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D I V E D E S T I N A T I O N I n d o n e s i a - K o m o d o
pink fan coral skunk clown fish crinoid shrimp swimming crab
moray eel

DIVING KOMODO

A century ago, Komodo was only known to those who followed the travels of British naturalist and explorer, Alfred Wallace. He recognised an invisible line that runs between Bali and neighbouring Lombok. The 'Wallace Line' refers to the two totally different environments that are on either side. Komodo, to the east, appears more like Australia than the tropics and is a haven for many unusual creatures both on land and in the sea.

While most people come to see the famous Komodo dragon, the marine park is equally fascinating. In the north, warm waters flow from the Banda Sea. Below the surface, reefs are extensive and in good condition. To the south, cooler waters flow from the Indian Ocean and deep water up-wellings bring masses of plankton towards the surface. These conditions are perfect for exceptional marine bio-diversity.

We have dived this area more times than we care to count and it is some of the best we have ever done. There is just so much to see, no two dives on a single site are ever the same. The variety of species is incredible - manta rays compete with colman shrimp, pygmy seahorses with giant tuna. Fish everywhere, unusual critters hiding in nooks and crannies, pelagics overhead... it is simply, quite amazing.

Dive conditions aren't exactly typical of the tropics - the water can be quite cool and washing machine currents are common. However, by the time you get into to the swing of things you'll quickly discover why the diving is so good. If you're up for the challenge, you won't find much better.

clown frogfish

TRAVELOGUE:

Flights: Singapore Airlines to Bali
Transfers: some boats sail from Bali to the Marine Park, diving Lombok and Sumbawa en route while others commence from Bima on Sumbawa, about 1.5 hours internal flight.
Liveaboards: Kararu, Archipelago Adventurer and Baruna

PROS AND CONS:

Komodo used to be a really unique dive trip - just a couple of liveaboards trekked this way and you were guaranteed almost total solitude. Now there are masses and masses of boats of all types and standards. This isn't to say that it isn't still a great destination but you won't be the only person plying these waters. There is no other sensible way to see it, land accommodation on nearby Flores is too far from the best dive sites to be a viable option.

Complete reports on this area are in Diving the World
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