Flying Fox Island Sunset Cruise Labuan Bajo: Thousands of Bats

Watch thousands of bats pour from the trees as the sun touches the horizon

A three-hour private boat tour from Labuan Bajo to Flying Fox Island (also called Kalong Island) where you board a small wooden boat to watch a massive bat emergence at sunset, then return before dark. Hotel pickup and entrance fee are included; the boat ride takes about 15 minutes each way, with the bat show timed to the final light of day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sunset cruise to Flying Fox Island

• Pick up from hotel in Labuan Bajo
• Drive to Kalong Village (30 minutes)
• Board small wooden boat to Flying Fox Island (15 minutes)
• Watch sunset and bats flying above
• Return to Kalong Village by boat
• Drive back to hotel or drop off point (45 minutes)

The Experience

Your driver picks you up from your hotel in Labuan Bajo and drives you to Kalong Village, the nearest point to the island—about 30 minutes by road. From there you board a small local wooden boat for the short crossing to Flying Fox Island. The timing is built around the sunset: you arrive with enough light to settle in and watch the sky, then the bats emerge in a stream that lasts through the final minutes of daylight. Thousands of them pour out of the trees at once, a movement so sudden and dense it fills the air above the boat.

Once the sun drops below the horizon, the boat turns back toward the village. This schedule keeps you off the water after dark, when the waves pick up and visibility drops. The return drive to Labuan Bajo takes about 45 minutes. Bottled water is provided on the boat, and the entrance fee to the island is already included in your booking.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Labuan Bajo.
• entrance fee to Flying Fox Island.
• small wooden boat tour.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the drive to Kalong Village.
• bottled water on the boat.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Alba Cruise

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the bat emergence without spending hours on the water—the wooden boat gets you there in time for the show, and the schedule brings you back to shore before nightfall when the sea gets rough.

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Top questions

How long is the boat ride to Flying Fox Island?

The wooden boat takes about 15 minutes to reach Flying Fox Island from Kalong Village, and another 15 minutes to return after the bats have emerged.

What time of day does the bat emergence happen?

The bats fly out just before sunset, in the final light of the day. The tour is timed so you're on the water during this window, then head back to shore once the sun goes down.

Is hotel pickup included in this tour?

Yes, your driver picks you up from your hotel in Labuan Bajo at the start of the tour and drops you back there (or another location in town) at the end.

What's included in the price?

The tour includes hotel pickup, the boat ride to Flying Fox Island, entrance to the island, an air-conditioned vehicle for the drive, and bottled water on the boat.

How many people can book this tour?

You can book for a group of 1–2 people, 3–4 people, or 5–6 people. Each group size is a separate booking option.