Komodo

[aleem.k713]

My brother and I are trying to plan a trip to Komodo sometime this year. We're looking for any recommendations on liveaboards. I feel like the itinerary differs from boat to boat. Is it worth to spend 11 days or the 7 day itineraries cover all grounds in Komodo. Any other tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[EVMarketing]

Hi Aleem,

It's fantastic to hear you're heading over to Indonesia and Komodo Island! As you know, Komodo is famed for its legendary dragons but it's not all about the monitor lizards. Diving around Komodo means teeming reefs full of color and life with pinnacles and walls, manta rays and maybe even dolphins! I personally love all the manta action I experienced while diving on the site Manta Alley, and the land tour to see the dragons was amazing.

Choice of itinerary length really depends on what time of year you are there, and how much time you have.

If you check out our Blue Manta Explorer (liveaboard) itinerary page, it will be helpful with your decision. We provide a sample itinerary as well as a dive site map. Our itinerary encompasses North, Central and South Komodo in only 7/8 days.

Hope this is helpful!

Blue Manta Explorer - Komodo Itinerary - Explorer Ventures

Cheers,

Rachel

 

[divinh]

Note: I am in the planning/booking stages. I have not done the trip so this is from my understanding of things, not from actual experience after-the-fact.

I just got confirmed yesterday for my first (ever too) liveaboard in Komodo. You can start by looking at liveaboard.com and travel.padi.com to see what is available. Things to note are: 1. price/day, 2. time frame, 3. start and end points, as they're not necessarily the same, 4. room air conditioning (I've been told it's worth it), and 5. whether they have rental gear.

1 will depend on your budget. You'll need to add to that, park fees ~$20/day, rental gear (if you're not bringing your own) ~$30-50/day for a full set, crew tip ~10%, and extras like alcohol, soda and souvenirs. Remember that you'll also need to have Dive Insurance (usually required for liveaboard) and most likely, Travel Insurance as well. (travel.padi.com currently offers free Dive Insurance if you book through them at the moment, via Dive Assure. I haven't seen the policy details yet, but it covers what you would expect and is for the duration of the liveaboard.)

2 will depend on when you can go. You'll need to add to that travel time to/from the start/end points of the liveaboard, at least one day, if not more. In looking at domestic flights, I found many leave in the morning and that doesn't work so well with international flights into Indonesia. Basically, the international flight might arrive at 3 PM and the last domestic flight to a starting point will be at 2:30 PM, i.e. there's no way to fly in, go through immigration and customs, and fly out to the starting point in one swoop. Budget in at least an overnight on arrival from afar, if only to get over jetlag. The good thing is that hotels near the airport, at least DPS (Denpasar), are fairly cheap and some offer free pickup and drop off from the airport. For the trip out, the liveaboard will have docked the evening prior (at least with the itineraries I've seen) and it is feasible to fly out the next morning and catch your connector in DPS or JKT/CGK (Jakarta) in the evening. Make sure that your last morning dive is 24 hrs prior to your flight to DPS or JKT/CGK.

3 is important to note. Some liveaboards start/end at smaller airports than LBJ (Labuan Bajo), which means smaller planes and more restrictions with baggage limits. This doesn't matter so much if you're renting gear but is huge if you're bringing your own.

4 and 5 are self explanatory.

I usually follow up each boat I find with a search to see its reviews and history and then watch any videos I might find.

When you book a liveaboard, there's at least a 24 hr lag between booking online and a confirmation, unlike booking a flight, where you're confirmed almost instantly. The first liveaboard I tried to book appeared completely empty when I booked Saturday night, but was full 24 hrs. later. I had to find another liveaboard that met my schedule, as I had already booked the international flights! If the liveaboard is your main reason for going, then get the confirmation before making any flight plans!

 

[outofofficebrb]

Hi, @aleem.k713. @divinh gave you great advice.

I would suggest that you spend the entire time in Komodo and not do a Bali-Komodo crossing or similar...You will get to spend more time in the park. North and central are warmer than southern sites which have colder upwellings. Spring to fall (March-October ish) is usually higher season with Nov-Feb being lower season. Some boats continue to offer liveaboards during the lower season whereas other boats go elsewhere in Indonesia such as Raja Ampat or Banda.

