Maheswari
Maheswari Phinisi
The best time to visit Komodo, one month at a time
Updated 20 October 2026
The best time to visit Komodo on Maheswari is April to June or October and November, when the sea is calm and the water clear. Manta rays are at their best from December to February and from July to September. The 2026 fares are the same in every month.
The year in twelve lines
If you are asking when to visit Komodo, begin with the grid below. It sets twelve months against the things a guest feels on the water: the sea, the clarity of the water, the manta rays, the crowds and the rain. Read each line as a pattern for the month, not as a forecast for your week.
Two stretches of the year are calmer than the rest. April to June brings calm seas, clear water and a medium crowd. October and November bring the same calm with fewer visitors on the sites. The manta rays keep a different calendar. They are at their best from December to February and again from July to September, and the sea is roughest in January, February, July and August.
The notes behind the grid are general operator knowledge for Komodo National Park rather than measured readings. The 2026 fares are the same in every month, so choose the month for the sea rather than the price.
| Month | Sea | Visibility | Mantas | Crowds | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Wet season: heavy showers, lower visibility and the roughest seas of the year. Manta rays are in their best season. |
| February | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Still wet, with rough water and lower visibility. The park is quiet, and manta rays remain in season. |
| March | moderate | medium | good | low | wet | The last wet month. Showers ease, the sea settles and manta sightings are still good. |
| April | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | The dry season begins, with calm seas and some of the clearest water of the year. |
| May | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry, calm and clear, with steady conditions for snorkelling and for the walks. |
| June | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry and clear. The south-east wind starts to build towards July. |
| July | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | Dry but windier, with a rougher sea. Manta season picks up, and this is one of the two busiest months. |
| August | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | The windiest month of the dry season, with busy anchorages. Manta rays are common. |
| September | moderate | high | peak | medium | dry | The wind eases and visibility improves, while manta rays are still around. Crowds are medium. |
| October | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm, clear and hot, with fewer visitors than in July and August. |
| November | calm | high | fair | low | dry | The end of the dry season: calm seas, clear water and quieter sites. |
| December | moderate | medium | peak | medium | wet | The wet season starts and the manta rays return. Late December is busy with holiday travellers. |
Swipe for more
Padar before breakfast: when the light arrives
On the 3D2N, the second day opens with the Padar trek, and breakfast follows it. You walk first and eat afterwards. The 4D3N keeps the same order on its third day.
What changes through the year is the hour of the light. Sunrise at Padar falls at 05:54 in January, 06:18 in July and 05:31 in November. The table below gives all twelve months, computed for the place.
The climb to the main viewpoint takes 25 to 45 minutes, and the park notes put the start from the boat about 65 minutes before sunrise. That is why a head torch earns its place in the bag. The crew set the hour that morning, and the table tells you when the sun is up.
| 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 |
Times are computed for the location and are accurate to within a few minutes.
Kalong when the light goes
Sunset at Kalong comes on the first evening of the 2D1N and the 3D2N, and on the third evening of the 4D3N. Sunset at Kalong comes before dinner.
Sunset falls at 18:27 in January, 17:57 in July and 18:01 in November, and the table gives the other months. The flying foxes leave the mangroves about 15 minutes after sunset, in a long stream that lasts about 30 minutes. Their flight is not timed to the minute, so be on deck early.
The show is watched from the boat, not from the shore. A long lens and a charged camera help, and the dry months give the clearer skies.
| 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 |
Times are computed for the location and are accurate to within a few minutes.
July, August and the school holidays
July and August are the busiest months in our notes. The weather is dry and windy, the sea is rougher, the manta season is in full swing and the crowds are at their highest. Late December is busy for another reason: holiday travellers arrive just as the wet season begins.
School holidays differ from country to country, so lay yours against these months rather than against a single date. Open trips leave on Mondays and Fridays, and a private charter takes any date the boat is free.
Weather can change the itinerary. In a windy month that matters more, because the captain decides the order of the stops on the day. Name the stop that matters most to your party and we note it with your booking. The captain's decision at sea stands.
A note on prices: the 2026 fares apply until the 2027 fares are issued. If a fare changes before your balance is due, we tell you first and you can cancel without charge.
The wet months, for guests who dislike motion
From December to March the rain comes in short, heavy showers. January and February bring the roughest seas of the year and lower visibility. Those two months, with July and August, are the ones to avoid if motion troubles you. April to June or October and November are the better choice.
The wet months have their own case. Manta rays are in season, other boats are fewer and the crowds are low. A party that does not mind a livelier sea gets a quieter Komodo.
In strong wind the harbour authority can suspend sailings at a day's notice, and this happens most in the wet season. If Maheswari cannot sail, we offer a boat of equal or higher class on your dates, or a full refund within 14 days.
The roughest months are also the months with the most mantas, so the choice is partly between a calmer deck and a better chance of seeing them.
Matching a month to your party
Each party shape has a month that suits it, and the list below puts them side by side.
- For the two of you on a honeymoon or an anniversary: April to June, or October and November, for calm water and a quiet deck.
- For your family with children under 3, who travel free: the calm months, because a settled sea is easier on small travellers. From age 3 the full fare applies.
- For a photographer: July for the later sunrise at Padar, November for an early light and a quiet trail.
- For snorkellers who want mantas: December to February or July to September, with the stronger current that comes with them.
- For a team that wants fewer crowds: October, November or the quiet wet months of January to March.
Send us your date range and your party size on WhatsApp. We reply with the fare for your head count and the nearest free dates, and the open-trip departures are checked at the same time.
FAQ
When is the best month for manta rays?
Manta rays are at their best from December to February and from July to September. Manta Point is on day 2 of the 3D2N and the 4D3N, and sightings follow the tide and the current. The current at Manta Point can be strong, and non-swimmers stay aboard at that stop.
Is August too windy for a family?
August is the windiest month of the dry season, and the sea is rougher than in May or October. With children, the calmer choice is April to June or October and November. Children aged 0 to 2 travel free, and from age 3 the full fare applies.
Is the wet season closed?
The park is not closed in the wet season. December to March bring short heavy showers, and January and February bring the roughest sea. The harbour authority can suspend sailings at a day's notice in strong wind. If the boat cannot sail, you receive a boat of equal or higher class, or a full refund within 14 days.
When are the Komodo and Labuan Bajo crowds highest?
Crowds are highest in July and August, with busy anchorages and the park at its fullest. Late December is also busy with holiday travellers. October and November are quieter on the sites, and so are January to March, when the wet season keeps many visitors away.
What month gives the clearest water?
Visibility is high from April to June and again from September to November. May is dry, calm and clear, and November ends the dry season with calm seas and quieter sites. Visibility is lowest in the wet months of January and February. These are general operator notes, not measured readings.
Does the price change by month?
No. The whole-boat fare and the open-trip seat price are the same in July as in November. The 2026 fares apply until the 2027 fares are issued, and if a 2027 fare changes before your balance is due, we tell you first.
Check availability — Maheswari
Maheswari is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia. We arrange the pickup, take the payment and keep your booking in order. The boat sails with its own crew.