Komodo Liveaboard
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I lived in Indonesia for three years and the water temperature varies and is unpredictable because of upwellings. Many people bring a 3 mm wetsuit and that is it. If you do, I highly, highly recommend a hooded vest too. This way if you get cold you could wear that. If you are cold water whimp, I would recommend diving with a 5/3 wetsuit and bring the hooded vest. On some sites if water is warm, you could dive without your wetsuit too. You will have an amazing time. Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are my two favorite coral reef diving areas in the world! If you need any other advice, just ask!
Wish it were me!!!
Annie
Wish it were me!!!
Annie
SCUBAJENNIFER
Contributor
When I was there, we did the southern dives and it was in the mid to low 70's...I was in a 3mm and was a little chilled and my friend was in two 3mm's and she was FREEZING!! I think it just depends on your body type. The hooded vest is an excellent idea and I would also pack some gloves. I think when I go back I'm just going to take my 5mm for everything.
Which boat are you going on???
Which boat are you going on???
When I was there, we did the southern dives and it was in the mid to low 70's...I was in a 3mm and was a little chilled and my friend was in two 3mm's and she was FREEZING!! I think it just depends on your body type. The hooded vest is an excellent idea and I would also pack some gloves. I think when I go back I'm just going to take my 5mm for everything.
Which boat are you going on???
I'm going on the Mermaid II.
I too heard that the water is cold and this would be my first time to dive at such temperature. I have even heard suggestions to wear a 3mm plus a Mares 5mm Core Warmer (the short sleeves one). I'm hesitating on buying that because I won't be able to use that every often.
Hence, I am thinking about adding a normal shortie to add to my 3mm plus my hood. But not sure whether that would be enough as I'm from HK am used to the normal tropical waters.
neve
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Komodo can be very cold (for me) at 20-23C... Doing a liveaboard means you'll be diving consecutive days and losing body heat over time. I always find it better to be as warm as you can comfortably stand from the very beginning, so you don't start dreading diving after the third day. On long liveaboards (5 days or more), I wear a 3mm suit plus a 2mm hooded vest from the first day. I usually need to add a second 3mm suit after the fourth day, especially on night dives. Believe me, the second night dive in a day can get freezing, especially if it's your fifth dive of the day. I tend to dive 4-5 dives a day in "exotic" locations, because usually that's when I see the more interesting creature. The Bobbit worm and the colony of mandarinfish (that was a cold 3-hour dive!) in Banda, and stargazers in Alor were more than enough incentive for me to do two night dives.
neve
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Yup, I was nice and toasty even on night dives
2mm hood= I can hear my buddy's signals, and my head is warm enough
5mm hood= Very warm, but I can't hear a thing
Temperatures are on their way down by august South komodo (Rinca will be anywhere from 17-18 degrees C while the north will be around 24 degrees c) As for how many mm depends on how much you are affected by the cold. See people using 7mm's and still cold and at the same time others just in a skin.
neve
Contributor
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- # of dives
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I would classify Komodo as temperate waters, not warm tropical.
Wayan is right, it also depends on how much you are affected by cold water. Body fat also plays a small role
If it's a short weekend trip (2 diving days) in 28-30C water, I wear 0.5mm full skin suit during the day and 3mm full suit for night dive. By the end of the night dive my teeth would be chattering and my fingers numb, so generally I don't deal with cold very well.
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