Snorkeling the Jurassic Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Indonesia Locations South East Asia

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Summary

By Luke

Summary

Rating: 4 out of 5.

By Luke

Jurassic experience above water, and a pretty magical experience below water. The Komodo National Park and surrounding islands offered fantastic snorkels, with notably the most diverse coral reefs I’ve seen and many Clownfish, and stunning backdrop.

Pros

  • Chance to swim with Whale Sharks
  • Breath taking volcanic landscape
  • Colourful, preserved, diverse coral
  • See Komodo Dragons in their natural habitat
  • Once in a lifetime trip

Cons

  • The beaches and coves can have strong currents
  • Komodo National Park is very isolated
  • Trips can be expensive with flight, tour, and accommodation costs.
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Snorkel Video

Snorkeling the Komodo Islands
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Snorkel Review

Highlights

Coral Reef Icon

Coral present

Thermometer Icon

1-4 Meters Average Depth

Australian Mado Icon

Good visibility

Snorkeling Partner Icon

Medium difficulty

Food Drink Icon

No Cafe’s at Islands

Econonic Financial Icon

Tours approx $150 USD

Sea Urchin Icon

Sea Urchins Present

Jellyfish Icon

Unlikely

When:

Who:

Tour Cost:

Star Rating:

Cost:

4 Day, April, 2023

Luke

$200 US Dollar

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The Komodo National Park is located in Indonesia and is a big tourist attraction with tourists worldwide visiting to see the native Komodo Dragons. I booked onto a 3x night, 4x day boat trip, which set sail from Lombok to Komodo National Park, then finished in Lebuan Bajo, Flores. There is the option to fly to Lebuan Bajo airport and join a tour to Komodo which is a much shorter journey, but slightly more expensive. In this review I run through my experience of visiting and snorkeling the Komodo National Park, including the popular Pink Beach, Padar Viewpoint, Komodo Island,and Kelor Island.

Sunset at Kenawa & Bola Island

On the first day, we set sail from the port on the East side of Lombok. The first stop was at Kenawa and Bola island, where there is the opportunity to see a stunning sunset over Mount Rinjana. We were slightly late leaving so managed to catch the last 20 minutes of the sunset. What was cool was if you swished your hand through the water you could see blue florescent plankton.

Oscellaris Clownfish
We just caught the end of the sunset at Kenewa and Bola Island

Whilst we were sailing through the surrounding islands on route to the Komodo National Park, we spotted a pod of Spinner Dolphins about 100 meters from the boats jumping and spinning in the air. Spinner Dolphin pods are normally very large and can range from 50 dolphins to thousands. I’ve had an experience with Spinner Dolphins off Fahal Island, Oman where the dolphins swam with the boat so I had my camera read, and then… A single Dolphin swam in at pace and swam with the bow of the boat for 30 seconds or so, incredible!

Spinner Dolphin Komodo National Park
Spinner Dolphin swimming with the bow of the boat

Whales Sharks at Saleh Bay, Sumbawa

The second day we stopped off at Saleh Bay, in Sumbawa. This is a large bay where Whale sharks are known to inhabit. We stopped off in the center of the bay where there seemed to be local fisherman docked. We got into the water and I then realised that the local fisherman were putting fish into the water with the aim for the Whale Shark’s to turn up. It did work and two 5 meter Whale Sharks did turn up and swam around the boat feeding on the fish. I didn’t like this as it wasn’t ethical putting the fish in the water and there were alot of tourists in the water.

Whale Sharks are incredible creatures and the largest fish in the ocean and also ranked Endangered by ICUN. This did make me feel I wouldn’t do this trip again, and if you’re booking a trip, try to find out about the chances of seeing Whale Sharks. I have swam with Whale shark’s off the Daymaniyat Islands in Oman, and the experience was incredible as they were migrating and we came across them.

Whale Shark, Saleh Bay, Sumbawa Indonesia
Whale Shark

Komodo National Park

On the third day, we stopped off at the famous Komodo National Park, which is an island with Komodo dragons natively living in their natural habitat. The Komodo Dragon is only found on Komodo Islands and surrounding National Park and can do not live anywhere else in the world. The National Park is made up of three main islands, Komodo, Padar, and Rinca, plus some smaller islands. The island was closed during the pandemic 2020 but has reopened for tourists.

