komodo best dive sites

lifethesecondyou dive in. The mount is covered in beautiful hues of red, blue and yellow fragmented hard and soft corals. Ok, so fees aside, what else is one to do to ensure their trip to komodo is a sustainable one? The highest season is considered during the dry season from April to November when the visibility is the highest. To discover more about what its really like to dive Komodo, the best ways to dive there and everything else youll need to know before going, read on: This is where you live aboard a boat for a period of several days to weeks, whilst touring the best and most hard to access diving sites of Komodo National Park, including many which can only be accessed via liveaboard. encouragement, making it a very lively event. to Komodo National Park. Yellow Wall is a great liveaboard diving site, especially at night. Many sea apples and nudibrach are found amongst them. If youre going with a dive resort/ hostel, then you need to get to Labuan Bajo, but this is a mere 15 minute car ride away. Apart from manta rays divers can also spot sharks, eagle rays, bumphead parrot fish, turtles and some smaller fish such as gobies, flasher wrasses. Many of the drift dives provide unique passage ways between the islands; which make for superb and adrenaline soaked drift dives; during which one will be carried over a variety of sandy slopes, rocky outcrops and mighty pinnacles; virtually all of them covered in magnificent coral and surrounded by various eye popping pelagics. These mighty creatures do tend to steal the show, but for those who can pry their eyes away from the open waters and search between the intricate coral formations jutting from the pinnacles; theres a fascinating mix of weird and wonderful critters to be spotted, including various species of pygmy seahorses, nudibranch and frogfish. If youre an open water diver, check with your diving school or liveaboard beforehand. You may even bump into squids, Down in the deeper water and below the reef, are many large boulders which provide hiding spots for groupers and octopus. Paying such a fee would massively benefit these animals and the national park. Mantas, giant trevaly and other large pelagics are frequently spotted here. During the rainy season (December March), it may not be possible to dive this region due to northwestern winds creating extremely choppy waters. A broadening of the management focus to address issues within the marine area of the park, is required to ensure long term effectiveness of conservation. Scuba Diving Season in Komodo National Park is possible all year round. Thanks! Hopefully, you already know to avoid all plastic, use reef safe sunscreen and generally not be a dick towards all living things that you met on you travels from the largest komodo dragon (which in fairness if you do try to be a dick to, will probably rip off your arm) to the smallest insect. We usually spend the whole day here diving Sabolon Kecil for the first dive and Sabolon Besar as a conclusion for the last two. Therefore, if you choose to go with a diving school; you will need to stay in the coastal town of Labuan Bajo which is on the island of Flores, East Nussa Tenggara Province. Siaba Kecil is a small, long-shaped island which offers some amazing drift dives. Its one of the driest regions in Indonesia with an annual rainfall of just 800 1000mm.

Each region has many dive sites, meaning youll need at least a few days diving at each region to truly discover it! Our Girls Details will be provided upon booking the liveaboard. The Southern area at about 24m depth is home to a small cave where a colony of pygmy komodo diving sandy At any rate, this fee is only for those who want to set foot on komodo island, which is currently seen as more of a potential threat to the park than simply diving. This park has received very high ratings from liveaboard divers as the most diving enthusiasts get to visit one of the richest diverse marine environments in the world. Sometimes this dive spot requires divers to swim against the current without giving an option to hold on. Schools of barracudas quite often circle around the pinnacle. tour operators on Labuan Bajo and see which day trip best suits your schedule. So if you truly want to see the Komodo Dragons up close, yet dont have that much money you should be willing to shorten your trip by a few weeks. Mola Mola usually live very deep down, rising to the surface as if to soak themselves in sunlight hence the nickname sunfish and rarity of sightings. No trip to Komodo is complete without a selfie with the worlds largest lizard, and these are almost guaranteed in these sacred islands. This extraordinary country, situated in the South East of Asia, is made up of a network of 17,508 islands. To get to both of these spots you need to take a boat trip from Labuan Bajo. Average rating 5 / 5.

Some are like affordable, backpacker hostels whereas others are extremely luxurious and include many incredible facilities like private cabins and spas as well as extra activites like water sports. You can dive and snorkel Sebayur Kecil all year around. The best way to experience Komodo is on a liveaboard. It takes several hours to get from Labuan Bajo to the dive sites of Komodo; which does mean a long journey, two times a day as well as not being able to visit the more remote north and south regions of Komodo. Dive schools and scuba diving liveaboards monitor the weather and adjust the dive sites they visit accordingly; to ensure youll dive at the best locations for whatever time of year it is; specifically in relation to the season, weather and lunar cycles of the time you go. They go closer to the sea surface to feed and closer to the sea bed to be cleaned, so at any depth and at any time mantas can be seen here. Various cetaceans inhabit the adjacent waters from dolphins to sperm whales and even blue whales, whilst endangered dugongs have also been confirmed in Komodos waters! Now don't quote us on this, but this could possibly be the best dive site of all time. You can dive Red Beach all year around. One of Komodo's most famous dive spots - and rightly so, it's like a fish and coral explosion down there!