Komodo can also be dived by land-based day boats. You can stay at a resort (Komodo Resort) or stay in Labuan Bajo proper and catch a day boat out every day for a few dives. The day boats will likely be cheaper but you will get convenience and flexibility on a liveaboard - you can time the dives better to avoid crowds or beat them to the sites. Your budget may dictate what you end up doing. There are very budget options available (shared dorm style rooms and bathrooms) with no AC and air only all the way to posh private rooms with ensuite bathrooms and AC and nitrox. Supply is quite plentiful in Komodo and my suggestion is to not spend too much on a liveaboard in this area given the competitive prices. You can get private ensuite bathrooms with AC, etc., without paying the upper end of the prices. I would suggest saving your money for a place where there are no other options given a lack of supply or remoteness of the region. I hope this makes sense.

As of right now, the Komodo park fee is about $110 but that is subject to change. That is not usually included in your liveaboard fee but payable on board. I would say a minimum of 4 full dive days is good, but 7 days is better. Currents can be an issue here so getting a reputable dive shop with experienced DMs who are familiar with the dive sites, currents, and tides is really important. Otherwise, an enjoyable dive can turn into a nightmare.

If you are from NY, you may find it easiest to fly into DPS airport (Bali) or CGK airport (Jakarta). There are many flights from there out to Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo. Many liveaboards book far ahead of time so I would move quickly.

PADI Travel is indeed a great place to check out availability and schedules and read more about each individual boat. They practically have 24 hour customer service and I have chatted them online at all times of the day and they are usually very quick to respond to give you advice or suggestions if you have any questions. They are very helpful.

I hope this helps!

 

[aleem.k713]

Hi, @aleem.k713. @divinh gave you great advice.

I would suggest that you spend the entire time in Komodo and not do a Bali-Komodo crossing or similar...You will get to spend more time in the park. North and central are warmer than southern sites which have colder upwellings. Spring to fall (March-October ish) is usually higher season with Nov-Feb being lower season. Some boats continue to offer liveaboards during the lower season whereas other boats go elsewhere in Indonesia such as Raja Ampat or Banda.

Komodo can also be dived by land-based day boats. You can stay at a resort (Komodo Resort) or stay in Labuan Bajo proper and catch a day boat out every day for a few dives. The day boats will likely be cheaper but you will get convenience and flexibility on a liveaboard - you can time the dives better to avoid crowds or beat them to the sites. Your budget may dictate what you end up doing. There are very budget options available (shared dorm style rooms and bathrooms) with no AC and air only all the way to posh private rooms with ensuite bathrooms and AC and nitrox. Supply is quite plentiful in Komodo and my suggestion is to not spend too much on a liveaboard in this area given the competitive prices. You can get private ensuite bathrooms with AC, etc., without paying the upper end of the prices. I would suggest saving your money for a place where there are no other options given a lack of supply or remoteness of the region. I hope this makes sense.

As of right now, the Komodo park fee is about $110 but that is subject to change. That is not usually included in your liveaboard fee but payable on board. I would say a minimum of 4 full dive days is good, but 7 days is better. Currents can be an issue here so getting a reputable dive shop with experienced DMs who are familiar with the dive sites, currents, and tides is really important. Otherwise, an enjoyable dive can turn into a nightmare.

If you are from NY, you may find it easiest to fly into DPS airport (Bali) or CGK airport (Jakarta). There are many flights from there out to Labuan Bajo, the gateway to Komodo. Many liveaboards book far ahead of time so I would move quickly.

PADI Travel is indeed a great place to check out availability and schedules and read more about each individual boat. They practically have 24 hour customer service and I have chatted them online at all times of the day and they are usually very quick to respond to give you advice or suggestions if you have any questions. They are very helpful.

I hope this helps!

thanks, my brother and I have book a liveaboard for Septeber out of Komodo. Im just dreading the travel lol

 

[outofofficebrb]

thanks, my brother and I have book a liveaboard for Septeber out of Komodo. Im just dreading the travel lol

What boat did you end up going with?

 

[aleem.k713]

What boat did you end up going with?

The dayung baru.