Komodo National Park Entrance
Komodo National Park Entrance

Komodo Dragons (Varanus Komodoensis) are ranked as Endangered by the ICUN Red list. These giant lizards can grow up to 3.5 meters in length, but usually average at 2.5-3 meters. These lizards are scavengers, and eat small and large mammals, and eggs, and can even swim and eat fish. These reptiles have a lethal bite with strong jaws. Their saliva is highly concentrated with toxic bacteria which weakens prey with infection, for the lizard to track and eat.

Komodo Dragon, Komodo National Park
Komodo Dragon at the water hole

Top Tip:

Clownfish at Pink Beach

Pink Beach is one of the highlights of the trip, located on Komodo Island itself. It is unique due to the pink colour the sand posses, due to red coral fragments. The popular tourist spot is home to a stunning coral reef and marine life only 5-10 meters from the beach. There was a strong current pulling to the left-hand side if you’re looking from the beach. The strongest current was at the far left of the beach, so be careful entering, I think the center of the beach is sensible to enter.

Snorkel spot

Snorkel Spot, Pink Beach, Komodo National Park
Snorkel spot at Pink Beach

Coral Reef

The coral reef filled the sea bed from 5-10 meters from the beach. There was a range of soft and hard coral species which were mainly in large patches or attached to the sea bed. Coral species that I saw include Branch, Stoney Acroporidae, Folded, Brain, Red Fan, Boulder corals, and many more.

Damselfish, Pink Beach, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Damselfish swimming above Branch coral
Coral Reef, Pink Beach, Komodo Island, Indonesia
Coral Reef
Folded Coral, Pink Beach, Komodo National Park
Alcyoniidae Folded Coral
Red Fan Coral, Pink Beach, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Red Fan Coral

Clownfish & Anemonefish

One of the stand-out Marine species was the number of Anemonefish and Clownfish off the beach. These fish were as close as 10 meters from shore in varied species of Anemone. The most common species I saw was the Tomato Anemonefish which has a largely dark orange body with a distinctive white line running down its face. I also saw a school of Blackback Butterflyfish, Parrotfish, Damselfish, Moorish Idol, Rabbitfish, and Triggerfish.

Tomato Anemonefish, Pink Beach, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Tomato Anemonefish in the Anemone
Blackback Butterflyfish, Pink Beach, Komodo Island, Indonesia
School of Blackback Butterflyfish
Clark's Anemonefish, Pink Beach, Komodo Island, Indonesia
Clark’s Anemonefish in the Anemone

Safety Tip:

Padar Island Viewpoint

The famous Padar viewpoint is the image you see on all Komodo Island advertisements, it even features on the Indonesian 100k Rp bank note. It is a breath-taking panoramic view over three bays of Padar Island.There are about 800-steps to get from the beach to the very top viewpoint, take your time and the viewpoint is worth it! It took me about 30-40 minutes to get to the top.

Padar Island Viewpoint, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Padar Island Viewpoint
Padar Island Viewpoint beach, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Padar Viewpoint beach
Reindeer on the hillside at Padar Viewpoint, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Reindeer on the hillside

When you arrive to the beach you are greeted with a Jurassic, volcanic scenery. There is a stair case to start the walk which winds up through the hills by stone steps. Along the way I was surprised to see Reindeer wondering along the hillsand beach of the island.

Steps to Padar Viewpoint, Indonesia
800-steps to Padar Viewpoint
Sunset at Padar Island Viewpoint, Indonesia
Sunset from the viewpoint

Long Pink Beach, Padar Island

Long Beach is a long sandy beach with a stunning bay and mountainous backdrop. Also known as Pink Beach, or Pantai Beach, but located on Padar Island. The beach also has a slight pink hue due to small red coral fragments mixed within the sand. The cove is packed with healthy coral and marine life.

Snorkel spot at Long Pink Beach, Sanur Island
Snorkel spot at Long Pink Beach, Sanur Island

I was staying on a boat that was a good 400m from the beach and in the center of the cove. I started to snorkel to the beach exploring the coral reef. What was clear is there was a current moving West within the cove, flippers were needed.

