Komodo Dive Sites Basics

Komodo Island

Picture by joeskillet

Komodo dive sites are fast in becoming popular diving destinations. The term, however, can be misleading as there are actually more than a dozen diving venues in the area. The term is attached as it is the Komodo Island that is most well known due to its dragons. The story goes that in the colonial era a Dutch patrol reported about dragons-like creatures living in an island south to Nusa Tenggara Islands. Lieutenant Steyn van Hens Broek went to the island and killed a dragon. He kept a documentary and presented it to the Museum and Botanical Garden in Bogor.

Komodo Island, as the center of the diving sites group, is located at Nusa Tenggara Islands. It is separated from Sumbawa Island at the west direction by Sape Strait. Administratively, the island is under the jurisdiction of Komodo sub-district, West Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The island, in fact, is the westernmost part of East Nusa Tenggara Province. Due to its dragons, the island is under a direct control from the central government at Jakarta. The government has also stated the island as part of the Komodo National Park.

Picture by VSELLIS

As of August 2009, there are 1300 dragons in Komodo Island. However, these beasts also live the neighboring Rinca Island and Gili Motang. Overall, there are around 2500 dragons. There are some 100 dragons live in Wae Wuul Conservation at Flores Island, but this conservation is not a part of Komodo National Park. In addition to the dragons, Komodo Island also has rich floral diversities. Local people, for example, use sepang wood as a medicine and coloring agent for textile. They also eat the fruit of nitak tree, or sterculia oblongata, besides using is as a medicine.

Komodo Diving Island Dive Sites

Diving sites around Komodo Island, Rinca Island and Gili Motang are in fact not too safe for divers as the dragon, a carnivore, is known to be a good swimmer. The beast often swims across the sea to neighboring island to hunt for food. There have been reports where the dragons attacked local people. However, diving instructors and local people usually can give the suggestion about the safe time, namely when there are not any dragons swimming in the diving sites around three islands. They can also provide helpful advice on the best time to start swimming based on the considerations over tides, currents and as such.

There are roughly fifty one diving sites in this area, some of them are still uncharted. But tourism industry is blooming with liveaboards sailing the water between the islands. Reputable diving organizations such as PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) have also recognized the diving sites. PADI, in fact, has also recommended them to scuba divers and snorkeling fans.

This blog covers these Komodo dive sites.