Scuba Diving Komodo is on the bucket list of virtually any diver who knows anything about this legendary national park, located in Indonesia, some 450 km east of Bali. Tatawa Besar is a colourful reef with an excellent life and many corals. The visibility in southern waters is high with the temperature being in between 20-25 degrees centigrade. The Karang Makassar (also known as Manta Point) dive site offers the opportunity to dive with numerous manta rays. Warmer wetsuit, as temperatures can be anywhere from 25-28c, even in summer. As always, arm yourself with as much knowledge regarding the latest info there regarding sustainable travel and remember that the future of the environment is in our hands! Despite only covering 1 % of the worlds total ocean, the coral triangle represents 30% of the worlds coral reefs and has the worlds greatest marine biodiversity. It is a sloping reef, as divers go deeper a seamount at around 25 m offers a great chance to spot different sharks and giant sweetlips. further out dive spots that arent accessible from Labuan Bajo. This is a perfect place for our safety stop, or for beginners who also like to dive Siaba Kecil. Mawan holds many surprises for divers as it offers some huge inhabitants as well as a great macro marine life that is a dream of underwater photographers. Red Beach is excellent for the macro photography, for night dives and snorkeling. With pristine coral reefs and dramatic underwater landscapes; Komodo is unlike most prime dive destinations in that it offers both spectacular macro diving andthe chance to witness large marine animals like reef sharks, mola mola and literally countless manta rays. Here, the manta rays go towards the sea surface when they are feeding and closer to the seabed to be cleaned, meaning that at any depth and at any time, divers can see these gentle giants in high numbers. That said, the southern regions of the national park do harbour some spectacular soft coral reefs. You can expect whitetip sharks, grey reef sharks, giant trevallies and tuna here, too. These fish attract predators such as reef sharks, barracuda, tuna and (in the early morning) dolphins, so that lucky divers can find themselves in the midst (but not part of!) But around the central region there are a few sites that can be pretty easy to dive and may even be suitable for open water divers. Castle Rock is a pinnacle underwater with a top at 4m deep. Lush coral gardens that extend as far as the eye can see with large Gregorian corals.

