Archipelago Reserve

Dry Season

April to November: North & Central

This is the perfect time for diving in Komodo. With high season conditions, you can expect flat surface condition, crystal clear water, and excellent visibility around 15-20 meters.

While there are usually fewer mantas around (since the rainy season brings more nutrients and food for them), the dry season offers spectacular dives with colorful reefs, big schools of reef fish, turtles, and reef sharks.

This trip covers some of the best sites in Central and North Komodo, with a chance to enjoy a night dive.

Our Schedule

December to March: Central & South

The rainy season is also known as Manta Season. The rains bring more nutrients into the water, which means a bit less visibility, but these nutrients attract large numbers of manta rays to feed and dance around the central dive sites. If swimming with mantas is on your bucket list, this is the very best time of year — it’s not unusual to have several gliding gracefully around you on a single dive.

Along with mantas, you’ll still enjoy everything Komodo is famous for: colorful reefs, reef sharks, turtles, and big schools of fish. While the seas may not be as flat as in the dry season, the reward of unforgettable manta encounters makes it all worthwhile.

For those with more time to explore, our 5D4N or longer trips open the door to Komodo’s deep south, where the diving is wild, remote, and truly unforgettable. Here you’ll discover iconic sites like Manta Alley and Nusa Kode, known for their dramatic underwater topography, nutrient-rich waters, and quieter, less-visited dive spots. 

Our Schedule

Cabins Price

 

Inclusions:

  • Transport from Hotel to the Harbour on the diving day
  • Transport from the Harbour to the Hotel on the last day of diving
  • Air-conditioning sea view cabin
  • En-suite bathroom incl warm water shower
  • Full board meals 3x/day and post dive snack
  • Free-flow drinking water, coffee, tea
  • Cruise Director & Divemaster 
  • In-house Underwater Photographer & Videographer for an underwater group photo documentation 
  • Full set of recreational diving equipment (BCD, Regs Fins, Booties, Mask, Weights, Tanks)

Exclusions:

  • Transport from Airport/Hotel to our office a day before the trip (check-in time)
  • Transport from Hotel to Airport prior flight back
  • National Park Fee & another fee (Local Government Fee, Padar Naturalist Guide Fee, Komodo Dragon Naturalist Guide Fee in Komodo Island/Rinca Island)
  • Scuba Diving Course during the trip
  • Flight ticket
  • Hotel and meals before/after the trip
  • Travel & Diving insurance
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Personal expenses (souvenir, additional photography service)
  • Tipping/gratitude (5-10% from the total price) 

FAQ About Diving Trip

Dive Requirements
To join our liveaboard, divers must have completed at least an Adventure Deep Dive, as many Komodo sites go deeper than 18m. Open Water divers can complete this dive or take the SSI Advanced Adventurer Course onboard.

For night dives, you’ll need an Adventure Night Dive certification, which can also be done with us. If you prefer not to, you can skip the night dive though no replacement day dive will be offered.

We require this because Komodo’s topography at sites like Batu Bolong and Castle Rock often involves deeper entry/exit points, and night dives open up a whole new underwater perspective.

Benefits for all divers: Beginners enjoy close supervision from our instructors during their first Komodo dives, while Advanced divers dive in groups matched to their certification level, so no one is held back.

Courses available:

  • SSI Advanced Adventurer Course (Deep, Night, Navigation, Fish ID & Currents): 4,000,000 IDR including certification.

  • Individual Adventure Dives (Deep & Night mandatory unless skipped, plus Navigation, Buoyancy, Currents): 800,000 IDR per dive, with logbook stamp & certificate.

If you haven’t dived in over a year, a Scuba Refresh is included in your trip price. Proof of your Open Water certification is required for all courses.

The nearest hospital to Komodo National Park is in Labuan Bajo, where you can get treatment for minor injuries or short stays. We’re also lucky to have an ISO-certified hyperbaric chamber at Siloam Hospital.

Make sure your insurance covers chamber use, without it, a single session can cost around USD 10,000. Better safe than sorry!

Yes, but let’s set expectations. You won’t be hosting huge Zoom calls or uploading your entire trip in 4K.

What you will get is reliable Wi-Fi onboard, available to purchase for IDR 100,000 per trip, with enough speed for video calls, streaming, uploads, and posting to social media. Coverage reaches most of Komodo National Park; even Batu Bolong, Padar, and Rinca, though it’s still worth bringing a local SIM card with internet data as a backup. Go get a TELKOMSEL card. You can purchase here in the town, nearby the harbour there is an official shop called GRAPARI. 

Keep in mind, signal isn’t available everywhere in the park. It’s not a data center, but it’s a pretty great lifeline.

And of course, for those who’d rather disconnect completely, the Wi-Fi won’t chase you. Switch it off, let your phone rest, and enjoy manta rays, glowing sunsets, and cold Bintangs under the stars. You do you.

As Komodo is famous for its strong current, we maintain a strict policy of a maximum of four divers per dive guide with the same certification and experience level, ensuring personalized attention and safety. 

We don’t use Nitrox because most of the beautiful reefs in Komodo are at shallow depths, usually between 12–20 meters, and even manta sites are only 12–15 meters. 

Dedicated camera & laptop charging stations are available in the cabins and indoor dining area. The voltage is 220 and is on from 06.00 to 22.00. After this time is when we switch off the generator for a silent sleep.

Our chefs whip up delicious meals daily using fresh ingredients from the local market.

About fish or shellfish.
Yes, we do! While many of our guests are here to dive and admire the marine life, others also enjoy fresh seafood during their holiday. We only serve line-caught, sustainable fish from our local supplier, Ibu Rudy. If you’d prefer not to have seafood or have allergies, just let us know in advance, we’ve got you covered.

If you have any special dietary needs…
No worries at all! Vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, halal, or allergy-friendly, we’re happy to cater to your needs. Just give us a heads-up before your trip so our chef can prepare something special for you.

Diving and Travel Insurance is mandatory for joining a cruise onboard Sundari Voyages. Safety is our priority, and we require all guests to be covered for any eventuality, including scuba diving up to 30 meters.

You may arrange your own insurance prior to arrival or purchase coverage from our preferred provider, Dive Assist, at IDR 150,000/day or IDR 800,000/week per person.

Upon check-in, you will need to provide your emergency contact, insurance details, and policy number. Feel free to ask us for more information and confirm your coverage during registration so we can ensure you’re fully protected.