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A turtle over hard coral on a Komodo reef

Dive sites · Komodo National Park

Currents that bring everything with them

Manta Point, Castle Rock and Batu Bolong, dived with crews who read these channels in every season — by day boat or liveaboard.

Plan your dives

In short

Komodo diving is drift diving on nutrient-rich currents inside a national park — mantas, sharks and some of the densest reef fish in Indonesia.

  • Reef mantas seen year-round; peak December to February
  • Day trips, liveaboards and private charters
  • Sites for every level, from Siaba Besar to Castle Rock
  • Park entry IDR 650.000 per person, dated

The big three

The dives people come for

Three sites carry Komodo's reputation. All three reward precise timing more than deep experience.

Manta Point

Karang Makassar. A shallow drift over rubble at 5–15 m where reef mantas queue at cleaning stations. All levels.

Castle Rock

A northern seamount with sharks, schooling trevally and serious current. Advanced.

Batu Bolong

A fish-dense central pinnacle with a split current that needs exact timing. Advanced or experienced AOW.

Sites by area and level

Castle Rock · North

Character
Seamount, sharks, schooling trevally, strong current
Level
Advanced

Crystal Rock · North

Character
Pinnacle beside Castle Rock, soft coral, sharks
Level
Advanced

Shotgun (The Cauldron) · North

Character
Channel dive with a current-driven finale
Level
Advanced

Batu Bolong · Central

Character
Fish-dense pinnacle, split current, precise timing
Level
Advanced / AOW

Karang Makassar · Central

Character
Shallow manta drift over rubble, 5–15 m
Level
All levels

Siaba Besar · Central

Character
Sheltered bay, turtles, seagrass, easy profile
Level
Beginner up

Tatawa Besar · Central

Character
Gentle drift over hard-coral slopes
Level
Beginner–intermediate

Mawan · Central

Character
Sandy slope, manta cleaning station, relaxed
Level
All levels

Komodo is a current destination. Sites are chosen against the tide table on the morning, not fixed a week ahead — which is why the guide matters more here than the gear.

Formats

Five ways to dive it

Day boats reach the central sites. The far north and south need a liveaboard.

Day dive trip

On request

1 day, 2–3 dives. For certified divers short on time.

Private dive day charter

USD 680

/ day

Private speedboat, up to 8 guests. For groups mixing divers and non-divers.

Liveaboard diving

On request

2–4 nights, up to 4 dives a day. Reaches the far north and south.

Most flexible

Private liveaboard charter

USD 5,300

/ night

1–7 nights, whole boat, dive-first itinerary at your pace.

Snorkelling & non-divers

USD 300

/ person

3D2N shared cabins. Mantas and dragons without a certification.

Two divers descending over a Komodo reef

Season, current and safety

Reef mantas are seen at the cleaning stations year-round, but numbers peak from December to February. The dry months of April to October bring the calmest surface and the clearest water, often past twenty metres.

The currents that make Komodo extraordinary are also what make a guide non-negotiable. Sites are selected against the tide table on the morning of the dive — Batu Bolong and the northern seamounts are unforgiving of bad timing and forgiving of nothing else.

Beyond the park, Maumere Bay and the Pantar Strait toward Alor hold reef walls and muck sites that see a fraction of the traffic. Those need five nights or more, and a boat willing to go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Plan your dives

Send your dates, certification level and party size. We will match the format, the sites and the tide table, and quote within 24 hours.