Komodo: land-based diving

[Kevster]

Thanks for all interesting posts.
Komodo is on my list to do this year so this has been great info.
Are the Manta cleaning stations in the North or South?

Silent running which liveaboard would you recommend.

 

[silent running]

Thanks for all interesting posts.
Komodo is on my list to do this year so this has been great info.
Are the Manta cleaning stations in the North or South?

Silent running which liveaboard would you recommend.

Kevster, Manta Alley is at the Southern most end, then there's the Landing Strip about midway, I think. Then there was another place I saw Mantas that I think was in the North Eastern part of the park, can't remember the name. Don't worry too much, you'll almost certainly see them in Komodo. If you really want to make sure you get some Manta action, you could also do some diving on your way through Bali. At Manta Point, I saw Mantas there on 2 different days. Also make sure you hit Batu Abah, another beautiful dive with tons of fish.

I went on the liveaboard operated by Blue Marlin Resort in Lombok. It's called the Ikan Biru. She is a small boat and has some nice features like a large top deck with lots of cushions to watch the scenery go by. But it is not luxurious, the best cabin is the rear one as the midships cabin is difficult to access and not as cool. The boat has AC, but it's a bit rough around the edges and she is not very comfortable in anything bigger than 1.5 meter seas. On one trip the food was excellent, the other so, so. But the price was reasonable at the time and it was the only boat I could find that was rebreather friendly. I have not boarded any of the other boats that go there, but I have seen many of them up close and can't say that any of them seemed to be worth the $350 per day that is common. There's got to be some still in the $200 a day range, you'll just have to look hard as there are a lot of boats that go there. Good luck, -Andy

 

[kilo_fox]

Are the Manta cleaning stations in the North or South?

In North Komodo, there is Karang Makaser, more commonly known as Manta Point. I dived there for the first time in February 07, we saw at least 25 mantas, awesome.... Dived again there in November 07 but we saw "only" four mantas during the dive.

 

[Kevster]

25!! Thats sounds amazing. The experience i had at papua with 2 Mantas i will never forget!!
They were massive and very friendly and hung around for most of the dive. Another 4 were a bit more shy.
Anyway after lots of research i have decided on 4 dive days land based at Komodo (most likely with Reefseekers)followed by 2 dive days at Bali, then off to Sipadan for 4 dive days (A big trip with lots of travel)
Will let you know how i get on at Komodo next month.

 

[silent running]

In North Komodo, there is Karang Makaser, more commonly known as Manta Point. I dived there for the first time in February 07, we saw at least 25 mantas, awesome.... Dived again there in November 07 but we saw "only" four mantas during the dive.

Hi kf, yes, that's the place. I saw 3 medium size Mantas there on my 2nd Komodo trip. 1 mostly white one continually passed inches overhead and I will confess to a gentle touch to the belly. Most Mantas was at Manta Alley, lost count during a 2+ hour dive, one of my top dives of all time-feeding grey reefs and black tips, several huge GTs, exceptional viz, blizzards of fish moving around the huge boulders...man I gotta go again. Biggest Mantas were drifting through Landing Strip at a fast clip, saw 1 that was definitely over 3M, not the 5M pelagic monster I saw in PNG, but still very impressive. It was so cool to drift along, tuck down out of the current in the big sand depressions on the bottom and watch them come out of the gloom and fly past. I miss Komodo! -Andy

 

[kilo_fox]

Hi kf, yes, that's the place. I saw 3 medium size Mantas there on my 2nd Komodo trip. 1 mostly white one continually passed inches overhead and I will confess to a gentle touch to the belly. Most Mantas was at Manta Alley, lost count during a 2+ hour dive, one of my top dives of all time-feeding grey reefs and black tips, several huge GTs, exceptional viz, blizzards of fish moving around the huge boulders...man I gotta go again. Biggest Mantas were drifting through Landing Strip at a fast clip, saw 1 that was definitely over 3M, not the 5M pelagic monster I saw in PNG, but still very impressive. It was so cool to drift along, tuck down out of the current in the big sand depressions on the bottom and watch them come out of the gloom and fly past. I miss Komodo! -Andy

Yup, Komodo is indeed top! Though "only" my personal number two after, guess what, Pulau Weh... Going there again (P.Weh), ETA next Friday
BTW, how was the diving in Alor??
Cheers....

