Komodo

Batu Bolong — 'hollow rock' in Bahasa Indonesia — is a small rocky island surrounded by a reef pinnacle so rich with life that it has been called the Komodo region's greatest dive. The walls from 0 to 40 m are completely covered in sea fans, black coral, and soft corals in orange and purple, while the water column above teems with fusiliers, jacks, and hunting reef sharks. Strong unpredictable currents demand experience and a confident drift technique.

Castle Rock in Komodo National Park is a submerged pinnacle that rises from 40 m depth to just below the surface, generating powerful currents and upwellings that concentrate an astonishing biomass. Grey reef sharks, white-tip reef sharks, and giant trevally orbit the pinnacle while schools of bumphead parrotfish and barracuda fill the mid-water. This is one of Southeast Asia's most adrenaline-charged drift dives.

Manta Alley at the southern tip of Komodo Island is a channel where resident reef mantas and occasional oceanic mantas glide along the bottom in 12–25 m of water, feeding on plankton swept in by tidal currents. The site has an unhurried, intimate feel compared to more exposed Komodo sites, and the relatively sheltered position means dives can often proceed when other sites are too rough. Leopard sharks rest in the sandy gullies between coral heads.

Flores Sea Adventures runs custom multi-day liveaboard itineraries through Komodo National Park on their 25-metre wooden phinisi, visiting rarely-dived sites at the northern tip of Komodo Island and deep seamounts that attract open-ocean predators. The Komodo region's thermoclines and ripping currents create an adventurous diving environment that rewards experienced divers with some of Indonesia's most dramatic drift dives. Freediving courses are popular here given the pristine visibility and minimal boat traffic at off-the-beaten-track anchoring spots.

Komodo Dragon Divers operates from Labuan Bajo on Flores island, the primary launch point for diving within Komodo National Park, where powerful upwellings from deep channels bring cold, nutrient-rich water that attracts manta rays, thresher sharks, and large aggregations of schooling fish. Current-swept sites like Batu Bolong and Crystal Rock demand experienced guides and careful planning — the centre only takes divers to sites matching their certified skill level. Three-day liveaboard trips visiting Pink Beach's shallow reefs and the remote sites of Rinca round out the offering.