Komodo - liveaboard or shore based?

[Nabanga]

I am planning a 20-25 dive trip to Komodo in April-May-June (flexible).

First a little backround on me and my dive preferences. I am a keen experienced diver (DM, 1000+ dives) and have enjoyed much shore based and liveaboard diving over the last 35 years. I normally enjoy a liveaboard more when it is a more isolated area with few or no other boats, but see that there are over 50 boats operating around Komodo. This makes me think that maybe it is not worth the extra money for a liveaboard over shore-based diving (for me). I loved liveaboard diving in places like Tubbataha, Vanuatu, Solomons, Truk etc, as being on a self contained boat makes sense when you are covering large distances to remote sites, but did not like it much in Thailand (Similans) and the Australian GBR - where there were 10 liveaboards hovering over the same site at times. And I understand - diving is more popular than ever, and travel for diving is much easier and cheaper than it once was.

I do not mind so much about comfort & convenience, so the 1-2 hour trip from shore out to a site is OK for me. The main question I have is: Can I really get to the best sites of Komodo with a shore based dive shop? I have been through several shop websites, and they all claim to visit the best sites, but reading through some forum posts it seems they repeat the closer and more sheltered sites in reality.
Another issue might be that shore-based dive shops take more inexperienced holiday divers who could curtail a group dive after 35 mins from air use - I generally like at least 60 mins on a reef. In April- May I would be looking at North-central Komodo.

Any ideas or advice from people that have done shore based diving, liveaboard, or both at Komodo much appreciated!

 

[Luko]

Can I really get to the best sites of Komodo with a shore based dive shop?

blunt answer is : NO for the furthest away (south or NW of the park) but there are not so many sites in Komodo, hence you'll reach the "best closest" from a land based shop. Close doesn't mean bad, the best and most illustrious site of Komodo is Batu Bolong, famous sites in North/Central are Crystal rock and Castle rock, all of these are covered by all the dive shops in Labuan Bajo.

Another issue might be that shore-based dive shops take more inexperienced holiday divers

On many liveaboards too. I've seen divers with only 10 dives. diving Komodo is not that difficult.
The general problem is Labuan Bajo and its infrastructure : easy to get to, budget shops that attract a fundive crowd (as opposite to dive centric customers).
The solution to your problem is to ask to have a private guide, but may be costly (something I'm alaways asking forn but I'm doing photography) or to speak with the operation first in order to make sure they can arrange with your request and put you with experienced divers.

As for shore based diving ops my experience was that Dragon Dive Komodo arranged for what I wanted (I even had a semi-private boat for the first time with them), Blue Marlin was crap I booked a private guide long before and they gave me a newbie instructor who didn't knw anything.

That said I would recommend a liveaboard in Komodo anytime since you would beat the crowds for the morning dives.

diving in places like ... Vanuatu

I had guessed from your nickname

 

[Centrals]

@Nabanga
Do you still live in Laos? Very interesting country to visit and I really enjoy the experiences eg. Phongsali and Phonsavan. Luang Prabang is too touristy.
Vientiane was then a quiet little city when I first visited the country 30yrs ago.

Dive Komodo | Scuba Junkie Komodo

Dive Komodo with Scuba Junkie! We offer dive and accommodation packages with fantastic value. Have the holiday of a lifetime without breaking the bank!

www.scubajunkiekomodo.com

 

[dirtfarmer]

Over my 4 trips to Komodo I do prefer LOB's over land based.
Why?
Liveaboards will give you acess to the sites in the South which I prefer over Central or North Komodo. Also with LOB you get night dives which tend to be focused on the excellent muck/macro diving, I love macro and Komodo has some excellent sites for it. Also Labjuan Bajo is a hot dusty bustling little city and I prefer to be on a peaceful boat or resort.

My first 2 trips to Komodo were on the Mermaid 2, and I enjoyed my first trip so much I booked my second trip on the MM2 when i returned home.
I have also done 2 trips land based from Scuba Junkies, they are not located in Labjuan Bajo but closer to the Central part of the park and tend to dive the lower part of the North down to the Padar area. The Padar area has some excellent dive sites with my favorite being 3 Sisters, which are 3 submerged ridges that are loaded with life. Scuba Junkies is a great operation and have recently launched their own LOB. Before my second trip there I did a 4 day LOB out of LBJ on a Southern route, then went to Scuba Junkies for the remainder of my trip. I prefer the South over all the other areas of Komodo so I got my Southern Komodo fix in. ( during my first stay with SJ we did dive in Horseshoe Bay but that was because I needled the owners to dive it and the resort was very new and there was only advanced divers at the resort so they obliged me. I belive they do not go further than Padar on their day trips from land nowadays.)

 

[Nabanga]

blunt answer is : NO for the furthest away (south or NW of the park) but there are not so many sites in Komodo, hence you'll reach the "best closest" from a land based shop. Close doesn't mean bad, the best and most illustrious site of Komodo is Batu Bolong, famous sites in North/Central are Crystal rock and Castle rock, all of these are covered by all the dive shops in Labuan Bajo.


On many liveaboards too. I've seen divers with only 10 dives. diving Komodo is not that difficult.
The general problem is Labuan Bajo and its infrastructure : easy to get to, budget shops that attract a fundive crowd (as opposite to dive centric customers).
The solution to your problem is to ask to have a private guide, but may be costly (something I'm alaways asking forn but I'm doing photography) or to speak with the operation first in order to make sure they can arrange with your request and put you with experienced divers.

As for shore diving my experience was that Dragon Dive Komodo arranged for what I wanted (I even had a semi-private boat for the first time with them), Blue Marlin was crap I booked a private guide long before and they gave me a newbie instructor who didn't knw anything.

That said I would recommend a liveaboard in Komodo anytime since you would beat the crowds for the morning dives.


I had guessed from your nickname

Thanks for the reply - good idea to request a private guide. Yu save bislama finis?

 

[Nabanga]

@Nabanga
Do you still live in Laos? Very interesting country to visit and I really enjoy the experiences eg. Phongsali and Phonsavan. Luang Prabang is too touristy.
Vientiane was then a quiet little city when I first visited the country 30yrs ago.

Dive Komodo | Scuba Junkie Komodo

Dive Komodo with Scuba Junkie! We offer dive and accommodation packages with fantastic value. Have the holiday of a lifetime without breaking the bank!

www.scubajunkiekomodo.com

Yes, I’ve been here 20 years - the country is changing quickly under the influence of the big brother to the north.

 

[Luko]

Yu save bislama finis?

Mi save... be long taem nomo mi no toktok.

 

[cetacean]

This has already been mentioned, but worth repeating.

The best liveaboards get to the most popular sites early in the morning, before the day boats can get out.

If you want to dive the really good sites in the north of Komodo, do it be LOB, or you will end up with a bunch of other divers on the site. You can't always avoid the crowds even on an LOB, but you'll have a much better chance.