Explore the Guide to Indonesia

Manta rays, flamboyant cuttlefish, green sea turtles, pygmy ­seahorses and even megamouth sharks: This isn’t a bucket list of marine-life ­encounters, but rather things that have been seen within Komodo National Park.

The park — declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 — includes the group of islands between East and West Nusa Tenggara in Indonesia’s Lesser ­Sunda Islands. There are three major islands — Komodo, Rinca and Padar — and more than 20 smaller ones, but the majority of diving takes place in the water separating Komodo and Rinca.

Only 35 miles separate Gili Lawa Laut, in the northwestern reaches of Komodo ­National Park, and Nusa Kode in the southeast. But a wide array of experiences awaits in that stretch, from drifts with mantas to coral reefs to macro muck dives, thanks to the flow of nutrient-rich current from the colder Indian Ocean to the south and ­more-tropical Flores Sea to the north.

Backpackers staying nearby can visit many of the region’s best dives via day boat, but the best option is to hop on a liveaboard and hit all the top sites early to avoid those day-trippers. The region is famous for heavy current — for good reason — but that’s part of the draw. That current brings in big animals and helps feed the coral habitats that are brimming with colorful life; savvy dive guides know how to plan and prepare to avoid the worst of the current for a safe but thrilling experience.

Scuba Diving Conditions

Water temp

84ºF average in north Komodo, with temperatures dropping 5-plus degrees in the south

Visibility

40 to 100 feet, depending on location and current

Season

Year-round, with best conditions May to October

Read More: Diving Komodo National Park in Indonesia

Signature Diving Sites in Komodo National Park

Crystal Rock

Two seamounts separated by a valley filled with table corals constitute this action-packed site. As soon as you make your negative entry, you’re sure to see something big — our first trip included great barracuda, whitetip reef sharks, gray sharks, giant trevally, schooling Moorish idols and a Napoleon wrasse.

Batu Bolong

Thousands of anthias fill seemingly every space at this site, which runs along a gently sloping wall. Peek under table corals for the chance to see lazy sea turtles or sneaky banded sea snakes, and be sure to look in the blue now and again — you might be greeted by schooling fusiliers or mobula rays passing by.

Tatawa Besar

This site — often dived as a drift — is ­nicknamed Orange Grove thanks to the ­seemingly endless stretch of orange ­corals that you soar above near the end. If the ­current isn’t strong enough to take you there, no worries. Coral bommies are buzzing with morays, star puffers, porcelain crabs and sweetlips along the way.