Dan
Contributor
I prefer to go to Komodo in August than in December. I saw more mantas at Manta Alley (south Komodo) in August than in Taka Makassar (central Komodo) in December/January. In fact we had no luck of seeing any manta in Taka Makassar in August.
The temperatures in the southern Komodo is colder in August than in December, due to it is winter time in Australia. The Indian Ocean currents bring cold streams to southern Komodo. Check Indonesian Throughflow - Wikipedia
Here are some temperature data at the same dive locations in Dec/Jan versus that of in Aug.
Shotgun, 80F in Dec 2012, 81F in Aug 2014
Gililawa, 82F in Dec 2012, 82F in Aug 2014
Yellow Wall, 82F in Jan 2013, 78F in Aug 2014
Cannibal Rock, 82F in Jan 2013, 76F in Aug 2014
Torpedo Rock, 81F in Jan 2013, 75F in Aug 2014
Pink Beach, 81F in Jan 2013, 77F in Aug 2014
Batu Bolong, 80F in Jan 2013, 80F in Aug 2014
Taka Makassar, 81F in Jan 2013, 82F in Aug 2014
Tatawa, 82F in Jan 2013, 82F in Aug 2014
Wanilu, 80F in Jan 2013, 80F in Aug 2014
You can see in the central & northern Komodo the temperatures are about the same, but they drop by 4-6F when you are in the south Komodo. So if you want to go to Komodo in Aug, bring your 5mm full wetsuit with hood.
The temperatures in the southern Komodo is colder in August than in December, due to it is winter time in Australia. The Indian Ocean currents bring cold streams to southern Komodo. Check Indonesian Throughflow - Wikipedia
Here are some temperature data at the same dive locations in Dec/Jan versus that of in Aug.
Shotgun, 80F in Dec 2012, 81F in Aug 2014
Gililawa, 82F in Dec 2012, 82F in Aug 2014
Yellow Wall, 82F in Jan 2013, 78F in Aug 2014
Cannibal Rock, 82F in Jan 2013, 76F in Aug 2014
Torpedo Rock, 81F in Jan 2013, 75F in Aug 2014
Pink Beach, 81F in Jan 2013, 77F in Aug 2014
Batu Bolong, 80F in Jan 2013, 80F in Aug 2014
Taka Makassar, 81F in Jan 2013, 82F in Aug 2014
Tatawa, 82F in Jan 2013, 82F in Aug 2014
Wanilu, 80F in Jan 2013, 80F in Aug 2014
You can see in the central & northern Komodo the temperatures are about the same, but they drop by 4-6F when you are in the south Komodo. So if you want to go to Komodo in Aug, bring your 5mm full wetsuit with hood.