On this information to diving in Komodo Nationwide Park we talk about the very best 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 all the things you want to learn about diving from this standard island.
Komodo Nationwide Park consists of three massive islands; Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and likewise embody 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 very best nation on the earth 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 searching 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 principally in regards to the massive stuff, however don’t underestimate the macro life within the park, we noticed some wonderful things; blue ringed octopus, sea horse, crocodile fish and extra.
We’ve spent loads of time exploring totally different islands round Indonesia, see what we expect 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 appears like you might be in an aquarium.
Large colleges of small zebra fish and quite a lot of colourful fish swims near the floor. We noticed huge higher barracuda, large trevally, colleges of blue spot trevally, tuna and quite a lot of pelagics searching across the rock.
Wanting nearer to the rock there have been turtles, moray eels, stone fish and quite a lot of nudibranches. The rock drops all the way down to 70m in at about 30m when trying down there have been reef sharks and quite a lot of massive wrasse, together with a large napoleon swimming round.
The Cauldron
Max Depth 29m, Avg Depth 11.2m, viz 20m, temp 27C
Wonderful Dive! Greeted by massive manta ray! Sloping reef, sand patch adopted by good drift dive via a channel. Good fish life, Big Trevallies, sweetlips, colleges of batfish, massive groupers, one or two turtles
Manta Level
Max Depth 15m, Avg Depth 10m, viz 20m, temp 27C
Some of the dived websites within the park. Your finest likelihood to dive with manta rays, generally education within the space! We noticed two eagle rays majestically flying over the reef, for me essentially the most swish of all rays.
You possibly can see them right here all 12 months spherical, however the very best season for mantas is from December to February when you’ll be able to 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 trying on the mantas. We have been very unfortunate, in August it was not season however many teams noticed four 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, lovely tender corals. Many black tip reef sharks. Large canine tooth tuna.
Web site with essentially the most enormous 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 an alternative choice to the Rinca dragon hike. Traditional muck diving web site, flat sandy backside some superior distinctive things to find, an excellent 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, lovely onerous and tender corals. Wonderful reef coated in fish at 10-20m depth, Nice dive, Large GT’s, enormous Napoleon wrasse, snappers, breams, Bluefin trevallies, many damsel fish, sweetlips, white tip reef sharks, massive 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 gradual 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, gradual 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 info, I imagine you’ll be able to dive all 12 months spherical.
- Our private experience, late November was actually good we had good diving each day and we have 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 per week of diving.
- Diving within the Moist Season
- Moist season usually runs from December till March, Jan/ Feb there may be 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 possibly can see mantas all 12 months, however peak season to see mantas is December to February when you’ll be able to have greater than 10 mantas circling you
- Visibility is finest 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 finest.
- Might/June & September/October is rated by many as the very best 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 possibly can 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 can be on the dive websites first, whereas lots of of divers are heading to the dive websites on gradual 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 gained’t get you within the water first) nonetheless good to get up on the dive web site and function into the water after breakfast!
- Evening dives, all the things is totally different at evening and it’s wonderful to have the ability to dive these far off websites at evening
- It’s superior, what may be higher than dwelling on a ship for a few days, waking up and diving among the worlds finest 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 guide do analysis and skim evaluations on the boats. Listed below are some glorious Liveaboard choices for diving in Komodo Nationwide Park.
For incredible offers on liveaboard journeys in Komodo Nationwide Park in 2023 Take a look at these boats:
Extra Komodo Liveaboard Offers for 2023!
Occurring a dive journey? – Dive Journey Packing Listing+Ideas
Dive {qualifications} wanted for diving in Komodo Nationwide Park
There are various websites in Komodo Nationwide Park with various experience required. Some websites do have sturdy currents and down currents do generally happen. Experience is crucial to dive right here. You possibly can dive some lovely spots and see unimaginable things with an open water qualification (18m max). Your dive operator ought to solely take you on dives suited in your experience degree. Don’t be shy to debate points round this and group dimension with them earlier than you go on the dive.
Dive Insurance coverage
It is very important have insurance coverage when touring, particularly in case you are doing journey actions with danger concerned. When you want evacuation or decompression remedy it may be very expensive. Ensure 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 worth.
Attending to Labuanbajo
Flying
Getting from Lombok to Labuanbajo flying in is the best, finances airways fly from Bali (Denpasar) to Labuan Bajo (Komodo Airport). Flights are additionally accessible from Jakarta to Komodo.
By Bus
You possibly can take a bus-ferry mixture from Lombok or Gili Trawangan. That is the most cost effective approach, however is sort of an extended journey. See our detailed information easy methods to get from Bali to Flores
By Boat
Taking a three day boat journey is standard, that is actually finances with the boat cruising alongside for three days. I liked this journey, however it’s fairly a hardcore backpackers journey on a low finances.
Lodging in Labuanbajo
On a finances – La Boheme Bajo
Medium finances – Golo Hilltop Resort & Restaurant
Deal with your self – Sudamala Resort, Komodo
Non-diving actions round Labuanbajo and Komodo
Diving was our fundamental reason for touring right here, however there are numerous different things to do round this lovely space.
- See the Komodo dragons on Komodo and Rinca island
- Go for a day journey to the attractive Padar island and sort out a steep hike to the wonderful viewpoints
- Go island hopping, spend a day on Kanawa island
- Lease a scooter and drive round Flores, there are some wonderful waterfalls to see
- Go to Sano Nggoang Lake
- Hike Kelimutu Volcano
- See 1000’s of bats migrating from Kalong Island
- See our Full information to visiting Flores and Komodo
South East Asia Diving Assets
The 17 000 islands of Indonesia presents some wonderful websites and an unreal number of incredible diving. Bali is essentially the most touristy island and Nusa Penida is a good spot to see Manta Rays all 12 months spherical instantly from Bali. See totally different choices for easy methods to get from Bali to Flores
The huge island Sulawesi is a good spot for diving with among the finest muck diving on the earth within the Lembeh strait, some nice diving within the lesser explored Bira and a incredible off the overwhelmed observe island journey within the Togian islands.
For a lesser explored island with good diving Pulau Weh close to Sumatra is an efficient place to go.
There’s 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 Faculties on Koh Tao, Thailand. The Perhentian Islands in Malaysia is one other incredible spot for dive coaching, chilling on the seaside 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 finest locations on the earth to go, for our experience see our articles on Swimming with Whale Sharks in The Philippines and a evaluation 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 typically has to compromise with Alya and go mountain climbing as an alternative. Campbell is liable for all our marine adventures and following them with write-ups. He loves touring, braai (BBQ in South Africa), crimson wine and spending the day in a wetsuit.