Looking at the waters of Long Pink Beach, Sanur Island
Looking at the coral filled waters!
Snorkeling up to Long Pink Beach, Sanur Island, Indonesia
Snorkeling from the boat up to the beach

The coral was incredibly diverse, with many species of hard and soft corals, including Branch, Stoney Acroporidae, Lettuce, Brain. There were very few snorkelers in the water, and the sheer size of the bay meant you weren’t going to get in the way of others. There were bundles of Anemone and Clownfish ILspotted during my snorkel, mainly Tomato Anemonefish and Clark’s Anemonefish.

Coral Reef, Long Pink Beach, Padar Island, Indonesia
Coral reef at Long Pink Beach
Lettuce coral, Long Pink Beach, Sanur Island
A field of healthy Lettuce coral
Branch coral, Long Pink Beach, Sanur Island, Indonesia
Blue-Green Chromis fish swimming above a field of Branch coral

I spotted some Striped Eel Catfish, which are very venomous which I didn’t know at the time. I also saw a Feather Duster Worm which have stunning feathers which capture plankton in the water column.

Feather Duster Worm, Long Pink Beach, Padar Island
Feather Duster Worm
Striped Eel Catfish swimming at Long Pink Beach, Sanur Island, Indonesia
The highly venomous Striped Eel Catfish
Striped Eel Catfish swimming at Long Pink Beach, Sanur Island, Indonesia
Several Striped Eel Catfish

Blacktip Reef Shark’s at Kelor Island

My last stop on the trip was Kelor Island, it is a small island with stunning turquoise-blue waters. This spot is a popular tourist destination about 1.5-hour sail from Labuan Bajo Port. The and picturesque island has a bar and seating, as well as the Kelor viewpoint you can walk up to, which takes about 15 minutes. The viewpoint looks out over the beach, small pier, and skyline. There was a small snorkel spot on the bottom left of the picture below where you can see Blacktip Reef Sharks swimming amongst the sandy, rocky shoreline.

Kelow Island Viewpoint, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Kelor Island Viewpoint

I spotted many sharks, only 5-10 meters from the beach. At times there were up to 5-6 sharks swimming in and around the rocks. This was the most Blacktip Reef sharks I’ve swam with at one time! The visibility was ok, and the water depth was about 1.5 meters. Be careful as the rocks are quite sharp. There wasn’t anything else to see here, apart from some reef fish.

Blacktip Reef Shark, Kelor Island, Komodo National Park
Blacktip Reef Shark swimming in the rocky shoreline
Blacktip Reef Shark, Kelor Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Blacktip Reef Shark cruising in a sandy channel

Summary

Overall, snorkeling at Komodo Island and the surrounding islands was pretty awesome. The most diverse coral reefs I’ve ever seen. The Jurassic coastline and Komodo Dragons were a one-in-a-lifetime experience. Padar Viewpoint did not disappoint and made for a fantastic view and photo. The waters had healthy corals, abundant marine life, and some very unusual species. I even saw Spinner Dolphins off the boat with one swimming with the Bow of the boat.

The waters did have strong currents when snorkeling, causing the visibility to vary. Unfortunately, although there are Whale Sharks in the waters, my experience wasn’t great, as on the tour the local fisherman put fish into the water to attract the Whale sharks, which wasn’t ethical, and there were too many people swimming in a small area.

The tour I went on had next to no safety standards, and I don’t think would have been safe if the weather conditions are poor. I think it is important to research the company before the trip. If I was to do it again, I’d fly to Flores and book a trip departing and returning to Flores. This will likely be more costly, but I think it is worth it from a safety perspective.

Tour Guide Options

There is the option to fly to Labuan Bajo airport and join a trip to Komodo for a half-day or day. The other option is to take a boat trip from Lombok which is 3x nights and 4x days. I went on the boat option travelling to the starting point at Lombok from the neighbouring island of Gili Meno. If I was to visit the Komodo Islands again, this is what I’d do.

As the health and safety was non-existent, and the waves, currents, and weather conditions also made it challenging, I would book a return flight to Flores, Labuan Bajo Airport, and book a 1-2 day boat trip to the Komodo Islands, Pink Beach, and Padar Island. I think it is worth paying the extra money for safety, and experience.

