Komodo Diving FAQ

Batu Bolong, Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, Shotgun, Manta Point and Manta Alley are the most iconic dive sites in Komodo National Park. North & Central Komodo deliver pinnacles, sharks and schooling fish, while the South is famous for mantas, soft corals and macro. Sheltered sites like Siaba Besar and Mawan are ideal for beginners and turtle lovers.

Komodo is diveable year-round: April–November is best for the north and central zones, December–March for the south and Padar, with cooler nutrient-rich water and frequent manta encounters. We adapt the day’s sites and routes to the actual conditions, so every season has excellent diving.

No — Komodo has sheltered bays ideal for beginners and training dives as well as current-exposed pinnacles for advanced divers. If you are new or rusty, we start with a refresher or a PADI course at the resort, then introduce more challenging drift dives as your confidence grows.

Manta rays, white-tip and black-tip reef sharks, green and hawksbill turtles, Napoleon wrasse, barracuda tornadoes and huge schools of fusiliers are regular sightings in Komodo. For macro lovers there are pygmy seahorses, frogfish and nudibranchs — and muck sites like Wainilu hide mimic octopus and flamboyant cuttlefish.

Most Komodo dives sit between 5 and 30 metres, well within recreational limits. Manta cleaning stations are shallow (10–15 m), while northern pinnacles like Castle Rock reward the Advanced Open Water 30 m limit. Our guides match every site and depth to your certification and comfort level.

Respect the currents: always follow your guide, stay close to the reef and keep neutral buoyancy. A DSMB/SMB and dive computer are strongly recommended for experienced divers. At Dragon Dive Komodo we dive in small groups of 4–5 per guide, match sites to experience, and brief currents, entries/exits, depth limits and emergency procedures on every trip.

Yes — Nitrox is available at Dragon Dive Komodo for certified Nitrox divers, subject to availability at the resort and included on the Shenron liveaboard. All fills are done in-house on our four electric Bauer compressors with Bauer Securus filtration monitoring — the only dive resort in Labuan Bajo operating this setup. Not certified yet? You can add the PADI Nitrox course to any stay.

Yes — Dragon Dive Komodo is a PADI 5-Star IDC Dive Resort with two resident PADI Course Directors and a recipient of the PADI Platinum Professional Development Excellence Award. We teach every level from Discover Scuba Diving to Instructor (IDC), in English, French, Spanish, German and Mandarin.

Our Shenron liveaboard starts from €495 per person for the 3-day/2-night Central & North Komodo cruise in a dorm bunk, and from €570 in a private cabin. Longer itineraries — 4D/3N Komodo Discovery from €720, 5D/4N Komodo Highlights from €930, and the 6D/5N South Komodo, Nusa Kode & Gili Motang Expedition from €1,004 — range up to €1,458 per person in an upper cabin. All prices include 3–4 dives per day, meals and Nitrox for certified divers; National Park fees are separate. See all departures on the Shenron schedule & booking page.

Look for a licensed boat with experienced cruise directors, clear safety protocols, small dive groups and Nitrox on board. Check maximum guest numbers, cabin layout, dive deck space and reviews focused on safety and guiding. Our boutique liveaboard Shenron takes up to 10 guests in private ensuite cabins and dorm beds, includes Nitrox for certified divers, and is operated by the same PADI 5-Star IDC team as the resort.

A 3 mm wetsuit is enough for most of the year; bring a 5 mm if you get cold easily or plan to dive the South December–March. Add your mask and dive computer if you prefer your own, plus an SMB if certified. For land and boat days: light clothing, a windbreaker, hat, reef-safe sunscreen, sunglasses and closed shoes for dragon trekking. Full rental equipment is available on site.

The most popular option is a private full-day speedboat (up to 10 guests) visiting Padar, Komodo Island, Pink Beach and Manta Point, with snorkelling stops and lunch on board. Dive groups can also charter our day boats or the Shenron liveaboard exclusively, with a tailored itinerary combining diving, snorkelling and trekking.

Yes — a classic combo is 2–4 days of diving from the resort or liveaboard plus a full-day speedboat tour to Padar viewpoint, Komodo Island (or Rinca) for dragons, Pink Beach and Manta Point. Around Labuan Bajo you can also visit Batu Cermin Cave, Rangko Cave or Cunca Wulang canyon. We organise all land and sea activities for you.

Choose a locally based operator with proper park permits, safety equipment, trained guides and recent positive reviews. Dragon Dive Komodo operates a PADI 5-Star IDC resort, daily dive trips, private speedboat tours and the Shenron liveaboard, so we can manage your entire stay from airport pickup to last dive.

Yes — Scoot operates direct flights between Singapore and Labuan Bajo (LBJ) several times a week, in about 3.5 hours. Daily domestic connections also run via Bali, Jakarta and Surabaya. When you contact us, we share the latest flight options that fit your dates and country of origin.

For peak season (July–September, Easter, Christmas/New Year), book 3–6 months in advance — especially for the Shenron liveaboard and private charters. For shoulder and low season, 4–8 weeks is usually enough. Instructor-level courses and large groups should reserve as early as possible to secure dates and rooms.

Yes — tell us your dates, number of guests, dive experience, budget range and what you’d like to do (diving, dragons, trekking, snorkelling, land tours). We’ll suggest options combining our resort, the Shenron liveaboard, private tours and activities to build your Komodo trip.