La Galigo: Komodo, 7 nights, Labuan Bajo return

We will collect you from your hotel or Labuan Baja airport between 8:00 – 9:00 A.M. on the day of departure to welcome you onboard La Galigo. After a refreshing welcome drink, a quick breakfast, and a safety briefing of our vessel, we aim to anchor up around 10:00 am from Labuan Baja. After around two hours of sailing, we will arrive at our first destination, the islands of Sebayur Kecil and Sebayur Besar, where we will conduct two dives after lunch.

We have identified Sebayur as a fantastic, calm introduction for your first day in the park. These two great little islands are well sheltered from the infamous currents around Komada, allowing you a great opportunity to practice using your SMB, cameras, dive computers, or just to get back into the swing of things after a lengthy layoff from diving.

After a morning dive at stunning Tatawa Besar, we go in search of Manta rays at the world-class dive site  Manta Point  (known to the locals as Karang Makassar). After lunch, we will head to one of the highlights of Komodo diving the  Golden Passage  which is a drift dive that offers outstanding coral reef topography, as well as encounters with schools of Sweetlips and Snappers, White Tip Reef Sharks and the occasional passing Manta Ray.

Later that afternoon, we set sail for the northwest part of Komodo, for a light trek on the island of Gili Lawa Darat , to witness an amazing Komodo sunset, dipping behind the nearby active volcano of Sangeang. For the night dive, we will stay in the bay close to the trekking area, and dive at the site Stranger Things, for a chance to get your first glimpse of macro life in the national park

Day three is our personal favourite in terms of diving, and all three of the dives normally conducted on this day are what we would consider unforgettable.

The morning is spent on both  Crystal Rock  and  Castle Rock , two submerged pinnacles that are home to an abundance of marine life. Teams of hunting Giant and Big-Eye Trevally patrol the blue waters of the reefs, chasing large schools of smaller fish. Eagle Rays glide effortlessly in the currents whilst the reef sharks hunt for their next meal.

The afternoon sees us visit the legendary dive site known as  The Cauldron  (a.k.a The Shotgun). Famous for its rip-roaring drift dive, it is akin to an underwater rollercoaster that needs to be experienced to be believed, and a ‘bucket listʼ dive site for divers from across the world. Hold on until the end of the dive fora big surprise The night dive will be spent diving on Komodo Bay, depending on mooring conditions.

We wake early in the morning to take in one of Komodoʼs world-class golden sunrises, followed by one of its best dive sites, Batu Bolong, which presents us a chance to see large pelagic species such as Giant Trevally and Barracuda, as well as sharks and Napoleon Maori Wrasse. During breakfast, La Galigo will anchor up and head south into the centre of the park, where we will endeavour to dive Tatawa Kecil with itʼs strong currents and curious rock formations and swim throughs, this dive site is a high action topographical wonder. Up next is Siaba Besar, a fantastic night dive for the macro photographer, where it is possible to encounter Flamboyant Cuttlefish, Ghost Pipefish, various types of Nudibranchs, as well as the elusive Wunderpus and Blue-Ringed Octopus!

Staying around the Southwest Komodo area, we will dive Police Corner if conditions are favourable, one of the less-known but utterly amazing sites in Komodo.

In the late morning we plan to visit the island of Mauan, where Mantas come to visit its cleaning station, although shallow there is strong currents here that bring the Mantas in to play.

The afternoon will see us travel to Pink Beach, a gorgeous, shallow coral garden with schools of sweetlips and other colourful reef fish.

We then sail on to Soro Lia Bay for our exciting night dive.

Undisputedly, Manta Alley is among the top draws of southern Komodo diving, where sizable aggregations of Manta Rays often come to feed and clean in the splendid reef among these peculiar-looking rocks. We will dive into this incredible site before heading to  Padar Island , the location of the spectacular views you may associate with the national park after an online search for ‘Komodoʼ.

Padar is also home to some great south Komodo dive sites including Pillarsteen, which is the best wall dive in this region. Do note that it is difficult for us to confirm individual dive sites in advance due to changing ocean conditions in the south. However, the area is vast enough for us to be able to plan ahead and identify sites closer to the time (that are slightly more sheltered from any southerly conditions if they are unsteady during your trip).

In the afternoon we will make the trek up this unique-looking island for some stunning views over the park, followed by our night dive, which is regularly conducted at Padar Wreck, where we often encounter a population of Giant and other species of frogfish.

The final dive of your trip will be at Wainilu, a gorgeous, easy, shallow sandy slope with the chance to see macro critters such as Bobtailed Squid amongst the sand and fleshy marine vegetation. After the morningʼs diving and a hearty breakfast, we head on foot to Rinca Island , home to the legendary  Komodo Dragons  in the park. Later that afternoon La Galigo anchors up and sets sail east to Pulau Kalong, where at sunset an epic number of fruit bats leave this island in search of their sustenance on the mainland of Flores.

The night time sees our crew arrange a fancy BBQ banquet on the top deck as you take in your final Komodo sunset.

La Galigo will be anchored up in the morning around 2:00 A.M. in Labuan Bajo, in preparation for you to catch your flight, or check in to your hotel. Guests are welcome to stay onboard until 11:00 A.M., during which we have the chance to exchange trip images, and contacts so you can keep in touch with newfound dive buddies while we assist you with transportation to your desired location.

La Galigo does not guarantee this outlined itinerary, and it is to be considered as a rough guideline. Information compiled here is based on past trips we have conducted, and includes common dive sites and routes we often visit. Weather and sea conditions in the area can be unpredictable, and La Galigo retains the right to alter an itinerary from advice of the shipʼs captain, cruise director, or owner for the safety of the vessel, its passenger and crew.