I would like to solicit some advice on the difficulty of the diving in Raja Ampat and Komodo. I am looking to do a live aboard later this year, but want to make sure I don't take on something that isn't suitable from a difficulty perspective. I have done diving in Cozumel, Great Barrier Reef / Coral Sea, Similan Islands and Rangiroa, and have around 100 dives in all. Does anyone have experience diving in these places and can make a comparison? Any advice would be appreciated!
RA & Komodo diving difficulty
- Thread starter Owl
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
Hintermann
Contributor
- Messages
- 1,049
- Reaction score
- 317
- Location
- Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, UK
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
I went to Komodo on a 9-day liveabaord in June last year and followed up in November with a 11-day cruise to Raja Ampat. And like you, I have been to diving trips in Cozumel, GBR abd the Similans.
First of all, the quality of diving in Komodo and Raja Ampat is significantly better than those other destinations. 'Difficulty' is hard to judge but in both those places, especially Komodo, there is some current on every dive, including at night. But the divemasters plan the dives in such a way that there is very little, if any, fighting against the current. On some dives in Komodo where Manta "cleaning stations" are located, the divers will have to anchor themselves with reef hooks or pointers so as to remain stationary and not scare away the critters.
All dives are done off dinghies or ribs ie a backflip.
First of all, the quality of diving in Komodo and Raja Ampat is significantly better than those other destinations. 'Difficulty' is hard to judge but in both those places, especially Komodo, there is some current on every dive, including at night. But the divemasters plan the dives in such a way that there is very little, if any, fighting against the current. On some dives in Komodo where Manta "cleaning stations" are located, the divers will have to anchor themselves with reef hooks or pointers so as to remain stationary and not scare away the critters.
All dives are done off dinghies or ribs ie a backflip.
bracko
Contributor
I've dived coral sea/GBR and komodo among others, including Palau and Peleliu. Komodo is one wild ride at times.
you need to assume that your dive guide won't always drop you in exactly the right spot and they won't always be able to show you every single washing machine on the reef, so you need to fend for yourself and know where likely danger areas are to avoid them. Crystal Rock we got dropped on the wrong side despite me voicing my opinion that perhaps we were on the wrong side. 2 options, either swim for your "life" to get on the rock and watch the sharks or pop up a SMB and neck the dive or hopefully come up fast enough to get re-dropped in the right area. neither is wrong (provided you're not breaking any safety procedures) and both have their advantages / disadvantages.
You do get task loaded there especially if you have a camera or video. If you have a level head and know you limits, you'll be fine. But Komodo does push those limits sometimes, which isn't a bad thing if you're prepared.
two things that are absolutely necessary in Komodo is an SMB with reel or finger spool (not a 5m ribbon) and a reef hook ideally or pointer. No if's no buts.
you need to assume that your dive guide won't always drop you in exactly the right spot and they won't always be able to show you every single washing machine on the reef, so you need to fend for yourself and know where likely danger areas are to avoid them. Crystal Rock we got dropped on the wrong side despite me voicing my opinion that perhaps we were on the wrong side. 2 options, either swim for your "life" to get on the rock and watch the sharks or pop up a SMB and neck the dive or hopefully come up fast enough to get re-dropped in the right area. neither is wrong (provided you're not breaking any safety procedures) and both have their advantages / disadvantages.
You do get task loaded there especially if you have a camera or video. If you have a level head and know you limits, you'll be fine. But Komodo does push those limits sometimes, which isn't a bad thing if you're prepared.
two things that are absolutely necessary in Komodo is an SMB with reel or finger spool (not a 5m ribbon) and a reef hook ideally or pointer. No if's no buts.
Make sure you know how to deploy the smb.
Raja is pretty tame. Komodo is another story. I would say the most important thing you need in Komodo is a liveaboard that that has guides that know how to read the currents. Not all dives are like that, but the best ones are! 
I never used nor needed a reef hook but I was diving with great guides.
We would watch day boats drop their divers in the wrong place over and over again. Quite funny to watch actually!
I never used nor needed a reef hook but I was diving with great guides. We would watch day boats drop their divers in the wrong place over and over again. Quite funny to watch actually!
Hintermann
Contributor
- Messages
- 1,049
- Reaction score
- 317
- Location
- Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, UK
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
On my Komodo trip on board the Mermaid I last June, we did 28 dives and every one of them without exception was very rewarding. The guide got 'lost' only on one occasion while looking for a manta cleaning station. After 2 aborted attempts, our dinghy divers decided to take a chance and drop down at the next most likely site. We did and arrived right on top of the cleaning station; all we had to do was anchor ourselves and watch the critters come and go. In between there were nudibranchs, moray eels, various fish and even an eagle ray.
Yes, Komodo has currents and you need a DSMB ("Safety Sausage" to the American cousins) and a reef hook but IMO it is more than worth it. The trip has very varied diving and great for small and big critters. Muck diving in Bima Bay at night is another highlight.
Yes, Komodo has currents and you need a DSMB ("Safety Sausage" to the American cousins) and a reef hook but IMO it is more than worth it. The trip has very varied diving and great for small and big critters. Muck diving in Bima Bay at night is another highlight.
- Messages
- 1,035
- Reaction score
- 605
- Location
- Seattle/Singapore/Indonesia
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
I have experienced strong currents in RA and Komodo, depending on the lunar cycle and dive site. Although in general, Komodo's location does favor strong currents and down currents. Strong currents bring out schooling fish and larger pelagics. That said, relatively inexperienced divers with good spatial awareness and buoyancy control will have a good experience, but only with experienced DMs that know the dive sites. Chilly and Bracko are on the mark, make sure you know how to deploy a SMB on a reel. RA and Komodo are wonderful.
Wingy
Contributor
Have done Rangiroa, Raja, Komodo, GBR and Similans.....my view is if you got in decent drifts at Rangiroa you should be fine - yes the currents at Komodo are a bit more washing machiney but it sounds like you have experienced currents. I also found some decent currents up in the northern RA sites on some dives Charlier.
bracko
Contributor
Irreverent. The DM made an error in judgement. The other 30 odd dives he (+they, the boat crew, DM's, tender drivers, et. Al. ) was bang on the money for every time dependent dive in the area.
The point being that you can never rely on a DM to get everything right, to be there all the time and to make every decision for you.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
Similar threads
