Daily Komodo Diving
in Komodo National Park

Labuan Bajo is the main departure point for Komodo National Park diving. Daily dive 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 organised from our dive resort in Labuan Bajo 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 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. 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 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. Less experienced divers 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; the routes change with the season. March to November (dry season) usually favours north and central Komodo: cooler water in the peak months, visibility often 20–30 m, stronger currents and the best pelagic action on the northern pinnacles. November to March usually favours the south and Padar: warmer, plankton-rich water, lower visibility, and the strongest manta activity at Manta Alley. Central Komodo is dived through much of the year.

Month-by-month conditions, water temperatures and wetsuit advice are on our dedicated guide: Best time to dive Komodo →

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 · 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 · 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 · 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; access depends on tide, current and diver experience.

Crystal Rock — north · 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 · 15–30 m · strong drift · Advanced. Drift through the saddle between two islands and exit through the Shotgun channel into open water, with sharks, eagle rays and giant trevallies in attendance. Narrow tidal window.

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

Manta Alley — south · 5–20 m · variable · Advanced. A plankton-rich southern site where multiple manta encounters are possible in season; visibility and wildlife vary.

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

Pink Beach — central · 5–22 m · easy · Open Water. Easy reef along the famous pink-sand bay, often paired with Mawan or Siaba.

Three Sisters — south · 12–32 m · strong current · Advanced. Three submerged pinnacles, big-action site for pelagics, schools and sharks when the 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, 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, ask about a 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.

If you arrive as 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 afterwards, conditions permitting.