Exploring North and South Scuba diving Komodo

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For many divers, scuba diving Komodo is the stuff of dreams. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most diverse marine habitats on the planet, with over 260 coral species and over 1,000 fish species! Dive with enormous pelagics, cruise through crystal-clear seas aboard a traditional Phinisi, and walk with prehistoric Komodo dragons. Komodo National Park is without a doubt one of Indonesia’s most spectacular destinations, offering some genuinely unforgettable experiences.

scuba diving Komodo National Park, Indonesia - lion fish

Komodo National Park diving is simply incredible. Guests can spend the morning diving with manta rays, sharks, and gigantic trevally, lunch drifting over beautiful reefs, and the afternoon searching the muck for macro life. All without ever leaving the park’s limits! Over 50 dive sites dot the Komodo archipelago, providing divers with a diverse range of experiences. Komodo offers it all, from current-swept channels to walls, caves, boulder-strewn slopes, colorful reefs, and desolate sandy muck places.

The diving in the north and south of Komodo is very different, with each presenting its own set of conditions and ecosystems. Despite their variations, all of Komodo’s dive locations have one thing in common: currents. A swirling drift dive through a channel is a must-do on any trip to Komodo. And, while these currents might make life tough at times, they are what makes scuba diving Komodo so spectacular.

Scuba diving Komodo – North

Warm, clean water and bright coral reefs characterize diving in north Komodo, as they do in other parts of Indonesia. North Komodo diving includes renowned spots like Castle Rock, Crystal Bommie, Gili Lawa Laut, Shotgun, and Tatawa, as well as other channels and lonely reefs. The finest northern spot for bigger fish is Castle Rock, where you can see reef sharks, eagle rays, big tuna, giant trevallies, and even dolphins. Darat’s ‘Shotgun’ is especially excellent for spotting larger species that congregate in strong currents. If you’re looking for a manta fix, Karang Makassar is famed for gatherings of rays when the conditions are right.

Komodo sailing trip to South

Cold-water upwellings dominate diving in Komodo’s southern section. In these cooler, plankton-rich conditions, filter-feeders thrive, and hard corals give way to soft corals, fans, and sponges. Smaller animals grow more diverse as well, and critter hunting is a popular pastime in the south. However, the best manta diving in Komodo is found in the south, particularly at the well called Manta Alley. Divers can see feeding mantas in flight or get up close and personal as they hover over the cleaning station.