Carnaby
Carnaby Phinisi
Manta Point for a mixed group of swimmers
Updated 26 October 2026
Manta Point is a drift snorkel along the reef with the current, 30 to 60 minutes, and sightings depend on tide and current. Carnaby 1's 3D2N lists it on day 2; Carnaby 2's lists Mawan Island or Manta Point. Life jackets are on board for nervous swimmers.
A drift snorkel, not a calm lagoon
Manta rays feed here, and no crew can promise them on a given day. The current can be strong. This is not a calm lagoon: depths run from 3 to 15 m, and the stop suits confident swimmers best.
Swimmers drift along the reef with the current rather than anchoring in one spot, led by a guide on an open trip; on a private charter the guide is on request and quoted separately. The stop takes 30 to 60 minutes. It is also known as Karang Makassar, in the central park.
Park entry is paid per person and is never in the fare: IDR 250,000 for foreign guests.
- Best window
- morning
- Time ashore / in water
- 30–60 min
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Depth
- 3–15 m
- Current
- strong
- Tide-dependent
- Depends on tide
- Busiest months
- July, August, September
What it is not: wild animals: no crew can promise mantas on a given day · not a calm lagoon: currents can be strong and snorkelling is guided
Nervous swimmers and life jackets
Life jackets are on both boats: Carnaby 1 lists 20, Carnaby 2 lists life jackets without a count. Anyone who is unsure of the current wears one, and wearing one is not a sign of weakness.
Place a confident swimmer in each small group. For a party of 14 or 21 with mixed abilities, split into groups of four or five before the drift and keep non-swimmers on the boat with the crew. The sundeck is a good seat for watching.
Real photo from a KEXI trip · 12 photos
Manta season and your date
Manta season is best roughly from December to February and from July to September. The Komodo season grid below shows sea, visibility and crowds for each month, so a birthday that is fixed in the calendar can be checked against it.
A date outside those months still includes the stop, but the odds change. Sightings depend on the tide and the current on the day, never on the month alone.
| Month | Sea | Visibility | Mantas | Crowds | Rain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Wet season at its height: heavy showers, the roughest water of the year and low visibility. Anchorages are quiet and mantas are at their best, so a January date suits a group that accepts a lively sea and plans some of the day in the lounge. |
| February | rough | low | peak | low | wet | Still wet, with rough water and low visibility. The stops are quiet and the mantas stay, which makes February a fair month for a group that cares more about space than calm. |
| March | moderate | medium | good | low | wet | The last wet month. Showers ease, the sea settles to moderate and visibility reaches medium, with few other boats about. |
| April | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | The dry season opens with calm water and some of the clearest reef of the year. Crowds sit at a medium level, so a group of 15 or more still finds room at each stop. |
| May | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry, calm and clear. Hike and snorkel days are the most predictable of the year, which helps when 10 to 21 people have fixed flights. |
| June | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Dry and clear, with the south-east wind starting to build toward July. Mornings on the water are livelier than in May. |
| July | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | Windier water, medium visibility and the busiest stops of the year. Mantas are at their peak, so book the boat early for a July date. |
| August | rough | medium | peak | high | dry | The windiest dry month, with busy stops. Mantas are common and the water stays at medium clarity. |
| September | moderate | high | peak | medium | dry | The wind eases and visibility is high again. Mantas are still around and the crowds drop to a medium level, a strong month for a large group. |
| October | calm | high | fair | medium | dry | Calm, clear and hot, with fewer boats than in July and August. A good month for a group photo on a quiet ridge. |
| November | calm | high | fair | low | dry | The dry season closes with calm water, clear views and some of the quietest stops of the year. Sunrise at Padar comes early, so brief the guests the night before. |
| December | moderate | medium | peak | medium | wet | The wet season starts and mantas return. Late December is busy with holiday travellers, so a date in that week is booked well ahead. |
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Which of the two swim stops comes first
On Carnaby 1's day 2, Taka Makassar and Manta Point are close together, and the order swaps with the tide and current. The sandbar needs low tide, while manta sightings follow the current, and the captain decides which to take first.
Carnaby 2's day 2 lists Mawan Island or Manta Point as one snorkel stop, chosen by current and weather. The 3D2N page shows the whole day, the comparison page compares the boats, and the charter page prices the group.
FAQ
Will we see manta rays?
Manta rays feed at Manta Point, and no crew can promise them on a given day. Sightings depend on tide, current and the day, and December to February and July to September are the best stretches. The stop is a drift snorkel of 30 to 60 minutes, and we promise the stop, not the animal.
Can non-swimmers join Manta Point?
They can come along for the stop, but the current can be strong and the water is 3 to 15 m deep. Non-swimmers watch from the boat or wear a life jacket under supervision. A confident swimmer in each small group is advised, and the crew decides who goes in and when.
When is manta season?
Roughly December to February and July to September. The wet months of January and February are rough but good for mantas, and July is crowded with other boats. The season grid on this page shows sea, visibility and crowds for every month.
How long is the snorkel?
A drift snorkel at Manta Point takes 30 to 60 minutes. The group is led along the reef with the current rather than anchored in one spot, and the captain sets the time on the day with tide and traffic in mind.
Check availability — Carnaby
Carnaby is published and booked by PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia, a booking partner for Carnaby 1 and Carnaby 2. The boats belong to their owner.