Kanha Phinisi
Kanha Phinisi fleet (Kanha Citta, Kanha Loka, Kanha Natha)
Kalong Island Komodo bats sunset: flying foxes on day 1
Updated 23 October 2026
The Kalong Island Komodo bats sunset closes day 1 of the Kanha 3D2N: thousands of flying foxes leave the mangrove about 15 minutes after sunset and stream out for roughly 30 minutes, watched from the boat. Shared fares start at IDR 4,500,000 (≈ USD 276) per person.
Where Kalong falls on the Friday sailing
Kalong is the last stop of day 1 on the 3D2N, after Manjarite and Kelor. On the 3D2N it is the sunset stop, with the flying foxes. Dinner on board follows.
The stop is on the 2D1N and 4D3N sample routes too, always at dusk. The route is the same on Kanha Citta, Kanha Loka and Kanha Natha.
Where the boat spends the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision that day.
The flying foxes at Kalong
Kalong is a mangrove islet between Komodo and Rinca where thousands of flying foxes roost. At dusk they leave the mangrove in a long stream, over roughly 30 minutes, and cross the sky above the water.
It is not a landing stop. The show is watched from the boat, so you need no shoes and no hike. The dragons are elsewhere; this stop belongs to the bats.
The flying foxes are wild animals on their own schedule. Nobody can bring the start forward. Patience pays.
- Best window
- Sunset
- Difficulty
- easy
- Tide
- Not tide-dependent
- Busiest months
- July, August, December
What it is not: bats leave at dusk, about 15 minutes after sunset: arrive early · not a landing stop: the show is watched from the boat
Real photo from a trip booked with PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia · 5 photos
Sunset, then the bats
The bats leave about 15 minutes after sunset, so arrive early. Sunset falls between 17:49 and 18:27 depending on the month.
The table below lists each month. The captain decides on the day when to anchor for the view.
A light layer is worth having on deck. Dusk on the water cools quickly.
| 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.
Where to stand on deck, and photo notes
Choose your spot on deck before the light drops. A long lens and a charged camera help, because the bats are small against a large sky. The sun deck, as listed on all three boats, gives you room to spread out.
Photographs of flying foxes in low light take patience. A phone shows a dark sky with specks, and a camera with a longer lens shows wings. Put the camera down for the second half of the stream and watch.
When Kalong is not for you
A guest who needs a lively land stop in the evening will find Kalong quiet. Nothing is landed, and nothing is fed. If you are ill, tired from Kelor or cold in the wind, you can watch from a seat on deck.
Cloud can hide the sunset. The bats still fly. The timing is the animals' own, and no booking guarantees a sky.
The Kanha edit. Kalong at dusk suits any party size. For a birthday dinner of 20: Kanha Citta, with its bar area. For a quiet pair on the sun deck: Kanha Natha.
FAQ
When do the Kalong bats fly?
About 15 minutes after sunset, and the stream lasts roughly 30 minutes. Sunset falls between 17:49 and 18:27 depending on the month. Arrive early, because the flying foxes keep their own schedule. The captain decides on the day when to settle the boat for the view, and the sky decides the rest.
Do we land on Kalong Island?
No. Kalong is a mangrove islet between Komodo and Rinca, and the show is watched from the boat. There is no landing and no hike. The 3D2N lists it as Kalong Island at sunset, the closing stop of day 1, and dinner on board follows the bats.
Where does the boat sleep after Kalong?
Where the boat spends the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision that day. We name no anchorage in advance, and no page on this site does. Dinner is on board on day 1, after the bats, and the captain tells the group the plan for the evening as the weather settles.
What should I bring to watch the Kalong bats?
A charged camera, ideally with a long lens, and a light layer for the cooler dusk. The bats are small against a large sky, so a phone shows specks while a longer lens shows wings. The sun deck, as listed on all three Kanha boats, gives space to watch.
Check availability — Kanha Phinisi
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.