Read This is Luxury Travel guide to diving komodo and get all the practical tips to dive Komodo luxury style. This Komodo diving guide is based on my experience going 15 times to Komodo since 2006. I stayed in all the luxury resorts in Komodo and Labuan Bajo and did five of the best liveaboard cruises in Komodo. I have done over 100 dives in Komodo and will point you to the best dives sites in Komodo. This Komodo dive guide will help you plan the perfect trip for YOU.
Why go to Komodo for diving?
Indonesia is ranked as the best diving country in the world year after year, and it is easy to see why. Diving is one of the reasons I spend 4-5 months in Indonesia every year.
The Komodo National Park is located by the island of Flores and includes Komodo, Rinca, Padar, and 26 small islands. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site created to conserve the unique Komodo Dragon and its habitat. The park nowadays also includes the marine protected area, and it includes one of the richest marine environments in the world.
The access town to the Komodo national park is called Labuan Bajo. This is where the airport and most of the hotels are located.
Komodo is undeniably one of the best places for diving in the world. It has beautiful corals, large schools of fishes, big pelagic fishes, and even tons of small fascinating creatures or macro photography lovers. Add generally good visibility, and you have everything a diver could wish for.
Some of the best dives in my life happened in Komodo. You can expect the unexpected and stumble on significant action with a bit of luck! On one dive, we were in the middle of a sardine’s feeding frenzy where sharks and dolphins started to fight. On another dive, we were surrounded by over 20 manta rays that were very curious and came to look us up. The dive with over 30 sharks going crazy and hunting was also mind-blowing.
Anything can happen in Komodo, and by choosing the right dive sites, the right timing, and the best guides, you have more chances of stumbling upon the action.
Who should go to Komodo for diving?
Is Komodo good for advanced divers?
Komodo diving has the reputation of being for advanced divers only. This is partially true. Some dive sites in Komodo can have powerful currents that can be dangerous for inexperienced divers. Those strong currents create the biodiversity in Komodo and offer the potential for significant action with tons of large pelagic.
It is, however, possible to choose the time of the day and the dive sites to have more or less currents. Therefore, when you book your dive trip, it is essential to book a liveaboard or daily dive boat that fits your level.
Can beginners divers dive Komodo?
For total beginners, it is possible to learn to dive in Komodo and even do your open water there. I personally would not recommend it. It is a 2 hours boat ride from Labuan Bajo to the excellent dive sites in Komodo, so you will get tired going back and forth to the dives sites. I recommend you do your open water certificate in Bali. Amed, Tulamben, or even North Bali usually have calm water, and you can dive directly from the shore. So go and do your open water certification in an easy and quit place, and then come and experience Komodo. It is easy to combine both on the same trip as Labuan Bajo and the Komodo national park is only 1-hour flight away from Bali.
Action dives or Macro dives?
While Komodo has plenty of nudibranchs and critters to keep macro lovers and underwater photographers happy, the real reason to go and dive Komodo, in my opinion, is are the big pelagics and the schools of fishes that create the potential for action dives.
