Komodo Liveaboard

Dive areas you may visit on this itinerary:

Gili Lawah Laut & Gili Lawah Darat: Located on the northern edge of the Komodo National Park the Gili Lawah area comprises of two bays on north Komodo and two islands, Gili Lawah Laut and Gili Lawah Darat. The terrain here is rocky hilly savannah and the two islands support big herds of goats as well as the ubiquitous sea eagles and blackbirds. There are some very scenic hikes up onto the tops of the hills here and the climber is rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding islands and waterways, especially at sunrise and sunset. The diving here is some of the very best in the area, if not the world. Spectacular sea mounts, glittering reefs, current swept channels all in a relatively small area make diving here a must on every visit. Recently on two of the sites hunting dolphins have been sighted with an entourage of grey reef sharks and giant travelly. On other sites here there are families of manta rays and even a rare dugong was spotted on one dive site in this area.

Gili Banta, The Sape Strait: The imposing and impressively desolate island of Gili Banta sits in the Flores Sea at the top of the Sape Strait, the current washed channel that separates the islands of Komodo and Sumbawa. There is little in the way of vegetation on Banta save for a few sparse trees and bushes growing on the rocky slopes and ledges above the beaches. Majestic sea eagles have made their homes on the vertical rock faces that plunge into the deep blue sea and are frequently seen soaring, swooping and even fighting with each other while hunting for a meal. Gili Banta's main dive sites are situated in and around this north facing bay close to the edges of what is almost certainly the caldera of a massive but long extinct volcano. There are two points on the east and west ends of the bay; one a picturesque and teeming coral reef underneath a rocky peninsula (Starwars), the other a current swept promontory with breathtaking marine architecture ( Rollercoaster). For divers wanting a more sedate time there are some pretty white sand and coral reef sites such as The Circus and K2. These two sites are inside the bay and regularly come up with unusual marine critters and are ideal for underwater photography and night dives in easy calm conditions. The main attraction at Gili Banta however is the infamous GPS Point, a high voltage coral covered underwater mountain and one of the most unpredictable and demanding dives in the Komodo area; but so rewarding when dived in the right conditions at the right time.

Tatawa, The Linta Strait: Located in the middle of the Komodo National Park, the Tatawa area - sometimes called "Current City" - consists of a group of small islands, rocky outcrops and sea mounts that are constantly buffeted with the strong currents sweeping up and down the Linta Strait that separates Komodo from Rinca. Topside the larger islands of Tatawa Besar, Siaba and Sebayor are rocky and grassy, great for hiking with some striking views of the park from their highest points. There is little wildlife but they do support a number of birds in the shape of sea eagles, cormorants, pelicans and ravens. Current City is home to some of the most thrilling dives in Komodo. Spectacular coral reefs can be drifted over, sometimes at high speed, guided by friendly turtles. The sea mounts, when dived at the correct tide and sea states are among the very best in the world, teeming with some of the park's larger residents. The dramatic slopes, walls, pinnacles and caverns of these dives are covered with marine life and are a photographers dream in the normally great visibility. There is even a manta cleaning station in very shallow water at the island of Mauan that provides thrilling close encounters with these gentle giants.

Horseshoe Bay (Nusa Kode) at Rinja Island: One of the top 10 dive sites in the world and a diver’s paradise. The Yellow Wall of Texas is one of the Komodo National Park's signature dive sites, so called because of the proliferation of robust sea cucumbers - they are all over the place and their bright yellow hue dominates the vista. You can also feast your eyes on clown triggerfish cruising around the reef amongst the thousands of fork-tailed fairy basslets and butterflyfish. Not only does the wall itself promise much in the way of entertainment but sharks, manta rays and turtles are all frequent passers-by. Torpedo Alley is famous for its electric rays and one of the best night dives you will do for critter sightings.

Cannibal Rock  has been described as being in the top five dives on the planet, the site has marginal visibility but more than makes up for it in terms of density of life. This small seamount rises to within a few feet of the surface, and it is easy to circumnavigate in a single dive. Sea apples and other varieties of the sea cucumber family are especially abundant here, as are nudibranchs, puffer fish, octopus, and all weird and wonderful manner of blennies.

Langkoi: Situated across the extreme southern edge of Komodo Island and facing the open Indian Ocean is Langkoi Bay. This huge area has one large island inside it, Tala, and is dotted with smaller islets and rocks. Great ocean swells break on the palm fringed beaches and there are impressive sheer cliffs with several unexplored caves at the base. The high cliffs surrounding the bay to the north are a haven for sea eagles, particularly on the outer rocks. There are several stunning dives here with a list of marine life that would shame other parts of the world, however, the main attraction of Langkoi are the manta rays. Whether these majestic creatures are feeding in the current swept channels, cleaning themselves at their stations or just flapping around on the surface in the late afternoon sun, they are always one of the most exciting sights a diver can see in the ocean.

