Daily Komodo Diving
in Komodo National Park

Labuan Bajo is the main departure point for Komodo National Park diving. Daily Labuan Bajo scuba diving trips give you flexibility — combine world-class diving with hotel comfort, rest days, PADI courses or family travel, without committing to a liveaboard. All trips are organized from our Labuan Bajo dive center on Jalan Mutiara before departing every morning to Komodo National Park.

The town sits on the western tip of Flores. Direct flights connect daily from Bali (Denpasar) and Jakarta. Most divers stay 4–8 nights and combine 2 to 5 dive days with a Komodo dragon trek and a sunset over Padar Island.

Komodo island diving is defined by nutrient-rich currents that attract extraordinary marine life year-round. Water temperatures range from 24°C in the south to 28°C in the north and central areas. Our PADI guides match every group to the right sites based on experience and daily tidal conditions.

Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including coral reefs influenced by strong exchanges of nutrient-rich water. For dive planning, operators commonly describe north, central and south areas, but actual routes depend on weather, tides, sea conditions and guest experience. See the official UNESCO listing →

A typical Komodo diving day can include the following — exact encounters depend on season, tides and site.

Highlights beyond the icons can include napoleon wrasse on the bigger pinnacles, eagle rays on drift sites, frogfish and pygmy seahorses on macro slopes, and seasonal pelagic action such as dogtooth tuna, schooling barracudas and giant trevallies.

Komodo is one of Southeast Asia's premier drift diving destinations. Currents range from gentle flow to powerful surges — which is why daily site selection matters. Our dive leaders choose sites each morning based on tides, visibility and diver certification. Beginners are guided to calmer alternatives on the same days.

SMB deployment, current checks, negative-entry procedures and separation protocols are covered for suitable drift profiles. We do not use reef hooks or gloves. Advanced certification and recent current experience are required on the strongest sites.

Komodo dives year-round. Conditions vary by month — here's what to expect.

January–February. Wet season window. Water 27–29°C in central and north, calmer south. Visibility 10–20 m. Manta activity strongest in the south (Manta Alley, Makassar). Some travel days affected by rain — we move daily routes to sheltered sites.

March. Transition month. Visibility improving 15–25 m. Mantas still around in the south. Currents picking up in the north as dry season approaches. Good month for variety.

April–May. Start of dry season. Water 26–28°C. Visibility 20–30 m. Excellent in north (Castle Rock, Crystal Rock) and central (Batu Bolong). Manta sightings shift more central-north. Calm seas.

June–August. Peak dry season and peak diving season. Water cooler 24–27°C, occasional thermoclines below 20 m. Visibility 25–35 m. Strong currents in north — pelagic action at its peak. Recommended for Advanced divers. Wetsuit 3 mm minimum, many use 5 mm.

September–October. Tail of dry season. Conditions still excellent in north and central, water warming again. Visibility 20–30 m. Fewer divers in the water than peak months — quieter dive sites.

November–December. Start of wet season window. Water 27–29°C. South park comes alive again — Manta Alley and Makassar deliver big manta activity. Visibility 15–25 m. Calmer surface conditions for divers who prefer warm water and manta encounters.

We dive 60+ sites inside and around Komodo National Park. The selection rotates daily based on tides, current direction and group level. The recurring highlights:

Batu Bolong — central park · 5–35 m · moderate to strong current · Advanced. Pinnacle wall covered in soft and hard corals, swarming reef fish, white-tips, turtles and napoleon wrasse. Negative-entry timed on tide windows.

Manta Point (Karang Makassar) — central park · 5–18 m · gentle to moderate current · Open Water. Manta cleaning and feeding area where encounters are possible year-round. Wildlife sightings and access are never guaranteed.

Castle Rock — north park · 10–35 m · strong current · Advanced. Open-ocean seamount with grey reef sharks, schooling giant trevallies, dogtooth tuna and occasional eagle rays. No reef hooks are used; access and the dive plan depend on tide, current and diver experience.

Crystal Rock — north park · 5–30 m · moderate current · Advanced. Two adjoining pinnacles with hard coral cover, white-tips, big schools of fusiliers and barracudas. Often paired with Castle Rock.

The Cauldron (Shotgun) — north park · 15–30 m · strong drift · Advanced. Drift through a saddle between two islands, exit shot into open water with sharks, eagle rays and giant trevallies in attendance. Tidal window is narrow.

Siaba Besar — central park · 5–25 m · mild current · Open Water. "Turtle City" — a gentle sloping reef known for green turtles, with possible blacktip reef sharks on the sand and macro life along the reef.

Shotgun — north park · 12–30 m · strong drift · Advanced. Sister profile to The Cauldron, exposed to bigger current. Reserved for confident drift divers.

Makassar Reef (Manta Alley) — south park · 5–20 m · variable · Advanced. A long, plankton-rich drift where multiple manta encounters are possible in suitable conditions; visibility and wildlife vary.

Mawan — central park · 5–25 m · mild current · Open Water. Reef slope and small pinnacle. Mantas pass on calm days, healthy coral, good macro on the sand.

Tatawa Kecil — central park · 5–30 m · moderate current · Advanced. Boulder field with reef fish action, sharks on the deeper section, soft corals across the slope.

Tatawa Besar — central park · 5–25 m · mild to moderate current · Open Water. Long sloping drift, dense orange soft-coral cover, turtles and reef fish throughout.

Sebayur — outer park · 5–22 m · easy · Open Water. Calm reef slope used as a check-dive or easier alternative on rough days. Macro-friendly.

Mini Wall — central park · 5–20 m · mild current · Open Water. Sheltered reef and short wall. Good photography site and gentle warm-up.

Pink Beach — central park · 5–22 m · easy · Open Water. Easy reef along the famous pink-sand bay. Often used as a relaxed second dive paired with Mawan or Siaba.

Three Sisters — south park · 12–32 m · strong current · Advanced. Three submerged pinnacles, big-action site for pelagics, schools and sharks when current is on.

Komodo has dive sites for every certified level. We always match site selection to your certification and current experience — not the other way around.

PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent). You can dive Siaba Besar, Mawan, Mini Wall, Sebayur, Pink Beach, Tatawa Besar on calm days and Manta Point when conditions are gentle. Profile limit 18 m. We avoid strong-drift sites and big-action pinnacles. If you arrive without certification, ask about our PADI Open Water course in Komodo.

PADI Advanced Open Water (or equivalent) with recent current experience. You may be considered for Batu Bolong, Crystal Rock, Castle Rock, The Cauldron, Shotgun, Three Sisters, Tatawa Kecil and other drift profiles, subject to conditions and the dive leader's assessment. Recreational profile limit: 30 m. If you have not dived recently, contact us about an appropriate refresher or check dive. The PADI Advanced Open Water course in Komodo prepares divers for a broader range of sites but does not guarantee access on every day.

PADI Rescue / Divemaster / Instructor. Same site access as Advanced. We frequently host pros joining day trips between training cycles — Nitrox is free for you on packages of 3 days or more. If you're considering going professional after your trip, see our PADI Divemaster course or PADI IDC.

Tec divers. We support tec profiles on request — bring your own twinset or contact us in advance for gas planning. The site selection (Castle Rock, The Cauldron, Three Sisters, deep walls in north) suits Tec40/45 profiles particularly well in dry season.

If you arrived only Open Water but want to unlock the iconic Advanced sites mid-trip, we can run the PADI Advanced over 2 days at the start of your stay and continue with fun dives on Batu Bolong, Castle Rock and The Cauldron afterwards.