02 - First Night at Sea...

“The sea has a way of reminding us how wonderfully small we are in this vast world...”

(Watching giant fruit bats during sunset)

Date: 01/09/2026 (Tuesday)
Activity: Rangko Cave & Sailing Day 01
Destination: Rangko Cave, Kelor Island and Kalong Island

Today began on a particularly special note - it was our 47th wedding anniversary.

We celebrated with breakfast at the rooftop Bay Restaurant, where we enjoyed a panoramic view of the bay. The breakfast spread was excellent, offering a generous selection of international favourites. We had omelettes, waffles, pancakes, assorted pastries and freshly baked breads. The coffee was particularly good - we kept asking for refills!

(The early birds, celebrating their 47th Anniversary)

(The view of Labuan Bajo Marina from the rooftop)

It was a hearty and satisfying breakfast, just what we needed to keep us going until lunch later, when we would be dining aboard our phinisi.

(Girls just wanna have fun...)

(Celebrating Independence Day in Labuan Bajo)

Turquoise pool of Rangko Cave

After breakfast, we headed to Tanjung Boleng, a coastal landmark tucked beneath lush, steep hills along the shoreline. It is one of the departure points for travellers heading to the famous Rangko Caves.

(Mural on the wall - a man riding a Komodo Dragon)

As it was low tide, reaching our boat was an adventure in itself. We had to be pulled across the shallow water on a rather makeshift raft to get to the boat. It was certainly an unusual, and memorable way to begin our excursion!

(The sea at low tide)

(Wading in the low tide to the speed boat)

(Boarding a makeshift raft for a fee)

(A villager pulling the raft to the speedboaat)

(Safely on board, to Rangko Island)

From Tanjung Boleng, it was about a 15-minute boat ride by speedboat across the sparkling waters of the Flores Sea to Rangko Island. From the landing point, we trekked for several minutes under the hot sun before finally reaching Rangko Cave. The cave is a beautiful limestone ocean cavern, famous for its hidden, crystal-clear turquoise saltwater pool. Unlike conventional inland caves, Rangko is connected to the sea through fissures in the limestone. The mineral-rich seawater gives the pool an extraordinary clarity and buoyancy, making it a wonderful place for a refreshing swim.

(Crystal clear waters of Rangko Island)

(The jetty of the uninhabited Rangko Island)

(A secluded beach of Rangko Island)

(The start of a short climb to Rangko Cave)

And yes, we had come prepared to swim! After enjoying our time at the cave, we made our way back to Tanjung Boleng on the NTT mainland. We were more than ready for the fresh coconut juice waiting for us there. After the heat and exertion of our excursion, that cold, refreshing coconut water tasted absolutely wonderful.

(Sharp rugged stone steps into the pool)

(Natural light reflection of Rangko blue pool)

(The best lighting was from 2.30 pm - 3.00 pm)

(A refreshing coconut drink after the steep climb)

Our First Liveaboard Phinisi Experience

Back in Labuan Bajo, we headed to the Marina waterfront to board our traditional phinisi. These magnificent handcrafted wooden vessels are an important part of Indonesia's maritime heritage. Because of their considerable draft, they cannot always come right up to the shallow piers. Instead, they anchor in deeper water, and passengers are ferried out to them by tender boat. It was roughly ten-minute ride to our waiting phinisi. And there she was - our home for the next three days.

(On board of the phinisi - the beginning of our sailing adventure)

Modern phinisi liveaboards beautifully combine traditional Indonesian wooden craftsmanship with the comforts of a modern vessel. Our boat had comfortable cabins, a cosy dining area and all the facilities needed for our adventure, including a tender boat and equipment for snorkelling and diving.

(A spacious room with attached bathroom)

(Each room has a cozy balcony)

Soon after boarding, we sat down to our first lunch on board. Dining aboard a traditional Indonesian phinisi is part of the experience itself. The meals are generally centred around fresh local ingredients, particularly fish and seafood sourced from local markets and fishermen. Our first lunch was hearty and filling, and we certainly enjoyed it.

(A spread of delicious dishes awaited us)

(Our first meal on board of the phinisi)

Swimming With Baby Sharks at Kelor Island

After a short rest, it was time for our first island stop.

We sailed towards Kelor Island, a small, uninhabited island within the Komodo National Park. With its white sandy beach, clear turquoise waters and beautiful panoramic viewpoints, Kelor is often the perfect introduction to the islands before venturing deeper into Komodo territory.

(Off to Kelor Island)

(Joining the girls for a dip)

I joined the ladies for a swim in the shallow waters while hubby decided to tackle the climb to the summit. It was only about a 15-minute climb, but it was extremely steep, with an incline of roughly 45 degrees over loose soil and dry grass. Not exactly an easy climb!

(A few steps more to the viewpoint)

(The view from the summit)

But the effort was rewarded with a spectacular 360° panoramic view - the brilliant turquoise waters surrounding the island, stretching towards the silhouette of Flores in the distance. The descent was another matter altogether. With the steep slope and loose ground, hubby had to make his way down very carefully. It could have been quite dangerous if one wasn't cautious.

(Good humored cheerful baby sharks)

(Caught one in the shallow waters)

Back on the beach, we took a leisurely stroll along the white sand. Then came an unexpected little treat - we spotted baby sharks swimming remarkably close to the shoreline, darting playfully through the shallow water. What a sight!

Back aboard our phinisi, we enjoyed afternoon tea with fried bananas generously topped with grated cheese, accompanied by refreshing dragon fruit juice. Cookies, coffee and tea were also available throughout the day.

Bats Watching During Sunset at Kalong Island

As the afternoon faded, the phinisi sailed on towards Kalong Island, where we would anchor for the night. Kalong is famous for its spectacular sunset and for the thousands of giant fruit bats that take flight around dusk. As the sun slipped towards the horizon, the sky turned a beautiful shade of orange. Then, almost as if on cue, thousands of fruit bats began emerging from the island.

(Sailing towards Kalong Island during dusk)

(Anchoring for the night at Kalong Island)

(Thousands of fruit bats emerging from Kalong Island)

Watching them take flight against the glowing evening sky was magical. What struck me most was the almost awe-inspiring silence of the spectacle. The bats simply glided overhead, one after another, passing directly over our phinisi as they began their nightly journey.

It was one of those moments that photographs can never quite capture.

Our First Night at Sea

Our Muslim chef, Pak Ramdan, prepared a delicious seafood-based dinner for us that evening. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to enjoy much of it. My stomach was beginning to feel a little queasy. While everyone else was enjoying themselves listening to music and stargazing from the top deck, I stayed in bed, nursing a slight nausea.

(Everyday can end beautifully)

The choppy sea conditions had aggravated my existing vestibular issues, and the gentle rocking of the traditional wooden phinisi was no longer feeling quite so gentle to me! So, while the others enjoyed the evening under the stars, I decided that the best thing I could do was rest. After all, tomorrow promised another full day of exciting discoveries.

Hopefully, I would wake up feeling much better in the morning.