Central and North Komodo + Banta Sangeang
Departure: Labuan Bajo
Return: Labuan Bajo
Approximate liveaboard number of dives: 28-29
Requirements: Advanced Open Water (at least 30 dives logged)
Day 1: Check-in and check dives: Labuan Bajo – Komodo
2 dives
Pick up from the airport/hotel and transfer to the boat
Welcome drink and introduction to the boat, team and crew
Check dive on Sebayur Kecil
2nd dive on the Mini Wall of Sebayur Kecil
Day 2: North Komodo
4 dives
morning drift dive on Tatawa Besar
navigation to Gili Lawa Darat
dives on Castle Rock and Golden Passage
night dive at Gili Lawa Darat Bay
Day 3: North Komodo
3 dives
morning dive at Crystal Rock
If the tide is right, dives at Cauldron to enjoy the famous ShotGun and sharks, rays and bumb head parrot fish
Afternoon dive at Castle Rock hping to see grey reef sharks at their hunting hour
Trek on Gili Lawa Darat to admire the sunset over Komodo and Sangeang Volcanos on the horizon
Day 4: Banta
3 dives
navigation to Banta Island, the west part of the Komodo National Park
first dive at the GPS Point to watch the schools of barracudas, sometimes hammerheads and grey reef sharks are seen there; surely nudibranches and some turtles
a dive along walls of Toro Oi woll allow you to spot the Orang-Outang crabs and nudibranches, in the blue yoiu may spot tunas, sharks and eagle rays
night dive at Banta Bay
Day 5: Banta – Sanggeang
3 dives
morning dive at High Voltage, with some currents and walls; barracudas and jackfish there, as well as small critters and some sharks (possible)
heading to the twin peak Sanggeang Volcano and its stunning dive spots: Hot Rocks (known as well as Bubble Reef); where you will be verbally diving in thee jaccuzzi (bubbles escaping the sandy botabstom give that feeling). Watch for nudibranches, pygmy sea horses, pink anemone and candy crabs
last dive over the black volcano sand in the proximity of the island
Day 6: Sanggeang – Banta
3 dives
morning current dive at the Deep Purple, the northeast point of the Sangeang. Schools of jacks and barracudas expected here, but maybe even some mantas
back to Bubble Stream “session”
navigation towards Banta, to climb the hill and enjoy the sunset
Day 7: Banta – Komodo
3 dives
first dive at Mantas, to see if the mantas are really there
another dive at the GPS Point before leaving to the Central Komodo
a dive at Batu Bolong, the biggest aquarium of the park
Day 8: Komodo Central
4 dives
first dive at the Siaba Besar, known as well as a Turtle City due to the large population of the green sea turtles residing there. It is as well a home to the juvenile bumb head parrot fish, cuttlefish lying its eggs, white tail sting rays and white tip reef sharks
Siaba Kecil, a little sister of the Siaba Besar, offers a nice experience of a drift diving and amazing topography. At the end of the dive turtles and sharks can be expected, and if you are lucky, maybe even a dugong!
To finish, Karang Makassar will make your day entouring you with mantas
Nigth dive at Siaba Besar
Day 9: Komodo Central
4 dives
morning dive at Siaba Besar and its Sandy Patch, searcing for cuttlefish, ghost pipe fish, nudibranches, upside-down jellyfish, popefish, frogfish…
depending of the tide the other parto fo Batu Bolong will be explored as the next dive
after lunch navigation to Mawan, watching the cleaning station for mantas, drifty or calm, depending of the sea condition
sunset dive at Waenilu trying to spot the mandarin fish mating dance, look for zebra crabs and coleman shrimps on fire urchins
Day 10: Rinca – Labuan Bajo
1 dive
morning dive at Pulau Tengah Kecil
visit of Rinca and walk to see the famous Komodo dragon
arriving to Labuan Bajo in the afternoon, exploring the city
dinner on board or in the city
night on board
Day 11: Labuan Bajo
breakfast on board
transfer to the airport or hotel