Komodo Cruise Day One: Kelor, Manjarite and Kalong Island

Day one of Ayvara’s 3D2N Komodo voyage sails from Labuan Bajo to Kelor Island for a short, steep hill trek, moves on to Manjarite (a ten-minute sail on the published schedule) for the first snorkel of the trip, and reaches Kalong Island at about 16:30 to watch flying foxes, which usually leave the mangroves around sunset, close to 6 p.m. Meals, a guide, snorkelling gear and life vests are included; Komodo National Park fees are not, and the route may change with weather.

Day one at a glance: Kelor, Manjarite and Kalong

The first day of Ayvara’s 3D2N route stays close to Labuan Bajo. It covers three stops: a hill trek on Kelor Island, snorkelling at Manjarite, and sunset off Kalong Island, where flying foxes usually leave the mangroves at dusk. On the published schedule the sailing adds up to about two hours and forty minutes, in three legs.

Time	Day one on Ayvara
09:00	Pick-up from hotel in Labuan Bajo or the airport
10:00	Sail to Kelor Island
11:00	Arrive at Kelor Island
12:00	Trek and photo session
13:00	Return to the boat and lunch
13:30	Sail to Manjarite
13:40	Snorkelling around Manjarite
15:00	Sail to Kalong Island
16:30	Sunset, flying foxes seen from the boat, dinner

These timings come from the schedule Komodo Luxury publishes for Ayvara. Destinations may change with weather and field conditions, and guests follow the guide’s instructions throughout. The full three-day route is on the itinerary page.

Kelor Island trekking: short, steep and exposed

Kelor Island is small and uninhabited, and lies between Labuan Bajo and Rinca. Guides to the area put it 30 to 45 minutes from town by speedboat and about an hour by wooden boat, which matches Ayvara’s sail from 10:00 to 11:00.

The main activity ashore is the climb up the grassy hill behind the beach. Published descriptions agree on the essentials: the path takes roughly 10 to 20 minutes, it is steep, and the surface is loose soil and dry grass with no steps, railings or shade. From the top the view takes in the white sand spit below, the coast of Flores, Rinca and the smaller islands around them.

What to wear and carry on the Kelor trek

Footwear matters more than fitness here. Komodo Luxury’s Kelor guide recommends closed-toe shoes with good grip, and Ayvara’s packing list names hiking sandals. Flip-flops are a poor choice, especially on the way down.

The schedule puts the trek around midday, so a hat, sunglasses and sunblock earn their place. Kelor has no toilets, restaurants or fresh water. Mineral water is included on board, so take some ashore.

Guides to Kelor also describe calm, shallow water off the beach. On Ayvara’s schedule, though, Kelor is for the trek and photos. The day’s snorkelling happens at Manjarite, listed as a ten-minute sail away, after lunch on board.

Manjarite: a calm first snorkelling spot near Labuan Bajo

Manjarite (also spelled Menjerite) is a sheltered bay with a long wooden pier. Because the bay is protected, currents are generally gentler than at the more exposed sites in Komodo National Park. That makes it a sensible place to get used to a mask and fins before Manta Point and Taka Makassar on day two.

Snorkelling depth at Manjarite

Published guides describe the coral beginning at around 2 to 3 metres and sloping to about 5 metres, with deeper sections reaching roughly 8 metres. Most of what snorkellers come to see sits in the shallow band, so there is no need to dive down.

The reef is mainly hard coral, including plate formations. The fish most often reported are butterflyfish, parrotfish, angelfish, clownfish and small schooling species, and turtles are seen occasionally. None of this is guaranteed on a given day: visibility and marine life vary with tide and weather.

Ayvara’s schedule allows about 80 minutes here, from 13:40 to 15:00. Snorkelling gear, life vests and a guide are included in the trip. Less confident swimmers can keep a life vest on in the water and stay close to the pier. Float rather than stand, and keep hands and fins off the coral.

Sunset at Kalong Island: the flying foxes

Kalong is the Indonesian word for a large fruit bat, and Kalong Island is named for its residents. The island is small, uninhabited and covered in mangrove, and it holds a colony of flying foxes, fruit bats of the genus Pteropus. They eat fruit, nectar and pollen rather than insects, and spend the day roosting in the trees.

Nobody lands on Kalong. Boats anchor offshore and guests watch from the deck, which is how Ayvara’s schedule lists the stop: flying foxes seen from the boat, followed by dinner.

What time do the flying foxes fly at Kalong Island?

