Komodo National Park
Indonesia · Lesser Sunda Islands
Komodo sits at the meeting point of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and the cold, nutrient rich upwellings that funnel between its islands feed an extraordinary food chain — from coral gardens dense with reef fish to manta cleaning stations, sharks, dolphins and the occasional pelagic. The north of the park is warm, blue and current driven; the south is cooler, greener and built for mantas and macro. Most divers visit by liveaboard, looping both halves over a week.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Komodo's strong currents drive nutrient upwelling that supports unusually intact reefs. Expect manta cleaning stations, big schools, and full coral cover.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
No unusual heat right now.
Fishing
Quiet water, and fishing is fully banned here.
Sources · MERMAID and partner coral surveys · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
47 species across the dive sites here
Hawksbill Sea Turtle
Seen 3 days ago
at Gili Islands
Critically endangered
Green Sea Turtle
Seen 4 days ago
at Gili Islands
Least concern
Komodo Dragon
Seen 6 days ago
at Manta Alley
Endangered
Napoleon wrasse
Seen 12 days ago
at Batu Bolong
Endangered
Schooling bigeye trevally
Seen 12 days ago
at Castle Rock
Least concern
Orange-Footed Scrubfowl
Seen 16 days ago
at Manta Alley
Least concern
Reef manta ray
Seen 18 days ago
at Manta Alley
Vulnerable
Hawksbill turtle
Seen 20 days ago
at Batu Bolong
Critically endangered
Schooling snapper
Seen 20 days ago
at The Cauldron / Shotgun
Whitetip reef shark
Seen 20 days ago
at The Cauldron / Shotgun
Vulnerable
Giant trevally
Seen 20 days ago
at Castle Rock
Least concern
White-tip reef shark
Seen 20 days ago
at Castle Rock
Vulnerable
Blacktip reef shark
Seen 21 days ago
at Crystal Rock
Vulnerable
Clark'S Anemonefish
Seen 21 days ago
at Castle Rock
Least concern
White-Lipped Island Pitviper
Seen 1 month ago
at Manta Alley
Least concern
Grey reef shark
Seen 1 month ago
at Crystal Rock
Endangered
Manta Ray
Seen 1 month ago
at Alor
Cleaner wrasse
Seen 1 month ago
at Manta Alley
Least concern
Reef Shark
Seen 1 month ago
at Gili Islands
Vulnerable
Cuttlefish
Seen 2 months ago
at Mawan
Sea apple
Seen 2 months ago
at Cannibal Rock
Western blue groper
Seen 2 months ago
at HMAS Perth
Vulnerable
Bamboo shark
Seen 3 months ago
at Mawan
Brown-banded bamboo shark
Seen 4 months ago
at Cannibal Rock
Near threatened
Nudibranch
Seen 5 months ago
at Mawan
Nudibranchs
Seen 5 months ago
at Cannibal Rock
Stingray
Seen 6 months ago
at HMAS Perth
Dogtooth tuna
Seen 8 months ago
at Castle Rock
Least concern
Samson fish
Seen 10 months ago
at HMAS Perth
Least concern
Bargibant's pygmy seahorse
Seen Mar 2025
at Cannibal Rock
Least concern
Australian sea lion
Seen Jul 2024
at HMAS Perth
Endangered
Bull ray
Seen year round
at HMAS Perth
Frogfish
Seen year round
at Cannibal Rock
Kingfish
Seen year round
at HMAS Perth
Least concern
Moray Eel
Seen year round
at Gili Islands
Least concern
Octopus
Seen year round
at HMAS Perth
Least concern
Pygmy Seahorse
Seen year round
at Alor
Least concern
Schooling fish
Seen year round
at Alor
Schooling fusiliers
Seen year round
at Crystal Rock
Sea spider
Seen year round
at HMAS Perth
Snapper
Seen year round
at HMAS Perth
Southern blue devil fish
Seen year round
at HMAS Perth
Trevally
Seen year round
at HMAS Perth
Western rock lobster
Seen year round
at HMAS Perth
Least concern
New Zealand fur seal
Rare sighting
at HMAS Perth
Least concern
Rhinopias scorpionfish
Rare sighting
at Cannibal Rock
Thresher Shark
Rare sighting
at Alor
Endangered
Dive sites
Manta Alley
reef manta ray · cleaner wrasse · white-tip reef shark · komodo dragon
Castle Rock
giant trevally · schooling bigeye trevally · white-tip reef shark · dogtooth tuna
Batu Bolong
giant trevally · white-tip reef shark · napoleon wrasse · reef manta ray
The Cauldron / Shotgun
reef manta ray · whitetip reef shark · giant trevally · hawksbill turtle
Mawan
reef manta ray · bamboo shark · hawksbill turtle · cuttlefish
Alor
manta ray · thresher shark · pygmy seahorse · schooling fish
What divers say
The current at Castle Rock pinned us flat to the reef while jacks tornadoed overhead and grey reefs hunted them — it's the closest thing to a nature documentary I've ever been inside.
Two dives a day for a week and I still felt like we'd only scratched the surface. The north is electric, the south is weird and quiet and full of mantas. Both deserve their own trip.
Komodo isn't the prettiest reef I've dived — Raja wins that — but it's the most alive. Every dive felt like something was about to happen.
Good to know
Park fees
A daily park fee (~IDR 200–300k) plus dive permits are required and usually bundled into operator pricing. Confirm in writing — fees have been restructured several times.
Dragons
Most trips include a half day on Rinca or Komodo island to see the dragons. Rinca is closer and less touristed; both require a ranger.
Currents are no joke
Carry an SMB and ideally a Nautilus Lifeline or PLB on every dive. Drift separations happen and the channels run fast.
Water temp swings
North-to south transits in a single day can drop water temp 5°C+. Pack a 5mm or a 3mm + hooded vest rather than a thin shorty.
Surface interval reality
There is no decompression chamber inside the park; the nearest is in Bali. Dive conservatively and consider DAN coverage.