There are many excellent dives around the park:
Cannibal Rock
Cannibal Rock is in the channel just south of Rinca Island, between it and the neighboring Nusa Kode. Empiezamos dive on top of pinnacle, where the waves break and belie the incredible biodiversity that encuentramos once we entered the water. It truly is an immersion of the first order and is in the top of Komodo. Going down south to find the deepest part of the dive and we will find enormous green anemones and blue, swinging again and again.
Sea Apples (Pseudocolchirus violaceus) are abundant, decorating maroon, dotted with drops of golden cream they use to filter water and feed on plankton or bright yellow tentacles.
During the dive you can visit us some curious stained whip streak that has gone hunting. We will also see many black snapper with many youth around with its striking black and white stripes.
If we continue to the northeast, we’ll be amazed at the size of the purple sea fans, some of them of more than 2m. In them we see pygmy seahorses. All the way is filled with dense thickets of corals Gorgonia type whip lime green and white and yellow spirals. Looking to the blue see endemic Komodo yellow sweet lips and banks Rifles gold stripes. The green turtles are also regular visitors to these waters that come to feed on soft corals.
The background is filled with crinoids of all colors, blue and ultraviolet tunicates shadows make this dive a real kaleidoscope.
Features: Pinnacle submerged amazing life
Depth: 5 – 35m
Visibility: 5 – 20m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Some moved
Water temperature: 20-25 ° C
Experience Level: Intermediate – Advanced
Number of dives: 1
Best season: September to June
Access: Onboard or Resort
Batu Bolong
Batu Bolong (Roca empty) in northern Komodo is a rocky pinnacle drops to 75 m depth between Tatawa and Komodo Island.
Due to the topography of the rock exposure and strong currents, the reef has not been exploited by fishermen so it is in perfect condition. The walls and the slopes are covered with hard corals and sponges, but the most striking thing about this place is the marine life. The amount of fish is impressive, from the deeper waters where Napoleons and see white tip sharks, to the shallower water where we see thousands of small reef fish fighting over their territory and their rights to food.
Often leatherbacks feeding on sponges and tunicates, soft lips huge hanging and outbound channels, surgeons swimming upstream to hide among the rocks are. If you can for a while as this dive is ideal for you to learn and be a witness to the whole spectrum of life of a reef. From dawn to dusk you can witness mating, egg laying, incubation, hunting, fighting, food, etc. All in a single dive.
Probably the most dramatic is the north face, which in turn is steeper. It has a submerged pinnacle in the Northeast and a deep ravine leading down to about 27m. You can start the dive down to the bottom and climb the north face zigzag or spiral around the entire rock, if the current permits.
This dive should not be done if the current in northern Komodo is very strong since the area is very small and there is no possibility of letting go adrift. The only way would be tied tightly.
Features: Rocky Pinnacle
Depth: 5 – 40m
Visibility: 5 – 25m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Some moved
Water temperature: 21-27 ° C
Level of expertise: Advanced
Number of dives: 2
Best season: March to December
Access: Onboard or Resort
End Of The World
Tala is a tiny island located in the south of Komodo Langkoi Bay and offers excellent dives.
The strait between the island and Komodo is shallow water and strong currents, but south of the island to the west and deepwater lies The end of the world (World’s End)
There is a vertical rock wall with many cracks, protrusions and sandy ledges leading down to about 40m and thence a plain, where we see white tip sharks, rays, eels and large blooms of coral in the crevices and overhangs the wall .
The flat areas of the wall is covered with vast fields of coral glass that give a touch of color to the black rock wall.
Features: Rocky Pinnacle
Depth: 5 – 40m
Visibility: 5 – 25m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Some moved
Water temperature: 21-27 ° C
Level of expertise: Advanced
Number of dives: 2
Best season: March to December
Access: Onboard or Resort
Gili Lawa
Crystal Bommie is a pinnacle looming on the surface of the north face of 2 small islands north of the island of Komodo. It’s another excellent point topographically very similar to the famous diving spot GPS.
The reef is full of sponges and soft corals golden and bronze. In the shallow waters inhabited thousands of damselfish, anthias, huge cuttlefish, butterfly fish, leatherback and many red octopus.
On the northwest side of the pinnacle is a submerged mound hovering about 14 m, with a depth of about 20 between the two. Due to the strong current of this, you need to make a quick descent to reach this area but worth the effort because there is always rewarded lots of schools of fish. There is usually sweet lips yellow stripe, black snapper, mackerel and bluefin trevally bigeye and white tip sharks.
