DIVE SITES

Komodo is one of the best dive spots around the world. It is also well known for its currents. But don’t worry, there are also some easier dive sites available for beginners. Komodo has more than 50 dive sites to explore. When we plan dive trips to the park we talk about the north, central and south area of the park. With our day boat we are able to explore the dive sites in central and north.

 

For the south area we use our speedboat or even do some trips there with the Liveaboard. It also depends about the season but generally you can not get bored here. Because also depending about the tides you can dive even if it is the same dive site different. So you can see, Komodo has so much to offer!

 

Below you can find a little selection of the most popular dive sites of Komodo National Park. Although it is hard to choose. 🙂

 

 

CENTRAL KOMODO

CENTRAL KOMODO

Batu Bolong (The Rock with a hole)

Batu Bolong is one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. Why? Basically just come and find out. 😉 But to give you a little impression about; This dive site is an underwater seamount and goes down to an uncounted depth.. From the top looks quite small but if you start to descend you’ll already see how massive this dive site still can be.

You will dive like in the middle of an aquarium. Healthy coral reefs, plenty of reef fishes, sharks, napoleon wrasse etc. will come and say hello as well. This dive sites you can dive either on the north or on the south side. Depending from which direction the current is coming from.

Depth:   30m (Dive site is only for advanced divers)
Current: mild – strong

Makassar Reef aka Manta Point

Makassar Reef is the largest dive site in the Komodo National Park. It is around 3km long and 1.5km wide. It is one of the famous drift dives from Komodo. You can dive this dive site either in rising or falling tide. The topography is most rubble but with some great macro spots if the current is not strong.

But why is it so famous as well, because of the gentle giants of the ocean: The Manta Rays which take a bath on a cleaning station. You can spot during your drift several kind of rays; reef manta ray, eagle ray, marble ray but also blacktip or white tip reef sharks can be found as well some bamboo sharks.

Depth: 8 – 16m
Current: mild – medium

Mawan

Mawan is a dive site in the front of a little island. There you can find beautiful coral reefs, sandy slopes and when the current allows you can go a bit deeper to a rubble part where you can find mostly some whitetip reef sharks.

Depending on the current it can be a drift dive as well. But there is always an option to dive this site on the more protected area where the current stops. The corals of Mawan is a home for several reef species like anemone/clownfish, octopus, moray eel, mantis shrimp etc. But also the reef manta rays like this area. They come here as well to get a bath or for some snacks.

Depth: 7 – 22m
Current: no current –  medium

Siaba Besar

This dive site has actually two names on the town. Either it is Siaba Besar its actual name or Turtle City. On this dive sites you can find countless green turtles. They are really everywhere. But not only green turtles you can spot around the coral garden also, cuttlefish, oriental sweetlips, moray eel, black or white tip reef shark etc.

If you love macro Siaba Besar is also great for it. Because one half of the dive site is covered with a beautiful coral garden and the other half is a big sandy area. There you can spot some nudibranch, seahorse, flamboyant cuttlefish etc.
This dive site is great for all levels. From Discover Scuba Divers up to well experienced divers.

Depth: 5 – 25m
Current: no current – mild

Tatawa Besar

Tatawa Besar or the big smile. 🙂 This dive site is covered with many various corals. It is also one of the healthiest coral reef in the whole National Park. From big sponges to table corals and don’t forget the colorful soft corals.

This dive site is epic for all coral lovers. Because of the healthy of the reef there are always lots of reef fish around or schooling of fusiliers, surgeonfish, hawksbill turtles etc. It can be also a drift dive where you easily just lean back and enjoy the beauty of the sloping reef.

Depth: 6 – 30m
Current: no current – medium

Waenilu

Yes, there is also muck dive in Komodo. Waenilu offers you great encounters for all muck lovers. The little island of Waenilu is surrounded with mangroves and the dive site itself offers you from the sloping shallow part some soft corals and when you go deeper you finally find the silty bottom which you were looking for. Great spot for frogfish, ghost pipefish, different kind of nudibranch, different species of octopus like blue ring octopus, wonderpus etc. Bring your camera with you and let’s go and explore.

Depth: 15 – 25m
Current: no current

NORTH KOMODO

NORTH KOMODO

Castle Rock

Castle Rock is an underwater seamount which doesn’t reach up to the surface. Here we are to dive in the famous currents of Komodo. With a negative entry we start and descend  fast into the split of the current. There we hold on and enjoy the show. Big fishes ahead! White tip and black tip reef sharks and also some grey reef sharks cursing and hunting in the current.

