King Cirox 2
King Cirox 2 Phinisi
Komodo wind seasons: what the sea does each month on King Cirox 2
Updated 11 October 2026
Komodo has a dry season, April to November, and a wet one, December to March; the south-east wind brings chop on crossings in July and August. If the harbour authority suspends sailings, King Cirox 2 offers a phinisi of the same class or higher, or a full refund. By the general deck rule, Malang, Surabaya and Gresik move less than Kediri, Jember and Madiun.
Two seasons and one wind
Komodo has two seasons and one wind. Dry months are April to November, with little rain and calmer seas. Wet months are December to March, with short heavy downpours that peak in February. The wind is the south-easterly. It builds from June, brings wind and chop on crossings in July and August, and eases in September.
The chart below rates the sea month by month: four months rough, five calm and three in between. January, February, July and August rate rough, for two different reasons, wet-season showers in the first pair and dry-season wind in the second.
April, May, June, October and November rate calm; March, September and December sit between. The ratings describe the park, not this boat; they are not measurements taken aboard. Find your month, then read what it does to the route.
| Month | Sea | Visibility | Mantas | Crowds | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Heavy showers and low visibility, but mantas at their best and few boats about. Book a main-deck cabin. |
| February | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Rough and wet, like January; quiet sites and peak manta odds for those who can take the sea. |
| March | moderate | medium | good | low | wet | The last wet month: showers ease, the sea settles and the mantas are still good. |
| April | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | The dry season opens with calm passages and some of the year's clearest water. |
| May | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | A dependable month: settled sea and clear water for snorkelling and the climbs at Kelor and Padar. |
| June | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm and clear, with the south-east wind starting to build towards July. |
| July | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | Dry but windier, mantas picking up, and one of the two busiest months at Padar and Pink Beach. |
| August | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | Peak wind for the dry season and the fullest anchorages; book early and choose the main deck if motion bothers you. |
| September | moderate | high | peak | medium | dry | The wind eases, the water clears and the mantas stay: the strongest shoulder month on the chart. |
| October | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Hot, with calm water and good visibility, and fewer boats than in July and August. |
| November | calm | high | fair | low | dry | Last month of the dry season: the sea calm, the water clear and the sites at their emptiest. |
| December | moderate | medium | peak | medium | wet | The rain returns with the mantas, and the last fortnight fills with holiday travellers. |
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Month by month on these routes
On the 3D2N, day one runs from Labuan Bajo to Kelor in 50 to 70 minutes and on through Manjarite to Kalong. Day two carries Padar or Gili Lawa, Komodo or Rinca, Pink Beach, Manta Point and Taka Makassar. Here is what each month does to that run.
- January and February: rough sea, low visibility, the heaviest rain, few boats. Mantas at their peak.
- March: moderate; showers ease and mantas rate good.
- April to June: calm and clear. The wind starts to build in June.
- July and August: rough, with chop on crossings and the busiest anchorages. Mantas at their peak.
- September: moderate sea, high visibility, mantas still at their peak.
- October and November: calm and clear, November the quieter.
- December: moderate; the wet season starts and mantas return.
Manta Point falls on the second day of the 3D2N and is the finish line of the 2D1N, so a manta month counts on both. A sighting is never guaranteed. Kalong closes the stops of day one: sunset falls at 17:58 in April and 17:55 in October, and the flying foxes start leaving the mangroves a quarter of an hour after that.
| 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 |
Calculated for this location, to within a few minutes.
Who can stop a sailing?
Two offices stand between a boat and the sea. The harbour master's office, KSOP Labuan Bajo, issues each boat's sailing permit and checks the weather before it does. The park office controls access to the park. The harbour master can close sailings at a day's notice, and the park office can close sites. The harbour authority suspends sailings most often in the wet season and in spells of strong south-east wind.
The recent record shows the pattern. Komodo and Padar were closed from 6 to 8 August 2026 for waves and wind, while Rinca stayed open. From 29 December 2025 to 4 February 2026 the closures came in stages, and all tourist boats were held from 14 to 20 January 2026. AIS is on the equipment list and the wheelhouse photo shows a Garmin unit and a chart plotter; the permit still comes from the harbour master.
