Raja Bintang 01
Raja Bintang 01
Kalong at dusk: the flying foxes leave
Updated 4 November 2026
A Kalong Island sunset ends day 1 of Raja Bintang 01's three-day plan. The sun drops at 18:01 in November, and the flying foxes leave the mangroves about 15 minutes later. They are watched from the water; the boat stays at anchor overnight. The whole boat costs IDR 78,000,000 (≈ USD 4,785).
The evening the flying foxes cross
Late afternoon off Kalong. You are on the Master cabin's balcony with a cold glass of water. The air smells of diesel and salt, and the sky has a long orange line over Flores.
- Arrival: diesel, salt and mangrove mud as the boat settles at anchor.
- At the stop: the sun going down over the water, with the light changing every minute.
- Leaving: thousands of flying foxes crossing the sky in a long stream, over about 30 minutes.
Kalong is a mangrove islet between Komodo and Rinca. Thousands of flying foxes roost there. The boat stays at anchor overnight, in an anchorage the captain chooses with the weather.
When the sun drops, month by month
The sunset falls between 17:49 and 18:27 across the year: 17:50 in June, 18:01 in November. The bats leave about 15 minutes after the sun is down, so be on deck early. The table below gives every month.
A long lens and a charged camera help. Wind and cloud change the colour, not the schedule, and the sun does not wait for a late photographer. July, August and December are the busiest months at Kalong, and the boats gather in the same stretch of water.
Your anchorage is the captain's choice with the weather. If you want a balcony at that hour, say so at booking and we put the request in writing; the Master and Deluxe cabins have the balconies, but no view is promised.
| 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
Watched from the water, not from land
Not a landing: the flying foxes are watched from the water. Nobody goes ashore at Kalong, and the show does not need it. The bats leave their roost in the mangroves in a long, loose stream that crosses the sky above the water for about half an hour, and the boat's deck, with the boat at anchor, is the best seat. Stay put.
The stream varies from evening to evening, and we promise no particular size. The sun deck and the Master and Deluxe balconies give the view, but where the boat lies for the night is for the captain to decide.
Keep voices down once the first bats lift, because the stream is the whole show.
Dusk on the first night
Kalong ends day one on the three-day route, after Kelor and Manjarite. Everyone is on deck for it. The two-day route ends its first day here as well, after Rinca. The whole boat costs IDR 78,000,000 (≈ USD 4,785) for up to 16 guests.
Ask for dates and we tell you what sunset the month gives. We confirm the plan in writing, and the boat stays at anchor overnight, in an anchorage the captain chooses with the weather.
The evening after Kalong is quiet by design. Meals are included and eaten on board, and the next morning's early start at Padar is the reason to sleep. Sixteen guests and a crew of 6 share one deck, one anchorage and one sky, and nobody has anywhere else to be.
FAQ
Is Kalong worth it on a phinisi trip?
Yes, for every guest, because it asks nothing of you but a place on deck. The air smells of diesel, salt and mangrove mud, the sun goes down over the water, and then the flying foxes leave the mangroves in a long stream.
How long do we stay at Kalong?
The captain sets the time ashore on the day, with the tide and the weather. The sunset sets the hour, and the bats leave about 15 minutes after the sun drops, over roughly 30 minutes. The boat stays at anchor overnight, and the captain chooses the anchorage with the weather.
Can children or older travellers manage Kalong?
Yes. It needs no climb and no landing, because the show is watched from the boat. It suits every age and fitness level. The only effort is staying on deck until the bats leave, and a light layer helps as the air cools.
Check availability — Raja Bintang 01
Raja Bintang 01 sails with its own crew; Komodo Explorer sells the cabins and the whole boat, and arranges your booking, payment and pickup.