A Komodo Cruise will bring you to the most magnificent snorkelling spots and land sights in the famous Komodo National Park. Take a break to snorkel the crystal clear waters of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Admire colourful coral gardens, schools of fish and large Manta Rays. Visit Rinca or Komodo Island to meet the park’s famous inhabitants – the Komodo Dragons. Quite remarkably, the national park is the only place in the world where you can see these creatures in their natural habitat. In addition, a lot of other wildlife is waiting for you to be spotted. For example, wild buffaloes, deers and the flying foxes of Kalong Island. Another highlight is the stop on one of the few pink beaches our planet has to offer. Take photos and keep memories while on top of the National Parks’ breathtaking viewpoints. Komodo is a Cruising Destination not only intended for Scuba Divers! A huge number of Marine Life can be found in the first 5 meters, and there are many other highlights of Komodo that do not require diving. Join Barefoot Yachts for a scheduled cruise or a private Komodo Yacht Charter for groups of friends and family. Starting and ending points of the Komodo Island Cruise is Labuan Bajo Harbour.
Depart for your Komodo Island Snorkeling Adventure from Labuan Bajo. Spend time to familiarise yourself with the facilities on board, get a safety briefing and have a refreshing welcome drink while setting off west. Our first stop is Sebayur, where you can go for a relaxed and easy snorkelling session.
The morning starts with a light breakfast while cruising to Karang Makassar or Manta Reef, a sure highlight of Komodo Island Snorkeling! There is a high chance to swim with these remarkable animals. If you are lucky, you may see more than a dozen manta rays performing dances. Sometimes, they are floating right next to you. After meeting the mantas, we will cruise towards the famous Pink Beach. The crushed red coral gives it its pink colour and thus its name. This is one of the very few pink sandy beaches worldwide, and snorkelling here is also incredible.
We depart early to get to the Rinca Ranger Station to visit the world-famous dragons of Komodo National Park. You may choose to do a short, medium or long trek while on the island. During your hike, you may also encounter various other animals such as pigs, deer, monitor lizards, and buffaloes in their natural environment. In the afternoon, we will make our way towards Siabar besar for some relaxation time: a swim, snorkelling on the surrounding reefs or a good book. Before sunset, we cruise to Kalong Island where thousands of bats depart for their nightly chase for food.
We depart the next morning to head to Gili Lawa Darat, in the northern part of the Komodo National Park. We will find ourselves in a stunning bay with a white sandy beach and crystal-clear waters. Both islands offer some of the best snorkelling opportunities, and for the adventures – some vast snorkelling drifts in between the narrow channels of the islands. The currents are a perfect habitat for schools of giant trevallies, groupers, white tip sharks and sometimes even large manta rays. At the end of the day, we will go for a short hike to a viewpoint on Gili Lawa Darat which offers a spectacular sunset panorama over the islands of the National Park.
The next morning, we start the day with snorkelling and swimming in the waters around Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat. Before lunchtime, we will head to Kanawa Island. A hidden treasure island offering a diverse snorkelling site and a gorgeous beach. The site is perfect for a dreamy stall around the white sand beach. Cruising to Bidadari Beach for Sunset.
We wake up with the sun rising over Flores Island. Before ending our trip and cruising back to Labuan Bajo for the check out, there is still time for a short wake-up swim in the turquoise waters.
Please note, this is a sample itinerary. Each Cruise is different and the detailed day-to-day itinerary and sites will be tailored to suit guests’ preferences as well as weather and ocean conditions. Private Charters are more flexible in the itinerary compared to scheduled Cruises. Your Cruise Director will work with you on the detailed day-to-day planning onboard.
