Bombana Sailing Komodo
Bombana Sailing Komodo
Kanawa Island: the easy snorkel on day 4
Updated 23 October 2026
Kanawa Island is the first stop on day 4 of the 4-day, 3-night charter on Bombana 1 and Bombana 2. It is a small island with white sand beaches and shallow coral reef, an easy snorkel with a mild current. It is not on the 3-day open trip.
An easy reef stop
Kanawa is a small island with white sand beaches. Shallow coral reefs make it an easy first snorkel, and the current is mild. The stay is 45 to 90 minutes.
It sits about 1 to 1.5 hours by boat from Labuan Bajo, so it also gets day trippers from the harbour. It can be busy in high season, and July and August are the busy months. In other months the beach is quieter.
The table below sums up the level and the route day.
- Time ashore / in water
- 45–90 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Current
- mild
- Tide
- Not tide-dependent
- Busiest months
- July, August
What it is not: not on the 3-day open trip
Only on the 4-day charter
Kanawa is on day 4 of the 4-day, 3-night route, followed by Rangko Cave and the return to Labuan Bajo. It isn't on the 2-day charter, and it isn't on the 3-day open trip that sails every Monday & Friday.
So the only way to see it from Bombana 1 or Bombana 2 is to book the whole boat for four days. The 4-day route page has the full order, and the charter page has the price bands.
We confirm the return time with your date.
Mask and rash guard
Masks are provided on both boats. Fins are not promised, but shallow water doesn't demand them. A rash guard and reef-safe sunscreen cover the sun, and a hat covers the boat. Bring water, too.
Easy reef doesn't mean look-and-touch reef. Keep your feet and your hands off the coral, and let the guide set the time in the water. The snorkelling page lists every water stop on the routes.
This is a gentle end to a four-day trip. After three days of climbs, drifts and early starts, an easy reef is a fair way to end it.
FAQ
Is Kanawa Island on the 3-day open trip?
No. Kanawa is on day 4 of the 4-day, 3-night route only, and that route is a private charter. The open trip sails every Monday & Friday for 3 days and 2 nights and does not include it. Ask us about booking Bombana 1 or Bombana 2 whole.
Is Kanawa good for first-time snorkellers?
Yes. The reef is shallow, the current is mild and the stop is rated easy, so it makes a good first snorkel. Masks are provided on both Bombana 1 and Bombana 2, and fins are not promised. The guide sets the time in the water.
Does Kanawa get crowded?
It can. Day trips from Labuan Bajo come here, and July and August are the busiest months, so the beach is quieter outside them. On the 4-day charter the captain decides the timing of day 4 on the day. We can't promise an empty beach.
What comes after Kanawa on day 4?
Rangko Cave, then the return to Labuan Bajo. That is the whole of day 4. Don't book a flight home until we have confirmed the return time with you.
Check availability — Bombana Sailing Komodo
Bombana Sailing Komodo is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia.