Komodo worth it from Bali if we want big fish?

[Ashantiashanti]

Heya,
so we're temporarily living in Sanur, Bali, and have been diving in Tulamben for the wreck and macro, and Lembongan for mantas.

We are tight on our budget and are not 100% sure if we should do a short LOB at Komodo, as planned. We've dived many places, including Raja Ampat, so we feel like we have seen the beautiful coral, reef sharks, all the fish etc. We really want big stuff, and from my research it's mostly just big Mantas at komodo. But after seeing 10+ mantas in Lembongan, we're having our doubts.

Is Komodo really that different and unique?

EDIT:
Then I've calculated that it is about 50USD more expensive to do a LOB. Now my girlfriend is not a huge fan of squeezing 9 dives into 3 days, is it still worth it now with all the new dive ops who offer day trips? I.e. is there really that big of a difference?

Cheers,

 

[Mike Veitch]

Well, what do you mean by "big stuff"? Mantas are regularly seen but you say you have seen enough of those. White tip sharks and the occasional black tip and grey reef can be seen as are schools of fish and sometimes brief dolphins at Hard to Find Rock. But, Komodo is best experienced as a little bit of everything, areas like Wainilu, Nusa Kode, Sangeang all have great critter dives and superb invertebrate life. To me Komodo is about the great mix of things to see: lots of fish, lots of critters, some beautiful hard coral gardens, turtles etc. I think the critter diving is better in Komodo than Raja, but Raja has better soft corals and more abundant fish life. You can get the occassional mola and whaleshark but not that common. If you want "Big Stuff" such as whales, tiger sharks, great whites, hammerheads, etc etc then you need to start looking overseas. There are great whaleshark encounters in Cendrawasih Bay as well.

 

[gekodivebali]

I think Mike said it all!

 

[highdesert]

Here's the sad truth of the matter ...

The big, like capital B Big stuff, is almost all gone. That goes for sharks, tuna, whales, rays, you name it. As divers, we can adapt to seeing what's left in the oceans now, or save our pennies, like really, really A LOT of pennies, and do a liveaboard to the Galapagos, or Cocos, or Socorro, or the Sardine Run, or Isla Mujeres to snorkel with whale sharks.

Believe me, I'm not trying to shoot you down or be facetious by saying this. I wish it were otherwise for us divers, and for the health of the oceans, but humans have put the oceans into a bad state. Did you know that serious studies have projected that all of the world's commercial fisheries are projected to be in a state of collapse by 2048? That's less than 35 years.

So I say just go and enjoy every dive you can manage for what it is. It's kind of a gift right now.

 

[Ashantiashanti]

Here's the sad truth of the matter ...

The big, like capital B Big stuff, is almost all gone. That goes for sharks, tuna, whales, rays, you name it. As divers, we can adapt to seeing what's left in the oceans now, or save our pennies, like really, really A LOT of pennies, and do a liveaboard to the Galapagos, or Cocos, or Socorro, or the Sardine Run, or Isla Mujeres to snorkel with whale sharks.

Believe me, I'm not trying to shoot you down or be facetious by saying this. I wish it were otherwise for us divers, and for the health of the oceans, but humans have put the oceans into a bad state. Did you know that serious studies have projecred that all of the world's commercial fisheries are projected to be in a state of collapse by 2048? That's less than 35 years.

So I say just go and enjoy every dive you can manage for what it is. It's kind of a gift right now.

This is exactly what we were thinking, as we are strongly considering saving for the Sardine runs this June! If we do the LOB in Komodo, we're afraid that we will not have enough $ for the Sardines. We could perhaps just do a few daily dives in Komodo then - still worth it? Or will we loose out if we do not do a LOB?

 

[highdesert]

This is exactly what we were thinking, as we are strongly considering saving for the Sardine runs this June! If we do the LOB in Komodo, we're afraid that we will not have enough $ for the Sardines. We could perhaps just do a few daily dives in Komodo then - still worth it? Or will we loose out if we do not do a LOB?

We haven't done Komodo from a land-based operation, though many people do that. You will lose out in the respect that you won't be able to access many of the Komodo sites ... but there are many good ones still accessible, if you don't mind some fairly long boat rides twice a day. Maybe some Komodo day trippers will chime in.

 

[EL Pistoffo]

I'm seriously considering diving Komodo instead of Bali but it is pricier. Gotta crunch some numbers for 3 of us on a LOB.

 

[Mike Veitch]

You can do all of the sites in North Komodo from day boats not a problem, the journey is not as comfortable and you won't get as many dives as a liveaboard but that's ok, the dive sites are still the same! You may or may not be able to make the areas in the south though due to the seas, sites like the ones in Horseshoe Bay such as Cannibal Rock and Yellow Wall. If the weather is good some of the day shops will go there but not very often.

 

[Ashantiashanti]

You can do all of the sites in North Komodo from day boats not a problem, the journey is not as comfortable and you won't get as many dives as a liveaboard but that's ok, the dive sites are still the same! You may or may not be able to make the areas in the south though due to the seas, sites like the ones in Horseshoe Bay such as Cannibal Rock and Yellow Wall. If the weather is good some of the day shops will go there but not very often.

Thanks a lot Mike for that! As someone who has dived in Komodo before, would you say that there is a significant difference between the quality of the dive sites in South vs North? In terms of big schooling fish, big stuff and drift dives? I've tried to do research, but all sources say that all dive sites are great.. However, I have read that Manta Alley is the place for big groups of Manta Rays, while Manta Point is just a few?

Cheers

 

[Mike Veitch]

the big action drifts etc are more in the north. The top sites down south are more about soft corals, invertebrates, critters, and some schooling fish.
Manta Alley down south and Makassar Reef in the north are both good manta sites, as are a couple of others in the north. Odds are good you will see them in the north. Makassar typically has better viz than manta alley as manta alley can be green and swelly at times. Crystal Rock, Castle Rock, Batu Bolong, Tatawa, Shotgun are all in the north and visited by day boats, they are all great dives with good potential for turtles, napoleans, schools of fusiliers, GTs and blue fin trevally etc. If you are living in Bali and don't visit Komodo while you are here you will kick yourself...
Here is a photo from Hard to Find (Crystal) Rock