight, and the wood could be stressed.
The Gelam tree, native to Southeast Asia’s wetlands, is a remarkable material in itself. With its white, papery bark and ability to thrive in flooded soils, it has long been valued for its durability in water. Traditionally used for roofing and boatbuilding, it also produces cajeput oil (minyak kayu putih) from its leaves, widely known for its medicinal properties.
Once the fibres are set, a protective compound is applied to ensure watertightness and longevity. Layer by layer, seam by seam, the hull becomes resistant — ready to face time and ocean.
It is meticulous, repetitive work — often unseen, yet absolutely fundamental.

📸 &

16/04/2026

Five fascinating facts about traditional Indonesian phinisi

1. Built Without Formal Blueprints
Phinisi are not built from detailed architectural plans. Master shipbuilders rely on generations of inherited knowledge, proportions, and experience to shape the vessel. The hull form and structure are often determined by eye and tradition rather than computer design, making each boat slightly unique.

2. The Hull Comes Before the Frames
Unlike most Western shipbuilding methods where the skeleton is built first, traditional Indonesian boats often follow a “plank-first” technique. The outer hull planking is assembled early, and the frames are fitted afterward to reinforce the shape. This is one of the most distinctive aspects of Sulawesi boatbuilding.

3. A Boat Is Considered “Alive”
In Bugis and Konjo maritime culture, a boat is not just an object but something almost living. Important steps in the construction—such as laying the keel—are accompanied by traditional ceremonies and offerings asking for protection and safe voyages.

4. The Name “Phinisi” Refers to the Rig, Not the Hull
Strictly speaking, “phinisi” originally refers to the two-masted sailing rig, not the hull itself. The hull design belongs to a type of traditional Indonesian vessel called “palari.” Over time, the term phinisi came to describe the entire ship.

5. Entirely Built by Hand
Most phinisi vessels are still built using simple hand tools, without heavy industrial machinery. Shipwrights shape massive hardwood beams and planks by eye and by hand, using skills passed down through generations of craftsmen in South Sulawesi.

📸

09/04/2026

Back in the shipyard, WAOW 2 is growing more beautiful by the day. Her hull now stands strong and harmonious, with ribs, stringers, and planking all coming together to reveal her elegant, flowing lines. At the bow, the structure keeps rising, giving the vessel more presence and already hinting at her future silhouette at sea.
There is a wonderful energy on site — a feeling that everything is coming alive. The work is now all about precision and finesse: adjusting, aligning, perfecting each detail so that every piece fits seamlessly into the whole. What was once a skeleton of wood has become a balanced, solid, and vibrant structure.
Step by step, under the sun of Bira, WAOW 2 is truly beginning to feel like the vessel she is meant to be.

📸 Reto Schlaepfer

02/04/2026

Joining our participatory pre-sale is like stepping aboard WAOW 2 before she even sets sail.

With your cruise credits, you enjoy preferential rates and priority access—but above all, you become part of the journey from the very beginning. From her first days in the shipyard to the moment she meets the open sea, you are already on board.

Further information is available on our pinned posts!

📸 Julia Deville

Address

Denpasar

Telephone

+62 339 064 602

Website