F.A.Q
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do the trips start?
All our trips start from Labuan Bajo harbor on the Island of Flores. The entrance of the Komodo National Park.
How do I get there?
The airport of Labuan Bajo/Komodo is just 10min. away from the town and our office. There are several daily flights from Bali and Jakarta as well from Lombok and/or Kupang. It is also possible to arrive in Labuan Bajo by boat.
When is the best time to visit Komodo?
Komodo can be visited all year round. Depending on the season not all dive sites can be visited due to weather- and sea conditions. And surely in the rainy season you can get wet, even on land sometimes. 😉
Rainy season is from November – March
Dry season is from April – October
Dry season is from April – October
But during the rainy season there are less tourists around, the landscape is beautiful green and usually it means it’s Manta season. However we never guarantee to see them as it is still nature and not a zoo. But the chance to see the gentle giants is the best in this season. The water temperature is around 23 – 26C in Central of Komodo and the visibility might be a bit lower as well in those times.
The North part is in those times not really accessible. For good visibility and warmer water temperature (27 – 29C) the South of Komodo is nice to visit. In the dry season we have exactly the opposite. Then the South is less nice and Central and North of Komodo are more attractive. Unless the colder water or the lower visibility doesn’t bother you. 🙂
From June – August we actually talk about the peak season. This is due to many countries who have long summer holidays. Means usually the Park is full with different diving/ snorkeling boats and we barely see Mantas in those times. So a little secret from us, the best time to visit is April/May or September/October when actually the season starts to change.
What if I never scuba dived before or it is already a long time ago?
No problem! Therefore is our one day Discover Scuba Diver course. Read more about it
Also if you haven’t been diving for a while we offer the Reactivate Course. Where you just refresh all the most important and basic skills on the surface and underwater.
Also we get quite often the question if a diver with the Open Water is able to dive in Komodo. Simple answer: Yes, definitely! You can even join our daily trips as a snorkeler. Everyone is more than welcome! 🙂
Is there a good hospital around?
Yes. There is a SILOAM hospital in Labuan Bajo with modern facilities but still below international standards. Although since the end of 2018 there is also officially a decompression chamber to find. However we always stay in our limits and do NO-deco dives. But we recommend to check your travel insurance anyway and advise you even to consider about a diving insurance from DAN.
Are there ATM’s in town?
Yes, there are several ATM’s to find in town. But we recommend you to bring some cash in the local currency (Indonesian Rupiah) along with you. In most of the Restaurants or Shops you can also pay with your credit card. But there are some charges from 2-3% on it.
Do I need a visa for Indonesia?
If you don’t plan to stay longer in Indonesia than 30 days there is a free visa which you’ll get straight at the airport. If you aren’t sure yet or you plan to stay longer you can buy the VOA (Visa on Arrival) in every airport for around 35 USD. So you can stay 30 days again for free and you’re able to extend it one more time for another 30 days in any immigration office. Also possible to extend it in Labuan Bajo/ Flores.
We had such a great trip with Somer Dive. Corina, our dive master, was so great to dive with and so patient with us since we are new open water certified divers! She really showed us all the good spots for beautiful healthy coral, saw manta ray and more. We would definitely go back and do some more fun dives while we’re here. The crew is super helpful too and the whole crew at Somer Dive was super friendly!
Completed my Open Water Course with Somer Dive Center. Overall a great experience. Their boat, facilities and equipment are excellent. The staff is very nice and professional. I had the pleasure of having Corina as my instructor. She made everything very clear and I felt safe at all times. I would recommend Somer Dive to everyone!
We had the best possible diving experience today with Somer dive! We refreshed our diving skills with Corina who is a really experienced diving instructor, very patient, responsive and helpful! Felt safe all the time! Adrian was our diving master and he showed us all the nice spots and animals and was very friendly and experienced! The boat is large and comfortable, the food is nice and all the staff is friendly and helpful! I would recommend this company to my friends any day!
Due to time we only had a few days of diving but it was amazing. Matteo was our dive master and was awesome! If I came back I wouldn’t hesitate to dive with Somer again. Top notch, the boat crew were also fantastic. Loads of food for lunch each day and very friendly, accommodating and professional.
Best diving experience with Corina!
I am a solo traveler and chose Somerdive to do my PADI open water certification course. As I was new to diving, I was quite nervous, but my great diving teacher Corina made me feel comfortable from day one! Not only did I get the best possible introduction to diving I can imagine, but I saw so much beautiful marine life and coral! Starting from mantas, to sharks, to extraordinary fish species!