Navila Liveaboard
Navila Liveaboard
The year on the water: sea, light and the months worth choosing
Updated 3 November 2026
When to charter a private phinisi in Komodo comes down to the sea and the light. The calmest months are April to June, then October and November. Mantas are seen most in the rainy months, and again in July, August and September. In 2026, Navila's whole boat for 3D2N costs IDR 73,000,000 (≈ USD 4,479).
Sea and sky across the calendar
Komodo has two seasons: rain from December to March, and dry weather from April to November. The seasons govern the rain, but the wind and the sea keep a pattern of their own within them, which is why a dry month is not always a calm one.
The calmest months are April, May, June, October and November, with flat water, good clarity and little rain. January and February, in the wet season, are the roughest. July and August stay dry but windy, and they draw the biggest crowds. September makes a good shoulder month as the wind drops and visibility improves, and late December fills with holiday travellers.
Mantas are seen most in the rainy months, and again in July, August and September. In no month is a sighting at Manta Point promised.
These are general seasonal patterns, not guarantees. The table below gives one line for each month.
| Month | Sea | Visibility | Mantas | Crowds | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Wet season, with the year's roughest sea and low visibility. Mantas are at their best. Padar sunrise 05:54. |
| February | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Wet season again. Rough sea, low visibility and quiet sites, with manta sightings at their best. Padar sunrise 06:05. |
| March | moderate | medium | good | low | wet | The last wet month. Showers ease and the sea settles. Mantas are good. Padar sunrise 06:06. |
| April | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | The dry season begins. Calm sea, high visibility and moderate crowds. Padar sunrise 06:04. |
| May | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry, calm and clear. A reliable month for snorkelling and for the walks. Padar sunrise 06:07. |
| June | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry and clear. South-east winds start to build ahead of July. Padar sunrise 06:14. |
| July | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | Dry but windier, with a rougher sea. Manta season picks up and the crowds peak. Padar sunrise 06:18. |
| August | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | The windiest dry month, with busy anchorages. Mantas are common. Padar sunrise 06:12. |
| September | moderate | high | peak | medium | dry | The winds ease and visibility improves. Mantas are still around. A strong shoulder month. Padar sunrise 05:56. |
| October | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm, clear and hot. Fewer visitors than in July and August. Padar sunrise 05:39. |
| November | calm | high | fair | low | dry | The end of the dry season. Calm sea, clear water and quiet sites. Padar sunrise 05:31. |
| December | moderate | medium | peak | medium | wet | The wet season starts and mantas return. Late December is busy with holiday travellers. Padar sunrise 05:38. |
Swipe for more
When Padar's sunrise comes earliest and latest
The earliest Padar sunrise comes in November, at 05:31; the latest in July, at 06:18. Through the year it swings between 05:31 and 06:18; the table below sets out each month.
That is a difference of about three quarters of an hour, and it decides how early your day begins. Not everyone enjoys a short night. A November sunrise means an earlier start than a July one; since the climb is timed back from first light, a later sunrise makes for a gentler morning.
The sun's time is no promise of a clear sky. Cloud and haze belong to the weather, and in the wet months the cloud wins more mornings than it loses.
The Padar page covers the climb itself.
| Month | Sunrise | Leave the boat by | On the ridge by |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 05:54 | 04:49 | 05:34 |
| February | 06:05 | 05:00 | 05:45 |
| March | 06:06 | 05:01 | 05:46 |
| April | 06:04 | 04:59 | 05:44 |
| May | 06:07 | 05:02 | 05:47 |
| June | 06:14 | 05:09 | 05:54 |
| July | 06:18 | 05:13 | 05:58 |
| August | 06:12 | 05:07 | 05:52 |
| September | 05:56 | 04:51 | 05:36 |
| October | 05:39 | 04:34 | 05:19 |
| November | 05:31 | 04:26 | 05:11 |
| December | 05:38 | 04:33 | 05:18 |
Computed for the location; accurate to a few minutes. The crew shifts wake-up with the actual swell.
Calendar of the Kalong bat exodus
Sunset over Kalong falls between 17:49 and 18:27. May sees the earliest, at 17:49; January the latest, at 18:27. The table below gives every month.
Some 15 minutes past sunset the flying foxes begin to pour out of the mangroves, and a boat at anchor early in the evening is already in place. How many will cross is beyond anyone's telling, and in some months the evening is cloudy enough that the light has gone before the bats appear.
On the three-day route, Kalong is the evening of day one, so if a particular dusk matters to you, choose the month with that evening in mind.
The Kalong page describes the evening itself.
| Month | Sunset | Bats fly from about |
|---|---|---|
| January | 18:27 | 18:42 |
| February | 18:26 | 18:41 |
| March | 18:15 | 18:30 |
| April | 17:58 | 18:13 |
| May | 17:49 | 18:04 |
| June | 17:50 | 18:05 |
| July | 17:57 | 18:12 |
| August | 18:00 | 18:15 |
| September | 17:58 | 18:13 |
| October | 17:55 | 18:10 |
| November | 18:01 | 18:16 |
| December | 18:14 | 18:29 |
Computed for the location; accurate to a few minutes. The crew shifts wake-up with the actual swell.
Rough-water months, said plainly
Rough water is part of the year, and we would rather name the months than hint at them. A guest who knows what January looks like can choose with open eyes. January and February bring the roughest seas, heavy showers and lower visibility. July and August are dry but the windiest months, with busy anchorages. March is easier, and December brings the wet season back.
A rough month does not close the route; it makes the trip less comfortable. Swell can turn a crossing between islands into a long, tiring stretch, so anyone prone to seasickness is better off with April to June or October and November.
The captain sets the route by the weather. If the sea is too heavy for one stop, the captain picks another and the day is reordered. The rough months can also bring the quietest sites and the thinnest crowds.
Navila is a 28 m phinisi. In a swell the captain picks the anchorage, and the order of the stops changes with it.
A weather warning or a closed route: your options
Whether the boat sails is for the captain and the harbour authority to decide. A weather warning, a closed route or an official notice can change the day's plan, and after an earthquake the same two judge whether it is safe to go. We do not overrule either of them, and we would not want to.
If a sailing is closed, we write to you with the options the terms allow. Should Navila be unable to sail on your date, the replacement-boat promise applies. You are offered a boat of equal or better class that same day, charged nothing more; decline it, and everything you paid is returned, normally within 2 × 24 hours once the refund conditions are met.
When the sea calls for a change, the route changes and the voyage carries on. The order of the stops has always been the captain's to decide.
The booking terms page sets out the details.
Booking early for the months you prefer
The favourite months fill first, so ask early, even before you are sure. The busiest stretches are July, August and late December. Open-trip seats in those months go quickly. For the whole boat, a deposit of 50 percent reserves your date.
As soon as you have a month in mind, write to us. We tell you which dates Navila has free for a whole-boat charter, and for the open trip we check the seats live on WhatsApp.
Flexible dates improve your chances. Two departures in the same month can have quite different cabins free.
The host's note. Pack a light layer for the deck at dusk. The night before the Padar climb, leave your walking shoes by the cabin door.
FAQ
What is the best time of year for a private Komodo cruise?
The calmest months, with flat seas and clear water, are April to June and then October and November. July and August are dry but windier, and the busiest. January and February are the roughest. These are general patterns, not guarantees; the month page describes each month in turn.
Is it safe after a weather warning or an earthquake, and what if sailing is closed?
Whether the boat sails is decided by the captain and the harbour authority. If a sailing is closed, we write to you with the options in the terms. The replacement-boat promise then applies: on your date, a boat of equal or better class for nothing extra, or everything you paid returned, normally within 2 × 24 hours once the refund conditions are met.
What time is sunrise at Padar and sunset at Kalong?
In November, sunrise at Padar is at 05:31 and sunset at Kalong at 18:01. Through the year, Padar's sunrise ranges from 05:31 to 06:18, and Kalong's sunset from 17:49 to 18:27. The bats take to the air some 15 minutes after sunset.
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