Kupang to Alor (Kalabahi) by PELNI Wilis: Our Overnight Ferry Experience

Travelling from Kupang to Alor by ferry is a very different experience from flying, and for our journey we chose the PELNI Wilis to Kalabahi.

In this guide, I share our first-hand experience, from booking the ticket and completing online check-in to boarding at Tenau Port, travelling in Economy Class and arranging a private cabin on board.

The Wilis arrives in Kalabahi in the middle of the night, so finding a comfortable place to sleep made a real difference.

Here is what the journey was actually like, including the practical details that may help other travellers planning to travel from Kupang to Alor by PELNI.

🇯🇵 この記事を日本語で読む：KupangからAlor（Kalabahi）へ｜PELNI Wilis号の乗船体験と行き方

Travelling from Kupang to Alor by PELNI Wilis

We travelled from Kupang to Alor Island by PELNI Wilis, taking the overnight ferry from Pelabuhan Tenau Kupang to Kalabahi, the main town and gateway to Alor.

Our ticket was for Economy Class, but after boarding we managed to arrange a private cabin with the crew. This made a big difference to the journey, particularly because the ferry arrived in Kalabahi in the middle of the night.

The scheduled arrival was around 2 am, although we actually arrived at about 1 am.

PELNI Wilis from Kupang to Kalabahi

The Wilis was scheduled to leave Pelabuhan Tenau Kupang at 9 am and arrive in Kalabahi at around 2 am the following morning.

In reality, we left shortly after 9 am and arrived at around 1 am, about an hour earlier than scheduled.

It is a long journey, but travelling by ferry gave us the chance to relax, eat meals on board and enjoy the sea views along the way.

Booking our PELNI ticket

We booked our PELNI ticket through the PELNI app.

Although the booking was made online, we paid for the ticket in cash at Alfamart.

Our ticket was for Economy Class.

Before travelling, it is worth checking the booking and payment requirements carefully, particularly if you are planning to use the PELNI app for your journey.

Online check-in and the PELNI QR code

One useful feature was online check-in.

Check-in opened at around 9 pm the evening before departure, 12 hours before the scheduled departure time.

The online check-in process was very smooth. Once we had checked in, a boarding pass with a QR code was issued through the app.

There was one problem, however: the app did not allow us to take a screenshot of the QR code.

We therefore used our second phone to take a photo of the QR code displayed on the first phone.

This turned out to be a very good precaution.

We had been told that the boarding pass could be displayed offline, but on the day of departure the PELNI app froze and would not open.

Fortunately, we had the photograph of the QR code saved on the other phone, and we were able to use it to enter the port.

If you are using online check-in with PELNI, I would recommend keeping a backup copy of your QR code on another device.

Getting from Sahid T-MORE Hotel to Tenau Port

We had stayed at Sahid T-MORE Hotel, near Kupang Airport, the night before the ferry.

Rather than arranging private transport, we used a Grab taxi to get to Pelabuhan Tenau Kupang.

We left the hotel at 6:45 am and arrived at the port at around 7:30 am.

The Grab fare was IDR 82,000.

With the ferry scheduled to depart at 9 am, this gave us plenty of time for the boarding procedures.

➡ Sahid T-More Hotel Kupang Review: Free Airport Transfer and Spacious Rooms

Boarding at Pelabuhan Tenau Kupang

At the port, our boarding passes were checked first.

We then went through a security check for our luggage before waiting in the passenger area.

Boarding started at around 8 am and was fairly straightforward.

There were still passengers arriving close to departure time. The crew waited for some of them before the ship finally left Kupang shortly after 9 am.

The weather was excellent, with clear skies for the departure.

Economy Class on PELNI Wilis

Our original ticket was for Economy Class.

The Economy Class sleeping area is essentially a dormitory, with passengers sleeping relatively close to one another.

For a long overnight journey, this can make it difficult to relax if you prefer a little more personal space.

The advantage, of course, is that Economy Class provides a relatively affordable way to travel between Kupang and Alor.

Getting a private cabin on board

After boarding, we spoke to the crew about the possibility of getting a cabin.

After some negotiation, we were able to get a private cabin with its own toilet for IDR 400,000.

This made the overnight journey much more comfortable.

Instead of sleeping in the shared Economy dormitory, we had our own private space where we could close the door and relax.

The crew also brought our meals directly to the cabin.

For us, the cabin was particularly worthwhile because the ferry was due to arrive in Kalabahi in the middle of the night.

Meals and the small shop on board

The crew brought meals to us during the journey.

Lunch was served at around 11 am, followed by dinner at around 5 pm.

There was also a small shop near the Economy Class dormitory on Deck 3.

We bought tea and coffee there for IDR 14,000.

There was apparently Wi-Fi available on board, but it was a paid service, so we did not use it.

The atmosphere on the Wilis

The weather remained clear throughout the journey, making it pleasant to spend some time looking out at the sea.

Both the crew and the other passengers were friendly, and the overall atmosphere on board was relaxed.

One thing that stood out was how the crew waited for passengers who were still running towards the ship shortly before departure.

Eventually, once the last passengers had arrived, the Wilis left Kupang shortly after the scheduled departure time.

Sleeping on the overnight ferry

For us, the biggest consideration was where to sleep.

The Economy Class beds are arranged in a dormitory, with relatively little space between passengers. We found this a little difficult to relax in.

The private cabin was a completely different experience.

Having our own room meant that we could lie down, close the door and get some proper rest during the journey.

As the ferry was arriving in Kalabahi at around 1 am, being able to sleep in a private cabin made the late-night arrival much easier.

Arriving in Kalabahi earlier than scheduled

The scheduled arrival time in Kalabahi was around 2 am the following morning.

In the end, the Wilis arrived at approximately 1 am, about an hour earlier than expected.

Disembarking took a little time, but by around 1:15 am, we were already out in Kalabahi and walking towards our accommodation.

Staying near the port in Kalabahi

Because we knew the ferry would arrive during the night, we deliberately chose accommodation close to the port.

We stayed at Hotel Melati, which was only about a three minute walk from Kalabahi port.

This was particularly convenient after a long overnight ferry journey.

We did not have to find a taxi or other transport in the middle of the night, and we could simply walk to the guesthouse and go to bed.

➡ Hotel Melati Kalabahi Review: A Convenient Hotel Just 3 Minutes from the Pelni Port

Our experience travelling from Kupang to Alor

Travelling from Kupang to Alor by PELNI Wilis is a long journey, but our experience was more comfortable than we expected.

The online check-in was straightforward, although having a backup of the QR code proved essential when the PELNI app froze on the day of departure.

Economy Class is a practical option if you are mainly looking for an affordable way to reach Alor, but the shared dormitory can feel quite crowded.

For us, the private cabin made a significant difference. Being able to sleep in our own room meant that we arrived in Kalabahi reasonably rested, despite the middle-of-the-night arrival.

If you are taking the Wilis from Kupang to Kalabahi, I would also recommend booking accommodation close to the port if you are arriving late at night.

For our first night in Alor, being just three minutes from the port made the arrival much easier.