Kanha Phinisi
Kanha Phinisi fleet (Kanha Citta, Kanha Loka, Kanha Natha)
Best time to visit Komodo by month
Updated 23 October 2026
The best time to visit Komodo is the dry season, roughly April to November, when the sea is calmer and the water clearer. Sunrise on Padar shifts between 05:31 and 06:18 over the year. Kanha shared trips sail on Fridays, with fares from IDR 4,500,000 (≈ USD 276) per person.
Two seasons, briefly
Komodo has a dry season and a wet season, and the boats sail through both. Dry runs roughly April to November. Wet runs December to March, with the heaviest showers and the roughest seas in January and February.
Even the dry months differ. April, May and June are calm and clear. July and August bring the south-east wind, choppier water and the biggest crowds. September is a strong shoulder month, and October and November turn calm, clear and quieter again.
A word on where this comes from. These month notes reflect general knowledge of Komodo National Park, not readings taken aboard a Kanha boat, and we make no boat-specific claim about the sea. On the day itself, sea state is the captain's call.
Month by month
January and February. Wet, with poor visibility and the roughest water of the year. Few crowds, and manta sightings at their best.
March. The last wet month. Showers ease, the sea settles, and mantas are still good.
April to June. Dry, calm and clear, with some of the best visibility under water. Crowds are moderate and mantas fair. By June the south-east wind is building towards July.
July and August. Dry but windy. Rougher seas, middling visibility and big crowds. Mantas are common and at their peak.
September. The wind drops, visibility picks up and the mantas linger, which makes it a strong shoulder month.
October and November. Calm, clear and hot. October is less crowded than July and August, and November is the quietest of the dry months.
December. The rains begin and the mantas come back. Late December fills up with holiday travellers.
| Month | Sea | Visibility | Mantas | Crowds | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Wet and rough, with low visibility and the fewest boats of the year. Manta sightings are at their best. |
| February | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Still wet, the sea still rough and the visibility low. Few boats are out, and mantas remain at their peak. |
| March | moderate | medium | good | low | wet | The last wet month. Showers ease, the sea settles to moderate and visibility climbs to medium. |
| April | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | The dry season opens with calm water and some of the clearest underwater views of the year. Crowds sit at a medium level. |
| May | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry, calm and clear. Snorkelling and trekking days are the most dependable of the year. |
| June | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry and clear, with a medium crowd. The south-east wind starts to build towards July. |
| July | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | Dry but windy: rougher water, medium visibility and the biggest crowds. Mantas are at their peak. |
| August | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | The windiest dry month, with busy anchorages. Mantas are common and visibility stays at medium. |
| September | moderate | high | peak | medium | dry | The wind eases and visibility returns to high. Mantas are still around and the crowd drops to medium. |
| October | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm, clear and hot, with fewer boats about than in July and August. |
| November | calm | high | fair | low | dry | The dry season closes with calm water, clear views and some of the quietest stops of the year. |
| December | moderate | medium | peak | medium | wet | The wet season starts and the mantas return. The last week of the year is crowded with holiday travellers. |
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Padar at sunrise, Kalong at sunset
Two stops on the 3D2N run to the clock. Padar opens day 2, and the walk starts about 65 minutes before sunrise. In November the sun is up around 05:30; in July, around 06:20. Across the year it ranges from 05:31 to 06:18.
Kalong ends day 1. Sunset falls between 17:49 and 18:27, depending on the month, and the flying foxes leave the mangrove about 15 minutes later. Be in place early: you watch from the boat, and the stream lasts roughly 30 minutes.
Below are the times for each month. They tell you how early the head torch and a charged camera need to be ready.
On a wet-season Friday the clock stops stay the same and only the sky changes. Cloud can hide the sunrise or the sunset, yet the walk and the bats keep to time, and the captain decides on the day whether the sea allows the stop.
| 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.
| 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.
The wet months and the Friday sailing
A wet-season trip is still a proper trip; the odds are simply different. Showers are heavy and visibility drops, and January and February bring the roughest seas. Those same months are the best for mantas, which is why some guests pick them deliberately.
Whether a stop happens, how long it lasts and in which order are the captain's decisions on the day. Where the boat spends the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision that day. No month takes that call away from the captain, and no booking promises a particular stop in a particular sea.
Shared trips are scheduled on Fridays all year, and the calendar on the dates page lists them; we confirm seats on WhatsApp. The 2026 rate cards carry a single fare per cabin and band, with no separate low or high season. Dates and rates for 2027 are on request.
Crowds, school holidays and booking early
July and August are the crowded months, and late December joins them. January, February and March are quiet, and November is the quietest of the dry months. Pink Beach, Padar, Sebayur and Taka Makassar are where the summer crowds show most.
On our cards a quiet month costs the same as a busy one, because fares do not move with the season. What changes is how many people share the beach, and how many Fridays you can choose from.
Book early for the weeks that matter to you. Kanha Natha has 4 cabins and sleeps up to 12, so a July or August Friday on Natha is worth asking about well ahead. For a larger party, chartering the whole boat is how you secure a date.
The boats start in Labuan Bajo, so land there on Thursday and book a Sunday flight after 14:00, whatever the month.
FAQ
What is the best month to visit Komodo?
For calm seas, clear water and moderate crowds, choose April to June, September, October or November. July and August are the busiest and windiest; January and February the roughest but quiet. In the end it comes down to whether calm water or mantas matter more to you.
Can I visit Komodo in the wet season?
Yes. The wet season runs from December to March, with heavy showers, lower visibility and the roughest seas in January and February. Crowds thin out and mantas are at their best. The captain decides on the day which stops go ahead and in what order.
When is manta season in Komodo?
Mantas are best from roughly December to February and again from July to September. No sighting is ever guaranteed, as tide and current decide. On the 3D2N route, Manta Point falls on day 2, a snorkel along the reef with the current.
When is the cheapest time to visit Komodo?
On our cards, no month is cheaper. The 2026 rate cards carry one fare per cabin and band, with no seasonal columns. What does change by month is the crowd and the sea: November and March are quieter, July and August busy.
Are July and August the best months?
They are dry and mantas are common, but the south-east wind roughens the sea and the sites get busy. For calm water and good visibility, April to June, October and November are steadier. If mantas come first, aim for July to September.
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Kanha Phinisi is one of the three Kanha boats we book as the booking partner of their owner; PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia sells, answers and stands behind your booking.