Yacht Charter in Komodo
The Komodo National Park is the most popular yacht charter and scuba diving destination in Indonesia. The "Galapagos of the East" are famed for its carnivorous giant lizard - the Komodo Dragon - and the incredible variety of coral reef diving. As well as being able to find all your mega fauna - manta rays, a large variety of sharks, sun fish and dolphins - Komodo is also a macro photographer's paradise.
Many Komodo yacht charters will actually start from the island of Bali. On the way to Komodo you will cross the imaginary Wallace Line to discover a chain of hundreds of islands that include the Komodo National Park itself - where the flora and fauna of subtropical Asia make a sudden and dramatic change into those typical of Australasia.
Between Bali and the Lesser Sunda so many different activities are possible - from climbing rugged mountains and peering into active volcano craters, or trekking through forests and bathing under beautiful waterfalls, or visiting rural villages, or simply relaxing in idyllic bays and exploring pristine beaches.
However, it is Komodo - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - that is the centre of attention.
To maximize diving time in Komodo, keen divers can ask for the yacht to be repositioned to Labuanbajo, on the door step of the Komodo National Park, and fly in directly from Bali. In fact, with enough time, a scuba diving holiday here can also include some of the world class dive sites of Maumere and Alor.
Interested in a yacht charter in Komodo? Please enquire.
Komodo Scuba Diving
There are a great number of beautiful pristine diving locations around the Komodo Island, many of which would be the jewel in the crown of lesser dive destinations. The following are just some of the top dive spots we can recommend to you.
Komodo Dive Sites: Crystal Rock
Crystal Rock named after the surrounding clear waters just break the surface and is home to large schools of fusiliers and anthias underneath it. Crystal Rock is a pinnacle that just breaks the surface off the northern side of the two small islets to the north of Komodo main island.
The shallows host thousands of anthias and damselfish, large cuttlefish, pyramid Butterfly fish, hawksbill turtles and several red octopus.
On the north west side of the pinnacle is a submerged mound that rises to 14 metres, with 20 metres deep saddle between the two. You need to make a quick dive to reach this area. Due to the strong easterly, but the accolade can be worth the effort, since there is always great schooling action here. There are schools of yellow-ribbon Sweetlips, Black Snappers, Bluefin and Bigeye Trevally, and Whitetip reef sharks.
Komodo Dive Site: Castle Rock
Castle Rock, further north from Crystal Rock is another submerged mound. Soft corals and sea fans are prolific at around 20 metres. Currents can be strong, usually flow eastwards and are much stronger at the surface than in the deeper water, but it is possible to find cover near the top of the rock where conditions are calmer. Sharks and big rays can be spotted here.
In recent times a pod of bottlenose dolphins have made this spot one of their favourite hunting grounds, and you can often see them on a dive. These creatures are remarkably agile at work and to watch them in their natural environment is an experience not to be missed.
Komodo Dive Site: Cannibal Rock
Cannibal Rock is a more all-around site and can be dived from sunrise on through the night. Just located one kilometer off the northern coast of nearby Nusa Kode. There is just so much going on around this sea mount: purple gorgonian, anemones, yellow and white spiral corals and sea apples that together create a riot of colour.
Dive down to the south to find the deepest diving section and where you will find enormous green and blue splendid anemones swaying back and forth. Making your way east and north you will be amazed by the sizes of the purple gorgonian fans, some over two metres tall. These fans are home to the pygmy seahorse.
Out of the depths, you may be visited on your dive by curious black-blotched stingrays, out on a hunt. Black snappers are also common here with many juveniles, noticeable in their black and white striped colours.
Komodo Dive Site: Yellow Wall of Texas
The reef wall has numbered of crevices, arches and small caverns to explore during the dive. Aside from the yellow tube corals, the reef has a great quantity of hard corals and colorful soft corals.
The shallows are very rich in fish life, particularly plankton feeders. Fork-tailed fairy Basslets swarm around the drop-offs in great orange and purple schools. Brace of colorful Butterfly fish forage in the reef crannies for small crustaceans or coral polyps.
Schools of jacks, snappers, Red-Toothed Triggerfish, Anthias and yellow Pyramid Butterflyfish can be found along the edge of the reef. If the current is running sharks, tuna and other large pelagic fish can be seen. The top of the reef abounds with Sweetlips, Emperors, wrasse, groupers and eels. Keep alert for turtles; turtles like to eat the yellow tube corals.
The sun provides more natural lighting and Yellow Wall of Texas is best dived in the afternoon.
Komodo Dive Site: Boulders
If you travel by yacht from Crinoid's Corner north along the coast of Nose Code into the bay of Loch Dismay you will come to a point where the coastline turn to the west and the bay opens up. There are a number of big boulders lying on the bottom. The deepest rock is in about 30 metres of water and the shallowest rock is about eight metres of water.
Here the reefs slope down to dark sand bottom in 30 to 35meters of water. The best point of entry is 100 meters south of the point. Escalating on the sand, you will find a forest of soft coral. Along the way, check out all the fire urchins for the illusive Coleman Shrimp. A torch comes in handy.
This is the best location to find the shrimp in Loh Dasami as there are usually lots of fire urchins in the area. The Boulders themselves have good coral invertebrate and fish life. Quite often Mantas can be seen in this area. Also a good night dive.
