Bombana Sailing Komodo
Bombana Sailing Komodo
Taka Makassar: the sandbar and the reef on day 2
Updated 23 October 2026
Taka Makassar is a crescent-shaped sandbank ringed by shallow reef, on day 2 of the 3-day sailing trip on Bombana 1 and Bombana 2. The sandbar shows only at low tide, the current is mild, and most snorkellers manage the reef. It comes before Manta Point.
The sandbar shows only when the tide drops
Taka Makassar is a crescent-shaped sandbank in the open water, surrounded by shallow reef. At low tide the sand shows, and you can stand on it. At high tide it's underwater, and there's nothing to land on at all.
The same visit can feel like two different places depending on the clock. A tide table for your date tells you which you will get.
Below, the table gives the stop's level, current and route day. The level is easy, and the current is mild. Most people who snorkel at all will manage it.
- Time ashore / in water
- 30–60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Current
- mild
- Tide
- Depends on tide
- Busiest months
- July, August
What it is not: the sandbar is visible only at low tide · not a place to walk if the tide is high: it may be underwater
The reef around the sand
Around the bar, the reef is shallow, and that suits most snorkellers. It's the gentler of the two water stops that close day 2. Manta Point follows it. Easy first, then the drift.
What you see changes with tide, light and the month. The month-by-month page gives visibility ratings for the park.
A snorkel here runs 30 to 60 minutes. The guide sets the real time, and the tide sets the guide.
Photos from the route · 12 photos
Tide decides the order and the sand
On the route, Taka Makassar comes right after Komodo Island and before Manta Point. It shares day 2 with Manta Point, and the order of the two swaps with tide and current.
You'll visit both on the 3-day route, and the guide picks the order that suits the water. A low tide gives you the sandbar. A high tide gives you reef and a story.
Don't walk on the sand if the tide is rising. If the bar disappears, it's the sea that has moved, not the guide. Follow the guide's call on when to go back to the boat.
Hat, water and a mask
There is little shade on the sand, so bring a hat and reef-safe sunscreen. Water goes without saying. A rash guard saves your shoulders while you float over the reef.
Masks are provided on Bombana 1 and Bombana 2. Fins are not promised. In shallow water you rarely miss them, but bring your own pair if you like to have them, and carry them in your day bag, because nobody wants to go back for a forgotten pair.
Keep your phone and camera in a dry pouch. The sand is bright and screens wash out, so shoot first and check later. Whatever the tide does on your day, the water over the reef stays shallow and clear enough for a slow, easy swim with a mask, and the guide tells you where to enter.
Taka Makassar in the day 2 order
Day 2 on the route runs Padar, Pink Beach, Komodo, Taka Makassar and Manta Point, then dinner. Taka Makassar is the fourth stop, after the Komodo walk. Lunch comes before Komodo, and dinner after Manta Point.
It is cut on the 2-day charter, and kept on the 3-day trip and the 4-day charter. Both boats run it on every Monday & Friday sailing. See the 3-day route for the order and the meals, and Manta Point for the stop that follows.
Weather and tide can move any stop. The captain decides on the day.
FAQ
Is the Taka Makassar sandbar there at high tide?
No. The sandbar is visible only at low tide, and at high tide it's underwater. The reef around it stays, so you can still snorkel there on day 2 of the 3-day route. Which tide you get depends on the day, and we can't promise the sand on any date.
Is Taka Makassar suitable for beginners?
Yes, for most snorkellers. The reef is shallow, the current is mild, and the stop is rated easy. Manta Point, which follows on day 2, is the one that asks for a confident swimmer. Masks are provided on both boats.
How is Taka Makassar different from Manta Point?
Taka Makassar is a sandbar with shallow reef and a mild current, rated easy. Manta Point is a guided drift in a strong current, rated for confident swimmers. Both are on day 2 of the 3-day route, and tide and current can swap their order.
Is there shade on the Taka Makassar sandbar?
Very little. Minimal shade on the sand means a hat, reef-safe sunscreen and water are the minimum, and a rash guard helps if you burn easily. On the 3-day route the stop follows the Komodo walk on day 2, so bring cover from the sun.
Check availability — Bombana Sailing Komodo
Bombana Sailing Komodo is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia.