Manta Point: swimming above the cleaning station
Manta Point, also called Karang Makassar, is a long shallow reef between Komodo and Padar Islands. Manta rays come here to feed in the current and to be cleaned by small fish on the coral heads. The boat drifts along the reef while the guide watches the surface, and when a manta is spotted you slip into the water and float above it.
Mantas are seen here often, and on a good day you may drift alongside several of them. Like all wildlife they move as they please, so a sighting can never be promised, but the reef itself is worth the stop regardless. The water is usually between three and ten metres deep, which makes it easy to see the mantas from the surface without diving down.
Pink Beach: coral right off the sand
Pink Beach on Komodo Island gets its colour from tiny fragments of red coral mixed into the white sand. The reef begins a few metres from shore, so you can walk in from the beach and be over coral almost at once. Expect table corals, soft corals and schools of small reef fish in water that is calm and clear on most days.
This is the easiest spot in the park for beginners and for families with children. The shallow section near the beach stays within standing depth, and the drop-off further out is where the larger fish and the occasional turtle appear. Most day trips stop here for an hour, which is enough time to snorkel and then dry off on the sand.
Taka Makassar: a sandbank in the middle of the sea
Taka Makassar is a small crescent of white sand that rises out of turquoise water near Manta Point. At low tide it is a beach; at high tide it is barely above the surface. The shallows around it are bright and sandy, with patches of coral and small fish, and the water is so clear that the boat seems to float in the air.
Snorkeling here is gentle and relaxed rather than dramatic. It is a good place to practise with your mask and fins before Manta Point, and a favourite for photographs. Because the sandbank is small, boats stay only a short time and move on, so you will usually have it to yourself for a few minutes.
Kanawa Island: the reef closest to Labuan Bajo
Kanawa is a small island less than an hour by boat from Labuan Bajo, and its house reef is one of the healthiest in the area. The coral starts at the end of the jetty and slopes gently into deeper blue water. Turtles are common here, along with lionfish, clownfish and the occasional blacktip reef shark cruising along the drop-off.
Because it is close to town, Kanawa is often the last stop on a day trip or a half-day destination on its own. The beach is quiet and there is shade under the trees for anyone who wants a break from the sun. Snorkelers who want more time in the water can ask for a longer stop here.
Siaba Bay: turtles in the seagrass
Siaba Bay, on the north side of Siaba Besar Island, is a calm anchorage that sailing boats use for the night. The bay is shallow and sheltered, with seagrass beds that green turtles graze on through the day. Snorkeling here means drifting slowly over the grass and watching for a turtle to surface for air a few metres away.
The bay is a highlight of 2D1N and 3D2N sailing trips, which anchor here in the late afternoon and give guests a sunset swim and a sunrise swim from the same spot. Day trips reach it less often because of the distance, so if turtles are high on your list, a sailing trip is the better choice.
Putting the spots together on one trip
A classic Komodo day trip with Arah Pesona leaves Labuan Bajo early, climbs Padar for the view, walks with the rangers on Komodo Island, then spends the rest of the day in the water at Pink Beach, Manta Point and Taka Makassar before returning via Kanawa. Day trips start from IDR 1,500,000 per person and include snorkeling gear, lunch and a local guide.
Arah Pesona Trip is locally owned, with an office in Labuan Bajo where you can pay on arrival for eligible trips. The owner, Akbar, was born on Komodo Island and the guides know which side of each reef has the best visibility on the day. Sailing trips from IDR 3,500,000 add Siaba Bay and quieter morning visits to the same reefs.
Komodo Day Trip by Speedboat from Labuan Bajo
