Full Information to Dive Komodo Island Indonesia 2022/23

On this information to diving in Komodo Nationwide Park we focus on the most effective dive websites, dive operators, stay aboard diving and choices to dive from Flores island. The park is accessed by most from Labuanbajo on Flores Island. Reaching Labuanbajo from Bali is straightforward, take a look at our Full Bali Diving Information for every part it’s essential learn about diving from this fashionable island.

Komodo Nationwide Park consists of three giant islands; Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and likewise embrace many little islands to cowl a complete space of greater than 1,800 km2 of ocean and land.

For extra about touring and exploring the island see our Komodo island and Flores full information

Highlights of Scuba Diving Komodo Island

Indonesia might be the most effective nation on this planet for diving and Komodo Nationwide Park is unquestionably one of many dive highlights on this underwater paradise. The quantity and number of fish is unreal, thousands and thousands of reef fish of all shapes, colours and sizes, loads of huge pelagic fish and sharks looking in crystal clear water on the pristine coral reefs. The highlights for many that go to the park are the large manta rays gliding round underwater and the Komodo Dragons strolling on Komodo and Rinca islands. Komodo is especially in regards to the massive stuff, however don’t underestimate the macro life within the park, we noticed some superb issues; blue ringed octopus, sea horse, crocodile fish and extra.

Now we have spent loads of time exploring completely different islands round Indonesia, see what we predict is All of the Finest Diving Round Indonesia.

Komodo Nationwide Park Dive Websites (our dive log)

Batu Bolong (rock with a gap in it)

Max Depth 30m, Avg Depth 14m, viz 25m, temp 27C

This was our favorite dive in Komodo Nationwide Park. Descending within the crystal clear water subsequent to this rock it looks like you might be in an aquarium.

Huge colleges of small zebra fish and a wide range of colourful fish swims near the floor. We noticed huge larger barracuda, large trevally, colleges of blue spot trevally, tuna and a wide range of pelagics looking across the rock.

Trying nearer to the rock there have been turtles, moray eels, stone fish and a wide range of nudibranches. The rock drops right down to 70m in at about 30m when wanting down there have been reef sharks and a wide range of massive wrasse, together with an enormous napoleon swimming round.

The Cauldron

Max Depth 29m, Avg Depth 11.2m, viz 20m, temp 27C

Superb Dive! Greeted by giant manta ray! Sloping reef, sand patch adopted by good drift dive by a channel. Good fish life, Large Trevallies, sweetlips, colleges of batfish, giant groupers, one or two turtles

Manta Level

Max Depth 15m, Avg Depth 10m, viz 20m, temp 27C

One of the crucial dived websites within the park. Your greatest probability to dive with manta rays, generally education within the space! We noticed two eagle rays majestically flying over the reef, for me probably the most swish of all rays.

You’ll be able to see them right here all 12 months spherical, however the most effective season for mantas is from December to February when you possibly can have 20 or 30 of those giants circling you! It’s a very flat, shallow web site with small rocks protecting the underside. Present right here may be very sturdy and a few teams use reef hooks to stay in a single place, hovering within the present whereas wanting on the mantas. We had been very unfortunate, in August it was not season however many teams noticed 4 or 5 mantas. We had zero present and noticed just one manta for a short time.

Crystal Rock

Max Depth 28m, Avg Depth 17m, viz 20m, temp 28C

Our favourite web site within the north. Massive see mound, stunning tender corals. Many black tip reef sharks. Large canine tooth tuna.

Web site with probably the most big trevallies, got here very shut. Large Napoleon wrasse, many sweetlips, batfish, butterfly fish and blue spot trevallies.

Wae Nilo

Max Depth 19m, Avg Depth 14m, viz 8m, temp 27C

Near Rinca Island, often dived as a substitute for the Rinca dragon hike. Basic muck diving web site, flat sandy backside some superior distinctive issues to find, a great information helps. We noticed a sea horse and my first blue ring octopus!

