Diving in Komodo

Why does the current rule diving in Komodo?

Komodo National Park was created in 1980 to protect the dragon and listed as a World Heritage Site in 1991. It covers 1,733 km2, 60% of it sea, between Sumbawa and Flores. The islands of Komodo, Rinca and Padar block the passage between the Flores Sea to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south. On every tide, the water rushes through the straits, and that current feeds the densest reefs in the archipelago. You dive the sites at slack tide or as drift dives, with a guide who reads the tide: Batu Bolong and Tatawa in the center, Castle Rock and Crystal Rock in the north near Gili Lawa Laut, Manta Point on the Karang Makassar reef flat, Manta Alley and Cannibal Rock in the south, in much colder water.

How do you dive Komodo from Labuan Bajo?

Labuan Bajo, on the western tip of Flores, is the base: an airport served from Bali, and a harbor where the dive boats and liveaboards leave every morning. Dive centers run three-dive days, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Dragon Dive Komodo, with a surcharge for the north or south of the park at Blue Marlin. Liveaboards, from three nights to a week, reach the south and its mantas.

What are the diving conditions in Komodo?

In the north and center, the water stays between 27 and 29 °C. In the south, cold upwellings drop it to 23 or 24 °C, sometimes lower at depth during the dry season. Visibility runs from 10 to 30 meters, at its best in April, May and October. The dry season, from April to November, is the diving season. From December to March, rain and the northwest wind limit trips to the north, but these are the manta months, from November to February, at the cleaning stations. Gray reef sharks are most numerous from June to September. You need Advanced and drift experience on the current sites, and the reef hook is the park's essential tool.

How much does diving in Komodo cost?

A three-dive day costs IDR 2,950,000 at Blue Marlin Komodo, lunch and Nitrox included, and IDR 3,050,000 at Dragon Dive Komodo, park fees included. These fees, collected by the park, have been IDR 250,000 per person per day since April 1, 2026, plus a diving fee of IDR 25,000 per day and harbor charges. Blue Marlin bills them at IDR 275,000 on weekdays and IDR 350,000 on Sundays and public holidays, on top of the trip price. The park caps entry at 1,000 visitors a day.