Raffles Cruise
Raffles Cruise
Photographs from the surface: reef, mantas and the Padar ridge
Updated 24 October 2026
A Komodo photography liveaboard without diving: Raffles Cruise puts you on Padar at first light and at Kalong for dusk, with snorkel frames between. Four guests on the whole boat pay IDR 115,000,000 (≈ USD 7,055), IDR 28,750,000 (≈ USD 1,764) each. An open-trip seat starts at IDR 8,750,000 (≈ USD 537).
Where the good light sits on a 3D2N sailing
Every overnight route opens its second day with the Padar walk at sunrise, before breakfast. That puts the best light of the trip in the first hour of day two. Sunrise at Padar in July is 06:18. Guests step off the boat some 65 minutes before it, so you climb in the dark and reach the top ahead of the sun.
Padar's sunrise for every month is in the table below. The second edge of light is Kalong, the same evening. Between the two the day runs flat and bright, and the pale pink sand at Pink Beach looks softer in the morning.
Taka Makassar has little shade on the sand. Bring a hat and a lens cloth, and carry the camera in a dry bag.
| Month | Sunrise | Leave the boat by | On the ridge by |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 05:54 | 04:49 | 05:34 |
| February | 06:05 | 05:00 | 05:45 |
| March | 06:06 | 05:01 | 05:46 |
| April | 06:04 | 04:59 | 05:44 |
| May | 06:07 | 05:02 | 05:47 |
| June | 06:14 | 05:09 | 05:54 |
| July | 06:18 | 05:13 | 05:58 |
| August | 06:12 | 05:07 | 05:52 |
| September | 05:56 | 04:51 | 05:36 |
| October | 05:39 | 04:34 | 05:19 |
| November | 05:31 | 04:26 | 05:11 |
| December | 05:38 | 04:33 | 05:18 |
Computed for the location and accurate to a few minutes.
Frames you can take from the surface
Photographers who do not dive still get the water. Float at Pink Beach, 1 to 8 m deep over a reef close to the shore, and hold the camera at the surface for the fish and the coral below. Taka Makassar is shallower, 1 to 5 m, with sandbar and reef together in one frame.
Above the water there are three more. RAFFLES is painted on the hull, and from a paddleboard the boat shows two masts, two cabin decks and the sails set. From the Padar ridge you frame three bays, no two with the same sand. And the bats at Kalong leave in one long stream.
At Manta Point the current is strong and the water moves. A GoPro or a phone in a waterproof case rides on the surface with you; a large camera stays on the boat. Our guide to underwater frames without a tank sets out the three shots we would take.
First light at Padar, last light at Kalong
Kalong closes the day. Sunset there in July is 17:57. Some 15 minutes after it the bats stream out of the mangroves, and the flight takes about 30 minutes to pass. You watch from the boat, because Kalong is not a landing stop.
Bring a long lens, and charge the camera the night before. Charging points in the cabins are on request: ask what you can plug in and where, and the written reply reaches you before you pay.
Below, a table lists sunset at Kalong month by month. Read it with the sunrise table to see how far the day stretches in your month, from the climb in the dark to the bats at dusk.
| 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 and accurate to a few minutes.
Documentation: included on a seat, quoted on a charter
On the open trip the seat carries the local guide plus photo and video documentation, and we put that in writing ahead of payment. We name no equipment. Ask what is included for your date.
On a charter, documentation can be added on request, quoted apart, with no figure given here. The guide is quoted the same way. Drone use depends on national park rules, so ask us before you fly one; we make no claim about permits.
Two photographers on the open trip in Malacca I pay 2 × IDR 12,000,000 (≈ USD 736). Four on the whole boat pay IDR 115,000,000 (≈ USD 7,055), which is IDR 28,750,000 (≈ USD 1,764) each. A party that wants control of the stops and the hours of light takes the boat.
Frames we cannot promise you
No manta. Manta Point is on the route, and the sea decides whether one passes. No dragon on demand, since the Komodo walk follows a ranger and no sighting is promised. No cloudless sunrise, and no flat water at every stop.
On the day the stop order is the captain's, so no frame can be promised its hour. The crew and guide choose the time to go in at Manta Point from the tide and the current. A photograph that needs a particular hour is a request, and we tell you honestly whether the day allows it.
What we can promise is the shape of the trip: two edges of light on day two, three shallow reefs on day one, and a crew that stops the boat for the walks.
FAQ
Can I bring a drone?
Drone use depends on national park rules, so ask us before you fly one. We make no claim about permits here. Tell us the model and the dates, and we reply in writing before you pay.
Is the documentation included on the open trip?
An open-trip seat carries the local guide plus photo and video documentation, and our written confirmation says so before you pay. We name no equipment. On a charter they can be added on request, quoted apart.
Can I use a GoPro while snorkelling?
Yes. A GoPro or a phone in a waterproof case rides on the surface with you. The current at Manta Point is strong, so the camera stays on its wrist strap. Our guide for underwater frames without a tank covers the three shots.
What is the best month for photographs?
April to June is dry, calm and clear, with high visibility. July and August bring a windier sea and the most boats at the popular stops. January and February are wet season, with lower visibility. No month promises a manta.
Where can I charge my camera batteries?
Charging points are on request, so we promise none. Ask what you can plug in and where, and the written reply reaches you before you pay. Pack a spare battery and a power bank; the days are long.
Check availability — Raffles Cruise
Raffles Cruise is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia. We arrange the pickup, take the payment and keep your booking in order. The boat sails with its own crew of 8.