Fort Rock

Max Depth 27m, Avg Depth 13.9m, viz 20m, temp 27C

Sea mound, good viz, a number of fish, massive trevallies

Tatawa Besar

Max Depth 19m, Avg Depth 11.2m, viz 20m, temp 28C

Superior drift dive, stunning laborious and tender corals. Superb reef coated in fish at 10-20m depth, Nice dive, Large GT’s, big Napoleon wrasse, snappers, breams, Bluefin trevallies, many damsel fish, sweetlips, white tip reef sharks, giant cuttlefish, blue noticed stingray, leafy scorpion fish.

Golden Passage

Max Depth 16m, Avg Depth 9m, viz 20m, temp 28C

Drift dive within the channel Gili Lawa Darat and Komodo Island. Good chilled out drift dive in sluggish present. Stunning corals. Large turtle, many sweetlips, a white and a inexperienced leafy scorpion fish, blue noticed stingrays. Many small reef fish.

Siyaba Kecil

Max Depth 22m, Avg Depth 13m, viz 20m, temp 28C

Good reef, sluggish present. Good macro stuff; frogfish, leafy scorpionfish, nudis, scorpionfish. Some blue noticed trevallies, blue noticed stingray, small reef fish.

Finest time to dive Komodo Island

Komodo Nationwide Park experiences a moist season and a dry season. Studying about diving circumstances in Komodo doesn’t make it simpler with a lot contradicting data, I imagine you possibly can dive all 12 months spherical.

Our private expertise, late November was actually good we had good diving day by day and we had been surrounded by loads of mantas at Manta Level. In August we additionally had nice diving, the climate was good, viz was good, I noticed a blue ring octopus within the south, however we noticed only a few mantas, solely 2 in every week of diving.Diving within the Moist Season

Moist season usually runs from December till March, Jan/ Feb there’s lots of rain, not  at all times nice.
January to March can have tough floor circumstances on the northern dive websites.
Moist season is Manta Season!! You’ll be able to see mantas all 12 months, however peak season to see mantas is December to February when you possibly can have greater than 10 mantas circling you
Visibility is greatest from November to January, late November we had loads of mantas and good diving circumstances.

Diving within the Dry Season

April to November interval is taken into account dry season when the climate is at its greatest.
Might/June & September/October is rated by many as the most effective diving circumstances.
July and August can have tough seas within the south and Rinca.

Liveaboard diving or dive from Labuanbajo

The Komodo Nationwide Park is situated throughout the Lesser Sunda Islands and consists of Komodo, Rinca, Padar and 26 small islands. The websites within the park is pretty unfold out, making this an important space to discover by stay aboard.  You’ll be able to dive many of the sights you’ll dive by stay aboard on day journeys from Labuanbajo, this selection is cheaper. 

Why dive Komodo Nationwide Park from a liveaboard?

You’ll be on the dive websites first, whereas lots of of divers are heading to the dive websites on sluggish boats, you might be already within the water, earlier than different divers scare your fish away!(diving is commonly dictated by present and tides, thus generally being there first received’t get you within the water first) nonetheless good to get up on the dive web site and position into the water after breakfast!Evening dives, every part is completely different at night time and it’s superb to have the ability to dive these far off websites at nightIt is superior, what may be higher than residing on a ship for a few days, waking up and  diving among the worlds greatest websites after breakfast after which all day…

Komodo Liveaboard Diving

There are liveaboards at an enormous number of budgets working round Komodo, earlier than you e book do analysis and browse critiques on the boats. Listed here are some glorious Liveaboard choices for diving in Komodo Nationwide Park.

For implausible offers on liveaboard journeys in Komodo Nationwide Park in 2023 Try these boats:

Extra Komodo Liveaboard Offers for 2023!

