Gandiva
Gandiva Phinisi
Kanawa: the last swim, and the last frame
Updated 3 November 2026
Kanawa Island is the last swim before the pier: sand beaches and shallow coral in 1 to 6 metres of water, with 45 to 90 minutes of easy snorkelling to enjoy, an hour to an hour and a half from Labuan Bajo by boat. It closes day three of Gandiva's three-day route and day four of the four-day route.
Kanawa: one more swim before the pier
The trip ends at Kanawa, a small white-sand island lying west of Rinca. On the three-day route it follows Sebayur on day three. On the four-day route it is the whole of day four. After it comes the sail back to the harbour.
The coral lies in 1 to 6 metres of water, under a mild current. It is an easy first snorkel for anyone new to it, and an easy last one for anyone who has done five. Plan 45 to 90 minutes.
Day-trip boats call here as well, which makes July and August busy. The answer is to be in the water early and let the beach fill without you.
The route is a sample, and it can change with traffic, weather and tides. If the captain moves Kanawa, we say so.
Sand under the tender, coral off the beach
The tender runs onto sand, and the coral begins a short swim from the beach. That is the whole geography: a white strip, clear shallow water and a reef you can see from where you stand.
For the picture, kneel in the water at the tender's bow with the sand behind you, and let the shallow water carry its own colour. The shade of the water over white sand is the thing to photograph, and it needs nothing from you but patience and the sun at your back.
Gandiva carries a canoe and stand-up paddle boards. Whether they come out at Kanawa is the captain's call and the water's, and we list them as boat facilities, not as a promised part of the stop.
Wear reef-safe sunscreen and a hat. The sand throws light back up, and a morning that feels mild on deck is bright on the beach.
Who should save energy for Kanawa
Anyone who gives everything at Sebayur arrives at Kanawa with little left. The second swim of the morning asks for less skill than the first, but it comes after Padar at first light on the day before and a full day of heat.
Think about the trip as a whole. Day two is the long one, from Padar at first light to Manta Point. By day three the legs are tired and the skin has seen sun. Kanawa suits that state well, because it asks you to float and not to climb.
If one of you is tired, take the beach and leave the reef. If both of you are tired, take a seat on the sand and watch the boat. Neither is a failure. The stop is a swim, and it is also a pause before the pier.
Families with children get the most from this stop. The water is shallow, the sand is soft, and a small snorkeller can stand when the courage runs out.
The last frame of the trip
Every trip needs a last frame, and it is better chosen than found. The usual one is the two of you on the sand with wet hair, taken by a crew member, with the boat behind. It is a good picture. Make a different one too.
Photograph the boat from the tender as you leave Kanawa, with the sea in the foreground and the hull and both masts above it. It is the last time you see her whole from the water.
The shot list is yours; the camera is yours unless you add a photographer, quoted on request for a private charter. On the open trip the documentation is in the fare, and the boat's team has the pictures you did not take.
Then put the camera away for the sail home. The trip ends at the pier at a time we confirm in writing, and flights should be booked for after 14:00.
FAQ
Is Kanawa always the last stop before Labuan Bajo?
On the sample routes, yes: Kanawa closes day three of the three-day route and day four of the four-day route. The captain can change the order by weather and tide. The finishing time is confirmed in writing, and flights should be booked after 14:00.
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