A 1 kilometer north of Castle Rock Crystal Bommie is another mound submerged. This area is even a bit more exposed to currents but for experienced divers is an interesting dive. There are white tip sharks, black tip, gray reef sharks and giant trevally. The marine life is great, no groupers, snappers and fusiliers midnight. Recently, several groups of dolphins have chosen this area as their favorite fishing and you can see them on all dives. They are incredible creatures and see them in their natural environment is an experience not to be missed.
The Passage is between the islands Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat is a good choice for the last dive of the afternoon as there is only 20mm deep. Currents can be strong but due to the narrow corridor, an area that is home to manta rays and mantas Cardinal feeding in the shallows.
Currents can be strong, better make sure the conditions are right before taking a dip in this area.
Features: Pinnacles with dolphins and sharks
Depth: 5 – 40m
Visibility: 5 – 25m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Some moved
Water temperature: 21-27 ° C
Experience Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Number of dives: 6
Best season: March to December
Access: Onboard or Resort
GPS Point
Located in the northeast of the island Gili Banta 10Km northwest of Komodo, the famous item can not be missing from any life aboard ship and is considered the best point north of Komodo. It attracts large numbers of fish and the crowded banks dogtooth tuna, barracuda and surgeons.
This small mountain emerges on the surface about 5m and features lots of snow snowflake moray eels, cowries, spider crabs and hermit crabs, nudibranchs, scorpion fish and cuttlefish.
The soft coral that grows in this area is particularly excellent and the whole surface of the mound is covered with invertebrates. In some areas there are dense fields of staghorn coral, full of orange and gold anthias.
The deep waters give us the opportunity to meet with some hammerheads and a napoleon, and cuttlefish, batfish, whitetip shark, gray shark and nurse shark.
Currents can be strong at the top of the mound, about 3 knots and can make the safety stop is a bit problematic. Things calm down about 25m but really this dive requires some experience.
Visibility is variable and sometimes due to the amount of plankton may be reduced, but overall is pretty good.
Features: Mound very pretty coral and pelagic activity
Depth: 5 – 40m over
Visibility: 10 – 25m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Some moved
Water temperature: 24-28 ° C
Experience Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Number of dives: 1
Best season: March to December
Access: Onboard or Resort
Manta Alley
It is the main point of Komodo to find manta rays, sometimes groups of 10 or 20 individuals. It is a rocky island looming on the surface in a small rugged string within a bay on the south coast of Komodo.
The dive starts east of the rocks where there is another mound submerged a few feet below the surface. Between this mound and rocky islet, where the maximum depth is 15m, there is almost always a couple of blankets juveniles playing.
Another option is to go down the eastern slope of the mound to the deepest area. Following the slope, soft coral orange upholstered, full of invertebrates, got to the bottom where you can see giant trevally, white tip sharks and black tip prowling for food.
We went round the hill to the north towards the islands chain, always alert in the background as there may be some huge black stripe resting at the bottom of the reef.
Eventually we came to a series of 3 channels running between the island and its rocky prominence to the north. The channels are 18m deep and fairly broad. We can often see huge banks napoleons and blankets patrolling this area.
One time I got to the west side of the island, we will have consumed bottom time and it’s time to start climbing 5m. This area of shallow water is a favorite of manta rays. If not, check out the area near the rocks, inhabited huge red snappers, emperors and giant sweet lips and huge barracudas.
Features: Pinnacles and plateaus
Depth: 5 -30m
Visibility: 10 – 20m
Currents: Gentle
Surface Conditions: Some moved
Water temperature: 20-25 ° C
Experience Level: All levels
Number of dives: 2
Best season: September to June
Access: Onboard or Resort
Pillarsteen
Pillar Rock is located a couple of kilometers to the southeast of Padar Island, between Rinca and Komodo.
The best way to start the dive boat is pulled in the most southern point of the pinnacle and let the current take you stronger westward. To the south is the deepest area and a series of caves, chimneys and rocky outcrops. Here we will find midnight snappers, boxfish and angelfish.
To the west is Pillarsteen wall that is fully upholstered in soft corals in yellow, green and orange.
Yellow and white ascidians find thousands. With funnel-shaped body and mouth open, looks like the aquatic version of a plantation of carnivorous plants.
In the shallow zone, the wall ends and becomes a sloping reef. Here we see masses of corals and giant brown leather glued to them enormous sea cucumbers of a bright yellow color.
Seem to belong to the family of sea slugs but they are actually cucumbers. Sometimes there are strong waves that make being among rocks and coral, this area is a bit rough, especially in the presence of red and purple urchins, very pretty but very toxic bright colors.
Features: Wall of splendid colors.
Depth: 5 -20m
Visibility: 5 – 20m
Currents: Can be strong.