 

[kopin]

Hi kf, yes, that's the place. I saw 3 medium size Mantas there on my 2nd Komodo trip. 1 mostly white one continually passed inches overhead and I will confess to a gentle touch to the belly. Most Mantas was at Manta Alley, lost count during a 2+ hour dive, one of my top dives of all time-feeding grey reefs and black tips, several huge GTs, exceptional viz, blizzards of fish moving around the huge boulders...man I gotta go again. Biggest Mantas were drifting through Landing Strip at a fast clip, saw 1 that was definitely over 3M, not the 5M pelagic monster I saw in PNG, but still very impressive. It was so cool to drift along, tuck down out of the current in the big sand depressions on the bottom and watch them come out of the gloom and fly past. I miss Komodo! -Andy

Ironically, the best experience I had in my past dive trips was not diving itself. It was snorkeling with the mantas at Komodo.

 

[highdesert]

Yup, Komodo is indeed top! Though "only" my personal number two after, guess what, Pulau Weh... Going there again (P.Weh), ETA next Friday
BTW, how was the diving in Alor??
Cheers....

Ho kilo fox ...

Sorry for the short hijack detour, but just curious ... if Pulau Weh is your number one, in what ways does it rate over Rajah Ampat, in your mind?

 

[silent running]

Yup, Komodo is indeed top! Though "only" my personal number two after, guess what, Pulau Weh... Going there again (P.Weh), ETA next Friday
BTW, how was the diving in Alor??
Cheers....

Hi kf, Alor was excellent, Thomas was great, loved his boat, best dive ladder ever. Diving was top notch. Kal's Dream was amazing in the afternoon-many man sized dogtooths, black tips, a big grey reef, blizzard of larger than average fish all feeding and fighting, one of the best dives I've done. I did it alone, as my CCR buddy sat out after getting caught in a bad down current on an experimental drift dive we did in Kepa channel looking for the resident pod of dolphins. We did see the pod of 6-8 dolphins briefly at 10m, before my buddy got caught in the down current. Beautiful sight, but not worth the risk.

Killer viz, especially up north and plenty of blacktips around. South was also amazing in a different way. generally more pelagics and many more cold upwellings, 82F then down to 72F, you could see the thermocline rolling up the slope and in less than 5 seconds you were enveloped. I had on a .5mm for that dive, couldn't breathe right for a few minutes after it hit. Thomas took us to 2 amazing caves down South. 1 is short and goes up to an air bell where a group of banded sea kraits sleep on the rocks above the water. The other is a big 60m tunnel that connects 2 sides of a corner and has as many as 10 HUGE nurse sharks sleeping like cord wood on the floor. One was over 4m long and came right at one of us before turning around and settling down to sleep again. The cave is also teaming with fish.

The bay had some nice muck diving, one sight has countless mandarin fish, electric scallops and a huge angler fish with muti-colored striations. Lots of ghost pipefish Also, possible new species of brightly colored lizard fish we couldn't find in any books. Thomas posted some pictures on a fish ID site, looking for answers.

Overall, very healthy hard corals, tons of fish, lots of varied underwater topography and fantastic topside scenery. Accommodations were at a brand new place and problematic, but friendly and clean. Food was only Indonesian, fine with me, but not for some of my group. There is only one restaurant in town and it is an only OK Chinese place. I loved Alor, liked it a bit better than Ambon and will certainly return.

OK kf, your turn. Can you please elaborate a little on why you like PW better than Komodo? That is high praise indeed. -Andy

 

[dutchpickle]

Thanks for the fantastic report silentrunning! I got to bring my gear next time I go there!

Some info I put together about Alor

Alor

I haven't dove there yet but plan to next time passing through. As silentrunning mentions - the food scene in Kalabahi is limited but I usually eat at the warungs or food stalls in the harbor at night.

Cedric's set up on Kepa Kecil has a kitchen and they cook for their guests.

The French guy on Pulau Pantar does more of a gourmet thing.

The most popular place to stay in Kalabahi is the Pelangi Inda, but being a cheap Charlie i stay at the Adi Dharma in the harbor.

Alor is an incredible place with a rich history. Be sure to have a look at the museum.

dp