Dive Review Of Komodo

[johnnyafrica]

So I spent a month diving in Komodo in December, specifically with Scuba Junkie to obtain my divemaster cert. To sum it up, it's easily the best diving I've ever done in my life. I haven't been all around the world, but have been to enough places to know that this is something special.

For manta lovers, I don't know if there's a better place in the world to see Mantas than Komodo during the wet season. yes, the wet season is where mantas come out in full force. We saw so many mantas here that it wouldn't be a question of if, but one of how many today? One dive in particular, we saw 150 or so, and numerous others where we saw over 50. I'd only seen mantas once before and it was just two at a time. Komodo is special because not only can you see so many at once, but mantas are naturally curious of divers and they will try interacting with you, even if you are sitting still.

The corals and underwater landscape is so colorful, healthy and pristine. This is what I thoguht diving would be like when I first started, but the coral in the caribbean has mostly died and/or been bleached and I just thought perhaps the video cameras those nat Geo guys use are just crazy good. I had just been to Sipadan right before Komodo, and while the school of jackfish there is amazing, Komodo's landscape is overall more beautiful and pristine. Plus, you can dive Komodo every day whereas Sipadan is a once every 4 day dive site.

Also, diving from land is significantly cheaper than a liveaboard but staying at Scuba Junkie's resort was almost like a liveaboard because it was far away from the shtshow of Labuan Bajo (place is awful) in its own little island. We would routinely see liveaboard boats every day on our dives. The only benefit to liveaboards is they can go to some sites further out that can't be reached in one day from land, but that's not a guarunteed thing.

So anyway, I've written about the diving with many many videos and pics. I'm a huge fan of Komodo, and I think people should try and see that part of the world before it suffers the same fate as the caribbean!

Becoming A Divemaster In Paradise: Diving in Komodo, Indonesia - Johnny Africa

 

[choiahoy]

Thanks for the posting.

What was the range in travel time to the sites by boat?

 

[johnnyafrica]

It's less time than from Labuan bajo. Usually, we left at 7am and would reach the dive sites between 8-8:30. The sites in the north took longer (Cauldron, Crystal Rock etc) and those would be about 2 hours.

 

[Adelaar Cruises]

For manta lovers, I don't know if there's a better place in the world to see Mantas than Komodo during the wet season. yes, the wet season is where mantas come out in full force. We saw so many mantas here that it wouldn't be a question of if, but one of how many today? One dive in particular, we saww 150 or so, and numerous others where we saw over 50.

Couldn't agree more. So many people are afraid to go to Komodo in the "wet season" which if you do any research you'll find isn't that "wet" compared to most other Indonesian dive areas, during their "wet" season. Shoot it's drier than some areas "dry" season.

In addition, you'll see fewer crowds and it's a great time of year to dive south Komodo; flat seas, warm water and great viz.

Glad you had this awesome opportunity JohnnyAfrica, the world's your ocean dive in!

 

[Mike Veitch]

50-150 mantas?!?! wow.. was that at Makassar or Manta Alley?

 

[johnnyafrica]

Makassar baby!

Couldn't agree more. So many people are afraid to go to Komodo in the "wet season" which if you do any research you'll find isn't that "wet" compared to most other Indonesian dive areas, during their "wet" season. Shoot it's drier than some areas "dry" season.

View attachment 369702 View attachment 369706​

In addition, you'll see fewer crowds and it's a great time of year to dive south Komodo; flat seas, warm water and great viz.

Glad you had this awesome opportunity JohnnyAfrica, the world's your ocean dive in!

I know right! I was so hesistant at first because I've been to places with real wet seasons like Utila, Honduras and there was a hurricane that grounded al boats for a week. Komodo is honestly the strangest place because after a big storm, you'd expect the conditions in the water to be choppy and blurry but it was crystal clear. ALso, never got to dive the south btu that is what people told me too which means plenty for me to explore next time I visit

50-150 mantas?!?! wow.. was that at Makassar or Manta Alley?

Makassar baby!

 

[johnnyafrica]

Just found this bad boy. This pretty much sums up my daily grind for a month...what a bore

 

[Manuel Sam]

Thanks for a great report. I'm sold. Do you recall what water temps were during your time there? I recall from my only trip to Komodo (on liveaboard) that it was nice and balmy north of a certain "line" and freezing south of it (like in Horseshoe Bay in Rinca). The Manta Alley that we did - not sure if is the same - was on the south. What about Makassar, where you saw the big school of mantas - is that north or south? Thanks.

 

[johnnyafrica]

Everything I did was in the north. The group started going southward after I left (Jan-Mar). As for the water temps, Komodo is the strangest place. It is cold in one part, but warm in another. After a storm, it is either much colder or warmer. Throw in some epic thermoclines on many of the dive sites and you have KOmodo. For the most part, I'd say the temps were about 27-28 at the beginning of december. After a few storms, it went down to 26, and then to 25, and a few dives I had were 24. Then another storm hit, and temps went back up to 27-28. Makassar is in the north though for sure.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I'm pickin' up what yer layin' down. Looks good for next winter! Thanks for the great info. By the way,are you guys hooked in for the mantas? How are the currents, generally speaking?

Flying to Makassar at that time of year isn't one of my favorite things to do but sounds like it could be worth it.