King Cirox 2
King Cirox 2 Phinisi
Manta Point, Komodo: a drift snorkel in current from King Cirox 2, mantas likely, never promised
Updated 11 October 2026
Manta Point, which some charts call Karang Makassar, is a drift snorkel along a reef in strong current, 3 to 15 metres deep, for 30 to 60 minutes. Mantas are common, never guaranteed, and peak from December to February and July to September. King Cirox 2 Phinisi calls there on day two of the 2D1N and 3D2N, day three of the longer charters.
A current, not a lagoon
The water at Manta Point moves. You drift along the reef with the guide and the current instead of swimming from a boat anchored in one spot. Depths run from 3 to 15 metres. The current is strong, and the site is best for confident swimmers.
It is not a calm lagoon, and a nervous swimmer should wear a life jacket or stay with the strongest swimmer in the group. The boat carries jackets for exactly that: the orange ones visible in our aerial photo.
Fins matter more here than anywhere else on the route, and King Cirox 2 carries none: the snorkel kit is a mask and a snorkel. In a strong drift, fins are the difference between choosing where you look and going wherever the water takes you. Bring a pair, or rent them in Labuan Bajo before the pickup. The site table follows, with depth, current and level.
- Best window
- morning
- Time ashore / in water
- 30–60 min
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Depth
- 3–15 m
- Current
- strong
- Tide
- Depends on tide
- Busiest months
- July, August, September
What it is not: wild animals: manta rays are common but never guaranteed · not a calm lagoon: currents can be strong and snorkelling is guided
Manta months
Mantas are wild animals, so the honest figure is a season, not a promise. Six months rate as peak in the park's season data, December to February and July to September; March is good; April to June, October and November are fair.
The catch is that the best manta months are not the calmest. January and February are wet and rough, with low visibility. July and August are windy and crowded. September is the strong shoulder month: winds ease, visibility improves, and mantas are still around.
Sightings also depend on the tide and the current on the day. That is why the order of Manta Point and Taka Makassar swaps on several routes: the crew puts you in the water when the conditions suit, not when the printed list says. Read the season matrix below with your travel month in mind, and if mantas are the reason you are coming, tell us so when you book.
| 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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Real photo from a Komodo Explorer trip · 12 photos
Where it falls on each route
Manta Point is on four routes. The 2D1N ends day two here. On the open trip a small transfer boat takes 2D1N guests from Manta Point to the pier in Labuan Bajo; on a 2D1N charter the boat itself returns to Labuan Bajo, and guests fly the day after the trip ends. On the 3D2N it comes on day two after Pink Beach, then a snack and the sandbar at Taka Makassar, 20 to 30 minutes away. On the 4D3N and 5D4N it moves to day three, after the Gili Lawa trek.
The full-day sample leaves it out. The 3D2N is the shortest way to reach Manta Point on the open trip, from IDR 3,350,000 (≈ USD 206) a bunk, and that fare brings the guide and a photo crew along, which is useful at a site where you want the camera in the water with you.
Plan the afternoon around it. Eat lightly at lunch, put on reef-safe sunscreen, and have your fins ready on deck before the boat slows. The route block below shows day two in order.
Day 1
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 | Labuan Bajo — Hotel / airport pickup, 10:00–11:00 | — | soft bag, not a hard suitcase |
| · | Kelor Island trek (hill with a 360° view) | 50–70 min | sturdy shoes |
| · | Snorkelling at Manjarite (long wooden pier) | 30–60 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Lunch | — | |
| · | Strawberry Rock, pinkish-red rocks (conditional) | 20–40 min | camera charged |
| · | Sunset at Kalong Island, fruit bats | 30–60 min | camera charged |
| · | Dinner | — | |
| 🌙 | Night on board: at anchor or under way, as the weather and the captain decide that day. | ||
Day 2
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Breakfast aboard | — | |
| · | Padar Island trek, or Gili Lawa: your choice, subject to quota | — | sturdy shoes, hat |
| · | Komodo dragons at Komodo village, or Rinca: your choice, subject to quota | 60–90 min | |
| · | Lunch | — | |
| · | Snorkelling at Pink Beach (or Namong) | 30–60 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Snorkelling at Manta Point Tide | 45–75 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Snack | — | |
| · | Taka Makassar sandbar and snorkelling Tide | 20–30 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Dinner | — | |
| 🌙 | Night on board: at anchor or under way, as the weather and the captain decide that day. | ||
Day 3
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Breakfast aboard | — | |
| · | Seture Island, beach and snorkelling | — | reef-safe sunscreen |
| 10:00 | Back in Labuan Bajo, 10:00–11:00 | 30–90 min |
Tide and wind decide whether these stops trade places: Manta Point ⇄ Taka Makassar.
Treat the times as planning figures, not a timetable; the sea sets the real ones. The pickup is the one time we hold ourselves to.
FAQ
Do I need a diving licence to see mantas at Manta Point?
No. You snorkel on the surface and watch the mantas below; no certificate is needed.
Should I bring fins for Manta Point?
Yes. Nothing for your feet is carried on board, and the current at Manta Point is strong. Fins let you hold your line along the reef and swim back to the tender without a struggle. Rent them in Labuan Bajo if you do not travel with a pair; buy or rent before day one, because there is nowhere to get them once the boat leaves the harbour.
What if the current is too strong on the day?
The crew and guide decide. On several routes Manta Point and Taka Makassar swap order with the tide, and the itinerary can change with the sea and the weather.
How long is the snorkel at Manta Point?
Between 30 and 60 minutes, drifting along the reef with the current.
Is Manta Point the same place as Taka Makassar?
No. They are separate stops 20 to 30 minutes apart: Manta Point is the current drift, Taka Makassar the sandbar.
Check availability — King Cirox 2
King Cirox 2 is owner-held, and this booking desk handles every enquiry for her.