The beaches of Komodo National Park, by boat

Day 2 brings Pink Beach, after Padar and before Komodo Island. It is a stop for snorkelling and time on the sand.

Colour comes from fragments of red coral mixed into the sand. It reads pale pink, not bright pink, and it changes with the light and the tide. Expect a softer tone on a grey day, so judge the beach by the water as much as by the shore.

The reef starts close to the beach, which makes the snorkelling easy for most swimmers. Mornings give calmer water and softer light, and the day 2 order puts Pink Beach in that window. Bring trekking sandals for the walk down and wet wipes for the sand that follows you back to the deck.

Hold the morning loosely. The captain decides the order of the stops on the day, and weather can change it. A beach that is lovely at 08:00 in calm water can look flatter at noon under cloud, so take the photographs when the boat offers the light.

Day 1 starts in the water. Manjarite is the snorkelling stop, followed by Kelor Island for a short trek and Kalong in the evening for the flying foxes.

Kelor is a small hilly islet, about an hour by boat from Labuan Bajo. A short climb leads to a viewpoint over the bay, and the path is steep and dry. Sturdy shoes help more than strong legs. It is a short hill, not a long trek, and it holds no dragons.

Think of day 1 as the warm-up. You get a first snorkel, a first view, then a sunset from the boat. Kalong itself is not a landing; the bats leave the mangroves in a long stream at dusk, and you watch from the deck.

Sebayur and Taka Makassar close the trip on day 3, both stops for snorkelling and time on the beach. Sebayur is the larger of the Sebayur islands, near Flores, with beaches and reefs close by. It sits roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by boat from Labuan Bajo.

Taka Makassar is the curious one. It is a crescent-shaped sandbank ringed by shallow reef. The sandbar shows only at low tide. At high tide it can lie under the water, so do not plan photographs around a walk on it. The shallow water suits most snorkellers, and there is almost no shade on the sand.

The order of Taka Makassar and Manta Point depends on tide and current, and the captain settles it on the day. Bring a hat and reef-safe sunscreen.

Kanawa is not on the route of Kanha Citta, Kanha Loka or Kanha Natha. We say so because its name travels on many beach lists, and a guest should know before booking.

It is a small island west of Rinca with white sand and shallow coral, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours by boat from Labuan Bajo. It is popular with day trips, so it can be busy in high season.

On a private charter the itinerary is flexible on request, subject to discussion with the boat captain. Kanawa would be a request, not a promise; if you want it, ask in writing before you pay, and the answer comes back in writing too. On the shared trip the route is fixed.

The beach stops follow the 3D2N order, which is the same on all three boats. Day 2 holds the most sand in the least time, and day 3 closes the trip on the quietest water.

Season changes the feel more than the order. Mind the tide. April to November is dry, with calm seas and clear water in October and November. July and August bring windier seas and the busiest beaches. December to March is wet, with rougher seas, and Manta Point is at its best from December to February and again from July to September. The captain adjusts for weather, and the stops that matter most to you are worth naming in your first message.

Snorkelling gear, life jackets and a first-aid kit are on board on all three boats. Tell the crew if you are a weak swimmer, and wear a life jacket at Manta Point, where the current is strong and the snorkelling is guided.

The national park entry ticket covers snorkelling. There is no separate snorkel levy, so you will not meet one at the beach.

Shoes decide more days than swimwear does. Pack trekking sandals for the sand and the Kelor path, and closed shoes for Padar and Komodo. A beach hat, sunglasses and sunblock belong in the dry bag, because shade on Taka Makassar is close to zero.

Keep your fins off the coral, take nothing from the beach and leave the sand as it is. The reef is the reason the beaches look as they do.