How to Get to Manta Point in 2027

Last updated: 29 August 2026.

Step 1: Fly into Komodo Airport (Labuan Bajo)

Labuan Bajo’s Komodo Airport (IATA: LBJ) is the gateway for any Manta Point trip, with regular domestic connections from Bali (Denpasar) and Jakarta, and seasonal or connecting routes from other Indonesian cities. If you are coming from Bali specifically, see our note on Komodo tours from Bali for combined flight-and-boat planning.

Step 2: Transfer from the airport to Labuan Bajo harbour

The airport sits close to town – the drive to the main harbour where speedboats depart is typically 10-15 minutes, stretching to about 20 minutes at peak arrival times or if your hotel sits further out. Most Komodo Luxury trips include this transfer as part of the package; confirm your pickup point when booking.

Step 3: Speedboat into Komodo National Park

From the harbour, Manta Point is roughly 1-1.5 hours away by speedboat — or 3-4 hours on a traditional wooden boat — depending on sea conditions and the exact route taken. If other stops (Padar, Pink Beach) are folded into the same trip, you may not reach Manta Point until 2-3 hours after leaving the harbour; that is itinerary time, not crossing time. Early departures – often before 7am – both beat the crowds and typically enjoy calmer morning seas. See our Manta Point from Labuan Bajo page for boat-time detail by route.

Step 4: Book your SiOra park entry ticket in advance

Since April 2026, Komodo National Park requires every visitor to book their entry ticket in advance through the government’s SiOra platform, rather than paying on arrival as in previous years. This applies regardless of which site inside the park you are visiting, including Manta Point. See our full SiOra booking walkthrough for the exact steps – Komodo Luxury handles this booking for guests who arrange their trip through them.

Step 5: Pay the park entrance fee and ranger fee

Under PP 36/2024 (archived 11 Feb 2026, for when the government host is unreachable), foreign visitors pay a flat IDR 250,000 PNBP entry fee, plus a shared ranger fee of roughly IDR 150,000 split between 1-5 people in your group. This is separate from your boat charter or tour price – see our Manta Point Komodo hub for the fuller fee breakdown.

Alternative routes: from an island stay rather than Labuan Bajo

If you are staying on Kanawa, Kelor, Sebayur or Siaba Island rather than in Labuan Bajo town, your route to Manta Point may be shorter than the standard Labuan Bajo-based crossing – see our island transfer guide for approximate timings from each island.

What has changed for 2027 specifically?

The core route – fly into LBJ, transfer to harbour, speedboat to the site – has not changed. What is new heading into 2027 is the SiOra advance-booking requirement (in force since April 2026) and the confirmed PP 36/2024 fee structure; both affect how far ahead you need to plan rather than the physical route itself. We check the park’s official page before each new season and update this guide the same week if anything changes.

What to pack for the crossing itself

The 1-1.5 hour speedboat crossing spends real time in open water, so bring a light jacket for the cooler early-morning departure, motion-sickness medication if you are prone to seasickness, a dry bag for your phone and camera, and reef-safe sunscreen applied before you board rather than in the water. A hat and sunglasses with a retention strap are worth the small effort given the open deck and sea spray.

Do you need any documents beyond your SiOra ticket?

Bring your passport (or a copy, depending on your operator’s check-in process) since it may be required to match against your SiOra booking at the park checkpoint. Divers should also bring their certification card and logbook if diving rather than snorkelling at Manta Point – see our Manta Point diving page for certification requirements.

What if you are travelling from an island stay instead of Labuan Bajo town?

If you are already staying on Kanawa, Kelor, Sebayur or Siaba Island, your route to Manta Point may skip the Labuan Bajo harbour departure entirely – see our island transfer guide for approximate crossing times from each island, which can be shorter than the standard Labuan Bajo route depending on your resort’s location.

How does this route change if you are joining a multi-day trip instead of a single day trip?

The airport-to-harbour-to-boat sequence is the same either way; a multi-day trip simply continues from Manta Point to additional sites (Padar, Pink Beach, Rinca, Manta Alley) over subsequent days rather than returning to Labuan Bajo the same afternoon. See our 3D2N private trip page for a multi-day version of this same route.

Frequently asked questions

Can I book my SiOra ticket on arrival in Labuan Bajo?

No – the system is designed for advance booking, and arriving without a booked ticket risks being turned away or delayed at the point of entry. Book ahead once your dates are confirmed.

How early should I leave Labuan Bajo to reach Manta Point?

Most operators depart before 7am to reach the site ahead of other boats and benefit from calmer morning conditions – confirm your exact departure time with your operator.

Is there a direct flight to somewhere closer to Manta Point than Labuan Bajo?

No – Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo is the only commercial airport serving the park, and all manta trips depart from its harbour by boat.

Can I combine the Manta Point route with Padar and Pink Beach on the way?

Yes – since the crossing already puts you in the park, most one-day itineraries add Padar’s viewpoint and Pink Beach on the same trip. See our manta tour formats guide for how this is typically sequenced.

Ask Komodo Luxury to plan your route

How the Komodo National Park entrance fee applies to Manta Point in 2027

For 2027 the park entrance fee for foreign visitors is IDR 250,000 per person under PP No. 36/2024, and this covers access to Manta Point as part of Komodo National Park. You do not pay a separate “Manta Point ticket”. Once you have entered the marine protected area legally, your boat can visit Karang Makassar, Manta Alley or other permitted sites without extra site-specific park charges.