Padar Island: Although there are no Komodo dragons here, the island does support a variety of wildlife, including: sea eagles, deer, goats and several  gigantic spiders! Padar's dive sites offer great variety; choose  between teeming seamounts, sheer wave blasted walls  or serene and prolific critters dives. One of the most spectacular features is the pink beach on the island's west facing bay. The sand contains the crushed remains of bright red and purple organpipe coral which doesn't lose its colour when it dies. The particles mix with the sand to  create a pink ringed beach which becomes all the more spectacular at sunset.

Sangeang and Satonda: Sangeang Api, a huge twin peaked volcano thrusting out of the ocean is one of the most active volcanoes in the Lesser Sunda Islands. Two large volcanic cones, 1,949m/6500ft - high Doro Api and 1,795m/5980ft - high Doro Mantoi, are in the centre and on the eastern rim, respectively, of an older, largely obscured caldera. Aside from the stunning mountainous scenery, wild horses and domestic buffalo can sometimes be seen on the beaches. The underwater world of Sangeang is every bit as impressive as the island itself with caves, canyons and mysterious reefs bubbling like champagne due to the volcanic activity below. These volcanic islands have ideal muck diving conditions. Bury your head in the sand to find a whole cache of hidden creatures, such as ghost pipefish, seahorses, frogfish, flatworms, arrow crabs and sea moths, plenty to keep  photographers happy.

Loh Liang: Land tours to see the Komodo Dragon start here, the creatures can even be seen around the ranger station offices and  museum.  Diving here you will encounter curious batfish as well as schooling barracuda, trevally and mackerel swimming at 30- 40m depth. Excellent soft coral growth and numerous seafans hosting pygmy seahorses are to be found and although the site usually has excellent visibility it is prone to strong currents.

Lighthouse Reef: On the corner of the reef behind a very large rock there is a drop off covered in boulders, with many swim holes in between. This is excellent grouper country and if divers are there at the right time, especially in October and November, they will see many aggregate to spawn. Other highlights are the numerous golden trevallies, snappers and occasional huge napoleon wrasses.

Crystal Rock: A sea mound covered with nice soft coral. The fish life is excellent with whitetip and blacktip sharks and grey reef sharks in deeper water. There are also batfish, giant trevallies and dogtooth tuna. The current can be very strong but the water is extremely clear

Pink Beach: An amazing dive site in a small area around a rock that breaks the surface only at low tide. There is a great variety of marine life here with a good selection of critters such as leaf scorpionfish, blueribbon eels, crocodile fish, nudibranchs and more. This site is also excellent for night dives.

Three Sisters: These three submerged pinnacles are located near Padar Island. Each pinnacle is covered in pristine coral and the topography of the site allows it to be dived under a varying conditions. The walls of the pinnacles are covered in soft corals, Tubastrea, and Crinoids and the tops offer stunning hard and soft coral gardens. With little to no current the site offers multiple species of eels, scorpionfish and nudibranchs. More experienced divers can attempt the site on a mild rising or falling tide increasing the chances of seeing big schooling fish and witnessing feeding behaviour around the pinnacles. Look out for hunting giant trevally, great barracuda and eagle rays working their way around these magnificent underwater peaks.

Pillarsteen: In the right conditions this dive is an exercise in drifting in and around an ever-changing seascape, exploring rocky outcrops, caves, caverns and chimneys. Often nicknamed 'surge city' due to the fact it has no shelter from the swell of the Indian Ocean, this dive can be quite the ride! Sections of the reef are bedecked with thousands of yellow and white sea squirts, and more usually for Komodo, tiny bright yellow sea cucumbers. Other creatures include midnight snappers, 6-banded angelfish, huge boxfish and purple fire urchins.

Manta Alley: The water clarity can sometimes be only about 40 feet, but the plankton that clouds the visibility also consistently attracts manta rays. Here divers can see manta rays cruising the shallows along the sloping face of the reef, and with a bit of luck and a careful approach can get fairly close.

Some itineraries begin and end in Bali, which may mean diving additional dive sites around Sumbawa, including:

Moyo Island: Here you will see massive elephant ear, barrel sponges, schools of long fin banner fish, red tooth triggers, frog fish, nudibrancs, eels, surgeon fish, snapper and dog tooth tuna.

Saleh Bay: Here you're able to dive or snorkel with the gentle giants...whale sharks! The bay provides an excellent feeding ground for them, making it a reliable area for sightings.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: You must be an Advanced Open Water diver or equivalent and have logged a minimum of 30 dives to join this safari.