Gammara Phinisi
Gammara Phinisi
The best time to go, month by month
Updated 3 November 2026
The best time for a Komodo honeymoon boat trip on Gammara depends on what you want from the sea. Padar sunrise runs from 05:31 to 06:18 across the year, and Kalong sunset from 17:49 to 18:27. Dry months are calmer, July and August are windy, and December to March is wet.
Twelve months of swell, clarity and crowds
A word on what follows. These are general notes on the park's seasons, drawn from common knowledge rather than measurement. They describe tendencies. No month guarantees a sea state, a sighting or a sky.
Broadly, April to November is dry and December to March is wet. April to June, and again October to November, bring calm, clear water and moderate numbers of boats. July and August stay dry but the wind picks up, the crossings turn choppy and the anchorages are at their fullest. In September the wind drops and the water clears.
From December to March the rain comes in short, heavy bursts, visibility falls, fewer boats sail and the water is at its roughest, February most of all. Mantas turn up all year at one site or another, though no month guarantees them.
No one month is best. It comes down to what you want most: calm water, quiet stops, or a particular light for your photographs. The matrix sets all twelve side by side.
| Month | Sea | Visibility | Mantas | Crowds | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Wet season, with some of the roughest seas of the year, so stops can swap or drop. Padar sunrise 05:54, Kalong sunset 18:27, the latest of the year. |
| February | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Heavy showers and rough water; the captain decides the stops day by day. Padar first light 06:05, Kalong sunset 18:26. |
| March | moderate | medium | good | low | wet | The last wet-season month: showers ease and the sea settles. Padar sunrise 06:06, Kalong sunset 18:15. |
| April | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | The dry season begins with calm water and clear visibility. Padar sunrise 06:04, Kalong sunset 17:58. |
| May | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry, calm and clear. Padar sunrise 06:07; Kalong sunset 17:49, the earliest of the year. |
| June | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm and clear, with the south-east wind starting to build. Padar sunrise 06:14, Kalong sunset 17:50. |
| July | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | Dry but windy, with a choppier sea and busy anchorages. Padar sunrise 06:18, the latest of the year; Kalong sunset 17:57. |
| August | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | The windiest month of the dry season. Padar sunrise 06:12, Kalong sunset 18:00. |
| September | moderate | high | peak | medium | dry | The wind eases and the water clears. Padar sunrise 05:56, Kalong sunset 17:58. |
| October | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm, clear and hot, with fewer boats than in July and August. Padar sunrise 05:39, Kalong sunset 17:55. |
| November | calm | high | fair | low | dry | The end of the dry season: a calm sea, clear water and quiet stops. Padar sunrise 05:31, the earliest of the year; Kalong sunset 18:01. |
| December | moderate | medium | peak | medium | wet | The wet season returns with a moderate sea, and the last week is busy with holiday travellers. Padar sunrise 05:38, Kalong sunset 18:14. |
Swipe for more
Padar's dawn through the calendar
Padar sees its earliest sunrise in November, at 05:31, and its latest in July, at 06:18. Across the whole year the range is 05:31 to 06:18. Close to the equator, the band stays narrow.
The tender sets off about 65 minutes before sunrise, and the viewpoint is 25 to 45 minutes' climb. You land in darkness and arrive at the top just as the colour starts. Whatever the month, a torch and grippy shoes matter more.
In rough weather the harbour authority may shut Padar and Komodo for the day while leaving Rinca open, and the captain reworks the plan. Losing Padar is the one real cost of a rough month. Any change to the plan reaches you in writing.
Below, every month's sunrise in WITA.
| 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 |
Computed for the location; accurate to a few minutes. The crew shifts wake-up with the actual swell.
Kalong's dusk through the calendar
Through the year, Kalong's sunset moves between 17:49 and 18:27: latest in January at 18:27, earliest in May at 17:49.
The 3D2N sample reaches it on day one, after Kelor and Manjarite. Soon after the sun has gone, the flying foxes stream out of the mangroves, and you watch from the boat without going ashore.
What the light does matters more than the exact minute. Within a quarter of an hour, cloud can turn a sunset grey and a sudden gap can turn it red, and nobody can book either in advance. We give the minute so you know when to be on deck. The colour we leave to the sky.
Below, every month's sunset in WITA.
| 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.
Dark of the moon, bright of the moon: picking stargazing nights
How many stars you see is down to the moon. How rough the crossings are is down to the month. Choose the sea first and the moon second.
In the days around new moon the sky is at its blackest and the Milky Way shows plainly. Around full moon it is bright and the faint stars fade out. Even so, a honeymoon over a full moon loses nothing of the sunsets, the sunrises or the water.
Moon dates shift every year, so we leave them out; give us your dates and we will look up the phase. For what the moon does to a night at anchor, and why a red torch helps, see the night guide.
Sky note. After a new moon the first thin crescent sets soon after dusk. The first days of the month therefore give dark late evenings, and that is when a honeymoon deck is best for looking up.
Months with rougher water
The roughest weeks fall between December and February: a higher sea, short heavy showers, and weather closures at their most frequent. July and August are dry, yet the south-east wind chops up the open crossings. Sheltered bays stay calmer than the open water.
Tourist sailing can be closed by the harbour authority with a day's notice. Should that stop the boat before your date, you are offered an equal or higher class phinisi on the same date at no extra charge, or a full refund. The refund is normally transferred within 2 x 24 hours once the conditions are met. After you have sailed, the captain adjusts stops and anchorage, and any refund is settled case by case, in writing.
No month comes with a calm sea guaranteed. Rough months do bring something back: fewer boats, quieter stops. Leave a spare day either side of the trip, and take your tablet before the water starts to move.
Holding a date early
Book early if you can. July to September goes first, along with the days around public holidays. We confirm your date on WhatsApp, and it is yours once the 50 percent deposit arrives, with the balance 30 days ahead of sailing.
Open trips leave Monday & Friday, and private charter dates are confirmed the same way. You can already book for 2027; the 2027 fare is confirmed at the time of booking.
If you know the month but not the day, send us the month and the number in your party, and we will tell you what is free. Torn between two months, name both. The moon and the sea will help you choose.
FAQ
Which months have the earliest sunrise and the latest sunset?
Padar sunrise runs from 05:31 to 06:18 across the year, earliest around November and latest around July. Kalong sunset runs from 17:49 to 18:27, earliest around May and latest around January and February. All times are in WITA.
Which month would you pick for a honeymoon on the boat?
There is no single best month. April to June and October to November are calm and clear. July and August are dry but windy and busy. December to March is wet and rough, with fewer boats. Choose the sea you can live with, then check the moon.
What if the harbour closes sailing before our date?
A harbour or park order can stop the boat sailing on your date. Then we offer an equal or higher class phinisi on the same date at no extra charge, or a full refund. Once the conditions are met, the money normally returns within 2 x 24 hours. We confirm in writing first. We cannot promise calm water in any month.
Check availability — Gammara Phinisi
Bookings for Gammara Phinisi are made with the Komodo Explorer team in Labuan Bajo.