Komodo August 2025

[Newdiver0392]

Thank you very much for all these detailed answers…

I thought about Komodo because read only great things about it. In January I dived in Similan and was so disappointed to have done all the journey from London that I want to make sure the journey is worth my time and energy.

I will consider other points since yes I don’t want to be a liability to anyone ahah

 

[boqurant]

Yeah I wouldn't say don't do Komodo - just be aware that it's generally regarded as potentially difficult given the currents. Perhaps worth getting some GUE Fundies training / pool dives beforehand in the UK

 

[diveUAE]

Thank you very much for all these detailed answers…

I thought about Komodo because read only great things about it. In January I dived in Similan and was so disappointed to have done all the journey from London that I want to make sure the journey is worth my time and energy.

I will consider other points since yes I don’t want to be a liability to anyone ahah

So you only did Similans? Did you try Koh Bon, Koh Tarchai or Richelieu rock?

We were in Thailand in February and while Similans were boring, the other dive sites were good to amazing (Richelieu rock was awesome).

I know people praise Similans, but now we’ve been twice and not going back.

Komodo can be done without too much current and then you can always go back later in your diving career

Another place to look at for beautiful reef and lots of fish is Red Sea - have a look at Marsa Alam.
Gili’s should be good as well.
Also have a look at Bohol, Moalboal and Malapascua (Philippines).
Maldives is often deep diving, hook up and watch the sharks, but the manta dives are more chill.

 

[icarusaxu]

I always meet great people on Liveaboards. I did Komodo on the Blue Manta in '22 and had a fantastic time, great viz, sea was very calm, and saw mantas, turtles and heaps of small stuff. One of the best muck dives I've ever done there as well.

 

[divingwithdiane]

Komodo is awesome! I've dived there in '24 with Scuba Junkies on their liveaboard as a solo traveller with 120+ dives. I did have trouble with currents once, but that's because I was wearing my RK3 fins which are pretty floppy. It wasn't an actual issue as I simply had to wave down the guide to help me get through the current-heavy section

 

[hedonist222]

Komodo is great. I got back a few weeks ago. I opted to do it from Labuan Bajo. A bitter sweet experience. Sweet because nice having a shower in a nice hotel room (I reccomend Meruorah) which is a 120 second walk from a good dive center. Lots of good food options (from local stalls to "fine dining"). The bitter part is there are no night dives out of Labuan Bajo (well there is one but its not worth doing) and Labuan Bajo can get chaotic. So if you're used to idyllic resort or liveaboard or even places like Tulamben where there is a nearby "town", you usually are only between dive sites and the resort you're staying at.

You need to be comfortable traveling without a companion. Otherwise, are you really ever alone?
I have over a dozen international trips by myself. I'm always connected to people via my phone and tablet and I usually manage to get relatively good internet wherever I go. I've made many good friends while traveling in that odd daily 30 minute window during which my social battery isn't completely depleted.
You do need to be okay with being physically alone. There could be odd hour domestic flights - which means hanging out at the airport past midnight or commuting to a hotel via taxi.