This fee is normally paid once per calendar day per person, regardless of whether you make a single snorkel at Karang Makassar or a full-day itinerary combining several reefs and island landings. If you come back on another day, the park will charge the daily amount again because each date on your SiOra booking represents a separate entry. Indonesian citizens and certain resident categories have different regulated tariffs, which are checked by rangers against ID documents.

In practice the payment route depends on how you book your trip. Many operators will collect the money from you before departure and settle it through the SiOra system on your behalf, so your name and passport details appear on the digital log for that date. If you arrange a private charter more informally, you may be asked to show your own SiOra proof and pay at the harbour control point before the boat leaves Labuan Bajo.

The main trade-off is timing versus flexibility. Paying the entrance fee in advance through SiOra secures your legal access for a specific day but makes last-minute date changes harder. Waiting to finalise plans until you see the forecast can be useful in the wet season, yet you then rely on same-day system availability and occasionally slower check-in at busy times such as national holidays.

Ranger fees and how they are shared on a Manta Point trip

In addition to the personal park entrance fee, every group visiting Komodo National Park must pay a separate ranger fee, which in 2027 is charged at roughly IDR 150,000 per group of one to five people. This payment covers the presence and supervision of a national park ranger, who may be based on the boat, accompany landings, or monitor activity from a patrol unit in the area.

For a typical day trip from Labuan Bajo, the ranger fee is usually handled at the same time as your entry fee, either bundled into your pre-paid package or collected in cash or by transfer on the morning of departure. If you are travelling solo, you effectively pay the full group amount yourself. If you are part of a shared trip, operators normally divide that fixed sum across all guests, so your share becomes smaller as the boat fills.

Rangers have a specific role around Manta Point and Manta Alley: they enforce approach distances to manta rays, ensure boats do not anchor on sensitive coral, and check that snorkellers stay clear of the cleaning station plateau itself. Because the fee funds this on-water presence, it is not optional even if you never step ashore at Komodo or Rinca. Paying it allows the park to keep a consistent patrol pattern in the channels where manta rays aggregate.

The main compromise for visitors is budget transparency. The ranger fee is modest compared with national or international flights, yet it is easy to overlook when comparing headline tour costs. Clarifying in advance whether your quoted price already includes the ranger component avoids surprises at the harbour and helps you understand how the regulatory costs of manta-focused trips are structured for 2027.

Frequently asked questions

How close can you get to manta rays at Manta Point Komodo?

You should keep the site’s 3-metre minimum from manta rays in the water and never move directly into their path. If a manta chooses to glide closer, remain still and let it control the distance. Guides may ask you to hang back even further when many snorkellers are present so the animals can feed or use the cleaning station without pressure.

Can I visit Manta Point Komodo if I get motion sickness easily?

You can visit if you are prone to motion sickness, but you need to plan cautiously. The crossing from Labuan Bajo can be choppy, especially in the dry season when winds are stronger. Many travellers use medication, sit near the stern, avoid heavy food and focus on the horizon. Choosing a larger, more stable boat can also reduce uncomfortable movement.

How cool does the water get at Manta Point Komodo in July and August?

In July and August the surface water around Karang Makassar sits at its coolest for the year, roughly 25–27°C. Seasonal upwelling in the park pushes the layers beneath it lower still, and divers regularly meet thermoclines of about 22–25°C once they drop below the shallow plateau. Many divers are comfortable in a 3 mm wetsuit, though cold‑sensitive guests or those doing multiple dives often prefer a 5 mm for longer in-water comfort.

Can I join a Manta Point Komodo tour if I get seasick easily but take medication?

You can usually join a tour if medication reliably controls your seasickness, but discuss this frankly with your operator before booking. The boat journey includes open-channel sections where swell and chop are common. Take your medicine well before departure, stay hydrated and avoid alcohol. If you have a history of severe reactions, a doctor’s advice and contingency plan are sensible.

How do visitors actually reach the site?

You reach Karang Makassar by boat from Labuan Bajo in Flores, passing through Komodo National Park. Most visitors join an organised day trip or a liveaboard that includes the site in its route. The speedboat run typically takes 1–1.5 hours each way. You also need a valid SiOra park entry booking and must pay the daily entrance and ranger fees before departure.

How close can you get to manta rays at Manta Point?

You should maintain several metres of space and never try to touch a manta ray. Remaining horizontal, calm and slightly to the side of their swimming line allows them to approach or pass beneath you without feeling blocked. Guides will often remind groups to spread out so that the same animals are not repeatedly surrounded as they circle the cleaning station.

How do you get in and out of the water at Manta Point Komodo?

You normally enter from the boat using a giant stride or a controlled seated entry, depending on vessel design and conditions. Guides position the boat up-current, so you drift towards the main manta activity area rather than kicking hard. Exits are via ladders or a low platform; timing is important because of current, so crews usually signal when to approach the stern.

What does the journey from Jakarta involve?

You travel from Jakarta by flying to Komodo Airport in Labuan Bajo, then continue by boat into Komodo National Park. Several airlines operate the domestic leg, usually with a change in Bali or direct on certain days. From Labuan Bajo harbour, organised trips use speedboats or liveaboards. Even though you are planning around 2026, the general route remains the same.

Do manta rays get stressed by divers Komodo studies?

Research from Komodo and comparable sites indicates that manta rays can show avoidance behaviour and reduced cleaning time when diver numbers are high or approach distances are too close. Slow, parallel approaches and limited group sizes reduce this impact. Following local guidelines on spacing, time in the water and avoiding the cleaning station itself helps keep disturbance within acceptable levels.

When travel logistics are clear, planning a 2027 Komodo manta trip helps combine access, timing, and charter options into one considered itinerary.