Best Snorkel Spot

In my opinion, the best snorkel spot was Pink Beach at Komodo Island due to the coral reef only 10 meters from the beach. It also had many fish, Clownfish, and unusual species of coral. The only downside was the strong current on the left-hand side of the beach which was trying to push me around the island. You also had the chance to relax on the beach, and there was a small viewpoint looking over the beach. I didn’t have a chance to walk up.

Coral Reef, Pink Beach, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Clark’s Anemonefish in the coral reef at Pink Beach on Komodo Island

Best Time Of Year

The best time to visit and snorkel Komodo National Park and the surrounding islands is in Indonesia’s dry season which runs from April to October. Trips by boat can be dangerous and carry risk if there is bad weather as the waves and currents are strong. Check the weather and only travel if it is safe to do so. These are remote islands, so there is limited assistance and first-aid, it is definitely worth having a first aid kit.

Marine Life Icon

Popular Marine Life

Tomato Anemonefish Icon

Tomato Clownfish

Sergeant Major Damselfish Icon

Sergeant Major Damselfish

Parrotfish Icon

Parrotfish

Moorish Idol Icon

Moorish Idol

Lined Butterflyfish Icon

Butterflyfish

Picasso Triggerfish Icon

Picasso Triggerfish


Rare Marine Life Icon

Rare Marine Life

Stingray Icon

Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray

Pufferfish Icon

Pufferfish

Titan Triggerfish Icon

Titan Triggerfish

Clark's Anemonefish Icon

Clark’s Anemonefish

Striped Eel Catfish Icon

Striped Eel Catfish

Blacktip Reef Shark Icon

Blacktip Reef Shark

Feather Duster Worm Icon

Feather Duster Worm

Whale Shark Icon

Whale Shark


Rare Marine Life Icon

Coral Reef

Table Coral Icon

Table Coral

Staghorn Branch Coral Icon

Branch Coral

Brain Coral Icon

Brain Coral

Acroporidae Coral Icon

Acroporidae

Fan Coral Icon

Fan Coral

Boulder Coral Icon

Boulder Coral

Boulder Coral Icon

Massive Boulder Coral

Lettuce Coral Icon

Lettuce Coral

Folded Coral Icon

Folded Coral


Marine Life Icon

What I Saw

(Seen on April, 2023)

Whale Shark
Tomato AnemonefishClark’s Anemonefish
Bluebarred ParrotfishBlackback Butterflyfish
Blackback ButterflyfishForktail Rabbitfish
Orangestriped TriggerfishNeon Damselfish
Klein’s ButterflyfishMoorish Idol
Chameleon ParrotfishPicasso Triggerfish
Sixbar WrasseTeardrop Butterflyfish
Picasso TriggerfishSergeant Major Damselfish
Crescent WrasseGolden Gregory
Brain CoralMassive Boulder Coral
Branch CoralRed Fan Coral
Table CoralLeather Coral
Stoney Acroporidae CoralSoft Coral
Encrusting CoralBoulder Coral
Tomato AnemonefishStriped Eel Catfish
Humbug DascyllusMoorish Idol
Blue-Green ChromisGolden Gregory
Squaretail MulletFeather Duster Worm
Sixbar WrasseSidespot Goatfish
Quoy’s ParrotfishBluestreak Cleaner Wrasse
Redfin ButterflyfishTeardrop Butterflyfish
Sergeant Major DamselfishBoulder Coral
Lettuce CoralStaghorn Branch Coral
Stoney Acroporidae CoralFolded Coral
Soft CoralBrain Coral
Blacktip Reef Shark
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Where is the Komodo Islands?

Komodo National Park is and island located in the South of Indonesia, east of the popular tourist islands of Bali and Lombok. There is an airport on the neighbouring island of Flores, in the town of Lebuan Bajo.

Komodo Island National Park

Pink Beach, Komodo Island

Saleh Bay, Sumbawa

Padar Viewpoint

Kelor Island

Long Pink Beach, Padar Island

Kenawa & Bola Island

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Luke Snorkeling Nusa Lembongan

Luke

FOUNDER

Luke is a passionate snorkeler who started Snorkelverse to live his dream of combining his passions for snorkeling, marine life, protecting marine ecosystems, and helping others.

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