Neptune
Neptune Phinisi
Thousands of flying foxes leave at dusk
Updated 4 November 2026
Kalong bat flight at dusk: on Neptune's 3D2N, 4D3N and 5D4N routes the boat reaches Kalong at sunset, around 18:01 in November, and the flying foxes leave the mangroves about 15 minutes later. You watch from the open deck, and nobody lands.
Dusk over the mangroves, flying foxes overhead
Kalong is a mangrove islet between Komodo and Rinca, and it is a roost. By day thousands of flying foxes hang in the trees. At dusk they leave in a long column to feed, and the sky above the boat fills for about 30 minutes.
The bats start about 15 minutes after sunset, so arrive before the sun goes. Sunset ranges across the year from 17:49 in May to 18:27 in January, and the table lists every month.
Kalong is on the 3D2N, 4D3N and 5D4N routes, always at the end of a day that includes Komodo or Rinca. It is not on the 1D or the 2D1N. It is also not a landing stop: the whole show is watched from the boat.
Watching from the open deck as the light goes
Everything about this stop is a matter of levels. Here is the section through the stern at 17:30. Lower deck: a Deluxe cabin, door open to its balcony, the sea a metre below the rail. Upper deck: the Junior Suite, same orientation, one level higher, the light a little warmer. Above that, the open deck where dinner is being laid on the long outdoor table. One stair connects all three.
Pick your level. From a cabin balcony you watch the bats alone or in a pair, close to the water. From the open deck you watch with the party, and the whole flight passes above you.
Neptune lies off the mangroves for the flight, and the only sounds are the wings and the water.
Sunset at Kalong falls at 17:49 in May and 18:14 in December. The flight follows the sun, so be on deck by the time for your month and not by the habit of the last trip.
| 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
Photographing the flight with the lens you already own
You do not need a special lens to enjoy the flight, and you do not need one to photograph it. A phone held steady catches the column against the sky. A camera with a longer lens catches individual bats, and a charged battery matters more than any lens.
The light falls fast. Shoot early at a wide angle for the sky and the mangroves, and later at a longer reach for the column of bats. Lean on the rail to steady the camera, and turn off the flash, which only lights the nearest bats.
Keep to the deck for the shot, and keep your feet clear of the rail.
Then put the camera down for five minutes and watch. The flight is long enough to do both.
After the bats, supper at anchor
When the last bats have gone, dinner is served aboard, at the long outdoor table or in the indoor dining room, depending on the weather. The night is spent at anchor, and the captain chooses the anchorage with the sea.
On the 3D2N the plan names Kelor as the anchorage for the second night. The 4D3N and 5D4N follow the same pattern, and the anchorage is set each evening.
The deck is quiet after dinner. The bats keep leaving for a while, a few at a time, and the dark comes down quickly. Most guests go to their cabins early, since the next morning starts with a climb.
If a squall closes the sky, the show is shortened and the dinner comes first. Nothing here is a promise, and the weather has the final word.
FAQ
What time does the bat flight start?
The flying foxes leave about 15 minutes after sunset, over about 30 minutes. Sunset at Kalong runs from 17:49 in May to 18:27 in January. Be on deck before the sun goes down, since the sky is already busy when the first bats lift.
Do we land at Kalong?
No. Kalong is a mangrove roost, and the show is watched from the boat. Neptune lies off the mangroves, and you see the flight from the open deck or your cabin balcony. Nothing is lost by staying aboard, because the column of bats passes above the water.
Which Neptune routes reach Kalong at sunset?
The 3D2N, 4D3N and 5D4N. On the 3D2N it ends day two, after Komodo or Rinca. The 1D and 2D1N routes do not include it. The captain agrees the final order with you, and the weather can move the stop, so we confirm the plan on WhatsApp.
Check availability — Neptune
Neptune sails with its own crew and captain; Komodo Explorer plans the voyage, takes your payment and answers every message before you board.