Kalong Island is a small mangrove island inside Komodo National Park, Flores, usually reached by boat from Labuan Bajo. At dusk, thousands of flying foxes lift off the mangroves and stream across the channel. Boats anchor offshore at sunset, so Kalong is only included on 2D1N and longer overnight trips.
Updated January 2026 · Operated by Komodo Luxury, an owner-operated Komodo National Park sailing company running its own fleet from Labuan Bajo since 2015.
What Kalong Island actually is
Locals call it Pulau Kalong — “bat island”. It is not an island you land on. There is no beach club, no trekking trail, no ranger post. It is a low, dense stand of mangrove forest in the channel between Rinca Island and the eastern edge of Komodo National Park, and it is the daytime roost of an enormous colony of flying foxes — large fruit bats with a wingspan wide enough to be unmistakable against a coloured sky.
For most of the day the island looks like nothing at all: a green smear on the water. Then, roughly fifteen to twenty minutes before full dark, the colony wakes. The bats leave in a continuous stream — not a single burst but a river of them, minutes long, heading inland to feed on Flores. Your boat sits at anchor with the engines off. That is the entire experience, and it is the reason experienced Komodo travellers refuse to book a day trip.
Why can’t you see Kalong Island on a day trip?
Because of timing and geography, not policy. The flying foxes only fly at dusk. A shared speedboat day trip departs Labuan Bajo around 05:00–06:00 and must be back in the harbour by roughly 17:00–18:00 — before the light goes, and long before the bats move. There is no version of a day itinerary that puts you at Kalong at the right hour and still returns you to town safely.
Overnight boats have no such constraint. They finish the afternoon at Kalong, hold position through the lift-off, then anchor in calm water nearby for the night. This is the single clearest argument for choosing an overnight trip: Kalong Island is only reachable on 2D1N and longer itineraries. If Kalong matters to you, a one-day speedboat tour is the wrong product.
Day trip vs overnight: what you actually get
| Experience | 1-Day Speedboat Tour | 2D1N and longer |
|---|---|---|
| Kalong Island flying-fox sunset | Not possible | Included |
| Padar Island at sunrise | No (mid-morning light only) | Yes |
| Ranger-guided dragon trekking (Rinca or Komodo) | Yes | Yes |
| Pink Beach (Pantai Merah) | Usually yes | Yes |
| Manta Point (Karang Makassar) | Weather permitting | Yes |
| Night at anchor, engines off | No | Yes |
| Indicative price | USD 91 per person shared; USD 800 per boat private | From about USD 250–450 per person (2D1N) |
What time do the bats leave Kalong Island?
Sunset in this part of Flores falls broadly between 17:30 and 18:15 depending on the month, and the colony moves shortly after the sun is down — often at the point where you would assume the show is over and reach for a jacket. Crews position the boat with the mangroves to one side and the last colour of sky behind them, then cut the engines. Expect the flight to build over several minutes rather than happen at once.
Bring nothing more than a camera you can hold steady and a warm layer. Phone cameras struggle badly in this light; if you care about images, a fast lens and a boat rail to brace against will do more for you than any editing later.
Where does Kalong sit in a typical itinerary?
On a standard 3D2N route from Labuan Bajo, Kalong is the closing act of day one, after a sequence of shallow, easy stops. A representative shape:
| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Depart Labuan Bajo; Kelor Island; Kalong-bound cruising | Menjerite or Sebayur snorkelling; Kalong approach | Kalong Island flying-fox sunset; overnight at anchor |
| Day 2 | Padar Island sunrise trek; Pink Beach (Pantai Merah) | Komodo Island (Loh Liang) ranger-guided dragon trek; Manta Point (Karang Makassar); Taka Makassar sandbar | Siaba or Gili Lawa anchorage; sunset from deck |
| Day 3 | Kanawa Island or Mawan snorkelling | Return to Labuan Bajo | — |
Routes shift with tide, wind and park scheduling — Rinca Island (Loh Buaya) is sometimes substituted for Komodo Island (Loh Liang), and Tatawa may be added for stronger swimmers. The Kalong stop itself is close to non-negotiable on overnight departures: it is where the day ends.
Safety at Kalong and on the trek
Kalong itself carries no land risk because there is no landing. The safety rules that matter on a Komodo trip apply on the island stops. Komodo dragons are wild, dangerous animals. You must always stay with your assigned park ranger during any trek and follow their instructions. Do not walk ahead, do not separate from the group for a photograph, and tell your ranger before the trek if you have an open wound.
