Gammara Phinisi
Gammara Phinisi
Kalong at last light, bats from the deck
Updated 3 November 2026
Kalong Island bats and sunset by private phinisi: on day 1 Gammara is at Kalong by sunset, between 17:49 and 18:27 depending on the month. The flying foxes leave about 15 minutes later, and you watch from the boat.
Dusk exodus of the flying foxes
Kalong is a mangrove islet between Komodo and Rinca where thousands of flying foxes roost. It is the last stop of day 1 on the 3D2N route, and the reason the day after boarding is paced as it is: Kelor, Manjarite, then the west.
The bats leave at dusk, about 15 minutes after sunset. They go in a long stream that lasts about 30 minutes, dark against the last of the light.
Arrive early. The show is short, and it starts on its own time. Gammara anchors in view of the mangroves before the sun drops.
A long lens and a charged camera help. Phones record the stream as a smudge, so enjoy it with your eyes first.
Sky note. Sunset at Kalong falls between 17:49 in May and 18:27 in January. The bats follow it by about 15 minutes.
Last light across twelve months
The table shows the minute the sun sets at Kalong. It ranges from 17:49 in May to 18:27 in January, with July at 17:57 and December at 18:14. Times are WITA.
Add 15 minutes for the bats. The stream then runs for about half an hour, so a single evening in any month gives you a window of three-quarters of an hour from sunset to the last bat.
Be anchored and settled before the time in the table, with a cup of tea and the west in front of you. Sunset is the one fixed point of a day 1 that otherwise moves with traffic and tides. The table gives the sun, not the sky. Cloud can swallow the colour of the sunset, and the bats still fly. Gammara anchors with the mangroves in view, and the captain chooses the exact spot.
| 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.
Real photo from a KEXI trip · 5 photos
The bats seen from anchor, with no landing
Kalong is not a landing stop. The show is watched from the boat. Nobody walks among the mangroves, and nobody needs to. The distance from the deck is enough to see the whole stream.
That suits a couple. On an open-trip departure you share the view with the other guests, and on a private charter you have the social deck of Gammara to yourselves, and the whole stream passes while you stay where you are.
Keep your voice low as the bats begin, and keep your phone torch off.
If the bats do not leave on time, wait. The 15 minutes after sunset is a guide, not a timetable.
Evening after the bats
After the bats, the boat spends the night at anchor. Where depends on the weather and the captain, and it is not always the same bay as the sunset.
Dinner follows on board. Three meals a day are on the included list, and the dining lounge has large windows.
With the lights low there is time to look up. On a clear, moonless night the Milky Way shows over the dark shape of an island. Clouds can hide the stars, and we do not promise a clear sky.
Day 2 starts early, for Padar, so the night is short. Every cabin has air conditioning and its own bathroom, and Jasmine and Lily on the upper deck have king beds.
FAQ
What time do the bats leave Kalong?
About 15 minutes after sunset, and the stream lasts about 30 minutes. Sunset falls between 17:49 in May and 18:27 in January, so the table on this page gives your month. Arrive early and watch from the boat. Cloud does not stop the flight.
Can we step onto Kalong Island?
No. Kalong is not a landing stop, and the bats are watched from the boat. Gammara anchors in view of the mangroves before sunset. You see the stream from the open deck, which suits a couple who want the show without the walk.
Check availability — Gammara Phinisi
Bookings for Gammara Phinisi are made with the Komodo Explorer team in Labuan Bajo.