We Know Because We Go! | Book with a 5-Star Team,| Trusted by 10,000+ Divers
We Know Because We Go! | Book with a 5-Star Team,| Trusted by 10,000+ Divers
The Komodo diving scene is world-renowned for its thrilling drift dives, huge schools of fish, healthy and colorful coral reefs, and great manta ray encounters.
Average flight time from LAX
25

Scuba Dive Level
All Levels
Visibility
50 to 131 feet (15 to 40 meters)
Average Water Temperature
84
Manta Ray Encounters
Pelagic Encounters
Some of the things that make Komodo a popular diving destination is its easy access from Bali, the ever-popular tourist hotspot for scuba divers and non-divers alike.
Bordered by the Sulawesi and Flores Seas on the north side and the Indian Ocean to the south, Komodo National Park is a marine protected area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprised of three major islands: Komodo Island, Rinca, and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands many of which offer world-class diving.
Komodo National Park is also home to the endemic Komodo dragon, the world's largest and heaviest dinosaur-like lizard, which can reach up to 10-foot (3-meter) long and can weigh more than 300 lbs (136 kg).
As a scuba diving destination, Komodo offers two distinct dive areas: North Komodo and South Komodo. Even though they are close to one another geographically, these areas are often worlds apart in terms of conditions.
View Location on Google Map or learn the differences between North & South Komodo

Blue Lotus is a traditional Phinisi liveaboard offering comfort and style while exploring the best dive sites of Komodo National Park. With space for just 12 guests, it combines world-class diving, fresh cuisine, and eco-friendly operations with land excursions like visiting Komodo dragons.
In the north of Komodo, the water is generally warm and sparkling blue, as you might expect in such tropical latitudes. In the south, however, upwelling currents deliver chilly, nutrient-rich waters from great depths, creating perfect conditions for plankton growth. Visibility often isn't great, but most divers agree that the trade-off is well worthwhile, as this living planktonic soup supports an incredibly diverse and healthy marine life community.
Despite considerable differences in temperature and visibility, underwater terrain is quite similar between north and south Komodo. Komodo diving typically consisting of drop-offs, pinnacles, fringing reefs, and shallow coral gardens. The destination also attracts many divers eager to see a Komodo Dragon, the world's largest lizard in the wild. This unique carnivore is found nowhere else in the world. Divers returning from Komodo generally have stories of mantas, lots of schooling fish, reef sharks, turtles, a cornucopia of macro subjects and some "brisk" currents.Because of the currents, diving in Komodo is generally not suitable for beginners.
Water Temperatures: Water temperatures are usually moderate, but can range from 66f / 19C to 86f / 30C on the same trip. The temperature changes more based on location, than on time of the year. The north side is always warm, but the south side is often colder. South Komodo tends to be warmest and clearest from Nov- Jan.
You are typically dropped off by a tender over the dive site and may need to do a negative entry if over a submerged pinnacle. The tender will do a live pickup when you surface, and an SMB (safety sausage) is absolutely mandatory. Some divers will use reef hooks, on the pinnacle dives so you can stay put and enjoy the view. Downcurrents are possible, especially on steep drop-offs, but they can usually be avoided with proper planning.
Komodo has a well-deserved reputation for strong currents, but there are many sites where the flow is minimal and diving is easy. Some reefs are also suitable for drift dives, allowing you to sail along with the current rather than fighting it. Even at places that are notorious for strong currents, problems can usually be avoided by diving at slack tidean excellent reason to go with a reputable, experienced dive operator with plenty of local knowledge.
Fly internationally into Bali (DPS), where you can transfer to a short domestic flight to Labuan Bajo (LBJ). Some liveaboards also depart from Bali, sparing you the extra flight.
Komodo National Park is a terrific liveaboard destination since it will be much easier to cover the whole area (North & South) in one trip. However, there are numerous dive resorts and operators available in the area.
We highly suggest combining a trip to Komodo with a Bali trip. Also, instead of doing only Komodo, you can do a "transition trip" where you start in Komodo and end in Flores (Maumere), or vice-versa. Additionally, Alor with its healthy reefs is another destination to add to the mix.
You can check out our list of Bali Dive Resorts here...
For best access to all sites in the park, we would visit Komodo from March to May, and again from September to November.
From mid-May to early September, southeast winds make some southern sites inaccessible, but this is the best time for the northern sites. The converse is also true; from mid-November through January most northern sites are exposed, but conditions in the south are optimal.
Land tours of the Komodo Islands are definitely a highlight. Komodo dragons are found on Komodo and Rinca Islands, and most trips provide opportunities to see them between dives. You can view them either from land or from the dinghyoccasionally theyll even swim out to greet you! A word of caution is in order when around the dragons, however, as they can be aggressive, and even a minor bite may cause a life-threatening infection. Follow your guides instructions and you shouldnt have any problems.