There is a stark contrast in terms of underwater topography, diving sites and marine life here. They are mostly sighted in the southern part of Komodo National Park around the Nusa Penida diving site. Along the right shoulder of the mooring line is Mini Wall, a wall dives that meets the sandy bottom at around 35 meters. Enjoy 20% OFF select PADI eLearning programs, FREE ReActivate online refresher, subscription to Scuba Diving magazine + so much more when you join PADI Club. Komodo dragons are found on Komodo and Rinca. Thousands upon thousands of bats migrate out from the mangroves into the night sky around 6pm on summer At Crystal Rock divers descend quickly with the current down to 20-25 m where they can hold to a rock and observe almost all of the giant oceanic inhabitants. and dropping down to 40m. The rare sightings of Mola Mola make them more popular. Manta rays are fascinating flat shaped creatures and are a symbol of elegance. also home to an abundance of marine life and huge populations of corals. sharks. Visit a traditional village and watch a Caci. Following the reef for the beginning we cross over a sandy bottom to the seamount, after that return to the reef and finish our dive with a drift on a beautiful plateau. Water temperature can be on the low side, sometimes dipping below 77F (25C), so bring extra layers of neoprene or a hood on top of a basic 3 mm suit to stay comfortable. The marine biodiversity here is incredibly varied and includes manta rays, whale sharks, eagle rays, devil rays, ocean sunfish, tuna, pygmy seahorse, frogfish, nudibranch, octopus, cuttlefish, sponges and tunicateto name but a few species! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. There are two locations for liveaboard divers to view mantas; in the north, it is Karang Makassar and in the south, it is Manta Alley. Honestly, dont get in too much of a flap about this one. Many of the strongest drift dives in Komodo National Park are located here. No trip to Komodo is complete without a night dive. That said, if youc an, I highly recommend attaining your advanced open water cert before you go. This is one of the most eminent dive sites in the northern part of Komodo National Park. White tip reef sharks, large cuttle fish and turtles are often seen here. Due to its very strong currents and the depth, only experienced divers should join for the dives at Crystal Rock. All rights reserved. Alternatively, there are several ferries and speedboats which depart from Sape and also tourist boats which travel from other islands in Indonesia like Lombok. affordable alternative to Raja Ampat liveabords and the cost involved in getting there. The lack of currents means everyone can relax and take more time to witness whats going on around them. The best way to hit all of the top dive spots in Komodo is to go on a liveaboardso you can reach the Although it is possible to descend deep at Tatawa Kecil there is no big need to do so. For the absolute best opportunity to dive with Manta Rays, look no further than Karang Makassar Reef, which is also aptly known as Manta Point. Theres an extensive sandy slope separating mini wall from an immaculately pristine coral garden. And the best thing about it? With its colorful coral reefs and vibrant, diverse species of fishes, manta rays, sharks and of course Komodo dragons; Komodo Liveaboards are always in top dream lists of many divers. Giant trevallies, Napoleon wrasses, giant sweetlips, tunas, grey reef and white tip sharks, schools of batfish, jacks and school of fusiliers will surround the divers. We asked our dive guide on board our liveaboard what his favorite dive was and he chose Current City. Komodo National Park was established in 1980 and declared a world heritage site and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1991. That said, you will still get to experience the central Komodo diving regions and these are amazing nonetheless! If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. At the surface of Batu Bolong site we can see just a small rock, but underwater it is a giant rock that goes deep into the blue to 70 m. The rock offers a great richness of marine life and some amazing hard and soft corals. Try Manta Alley! Replace or update your card, buy a Special Edition or Project AWARE version of your PADI certification card, or go digital with the purchase of a PADI eCard. An all time favourite dive site is Castle Rockcomprised of blue dragon coral, golden table coral and bronze hued brain coral; it also features an assortment of pink, orange and yellow tube and vase sponges. Why? Ask for an airport pick up for the quickest and easiest option. Liveaboards depart from Labuan Bajo harbour, where you'll also find accommodation and shore-based operators. Labuan Bajo was once a small fishing village but is now a thriving tourist hub due to scuba diving. With them, these upswellings bring many nutrients which attract scores of filter feeders, making many of the dive sites here excellent for spotting manta rays and whale sharks. The dive is finished by being carried by the current around the pinnacle to the protected area where divers can enjoy some pygmy seahorses and octopuses if lucky. kingdom national united icon bajo dive 512px You can stop by the mangroves after your visit to Rinca Island (where you see the dragons) on the way back home, with a beer in hand. underneath. It's a feeling like no other when a manta comes to greet you. It offers great visibility, vivid marine life, some strong currents and healthy reefs. Another defining feature of the southern region of Komodo is that between July August, it is the best region to witness the mighty Mola Mola also known as the oceanic sunfish. The current is considerably strong here and giant tables of coral and colorful sponges greet the driver upon very first sight. We end the drift dive at either northern or southern part of the island where a beautiful coral garden expects us. Copyright 2020 by Wet Frog Divers. Originally, the park was established in order to conserve the unique komodo dragon, of which only some 5,700 remain; the majority of these are on Komodo and Rinca islands (the rest are on nearby Flores and Gili Motong). Comprised of central Komodo island, Padar island, upper Rinca island and many of the smaller islands surrounding them. The Komodo National Park is divided into two spheres: the North and the South. Grab your dive torch, you're in for a spectacle! Unfortunately quite often these dive spots are disregarded as they are located outside of the zoning area of Komodo National Park. The north area of Komodo National Park is a good place for shark spotting at underwater seamounts. Enjoy this shallow dive with a huge possibilities of mantas and turtles, and maybe even especially if you're heading on a liveaboard in Komodo. have the opportunity to spend time chatting to the locals and snapping some great photos. Makasar Reef also called Karang Makasar or Manta Point is meant to be one of the best meeting points for manta rays. Girls that Scuba discount card holders get 5% off on many boats in Komodo, saving a huge amount - sign up here! Due to the regions National Park status granting it special protection as well as the fact that it sits within the coral triangle; marine biodiversity at Komodo is next level! Sabolon Kecil offers nice drift dives and a seamount that is inhabited by all types of sea fans and hard corals. Mawan is located in the central Komodo National Park, west of Siaba. These are mostly comprised of hard coral species, of which there is a staggering variety. Here you will also be able to see traditional dances and Not really. Sheltered dive sites boast a myriad of critters hiding among the slopes and walls of healthy hard and soft corals. Without a doubt the most varied of all Komodo diving is in the central region. All the information you need to plan your dive vacations anywhere in the world. Another iconic northern dive site is Crystal Rock, where between the large yet delicate soft coral, one can witness octopus, ribbon eels and seahorses. Suitable for advanced and/or experienced divers due to its strong currents Batu Bolong offers some huge schools of fish, many pelagic fish and different kinds of sharks in the depth. With a PADI Travel account, you can favourite dive operators to come back to later on any device or computer. The park receives considerable resources and support from the central government of Indonesia, which has a special program for ecotourism management. Following the instructions of your dive master, Pengah Kecil is a great spot to enjoy diving and snorkeling all year around. Vibrant shades of coral trout, bass and emperors swim by with an occasional sighting of a turtle. A drift dive that is suitable for divers of any levels thanks to its depth and mild currents. And spending the surface interval on a sandy beach is another plus of Sabolon. There's alsothe chance of sharks, eagle rays, moray eels, as well as resident clownfish in the mix. This site may not have rich coral growth or interesting underwater scenery, but it is still one of the most interesting dive sites on the Komodo Archipelago due to the many manta rays which can be seen everywhere around this Komodo diving site.

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komodo best dive sites