Princess Nabila
Princess Nabila Phinisi
Kanawa Island snorkelling: the easy reef near Labuan Bajo
Updated 12 October 2026
Kanawa is a white-sand island with shallow coral, lying west of Labuan Bajo and north of Rinca. The boat needs 60 to 90 minutes to reach it from Labuan Bajo. On the open-trip 3D2N it is the single stop of day 3, printed as Kanawa or Seture, ahead of a return between 10:00 and 11:00. Mask and snorkel are included, fins are not.
Four plans end up at Kanawa
For a group of 25, Kanawa is the stop where nobody gets sorted into lists: shallow reef, white sand, no climb and no current. It turns up on four of the boat's plans, and its job differs on each.
- Full-day charter sample: the third stop after Kelor and Manjarite, with the boat at the pier before sunset. In the sample, Manjarite and Kanawa can swap places.
- 3D2N, open trip: the single island of day 3, printed as Kanawa or Seture, straight after breakfast.
- 3D2N, private: Sebayur first, then Kanawa.
- 4D3N and 5D4N, private: Kanawa on day 4 of both, followed by Seture on the 4D3N, and between Senator and Sabolon on the 5D4N.
The 2D1N does not reach it. A group choosing between one night and two should know that the easy reef sits on day 3. Cost per head sits on the charter and compare pages, because this page stays with the stops.
The last morning has a clock
On the open-trip 3D2N the printed line for day 3 reads: pack before breakfast. Kanawa comes straight after the meal, and the boat then returns to Labuan Bajo. Your guests have two nights of cabin life behind them, so ask each cabin to close its bags the evening before.
A group of 25 reaches the sand or the water in several tender trips, so allow extra time before the last guest is in. Our footage shows one inflatable two-seat kayak, marked EXPLORER, and one red paddle board, so decide who goes first before the first run leaves.
Pace for the morning comes from the return window of 10:00 to 11:00. A group that lingers on the reef eats into the transfer to the airport, which is why the flight home goes after 14:00.
An easy first snorkel, and why that matters
The reef is 1 to 6 metres deep, the current is mild and the grade is easy. That makes Kanawa the right first snorkel for a guest who has never worn a mask in the sea. On the full-day sample, where it is the second snorkel of the day, the nervous swimmers have already had one try by the time they arrive.
It is the opposite of Manta Point. Nobody here needs a life jacket because of the current, and the swimmers need no sorting. Mask, snorkel and sunscreen are the kit, and the route asks for reef-safe sunscreen. Fins are not supplied.
Day trips from Labuan Bajo come here too. July and August are the busy months, and a group of 25 that arrives at the same hour as several day boats shares the beach with them.
Kanawa or Seture, and the ticket
Kanawa is not promised on the open trip. The 3D2N prints day 3 as Kanawa or Seture island, and the printed route says the itinerary changes with sea conditions, weather and collective agreement. Tell your group the island is one of two.
There is no trek here. The only effort is stepping from the tender onto sand.
A park ticket is IDR 250,000 per person per day for a foreign visitor, bought online in the visitor's own name. Ranger and pier charges come on top, and the park-fees page has the calculator by number of days.
FAQ
Which of the boat's trips end at Kanawa?
The open-trip 3D2N, the private 3D2N, the private 4D3N and 5D4N, and our full-day planning sample all include it. On the open trip it is the day 3 stop, printed as Kanawa or Seture island, and the boat reaches Labuan Bajo between 10:00 and 11:00.
How far is Kanawa from Labuan Bajo?
The sail takes 60 to 90 minutes. That distance fits both our full-day sample, which is back at the pier before sunset, and the open-trip morning on day 3, which returns between 10:00 and 11:00.
When do guests pack on the last morning?
Before breakfast. The printed day 3 says to pack first, because Kanawa comes straight after the meal and the open-trip boat is back in Labuan Bajo by 10:00 to 11:00. Book the flight home for after 14:00.
Is Kanawa suitable for guests who have never snorkelled?
Yes. The reef is graded easy, with water 1 to 6 metres deep and a mild current, so it works as a first snorkel. Mask and snorkel are provided on board. Fins are not supplied. Bring your own pair.
Will Kanawa be crowded?
In July and August, yes. The island is popular with day trips from Labuan Bajo, so a group of 25 on the open trip shares the beach with them in those months. Outside those months the crowd thins.
Check availability — Princess Nabila
Princess Nabila sails with its own crew, and PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia handles the booking, the payment and the trip file.