Occurring a dive journey? – Dive Journey Packing Checklist+Suggestions

Dive {qualifications} wanted for diving in Komodo Nationwide Park

There are various websites in Komodo Nationwide Park with various expertise required. Some websites do have sturdy currents and down currents do generally happen. Expertise is crucial to dive right here. You’ll be able to dive some stunning spots and see unimaginable issues with an open water qualification (18m max). Your dive operator ought to solely take you on dives suited to your expertise stage. Don’t be shy to debate points round this and group dimension with them earlier than you go on the dive.

Dive Insurance coverage

You will need to have insurance coverage when touring, particularly in case you are doing journey actions with danger concerned. For those who want evacuation or decompression remedy it may be very expensive. Be sure you take out the suitable cowl. Get a on-line quote in seconds. Have your journey, your well being and your gear coated, learn the small print. World Nomads Diving Insurance coverage

Dive Facilities for Komodo Nationwide Park Scuba Diving

There are various dive operators in Labuanbajo, a number of well-known franchise operators additionally current elsewhere in South East Asia, e.g. Blue Marlin Dive Heart and Scuba Junkie.

We had some nice diving with native operators Komodo Dive Heart and Divers Paradise Komodo at an important value.

Attending to Labuanbajo

Flying

Getting from Lombok to Labuanbajo flying in is the simplest,  funds airways fly from Bali (Denpasar) to Labuan Bajo (Komodo Airport). Flights are additionally accessible from Jakarta to Komodo.

By Bus

You’ll be able to take a bus-ferry mixture from Lombok or Gili Trawangan. That is the most cost effective approach, however is kind of an extended journey. See our detailed information how one can get from Bali to Flores

By Boat

Taking a 3 day boat journey is fashionable, that is actually funds with the boat cruising alongside for 3 days. I liked this journey, however it’s fairly a hardcore backpackers journey on a low funds.

Lodging in Labuanbajo

On a funds – La Boheme Bajo

Medium funds – Golo Hilltop Lodge & Restaurant

Deal with your self  – Sudamala Resort, Komodo

Non-diving actions round Labuanbajo and Komodo

Diving was our essential motive for touring right here, however there are numerous different issues to do round this stunning space.

See the Komodo dragons on Komodo and Rinca islandGo for a day journey to the gorgeous Padar island and sort out a steep hike to the superb viewpointsGo island hopping, spend a day on Kanawa islandRent a scooter and drive round Flores, there are some superb waterfalls to seeVisit Sano Nggoang LakeHike Kelimutu VolcanoSee hundreds of bats migrating from Kalong IslandSee our Full information to visiting Flores and Komodo

South East Asia Diving Sources

The 17 000 islands of Indonesia provides some superb websites and an unreal number of implausible diving. Bali is probably the most touristy island and Nusa Penida is a superb spot to see Manta Rays all 12 months spherical straight from Bali. See completely different choices for how one can get from Bali to Flores

The large island Sulawesi is a superb spot for diving with among the greatest muck diving on this planet within the Lembeh strait, some nice diving within the lesser explored Bira and a implausible off the crushed observe island journey within the Togian islands.

For a lesser explored island with good diving Pulau Weh close to Sumatra is an effective place to go.

There may be nice diving throughout South East Asia, if you wish to do your open water course or superior take a look at our article on the Finest Dive Colleges on Koh Tao, Thailand. The Perhentian Islands in Malaysia is one other implausible spot for dive coaching, chilling on the seashore with some nice dive spots.

Swimming with the large, mild whale sharks is a bucket checklist merchandise for many individuals and the Philippines is likely one of the greatest locations on this planet to go, for our expertise see our articles on Swimming with Whale Sharks in The Philippines and a assessment on swimming with whale sharks in Oslob within the Philippines.

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The sturdy half of Stingy Nomads, a nomadic aquaman that will be comfortable to spend all his life within the water diving, browsing and spearfishing however usually has to compromise with Alya and go mountaineering as a substitute. Campbell is accountable for all our marine adventures and following them with write-ups. He loves touring, braai (BBQ in South Africa), pink wine and spending the day in a wetsuit.