Elbark Cruises
Elbark Cruises
The sandbank that appears when the tide allows
Updated 27 October 2026
The Taka Makassar sandbank is a Komodo stop on a private boat where Elbark Cruises anchors beside a crescent of sand that shows mainly at low tide. The standard three-day route puts it on day one, after Sebayur or Siaba, and the five-day sample keeps it there.
The sandbank, as the route lists it
Taka Makassar is a curved sandbar sitting in the shallows of the reef. The route lists it on day one of the standard three-day route, ahead of Manta Point and Padar. The stop has a name and no fixed time.
Sand, clear shallow water and reef at the edges: that is all of it, and for a first morning on a long charter it is plenty. There is no hill. No trail. You step off the tender, walk, swim and look.
The stop is inside the park. Park tickets are priced per guest, at IDR 250,000 for a foreign guest and, for a domestic guest on a weekday, IDR 50,000.
Tide first, swim second
Low tide is when the sandbar shows. At high tide it can shrink to a thin strip, or lie under the water. So the plan for the morning follows the tide, not the other way round.
The captain checks the tide for your date, compares it with the sea and the wind that morning, and only then decides when the boat arrives. If the sand is covered, the reef is still there to swim over. If it is showing, the party walks it. Either way the stop is a stop.
We cannot promise a wide beach. We can promise a captain who looks at the tide before choosing the hour.
Photo taken on a Komodo Explorer trip · 12 photos
Shade, shoes and sunblock
There is minimal shade on the sandbank. None is the better word to plan around. Bring a hat with a brim, sunscreen that suits a reef and a light long-sleeved shirt.
The sand is hot by midday. Shoes you can wet protect the feet from both the heat and the coral at the edges. A dry bag keeps a phone safe from the sand and the splash, and a small one that the whole family shares is better than five that nobody can find when the tender is leaving.
Tell the crew if anyone is unsteady. The tender stays close, and there is shade on the deck whenever someone needs a rest.
Taka Makassar, early in a long charter
A long charter gives the sandbank a better hour than a short trip can. On the five-day sample it sits on day one, after Sebayur or Siaba, so the party arrives fresh and the light is soft. The tide can be waited for, not rushed.
This is the day off the clock. The hour is not set; the tide and the sea answer it on the day. A swim that nobody wants to leave can run long, and a grey sky can wait.
You and the captain set the stop order together, and the confirmation arrives in writing before payment.
FAQ
Is the sandbank always there?
No. Mostly it appears at low tide, and a high tide can cover it entirely. The captain checks the tide for your date and decides when to arrive. We promise a stop at the reef, not a wide beach.
Can non-swimmers go?
Yes. The sand is walkable when it shows, and the water near it is shallow. A non-swimmer can stay on the sand or on the deck. Tell the crew when you land, and a life vest is on board for anyone who wants one.
Is there shade?
Almost none on the sandbank, so plan around that. Bring a hat with a brim and sunscreen that suits a reef. The boat has shade on deck, and the tender takes you back whenever you want a rest.
What do we wear?
Swimwear, a light long-sleeved shirt, a hat and shoes you can wet. The sand is hot by midday, and the reef edges are sharp. Bring a dry bag for a phone. Leave towels aboard unless you plan to stay on the sand.
Check availability for Elbark Cruises
Elbark Cruises is booked through PT Komodo Explorer Indonesia. We confirm your cabins, take the payment and arrange the pickup. The boat sails with its own crew.