Kalong, Kanawa and Sebayur are the stops a day trip cannot deliver. Flying foxes leave the Kalong roost from about 15 minutes before sunset for 20–25 minutes afterwards — between 17:35 and 18:53 depending on the month. Sebayur and Kanawa offer sheltered reef in 5–30 metres with light to moderate current.
The flying-fox exodus at Kalong, by month
Kalong — the name is simply the Indonesian word for flying fox — is a mangrove islet in the strait east of Labuan Bajo carrying a large roosting colony. Nothing happens there all day. Then, in the twenty minutes around sunset, the colony lifts off in a continuous stream toward the fruit trees of Flores, and it goes on long enough that people stop photographing it and just watch.
The window is governed by sunset, so it moves through the year. Times below are computed for the Komodo strait at 8°39′S, 119°35′E in WITA (UTC+8), mid-month, accurate to about three minutes.
| Month (2027) | Sunset | Flying-fox exodus window |
|---|---|---|
| January | 18:28 | 18:13–18:53 |
| February | 18:27 | 18:12–18:52 |
| March | 18:15 | 18:00–18:40 |
| April | 17:59 | 17:44–18:24 |
| May | 17:50 | 17:35–18:15 |
| June | 17:51 | 17:36–18:16 |
| July | 17:57 | 17:42–18:22 |
| August | 18:01 | 17:46–18:26 |
| September | 17:59 | 17:44–18:24 |
| October | 17:56 | 17:41–18:21 |
| November | 18:01 | 17:46–18:26 |
| December | 18:15 | 18:00–18:40 |
The practical instruction is short: be on deck 20 minutes before sunset with a drink and stop looking at your phone. The exodus starts before the light goes, not after.
Why this stop is structurally unavailable to day trips
A day boat out of Labuan Bajo has to be back in the harbour before dark. Kalong peaks at dusk. Those two facts cannot be reconciled, which is why the flying-fox exodus is one of a small number of Komodo experiences that genuinely require sleeping on the water. On Naturalia’s standard 4D3N route Kalong is the first evening anchorage, sitting roughly an hour from Manjarite and half an hour to an hour from Rinca.
The same logic applies in reverse to the morning stops. Sebayur and Kanawa are at their best in flat early light, which is exactly when a day boat is still crossing.
Sebayur and Kanawa: conditions, not adjectives
| Site | Depth | Current | Level | Condition 2026 | Sailing from Labuan Bajo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sebayur | 5–30 m+ | Light to moderate; stronger at the points | Beginner to intermediate | Good soft-coral gardens on the slope, reef fish in numbers | about 1.5–2 hours |
| Kanawa | 5–30 m | Light to moderate | All levels; shallow house reef off the beach | Mixed — healthy sections alongside visible bleaching scars and anchor damage | about 1–1.5 hours |
| Siaba Besar | 5–18 m, sand to about 20 m | Light to moderate, sheltered bay | Beginner-friendly; standard check-dive site | Turtles reliably, strong macro life | about 1–1.5 hours from Taka Makassar |
| Manjarite | 5–20 m | Light | All levels | Sheltered snorkelling bay, common first or last stop | about 0.5–1 hour from Kelor |
We publish the condition column honestly because it is the column nobody else fills in. Komodo’s reefs sit inside a park of roughly 1,817 km² carrying more than 1,000 reef fish species and more than 250 coral species, and they are also under real pressure from heat events, anchoring and visitor volume. Sebayur is the stronger of the two reefs at present. Kanawa remains worth the stop for easy access and turtle sightings, not for pristine coral.
What the evening on board actually looks like
After the last water stop the boat repositions to a sheltered anchorage. Dinner is served on the Panoramic Dining Deck when the weather allows and in the air-conditioned Dining Lounge when it does not. The indoor lounge has a mini bar and a karaoke setup, which on a 24-guest boat is either the best or the worst feature depending on your group — on a private charter you simply decide. The Serenity Deck stays open for star-watching; the strait has very little light pollution and the Milky Way is visible on clear nights between roughly April and September.
