Vinca
Vinca Deluxe Phinisi
Sebayur Island, Komodo: a reef, a beach and the 4D3N dinner
Updated 10 October 2026
Sebayur is the larger of the Sebayur islands near Flores, with beaches and reef for snorkelling. It is 90 to 120 minutes by boat from Labuan Bajo and sits outside the dragon trekking area. On our 3D2N it is the first snorkel; on the 4D3N private charter it hosts the beach dinner.
What Sebayur is, and what it is not
Sebayur is the larger of the Sebayur islands near Flores. Beaches and reefs make it a snorkelling and dinner stop. The depth runs from two to ten metres with a mild current, so it is gentle water, rated for all snorkellers.
It is not inside the dragon trekking area, and there is no ranger trek. It is not on the headline list of park icons either, which is a fair description: nobody books a trip for Sebayur alone. It is the part of the trip that lets you swim, eat and relax between the big stops.
The island is also the stop most affected by distance. It is roughly an hour and a half to two hours from Labuan Bajo, so reaching it is a morning's sail, not a short hop.
- Best window
- midday
- Time ashore / in water
- 45–90 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Depth
- 2–10 m
- Current
- mild
- Tide
- Not tide-dependent
- Busiest months
- July, August
What it is not: not inside the dragon trekking area
What you see and why it matters
The reef is the main interest. Expect hard coral, reef fish and clear shallows when the water is calm. The best window is midday, when the sun is high and the light reaches the reef floor.
On the 4D3N private charter, the beach dinner is held here. It is a table and umbrellas on the sand, with candles. The brochure lists a dinner on the beach as a feature of the private trip of 4D3N and longer; for other trips it is an add-on from IDR 2,950,000 (≈ USD 181) as a minimum per couple.
Crowds are moderate. July and August are busier. If you want quiet, choose October or November.
Bring a warm layer for the evening and a dry bag for the tender landing. Sebayur works as a slow start to the 3D2N: a swim, a beach and a long lunch before the bigger stops begin, and the first chance to find out whether your mask leaks.
How our routes use Sebayur
On the 3D2N, Sebayur is the first snorkel of day one, after the 09:30 pickup and a sail of 90 to 120 minutes from Labuan Bajo. Lunch follows, then a sail of roughly 60 to 90 minutes to Manta Point; that leg is an estimate, not a measured distance.
On the 4D3N, Sebayur appears twice. Day three ends with the beach dinner there, after Manta Point, Taka Makassar, lunch and Mawan. Day four opens with a snorkel at Sebayur, followed by lunch and a drop-off at 11:00 to 12:00.
The 1D and 2D1N routes do not use Sebayur.
Sleeping is a matter for the captain. The brochure names no fixed anchorage, though a beach dinner on night three and a Sebayur snorkel the next morning suggest the boat stays close.
Day 1
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:30 | Labuan Bajo — Hotel / airport pickup to harbour | — | soft bag, not a hard suitcase |
| · | Manjarite — Snorkelling at Manjarite | — | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Lunch | — | |
| · | Kelor — Kelor Island trek | — | |
| · | Snack | — | |
| · | Kalong — Sunset at Kalong Island | — | camera charged |
| · | Dinner | — | motion tablet before any overnight leg |
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat spends the night, at anchor or under way, depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | ||
Day 2
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrise | Padar — Padar sunrise trek | — | headtorch, sturdy shoes |
| · | Breakfast | — | |
| · | Pink Beach — Snorkelling at Long Beach (Pink Beach) | 60–90 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Lunch | — | |
| · | Komodo — Komodo Island trek | 30–60 min | |
| · | Snack | — | |
| · | Gili Lawa — Gili Lawa Island trek | — | |
| · | Dinner | — | |
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat spends the night, at anchor or under way, depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | ||
Day 3
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Breakfast | — | |
| · | Manta Point — Snorkelling at Manta Point Tide | — | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Taka Makassar — Snorkelling at Taka Makassar Tide | 20–30 min | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Lunch | — | |
| · | Mawan — Snorkelling at Mawan | — | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Snack | — | |
| · | Sebayur — Beach dinner at Sebayur Island | — | warm layer for the beach |
| 🌙 | Night aboard. Where the boat spends the night, at anchor or under way, depends on the weather and the captain's decision on the day. | ||
Day 4
| What happens | Sailing from previous stop | Have ready | |
|---|---|---|---|
| · | Breakfast | — | |
| · | Sebayur — Snorkelling at Sebayur | — | reef-safe sunscreen |
| · | Lunch | — | |
| 11:00 | Labuan Bajo — Back in Labuan Bajo, drop-off | — |
These stops swap order with tide and wind: Manta Point ⇄ Taka Makassar.
Times are operating patterns, not a timetable. Pickup is the only promise we make by the clock.
Tide, wind and the beach dinner
Sebayur is not tide-dependent in the way Taka Makassar is. Wind is the caveat: a blow from the open side makes the anchorage uncomfortable and the beach landing harder. The captain may choose a different part of the bay.
The beach dinner depends on weather and light. Rain or wind can move it to the deck, and the captain makes the call on the evening. We list it as a feature, not a promise.
Take a warm layer for the beach in the evening, since the breeze after dark is cooler than the day suggested. In the wet months, December to March, showers may shorten the stop. From April to June and October to November, the reef is clear and the water calm.
Fixed dates, mostly Mondays and Fridays. Not every Monday or Friday runs.
FAQ
Is the Sebayur beach dinner included?
On the private 4D3N charter, yes: it is part of the fare. On other trips it is an add-on from IDR 2,950,000 (≈ USD 181) as a minimum per couple. The open trip is 3D2N only, so the beach dinner there is an add-on.
Why is Sebayur first on the 3D2N when it is the farthest?
Sebayur is 90 to 120 minutes from Labuan Bajo, and the route front-loads the distance so that Manta Point, Taka Makassar and then Padar at sunrise follow in order. The sail is the settling-in stretch, with the sundeck and lunch ahead. If a long first sail bothers you, the 2D1N opens with Kelor at 50 to 70 minutes.
Is Sebayur good for snorkelling?
Yes, for all levels. The depth runs from 2 to 10 metres, the current is mild, and the reef is close to the beach. It is best at midday, when the sun is high and the light reaches the bottom. We do not promise any particular animal, and visibility drops in January and February.
Are there dragons on Sebayur?
No. Sebayur is outside the dragon trekking area, and no ranger walk starts there. The dragon walk is on Komodo Island, on day two of the 3D2N and 4D3N routes, 30 to 60 minutes after Pink Beach. Sebayur is a swimming, reef and dinner stop.
Where does the boat sleep after the beach dinner?
The captain decides on the day, and the brochure names no fixed anchorage. On the 4D3N, the beach dinner at Sebayur falls on night three, and day four opens with a snorkel at Sebayur, which suggests the boat stays near. We cannot confirm the bay.
Check availability — Vinca
Vinca is owner-held and run by its own dedicated charter desk.