Travel
Diving Komodo: a guide to the north, central and south sites
Komodo National Park has three very different diving areas. A short guide to what each one offers, and how to choose between a day trip and a liveaboard.
Komodo has dozens of dive sites, and which one is best changes with the tide. The park divides naturally into three areas. Knowing them makes it much easier to plan your days in Labuan Bajo.
Central Komodo
The central sites are the ones most divers see first: Batu Bolong, Manta Point and Tatawa. They are close to Labuan Bajo and suit daily trips.
North Komodo
The north is known for Castle Rock, Crystal Rock and The Cauldron, sites where current is part of the dive.
South Komodo
The south, with Manta Alley, Cannibal Rock and Pink Beach, is further away and usually reached on longer trips.
Day trip or liveaboard?
Amare Divers runs daily trips on its own boat, with no more than four divers to a guide, grouped by certification level so the dive plan fits everyone in the water. Lunch is cooked on board between dives.
If you want more days, the liveaboard Maria Seascape runs two-, three- and four-day routes through the park, with up to thirteen dives on a trip and ten guests at most.
If you have never dived
You do not need a licence to dive in Komodo. A first-time day means two dives with an instructor who stays close. By lunchtime you will know whether this is going to become a habit.
Komodo locals know which sites work on which tide, every day of the week.