Swimming from the boat at anchor happens when the crew judges conditions safe, usually in a protected bay such as Siaba. It is never automatic and never guaranteed.
Best for
Best for: travellers who want the parts of Komodo that a day boat structurally cannot reach; wildlife watchers; families who want easy shallow reef rather than current-swept dive sites; anyone who values an evening at anchor over another hour on the road. Less relevant if: your trip is a single day trip out of Labuan Bajo, in which case Kalong is simply out of reach. The operator’s wider luxury cruise range range covers overnight formats from one night upward.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kalong Island?
A mangrove islet in the strait east of Labuan Bajo where thousands of flying foxes roost by day and stream out at dusk to feed on Flores. Boats anchor off it in the late afternoon and watch the exodus from the deck. Day trips cannot reach it in time, which is why it is effectively a liveaboard-only stop.
What time do the bats leave Kalong?
They start moving around 15 minutes before sunset and the main stream lasts roughly 20 to 25 minutes after it. In practice that is between 17:35 and 18:15 in May and June and between 18:00 and 18:53 in January and December.
Can you land on Kalong Island?
No, and you should not want to. It is mangrove and the colony is the point – the experience is watching from the anchored boat with the sunset behind the strait. Disturbing a roost also pushes the animals to leave early and scatter.
Is Kanawa Island worth stopping at?
Yes, as an easy final reef. It sits about 1 to 1.5 hours from Labuan Bajo with a shallow house reef straight off the beach in 5-30 metres, light to moderate current. It is the standard last stop before returning to the harbour.
What is the coral like at Kanawa and Sebayur in 2026?
Both are recovering rather than pristine. Sebayur holds good soft-coral gardens on the slope in 5-30 metres with reef fish in numbers, stronger at the ends where the current picks up. Kanawa’s shallow reef has visible bleaching scars and anchor damage in patches alongside healthy sections. We say this because the honest version is more useful than the brochure version.
Why do these stops only work on an overnight cruise?
Timing. Kalong needs you to be at anchor at dusk, which no day boat can do. Sebayur and Kanawa work best in early morning or late afternoon light when the water is flattest, which is precisely when day boats are in transit.
Is there current at Sebayur?
Light to moderate over most of the slope and noticeably stronger at the points. It is a beginner-friendly site if you stay on the sheltered flank, and an interesting drift for experienced snorkellers and divers at the ends.
Do we swim at night?
Swimming from the boat at the evening anchorage is possible when the crew judges conditions safe, usually in a sheltered bay such as Siaba. It is at the captain’s discretion, never automatic.
Booking & enquiries
Kalong appears on the 4D3N route as the first evening anchorage; Kanawa and Sebayur feature on both itineraries. Naturalia Cruise is operated and marketed by Komodo Luxury (part of Juara Holding Group, working in Labuan Bajo since 2015). Reservations, cabin availability and written quotations go through the Komodo Luxury reservations desk: WhatsApp +62 811 3823 875 or [email protected]. Payment terms are published and unchanged: 50% deposit to hold the date, balance due 30 days before departure, full payment if you book inside 30 days. The deposit is non-refundable on cancellation.
Where these numbers come from
Vessel dimensions, cabin layout, engine and generator data, charter tiers and cabin rates on this page are the figures published by the operator, Komodo Luxury, on its Naturalia charter listing. National park tariffs are taken from PP No. 36 Tahun 2024 as socialised by Balai Taman Nasional Komodo. Sunrise and sunset times are computed for Padar Island (8°39′S, 119°35′E) in WITA (UTC+8) and are accurate to about three minutes. Sailing times between anchorages are operational ranges, not fixed schedules — they move with tide, wind and ranger queues, and we write them as ranges for that reason. Rates are quoted for the 2027 season and were last reviewed on 1 August 2026; always confirm the current rate in writing before transferring a deposit.