Giant trevally, schooling of fusiliers as well surgeon fishes are around as well. It is a great experience for all current junkies. On this dive site we wanna dive only in the current and just reach the protected side in the back of the seamount when we wanna finish the dive. This dive site we can enjoy in rising and falling tide as well when there is slack (no current) we even have the chance to swim around and explore the whole underwater castle.

Depth: 18 – 30m
Current: strong

Crystal Rock

This dive site is just a few meters away of Castle Rock. And the way we dive there is similar. Maybe the only difference is that Crystal Rock reaches the surface and has even a second little underwater seamount to explore. Both tides are possible to dive and because the Rock itself is a bit bigger than Castle means the protected area is also more wide and gives some more space to hide. But also here we are for the big fishes and the current.

Eagle ray, blacktip and white tip shark as well the grey reef shark is waiting for you there. Schooling of fusiliers, surgeon fishes, jack fishes etc. you’ll see there. If no current you can also swim around the Rock and check out at the baby blacktip reef shark under the table coral. And if you are lucky as well you even might to find some macro like pygmy seahorse.

Depth: 18 – 30m
Current: strong

Cauldron

The Cauldron aka Shotgun is really famous for all current junkies. It is basically a channel dive between two Islands; Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat. There you can just follow the current. On one spot the channel is only around 10m wide and the full strength of the water flow goes through this area. Exactly this place is called Shotgun.

The best tide to dive this dive site is falling tide. So you can before you reach the Shotgun enjoy a easy drift. Then the action is waiting ahead with some great encounters. All big fishes like to play in the current as well some manta ray or even sometimes a school of mobula rays. After the Shotgun we have to escape from the current to reach the protected side were the current will stop and we are able to enjoy the calm sea again before we have to finish our dive. The protected side is actually a second dive site which is called: China Shop. So it is also possible for beginners to dive on the back side of the island.

Depth: 12 – 25m
Current: strong

Golden Passage

Another great channel dive. This dive site is located between Gili Lawa Darat and Komodo Island and you are able to dive there on rising and falling tide. Similar to Cauldron you can just go with the current until you reach the spot where you have to kick to the protected area of the dive site. During your drift have a look for black and white tip reef sharks, eagle ray, school of bumphead parrotfish etc.

This dive site has several small overhangs and the rock formation is just amazing. In the front of Gili Lawa Darat you can find a big garden of hard corals where you might to find some Mandarin fish.

Depth: 8 – 18m
Current: medium – strong

SOUTH KOMODO

SOUTH KOMODO

Three Sister

Is a dive site located in the South part of Padar Island. Like the name already explains, Three Sisters has three underwater Pinnacle to explore. Means three times more fun…;-) The Pinnacles are covered with hard and soft coral. You can see there is from tiny pygmy seahorse up to blacktip reef sharks. Everything is waiting there. Also there are some protected areas behind the pinnacles but if you love the current you can swim between the pinnacles with some water flow.

Depth: 15 – 30m
Current: mild-medium

Pillarsteen

A rocky-sloping wall which is covered with plenty of soft corals is waiting for you in Pillarsteen. But not only the wall makes it so special also some swim-troughs are there to explore. Beautiful dive site for macro lovers but you never know what is maybe passing by in the blue. So keep an eye out there as well.

Depth: 3 – 30m
Current: no current – mild, mostly surge

Secret Garden

Secret Garden has an amazing coral garden to explore. Most of them are soft corals and the colors are stunning. Plenty of macro life is waiting there but also the reef fishes are not sleeping. They are always around and give you a beautiful picture together with the colors of the soft corals. You wanna have a little bit a more easier dive after some Komodo currents? Secret Garden is the place to be.

Depth: 12 – 25m
Current: no current – mild

Manta Alley

Like the name it suggest, in the South of Komodo Island where the current can be strong there is another the home for the Manta Rays. Sometimes schooling of them are around, are eating or get cleaned. So here watch out for big stuff!

Depth: 15 – 30m
Current: mild – strong

Cannibal Rock

This Rock has so much to offer. Action is waiting ahead, means the water flow is running. But more current means more bigger fish which are hunting and circling around the Rock and maybe you as well. You can explore this Rock down to 30m, starting from the shallow part around 3m. Plenty of corals, overhangs, walls etc. Cannibal Rock has everything.

Depth: 3 – 30m
Current: medium – strong

Yellow Wall

Why Yellow Wall? This dive site has a lot of little yellow sea cucumbers which give it its name. This huge Wall is probably one of the best in Komodo. This Wall is a home for many little nudibranchs, frog fish, moray eels and of course for corals etc. But you never know if something bigger might passing by, so always have a look out as well.

Depth: 10 – 30m
Current: mild