Our rule covers a closure. If King Cirox 2 cannot sail on your dates, through a breakdown or because the harbour master or the park orders it to stay in port, you sail the same dates on a phinisi of the same class or higher at no extra cost, or you take a full refund within 14 days. Where a whole closure falls on your dates and no boat may leave, the full refund applies. A stop swapped for weather, currents or quota is part of the trip, not a cancellation.
Which deck moves less?
Six cabins sit on two decks, three on each. By the general rule, the lower you sleep the less you travel with each roll: Malang, Surabaya and Gresik, on the main deck, move less than Kediri, Jember and Madiun, on the upper deck. That is a general rule for boats of this layout, not a measurement on this boat.
Use it by season. In the four rough months, January, February, July and August, book a main-deck door if motion bothers you: Malang for the balcony, Surabaya for a private double, Gresik for the cheapest bunk. In the five calm months pick by balcony, bathtub or price, not by deck. No stabilisers are listed in the booklets and the first aid kit's contents are not printed, so bring your own tablets and take them as the packet says.
The table below puts each door beside its deck and its fare. Choose the month first, then the door, then message us the date.
| Cabins | Deck | 3D2N | 2D1N | Extra bed (3D2N) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malang — Master Balcony | Main deck | IDR 5,150,000 (≈ USD 316) | IDR 4,750,000 (≈ USD 291) | IDR 3,500,000 (≈ USD 215) |
| Surabaya — Private Cabin | Main deck | IDR 4,300,000 (≈ USD 264) | IDR 3,900,000 (≈ USD 239) | IDR 3,000,000 (≈ USD 184) |
| Gresik — Share Cabin (4 bunks) (per bunk) | Main deck | IDR 3,350,000 (≈ USD 206) | IDR 2,900,000 (≈ USD 178) | IDR 2,750,000 (≈ USD 169) |
| Kediri — Private Cabin | Upper deck | IDR 4,300,000 (≈ USD 264) | IDR 3,900,000 (≈ USD 239) | IDR 3,000,000 (≈ USD 184) |
| Jember — Private Cabin | Upper deck | IDR 4,300,000 (≈ USD 264) | IDR 3,900,000 (≈ USD 239) | IDR 3,000,000 (≈ USD 184) |
| Madiun — Master Balcony with bathtub | Upper deck | IDR 5,400,000 (≈ USD 331) | IDR 5,000,000 (≈ USD 307) | IDR 3,500,000 (≈ USD 215) |
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Open trips sail every Monday and Friday, except dates held by a private charter. Next departures: 12 October 2026, 16 October 2026, 23 October 2026, 26 October 2026
Checked 11 October 2026 · Source: the boat's current rate sheet
FAQ
Which months are rough on the Komodo sea?
January, February, July and August rate rough in the park's season data: wet-season showers in the first pair, south-east wind in the second.
Is September a good month to sail?
Yes. The sea rates moderate, visibility is high and mantas are at their peak, so September is the shoulder month to know about.
Can the harbour authority cancel my trip?
It can stop every boat from sailing, and it does so most often in the wet season and in spells of strong south-east wind. If King Cirox 2 cannot sail because of a breakdown or an order from the harbour master or the park, you sail the same dates on a phinisi of the same class or higher at no extra cost, or you take a full refund within 14 days.
Which cabin moves least in July or August?
By the general rule, a main-deck cabin: Malang, Surabaya or a Gresik bunk. It is a general rule for boats of this layout, not a measurement on this boat, and no stabilisers are listed.
When do mantas appear at Manta Point?
Mantas are most reliable from December to February and again from July to September. Tide and current decide each sighting, and no sighting is guaranteed. On the 3D2N it falls on the second day, and the 2D1N ends there.
Check availability — King Cirox 2
King Cirox 2 is owner-held, and this booking desk handles every enquiry for her.