Kanha Phinisi
Kanha Phinisi fleet (Kanha Citta, Kanha Loka, Kanha Natha)
Snorkelling on a Komodo boat trip (no diving)
Updated 23 October 2026
Snorkelling in Komodo National Park on a Kanha boat means five snorkel stops in 3 days, with gear and life jackets on board and no diving. Eight friends on Kanha Natha pay IDR 57,840,000 (≈ USD 3,548) for the whole boat, IDR 7,230,000 (≈ USD 444) each; 12 on Kanha Loka pay IDR 8,680,000 (≈ USD 533) each.
Choose your Kanha for snorkellers
First, the limit. Snorkelling gear and life jackets are on all three boats, and nothing else for the water. No dive equipment is provided and no dive trip is sold on this site. Divers arrange diving separately. This page is for people who swim with a mask and fins, not a tank.
Kanha Natha suits 6 to 8 friends who plan to be in the water most of the day. It has 4 cabins, 5 crew and a sun deck for drying off, and no bar area. Eight friends pay IDR 7,230,000 (≈ USD 444) each for the whole boat on a private charter.
Loka suits a larger party. Twelve snorkellers pay IDR 8,680,000 (≈ USD 533) each, and the boat carries up to 20 on a private charter. Its restaurant and bar area is where the group warms up after Manta Point.
Citta carries the same number with 8 cabins and the Gayatri room, and costs more. On the shared trip, a single bed in a Sharing Cabin starts from IDR 4,500,000 (≈ USD 276), which is the cheapest way to snorkel the same route.
A snorkelling itinerary, not a diving one
The route is the same on all three boats, and five of its nine stops are in the water.
Day 1. Manjarite is the first swim, a warm-up. Kelor, a short climb, and Kalong, the sunset with the flying foxes, are dry stops.
Day 2. Padar is a climb. Pink Beach is the day's main snorkel, for reef close to the shore. Komodo Island is a ranger-led walk. Manta Point is the hardest swim of the trip, in current.
Day 3. Sebayur and Taka Makassar. Both are easy, and both end the trip in the water.
The captain decides on the day whether weather or tide changes the order. The order of Manta Point and Taka Makassar is the one most often swapped, because sightings and the sandbank depend on the tide.
Day 1
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Pickup from your Labuan Bajo hotel or the airport, around 09:00 | — | passport or ID |
| · | Boarding and safety briefing | — | |
| · | Snorkeling at Manjarite | — | mask and snorkel |
| · | Trekking at Kelor Island | — | shoes with grip, water |
| · | Kalong Island at sunset, flying foxes | — | a light layer |
| · | Dinner on board | — | |
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat anchors for the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | ||
Day 2
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Padar Island, trek to the top for the view over the island | — | shoes with grip |
| · | Pink Beach, snorkeling and time on the beach | — | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Komodo Island trek to see Komodo dragons | — | closed shoes, park ticket |
| · | Manta Point, snorkeling to see manta rays. Sightings are not guaranteed Tide | — | mask and snorkel |
| · | Dinner on board | — | |
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat anchors for the night depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | ||
Day 3
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Sebayur Island, snorkeling | — | mask and snorkel |
| · | Taka Makassar, snorkeling and time on the beach Tide | — | hat, water |
| · | Drop-off in Labuan Bajo around 12:00, to your hotel or the airport | — | flight after 14:00 |
Times are operating patterns, not a timetable. Pickup is the only promise we make by the clock.
The snorkel stops: Manjarite, Pink Beach, Manta Point, Sebayur, Taka Makassar
Manjarite opens the trip. It is the first swim of the trip, the stop to find your mask and fins.
Pink Beach is easy. The reef sits close to the shore, depths run from 1 to 8 metres, the current is mild and the stop lasts 45 to 90 minutes. The sand is pale pink from fragments of red coral, and the morning is calmer.
