Komodo
Where to begin!
A group of friends and me went on a Liveaboard throughout the Komodo National Park last summer… it was amazing! A key perk of Komodo is that it boasts a large variety of things to see (mantas, turtles, sharks, napoleons, etc), dive styles (pinnacles, wall dives, etc), and typically great visibility. The dive sites still have that “untouched” feeling, with healthy coral and an abundance of life. As a warning, not all but a few dive sites require 20-30 meters, as well as some challenging currents, so I advise anyone planning on going to be at least PADI Advanced Certified (or equivalent – dependant on Certification Company).
Our favorite dive site was of course Karong Makasar - the manta cleaning station. During our time there, the conditions were an EXTREMELY fast drift dive (which was a lot of fun by itself) but gave us the chance to see mantas in all their glory. As a heads up though, this dive is solely for Mantas so it’s a bit of a gamble. It is the one dive site that barely any fish or coral dwell in the area except near the end of the drift so if you’re unlucky… you’ll just have had a fun time pretending to fly like superman… which let’s be honest… is also lots of fun.
Not only can you find beauty under the water here, but the National Park boasts some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. I didn’t touch my book once as I was too busy marveling at the never-ending islands we weaved through. In addition, most Liveaboards make a stop at Komodo Island where you can steady your sea legs and get up-close and personal to some dragons… be sure to bring a slow friend just in case.
The best testament I can make for this area is referring back to the conversations I had with the staff on our boat. Many had dove/worked all over the world but had said themselves that this was the best diving they had done. All in all, the combination of beauty above and below the water creates an unforgettable experience that I’ll treasure forever and hope to return to soon.
