Komodo: land-based diving

[Valwood1]

I'd like to hear anyone's personal experience on day-trip diving from Labuanbajo to the Komodo area, particularly south Rinca Island and the Gili Lawas. I know that there are dive ops in Labuanbajo that advertise going there (ReefSeekers, for one), but wonder how long and difficult the trips are. I also am fairly certain that an ideal scenario would be a liveaboard, but that isn't an option for me right now.

[kilo_fox]

I went twice to Komodo during the past year and did land based diving, but only in the northern part of Komodo. We left Labuan Bajo at around 8.00 am and returned in the late afternoon between 5.00 and 6.00 pm. Trips to south Komodo would just consume even more time.
All dive shops in Labuan Bajo theoretically offer day trips to the southern part, but there are rarely enough divers to fill the boat seen that most divers are happy to dive the more known, "famous" site in the northern part.

There is one dive op in Labuan Bajo offering LOB for 150 US$ per day, minimum 2 pax, for as long (or as short) as you wish.

[Vidiotic]

I stayed at the Gardenia hotel which is more or less oppostie ReefSeekers who where brilliant. Ernst, Kat and Nordin are very very good dive leaders and will point out all the cool little stuff as well as give excellent dive briefs !!! A trip to Canibal rock will set you back about $65 with them and will take a few hours to get there with an early start (they have to catch the tide right). Most of the diving is done in the north though but these sites are amazing. Stuff like Runway (full of Manta Rays), Fish Market and Half moon are very very good. Currents can be quite tricky though as this area is known as Current City.

Most of the journeys to these dive sites are about 30-45 mins and when we went it was a lovely boat ride out to them. Sitting on top of the boat, sun bathing watching dolphins, drinking coffee. Lovely. Quite envious now. Wish I was back there.

[Kevster]

I have also been looking at doing Komodo this year.
This link has a lot of good info.
Diving in Komodo/Indonesia
Unfortunately a lot of the sites on the map are far from Flores land based resorts

I started looking at land based (Reef seekers).
Was just a bit concerned that the diving would involve lots of travel time.

I am 50/50 whether to go land based at reefseekers or Komodo Dancer (which has space on my travel dates). Looked into other liveaboards. Decided on either Dancer or Seven Seas. Seven seas has limited availability.
Would like to see Mantas & general island/beaches… not too bothered about diving the world class sites in the South. General good quality diving would do.

If I go land based I would prob manage 5 dive days Komodo/5 dive days bali.
My only concern about the Dancer is the one way sail from Komodo to Bali.

Decisions/decisions??

Hopefully others will comment on land based diving

[Wayan]

I have also been looking at doing Komodo this year.
This link has a lot of good info.
Diving in Komodo/Indonesia
Unfortunately a lot of the sites on the map are far from Flores land based resorts

I started looking at land based (Reef seekers).
Was just a bit concerned that the diving would involve lots of travel time.

I am 50/50 whether to go land based at reefseekers or Komodo Dancer (which has space on my travel dates). Looked into other liveaboards. Decided on either Dancer or Seven Seas. Seven seas has limited availability.
Would like to see Mantas & general island/beaches… not too bothered about diving the world class sites in the South. General good quality diving would do.

If I go land based I would prob manage 5 dive days Komodo/5 dive days bali.
My only concern about the Dancer is the one way sail from Komodo to Bali.

Decisions/decisions??

Hopefully others will comment on land based diving

Komodo is really best done by live-a-board. Travel time etc is reduced as you are already on the dive sites and have lots of time to walk the beaches etc

[lovescubadiving]

I have also been looking at doing Komodo this year.
This link has a lot of good info.
Diving in Komodo/Indonesia
Unfortunately a lot of the sites on the map are far from Flores land based resorts

I started looking at land based (Reef seekers).
Was just a bit concerned that the diving would involve lots of travel time.

I am 50/50 whether to go land based at reefseekers or Komodo Dancer (which has space on my travel dates). Looked into other liveaboards. Decided on either Dancer or Seven Seas. Seven seas has limited availability.
Would like to see Mantas & general island/beaches… not too bothered about diving the world class sites in the South. General good quality diving would do.

If I go land based I would prob manage 5 dive days Komodo/5 dive days bali.
My only concern about the Dancer is the one way sail from Komodo to Bali.

Decisions/decisions??

Hopefully others will comment on land based diving

There is a 9 Night Liveaboard Special charter to Komodo departing 22 August 2008 and has some availability if you are a bit flexible on your dates.

[Wayan]

If I go land based I would prob manage 5 dive days Komodo/5 dive days bali.
[FONT=Arial]My only concern about the Dancer is the one way sail from Komodo to

Not sure what you mean by the one way sail from Komodo to Bali.

You get to dive Banta Island. Sangeang excellent dive sites at these islands Something which would not be done by the day boats out of LBJ. IMHO the only way to do Komodo right is with a Live-aboard

[silent running]

You get to dive Banta Island. Sangeang excellent dive sites at these islands Something which would not be done by the day boats out of LBJ. IMHO the only way to do Komodo right is with a Live-aboard

I agree with Wayan, liveaboard is best. Banta is not to be missed as is Sangeang. They are both North, out of the park, but really great. Banta has some serious currents, but lots of big fish and both islands are really spectacular above water.

I've spent a few days in Labuan Bajo, it's a scruffy place, nothing to recommend it. None of the dive boats I saw there looked very seaworthy and I spoke to somebody who went to the south end on a day trip who told me that the whole trip took 15 hrs due to wind conditions, they were miserable and got very seasick. Also, last time I was there there was only 1 airline and it was not running very reliably. I got stuck there for an extra day, so maybe don't count on getting in/out on a tight schedule...

[Bora_Horza]

Each to their own I guess, but I quite liked Labuanbajo - still a sleepy, dusty little port town, but changing fast - when I was there last year there was a new place (The Lounge) which served tapas, humus, olives, multigrain breads - very cosmopolitan, LOL!

Trips to the south need to be timed right, due to the tides - the route is through a narrow channel between islands, and its a raging river that boats can't go against if they time it wrong. I've been to Cannibal Rock and other dive sites down there a couple of times, very beautiful, its about a 4 hour trip - a long day - but not boring as the scenery is fantastic. Worth doing IMO.

[dutchpickle]

Bora Horza is spot on, as usual.

I only dove Komodo a few times but enjoy staying in Labuanbajo. I rather like Indonesia and it's people and like to do stuff besides dive.

(probably the wrong thing to say on this forum, but 5 dives a day is more than I need)