On the water: wear the life jacket when the crew asks, do not swim from the boat at Kalong (currents in the channel are real and the light is gone), and stay off the bow rail while the vessel is manoeuvring.
Prices and park fees
Tour prices and park fees are separate. Park fees are set by the park authority and paid separately from tour prices.
As of January 2026, Komodo National Park fees for foreign passport holders are IDR 250,000 (about USD 16) per person per calendar day, set by Government Regulation PP No. 36/2024 — multi-day trips are charged per day in the park, not as a flat trip rate. Full detail sits on our park fees and tickets page.
Tour pricing, in duration order:
- 1-Day Speedboat Tour (shared) — USD 91 per person. No Kalong.
- 1-Day Speedboat Charter (private) — USD 800 per boat. No Kalong.
- 2D1N — from about USD 250–450 per person depending on vessel and cabin. The shortest trip that includes Kalong.
- 3D2N Shared Liveaboard (Phinisi) — priced per cabin, USD 330–850 per person by cabin tier and occupancy. Extra bed or additional person USD 250–410.
- Private whole-boat charter — priced per night, from USD 5,300 per night for an entry-luxury phinisi up to USD 8,000+ per night for larger VIP vessels; VVIP flagships up to USD 35,000+ per night. Minimum 3 nights, maximum 11 nights.
Real shared-cabin examples on our own boats: Yumana Superior USD 330 · Elbark Banda Neira USD 400 · Naturalia Lagoon USD 400 · Catnazse Grandis USD 430 · Vinca Balinese USD 430 · Ayvara Superior USD 450 · Malca Master USD 580 · Neptune Deluxe USD 610 · Mosalaki Adonara USD 800 · Neptune Mansard USD 850. Full breakdown on prices and cost.
Booking terms are simple: a 50% deposit secures the date, and the balance is due 14 days before departure.
Which boat should you pick for the Kalong night?
The flying-fox sunset is watched from the deck, so deck space and the quality of the anchorage matter more than cabin size. Our fleet is owned, crewed and maintained in-house rather than brokered, which is why we can tell you what each vessel is actually like at anchor. Traditional wooden phinisi — Neptune Cruise Phinisi, Naturalia, Vinca Voyages, Yumana, Mosalaki, Catnazse, Elbark Cruises, Komodo Signature, Komodo Prestige, Velocean, Celestia, The Maj Oceanic — carry up to 20 guests and give you an open top deck. Cruise-class vessels such as Ayvara Cruises and Malca Voyages add an indoor lounge and dining space for larger groups. See the full phinisi fleet.
If your group is booking the whole boat, a private charter versus shared trip comparison is worth reading before you commit — the Kalong stop is identical either way; the difference is who else is on deck.
When to go
The dry season, April to November, is the best window, with July to September the peak. The bats fly year-round, but calm water and clean sunset light are far more reliable outside the wet months. Labuan Bajo (LBJ) is the gateway town, roughly a one-hour flight from Bali — see Komodo boat tours from Bali for the connection. For dragon-sighting seasonality, see best time to see Komodo dragons.
Book the Kalong sunset
Message us on WhatsApp at wa.me/628113823875 or email sales@komodoluxury.com and tell us your dates and group size — we will tell you honestly which cabins are still open and which vessels anchor best at Kalong. Or start with our booking page.
Can I visit Kalong Island on a day trip from Labuan Bajo?
No. The flying foxes only leave at dusk, and day-trip speedboats must return to Labuan Bajo by around 17:00–18:00. Kalong Island requires a 2D1N or longer overnight boat tour.
Can you land or walk on Kalong Island?
No. Kalong is dense mangrove with no beach, trail or ranger post. Boats view the colony from anchor offshore, engines off, and nobody goes ashore.
How many flying foxes are there?
Thousands. The colony leaves in a continuous stream lasting several minutes rather than a single burst, so the scale is obvious even without a count.
Do I pay park fees on top of the tour price?
Yes. Fees are set by the park authority and paid separately. As of January 2026, foreign passport holders pay IDR 250,000 (about USD 16) per person per calendar day, set by Government Regulation PP No. 36/2024 — multi-day trips are charged per day in the park, not as a flat trip rate.
Is a 2D1N enough, or should I book 3D2N?
2D1N is the shortest trip that includes Kalong, but 3D2N is our recommended minimum for a proper Komodo boat tour — it adds Padar Island at sunrise, Manta Point and a far less rushed dragon trek.
Do I need to dive to join?
No. Our trips are leisure sailing and island hopping with ranger-guided dragon trekking and snorkelling. No diving certification is required.