Manta Point, also known as Karang Makassar, is the one stop for confident swimmers. Guides drift snorkellers along the reef with the current, depths run from 3 to 15 metres and the stop lasts 30 to 60 minutes. Manta rays are common and never guaranteed. The season is best roughly December to February and July to September. A life jacket is advised.
Sebayur has beaches and nearby reef, 2 to 10 metres deep, with a mild current and 45 to 90 minutes in the water.
Taka Makassar is a crescent-shaped sandbank in shallow water, 1 to 5 metres, for 30 to 60 minutes. The sandbar shows only at low tide, and shade is minimal, so bring a hat and reef-safe sunscreen.
Gear and safety on board
Snorkelling gear, life jackets and a first-aid kit are on all three boats. If a particular mask fit matters to you, bring your own. That costs nothing and removes the one variable we cannot control.
Wear a life jacket at Manta Point, where the current is strong and the guides drift the group. Wear one at any stop where you are less than fully confident. Nobody is judged for it, and the crew will ask.
Reef-safe sunscreen and a hat keep the sun off during the long surface hours. The bring list also names a dry bag, a swimsuit and wet wipes.
The private charter price covers the boat, crew, meals and snorkelling gear. Guide and documentation are not included on a private charter, and are quoted separately on request. Park tickets and ranger fees are never part of a fare, and snorkelling is covered by the park entry ticket.
Beginners and children
Beginners should start at Pink Beach or Taka Makassar. Both are shallow, with a mild current. Take Manjarite slowly, and treat Manta Point as an option, not an obligation. A life jacket and a guide make a beginner's first reef a safe one.
Children aged 0 to 2 travel free. From 3 the full fare applies, and no minimum age is published, so tell us your child's age and we confirm in writing. For young children, Pink Beach and Taka Makassar are the stops to swim, and Manta Point is the stop to watch from the boat unless a parent swims with them in a life jacket.
Snorkellers land on the Thursday: the boats leave from Labuan Bajo only, and the flight from Bali takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes. Check the timetable. Sail on the Friday and fly home after 14:00 on the Sunday.
If you dive
This is a snorkelling trip. If you dive, you arrange diving separately, with a dive operator of your choice, and no dive equipment is provided. We do not sell diving on this site.
What we do is leave room for it. A diver who joins a Friday shared trip snorkels with the group, and a diver who wants a dive day can arrange it before or after the three days. Tell us the dates when you ask for the quote, so the Friday sailing does not clash with your diving.
The cabins and prices page shows the fare of every cabin, the group charter page shows the whole-boat price by party, and the 3D2N itinerary page lists the nine stops in order.
For eight friends who live in the water: Kanha Natha. For twelve who need a bar after Manta Point: Kanha Loka.
FAQ
Can I dive on a Kanha boat trip?
No. The boats carry snorkelling gear and life jackets only, no dive equipment, and we do not sell diving on this site. Divers arrange diving separately, before or after the three days, and snorkel with the group on the boat. Tell us your dates if you plan both.
Is snorkelling gear provided?
Yes. Snorkelling gear, life jackets and a first-aid kit are on all three boats. Bring your own mask if the fit matters to you. On a private charter the gear is part of the charter price.
Which snorkel stop is easiest for beginners?
Pink Beach and Taka Makassar. Both are shallow, with reef close to the shore at Pink Beach and a shallow sandbank at Taka Makassar. Manta Point has a strong current and suits confident swimmers, so beginners watch it from the boat or wear a life jacket and swim with a guide.
Is Manta Point guaranteed to have manta rays?
No. Manta rays are common, especially from December to February and July to September, and sightings depend on tide and current. No sighting is guaranteed on any day. The captain decides on the day whether weather or tide changes the order of the stops.
Do children snorkel on the trip?
Yes, at the easy stops. Children aged 0 to 2 travel free and from 3 the full fare applies. Pink Beach and Taka Makassar are the shallow stops. Manta Point has a strong current, so younger children watch it from the boat unless a parent swims with them in a life jacket.
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.