The Floating Paradise of Komodo
Imagine stepping off the tender boat and placing your bare feet on a sliver of brilliant white sand that seems to float in the middle of an endless turquoise sea, with no land visible in any direction — only the impossible blue of the Flores Sea stretching to every horizon. This is Taka Makassar, one of the most ethereal and photogenic natural wonders in all of Komodo National Park, and a destination that has rapidly become the defining image of luxury liveaboard sailing in eastern Indonesia.
Taka Makassar is not a permanent island. It is a tidal sandbar — a shifting crescent of fine coral sand that emerges from the sea only at low tide, then slowly disappears beneath the waves as the water rises. At its peak, the sandbar stretches roughly 100 metres in length, creating an otherworldly strip of white against an ocean that shifts between shades of aquamarine, cerulean, and deep sapphire depending on the depth of the surrounding reef. The experience of standing on this vanishing land, surrounded by nothing but ocean and sky, is both humbling and exhilarating — a moment where you truly feel at the edge of the world.
Beneath the surface, Taka Makassar reveals its second extraordinary gift. The reef system that creates the sandbar is one of the healthiest and most biodiverse coral ecosystems in the Coral Triangle. Snorkellers will find themselves gliding over gardens of staghorn coral, brain coral, and vibrant sea fans in water so clear that visibility regularly exceeds 20 metres. Green sea turtles patrol the reef slopes, giant clams pulse with iridescent mantles of blue and violet, and schools of fusiliers, surgeonfish, and butterflyfish create living curtains of colour. For those who have never snorkelled before, there is no gentler or more spectacular introduction than Taka Makassar's shallow, current-free lagoon.
Aboard Behike Cruise, the Taka Makassar stop is choreographed for maximum wonder. Our crew deploys beach chairs and umbrellas on the sandbar itself, creating an impromptu luxury lounge in the middle of the ocean. Chilled coconuts, tropical fruit platters, and freshly grilled seafood are served while you sunbathe on a beach that will literally vanish within hours. It is the quintessential Behike moment — effortless luxury in one of the most remote and beautiful places on Earth. Taka Makassar is included in our most popular 3-day and 4-day sailing itineraries, and it is, without exception, the photograph that every guest takes home as their favourite.