Frequently Asked Questions
Know before you go
Komodo National Park is also considered part of the Coral Triangle and the area with the world’s highest marine biodiversity. Its actual location is around 200 nautical miles to the east of Bali in the Lesser Sunda Islands, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores.
It has a total land area of 75,000 hectares and encompasses a number of islands, the largest of which is Komodo (34,000 hectares), numerous smaller islands, and the Wae Wuul sanctuary on Flores.
A total of 112,500 hectares of the surrounding waters is also under the jurisdiction of the park rangers, allowing for the protection of over 1,000 species of fish and hundreds of different corals.
The sea around Komodo Island offers vibrant colors and exotic marine life which will enchant divers and snorkelers alike. They will be able to see endless schools offish in every direction, drawn by the waterways rushing up from deep sea vents.
Below, the seabed is covered with a thick carpet of richly coloured corals and marine invertebrates, the ultimate paradise for underwater photographers. Komodo National Park is an important natural refuge and is known worldwide for the overwhelming amount of flawless corals that can be found there, not to mention the mantas, sharks, turtles, dolphins, dugong and many other pelagic.
Yet it is also home to different kinds of pygmy seahorses, a wide variety of gorgeous nudibranchs and frogfish. Its sites stretch from the warm waters of the Flores Sea in the north to the chillier waters down south in the Indian Ocean and vary from gentle coral slopes to heart-pounding adrenaline thrill rides.
The underwater terrain presents many contrasts as well, with sheer cliff walls, pinnacles, sandy flat bottoms, underwater plateaus, slopes, caves, swim – throughs, channels, all with differing colours, sizes and types of both hard and soft corals.
Komodo adheres to Central Indonesia Standard Time which is GMT+8.
Although there is diving year-round in Komodo, the best period is considered to be April through November.
In general the water temperature in the Komodo area is around 24-28C (75-82F+) so usually a 3-5mm wetsuit is fine, but the southern dive sites in Komodo can drop down to 24-26C (75-78F) so some guests prefer a 5mm with hood.
All diving passengers must be a certified diver of minimum Open Water level (50 log dives) and be physically fit to dive.
You first need to travel to Denpasar of Bali and then to Labuan Bajo either by plane or public Pelni. You can also travel from Jakarta, however the flight from Jakarta to Labuan Bajo is via transit in Denpasar of Bali. We are at Grand Komodo would be happy to assist you booking your domestic flights.
Our cabins on board have both 110V and 220V international power sockets with voltage stabilizer. The standard power socket in Indonesia is a European two-prong plug.
Each of our cabins have en-suite bathroom facilities and individual air-conditioning units. We provide each guest with a bath towel and beach towel. We also provide soap in every cabin.
Under Indonesian law from June 2015, all payments in Indonesia MUST be made in Indonesian Rupiah. Currency Exchange are available in larger cities but will not be available in more remote areas.
Meanwhile we only accept cash payment onboard.
Raja Ampat, which means “The Four Kings”, is part of the province of West Papua in Indonesia. It is located on the northwestern tip of an area known as Bird’s Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea. Raja Ampat is in fact an archipelago comprising the main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo.
Raja Ampat can boast of immaculate stunning beauty both above and below the water. It is located in the heart of the Coral Triangle which is reputed for possibly having the richest seas in the world. The marine biodiversity is simply staggering.
Surveys estimate this archipelago is home to 75% of the world’s coral species and 1,500+ fish species, many endemic to the region. There are many drift dives due to the moderate currents prevalent in the area, which provide nutrients for the myriad of fish and coral.
There are walls, reef flats, slopes, sea mounts, lagoons and pinnacles. The reefs are in pristine condition and offer endless views of perfectly formed hard corals and a wide variety of species of colorful soft corals.
Raja Ampat follows Eastern Indonesia Standard Time which is GMT+9.
Conventional wisdom is that only October to May is the best period for diving in Raja Ampat. There are many islands in Raja Ampat making this area quite protected. However, in our experience, the Diving in RAJA AMPAT is all year round.
With the exception of Misool when the sea is too rough because of the Southeast Monsoon from May to August. Another possible reason of this conventional wisdom is maybe because liveaboard operators have trips to other parts of Indonesia but only have one vessel; this forces them to move out from Raja Ampat.
This is not the case for us with 3 vessels in Raja Ampat to cover surrounding areas, and 2 vessels in Komodo. How about rainy season? Raja Ampat has verdant Papuan rainforest because there is enough rain all year round.
In the past we could say that there were more rain in the months of May through August. However this is getting harder and harder to predict precisely nowadays. Maybe this is the impact of the global warming.
In terms of water temperature and recommendations for wetsuits, for most dive sites in Raja Ampat you can expect 27-30C+ (80-86F+) so a 3mm wetsuit or even a skinsuit is usually fine.
All diving passengers must be a certified diver of minimum Open Water level (50 log dives) and be physically fit to dive.
The easiest way to get to Raja Ampat is to fly to Sorong via Jakarta, Makassar or Manado. For most of these connections you can use Garuda Indonesia airlines, Batik Air/Lion Air and Sriwijaya Airlines. If you fly to Denpasar of Bali : on the way going to Sorong you will need an overnight transit in Makassar.
But from Sorong to Bali you fly through Makassar without an overnight transit. There are no direct international flights to West Papua Province. We are at Grand Komodo would be happy to assist you booking your domestic flights.
Our cabins on board have both 110V and 220V international power sockets with voltage stabilizer. The standard power socket in Indonesia is a European two-prong plug.
Each of our cabins have en-suite bathroom facilities and individual air-conditioning units. We provide each guest with a bath towel and beach towel. We also provide soap in every cabin.
Under Indonesian law from June 2015, all payments in Indonesia MUST be made in Indonesian Rupiah. Currency Exchange are available in larger cities but will not be available in more remote areas.
Meanwhile we only accept cash payment onboard.
- Bring your own gear as rental is not provided on board.
- Use sunblock when outdooring, Raja Ampat is just a lap off the equator and sun heat is strong. Wearing sunglass and hat is also recommended.
- Use insect repellant during hike. Raja Ampat is much covered by tropical rainforest and mosquito or bug can be a bother. Wearing long sleeve is also recommended.
- Wear hiking shoes or snicker to top-view Wayag from the hill. Limestone rock much covers the short hike to the top. Barefoot is definitely not recommended.
- Do know that bright color like red, white, yellow may scare birds away. If your trip include to see the red paradise bird, wearing shirt of dark color is recommended.
- Be aware that the wooden steps to the top of Piaynemo hill can be slippery during wet.
- Respect local wisdom whenever visit village, tourist object, market or other public spots. When you read the word “SASI” tagged somewhere, it is a reminder to tell “NO” for something. It is socially well accepted to address “Mace” for female and “Pace” for male