Surface Conditions: Some moved
Water temperature: 20-26 ° C
Experience Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Number of dives: 1
Best season: September to June
Access: Onboard or Resort
Red Beach
Red Beach (Pantai Merah) is located right in front of the feeding station of dragons, in the eastern part of the island of Komodo, across the bay from the village. The snorkelling here is excellent, it is a shallow and beautiful reef. The dive is done on the edge of the reef slope where the bottom is about 25m. The best point is where the slope turns into a steep wall with lots of green cup-coral polyps and stinging.
We see thousands of fish of different sizes, shapes and colors, including damsels yellow tail fish actual angel fish chessboard, unicorns, and huge schools of reef fish are found, all against a backdrop of beautiful corals, gorgonians and sponges.
The mantis shrimp are always present on duty, removing rocks from their burrows. His eyes are among the most complex of all nature, and hunt with an accurate and strong karate chop to which any enemy dies in its claws. Other inhabitants of this area are, crocodile fish, shrimp and goby loudmouths, protecting your brood of eggs in their mouths.
Features: Arrecife at peak
Depth: 5 -25m
Visibility: 5 – 15m
Currents: Can be strong.
Surface Conditions: Calm
Water temperature: 20-26 ° C
Experience Level: All levels
Number of dives: 1
Best season: All year
Access: Onboard or Resort
Tatawa Island
Depending on the current, north or south, we will indicate where to begin immersion Tatawa Besar (“Big Tatawa”), about 30km east of the north of Komodo. When the power goes south we left the boat with a current of about 2 or 3 knots, in the northwest corner of the island.
The first part of the dive runs very quickly and requires your full attention because just before the current spread is a strong current that takes you up. Then descend the slope orange soft coral reef and runs parallel to the west coast of the island, and about 20 meters.
In this area we can see many turtles, white tip sharks, giant trevally, barracuda white tail and sometimes manta rays.
Once you turn on the southern corner flows are completed and still have some time to enjoy this fantastic dive. This area is usually quite napoleons and likely you come across with any group.
Further south and slightly west of Tatawa Besar is a rocky islet called Batu Besar, meaning great stone, here is a dive called ‘Current City’. In Komodo many dives are to the Caribbean. East of Batu Besar, the current can sometimes exceed 3 knots making the Caribbean immersion is important. However, if the current is strong on the east side, will be calm on the west side. The latter is very abrupt, down to 30m, with many caves. The soft coral covering the walls is in very good condition as it is a difficult area for fishermen and there are plenty of fish, large schools of sweetlips, sharks, turtles and stingrays.
South of this Tatawa Tatawa Besar Kecil (“Little Tatawa”). It is best to dive on the west coast of the
island and explore its fantastic coral gardens full of anthias. Its caves and rocks are perfect places for groupers, humpback red snappers, titan triggerfish dangerous and rare yellowtail orange stain.
Features: Arrecife at ridge and steep banks
Depth: 5 -> 40m
Visibility: 5 – 25m
Currents: Can be strong.
Surface Conditions: Can be moved
Water temperature: 21-27 ° C
Experience Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Number of dives: 3
Best season: From March to December
Access: Onboard or Resort
White Angels
White Angels is in the northwest tip of Gili Banta, northeast of Komodo. The best time to dive is early morning when pelagic approach the coast, attracted by the strong currents to feed.
From a sheltered bay reef suddenly drops over 35m. You have to swim against the stream a short distance to win the curve of the reef, then you turn once you let yourself go with the flow gently, accompanied by real mackerel, yellowfin tuna and gray reef sharks. But about a quarter of an hour later we arrived in an area of shallow reef in calm waters. Here we will see a fantastic collection of sponges and corals, and scorpion fish, bat, butterfly and countless nudibranchs of all colors.
Features: Reef and Wall
Depth: 5 -> 40m
Visibility: 5 – 25m
Currents: Can be strong and vertical
Surface Conditions: Calm
Water temperature: 24-28 ° C
Experience Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Number of dives: 1
Best season: From March to December
Access: Onboard or Resort
Yellow Wall of Texas
Yellow Wall of Texas is the wall that runs from the east coast of Nusa Kode south of the island of Rinca, Komodo east.
A shallow there is a wealth of reef fish of multiple colors, especially those that feed on plankton, flitting between the polyps and corals.
Perhaps the clown triggerfish is one of the most noted for its black body, round and orange mouth, a yellow stripe on face, white on back spots and yellow tail.
In deeper water you can see a white tip shark. Red snapper with bright yellow eyes, kept at a safe distance and the green turtle parade in a row in front of us.
The best time of day to do this dive is in the afternoon when the sun provides us with a very natural light.
Features: Wall with projections.
Depth: 5 -> 40m
Visibility: 5 – 20m
Currents: Can be strong
Surface Conditions: Can be moved
Water temperature: 20-25 ° C
Experience Level: Intermediate
Number of dives: 1
Best season: September to June
Access: Onboard or Resort.