Sunset in Labuan Bajo falls within about half an hour of 6 p.m. local time (WITA) all year, earlier mid-year and later around the turn of the year. Published accounts put the first departures between about 5:30 and 6:15 p.m., depending on the time of year, and Komodo Luxury’s Kalong guide gives roughly 17:30 to 18:15 as the best hour. Once it starts, the stream usually lasts 30 to 45 minutes as the colony heads off to feed.

Ayvara is scheduled to reach Kalong at about 16:30, well before the light changes. The natural vantage points are the 360° rooftop deck and the shaded sundeck. The bats usually pass overhead in a long stream, silhouetted against the sky.

Skies tend to be clearer in the dry season, roughly April to November. In the wetter months cloud can dull the colours, though the bats still fly. As with all wildlife, numbers and timing vary, and no sighting is guaranteed.

Dinner follows on board. Day two starts early, with a 06:00 trek on Padar Island.

Practical notes for day one

• Pick-up: arranged between 8 and 9 a.m., within the Labuan Bajo mainland area near the harbour only. Accommodation on other islands or in the Manjaga area is not covered.
• Included: meals during the trip, mineral water, coffee and tea, a guide, snorkelling gear, life vests, and documentation by drone, GoPro and mirrorless camera (raw footage only).
• Not included: Komodo National Park fees, which are subject to government regulations at the time of the trip, plus crew gratuities, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, personal snacks, personal expenses and flight tickets.
• Take ashore at Kelor: grippy footwear, hat, sunglasses, sunblock, water, and a dry bag for phone and camera.
• Own drone: a Komodo National Park drone permit is optional and not included. It needs to be requested 7 days before the trip.
• Connectivity: Ayvara has Starlink internet on board, and the packing list also suggests a Telkomsel SIM card.

The complete list is in the guide to what to pack for a Komodo boat trip.

What the voyage costs

These three stops form the first day of Ayvara’s 3D2N voyage. On the open (sharing) trip, the 2027 publish rates, rate sheet dated 11 September 2026, are per person per 3D2N voyage by cabin type: Superior Cabin IDR 6,750,000 (USD 450), Deluxe Cabin IDR 7,750,000 (USD 530) and Master Cabin IDR 8,500,000 (USD 570). Departures run Friday to Sunday and Monday to Wednesday, every week of the year.

Private charter is priced per charter for the whole boat, by duration and guest band, rather than per person. The rates page has the full table, the open trip page lists departure dates, and Komodo Luxury’s open and share trip page describes the same day-one route on its sharing departures.

Frequently asked questions

What time do the flying foxes fly at Kalong Island?

Published accounts put the first departures between about 5:30 and 6:15 p.m., depending on the time of year, around sunset in Labuan Bajo, and the stream usually lasts 30 to 45 minutes. Ayvara is scheduled to reach Kalong at about 16:30, but timing and numbers vary and no sighting is guaranteed.

How deep is the snorkelling at Manjarite near Labuan Bajo?

Published guides describe the coral at Manjarite beginning at around 2 to 3 metres and sloping to about 5 metres, with deeper sections reaching roughly 8 metres. The bay is sheltered and currents are generally gentle, so it suits a first snorkel. Snorkelling gear and life vests are included on Ayvara.

How hard is the Kelor Island trek?

The Kelor Island trek is short but steep: roughly 10 to 20 minutes up a path of loose soil and dry grass with no steps, railings or shade. Shoes or hiking sandals with good grip are recommended, along with a hat, sunblock and water. Kelor has no toilets, restaurants or fresh water.

Can visitors land on Kalong Island?

No. Kalong Island is covered in mangrove and visitors do not go ashore; boats anchor offshore and guests watch the flying foxes from the deck. Ayvara's schedule lists the stop as sunset and flying foxes seen from the boat, followed by dinner on board.

Are Komodo National Park fees included on day one of the Ayvara trip?

No. Komodo National Park fees are not included in Ayvara's rates and are subject to government regulations at the time of the trip. Meals, mineral water, coffee and tea, a guide, snorkelling gear, life vests and drone, GoPro and mirrorless documentation (raw footage only) are included.

Sources

• komodoluxury.com
• komodoluxury.com
• komodoluxury.com
• komodoluxury.com
• komodoresort.com
• komodoresort.com
• thesevenseasg.com
• komodosafarijourney.com
• mybalitrips.com
• sunrisewhen.com
• Vessel facts and rates: Komodo Luxury, Ayvara page and the 2027 rate sheet dated 11 September 2026