An epic trip sailing from Bima to Labuan Bajo to take in the classic Komodo north to south itinerary with a detour to see whale sharks in Saleh Bay
Pook and Sandro with feeding whale shark, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
This is one of my favourite liveaboard routes – combining the classic one week Komodo liveaboard itinerary with a visit the whale sharks in Saleh Bay, with some exploratory dives along the way thrown in for good measure.
We were on board my favourite liveaboard boat, Damai II – a big thankyou to all the crew for making it amazing. Here’s some highlights from the June 2025 liveaboard:
Komodo Liveaboard Day 1: Sadapur Atoll
Sadapur SE Corner / Sandbank South / Sandbank East
Reef, Sadapur Atoll, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Departing from Bima, we headed towards Saleh Bay to see the whale sharks. It’s a long sail from Bima to Saleh Bay – more than a day – so the first day was diving at the previously unexplored atoll of Palau Sebeyur. Turned out to have some lovely coral and a curious cuttlefish too. A good warm up.
Cuttlefish, Sadapur Atoll, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Komodo Liveaboard Day 2: Saleh Bay Whale Shark Bagans
Whale sharks, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Hard to beat jumping in the water first thing in the morning and being greeted by not one but three whale sharks. The Saleh Bay whale shark experience is awesome and worth all the sailing time to get here. See my Saleh Bay Whale Sharks page for a complete rundown of diving and snorkelling with the whale sharks at Saleh Bay. There’s also more Sumbawa whale shark pics from this trip if you’re interested.
Two Whale sharks, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Whale sharks, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Saleh Bay: Takat Lanco
Seahorse, Takat Lanco, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Given Saleh Bay is so big, it’s great to have Takat Lanco as an afternoon dive after the whale sharks. Another exploration dive which yielded some interesting critters on a generic black sand slope – here’s my wide angle seahorse.
Komodo Liveaboard Day 3: Mojo and Satonda
Juvenile batfish on the reef, Satonda, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Sailing back from Saleh Bay east towards Sangeang and Komodo, we stopped off at Satonda for a couple of reef and muck dives on the site of Tanjung Brenti. Highlights were seeing these two juvenile emperor angelfish playing together and a juvenile batfish. There was also an excursion to see Satonda Island lake.
Juvenile Emperor Angelfishes, Satonda, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Komodo Liveaboard Day 4: Sangeang Volcano
Black Magic / Bubble Reef / Tikno Reef
Spikey coral bommie on black sand, Sangeang Volcano, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
While not technically part of the Komodo national park, Sangeang Volcano is part of most Komodo itineraries and for good reason – the dramatic contrast between the still-active volcano’s black sand and super colourful coral is fantastic. There’s also the bubbles coming up through the black sand from the heat generated by the volcano. You can also access Sangeang from Kalimaya Dive Resort if you prefer resort-based diving.
Featherstars and anthias, Bubble Reef, Sangeang Volcano, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Anthias over the reef, Bubble Reef, Sangeang Volcano, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Barrel sponges and black sand, Tekno Reef, Sangeang Volcano, Sumbawa, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Komodo Liveaboard Day 5: Gili Lawa Laut and Darat
Cauldron, Golden Passage, Crystal Rock
Hard corals, The Cauldron (Shotgun), Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Into Komodo park proper – a gentle drift around The Cauldron (rather than going into the Shotgun) and Golden Passage, and then a fantastic dive at Crystal Rock, one of those Komodo sites that rarely disappoints. Super active, tons of fish, lots of corals, fabulous viz.
Bamboo shark, Golden Passage, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Table corals, Crystal Rock, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
, Crocodile fish, Crystal Rock, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Moray eel and blue spotted stingray, Crystal Rock, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Komodo Liveaboard Day 6: Central Komodo
Castle Rock, Batu Balong, Mawan
Whitetip shark, Castle Rock, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Castle Rock and Batu Balong – two Komodo classics that delivered, along with a spectacular encounter with the manta rays at Mawan – at least four of them that spent the entire dive circling us. There are a lot more manta ray photos from Mawan if you’re interested.
Anthias and table corals, Batu Balong, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Two Manta Rays in train really quite close, Mawan, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Four Manta Rays circling, Mawan, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Manta ray being cleaned by fish, Mawan, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Komodo Liveaboard Day 7: Horseshoe Bay, South Komodo
Yellow Wall, Cannibal Rock, Manta Alley
Sardines, Yellow Wall,, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Bad weather meant we had a truncated visit to Horseshoe Bay but at least we got there and Yellow Wall in particular was super active with a massive school of sardines circling in the shallows and an inquisitive cuttlefish. Cannibal Rock also had some colourful cuttlefish moments but Manta Alley, in contrast to my awesome visit last year, was disappointingly quiet. Can’t win them all.
Yellow snapper and table corals in the shallows, Yellow Wall, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Mika with cuttlefish, Yellow Wall, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Cuttlefish, Cannibal Rock, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Komodo Liveaboard Day 8: Central Komodo
Tatawa Besar, Tatawa Kecil, Sebayur
Table corals and fish, Tatawa Basar, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Tatawa Besar and Sebayur were very pretty reef dives, but Tatawa Kecil was mindblowing – a vast school of fusiliers continually sweeping across the reef – and what a reef it is – a stunning collection of hard corals in the shallows
Fusilier storm, Tatawa Kecil, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Pook over the corals, Tatawa Kecil, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Staghorn coral and zebra fish, Sebayur, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Komodo Liveaboard Day 9: Central Komodo
Karang Makassar / Mawan (again)
Turtle back, Karang Makassar, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
The final two dives of the trip. Karang Makassar – aka Manta Point – was devoid of any mantas, but there are always consolation turtles waiting at the end of the drift dive. We weren’t bothered as we’d asked for another chance to dive Mawan, and it delivered again – some more epic encounters with mantas providing a fitting finale to the trip.
Manta rays, Mawan, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
Manta rays, Mawan, Komodo, Indonesia, June 2025 © [email protected]
The Complete Komodo Liveaboard Dive List plus Land Excursions
| No | Date | Site Name | Area | GPS Point | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6-Jun-25 | Unusual Suspects | Bima | 8° 23.576’S 118° 42.106’E |
Muck slope |
| 2 | 7-Jun-25 | Sadapur SE Corner | Sadapur Atoll | 7° 50.462’S 117° 15.318’E |
Ridge, Steep Slope, Exploration |
| 3 | 7-Jun-25 | Sandbank South | Sadapur Atoll | 7° 50.974’S 117° 12.460’E |
Slope, Steep Slope, Exploration |
| 4 | 7-Jun-25 | Sandbank East | Sadapur Atoll | 7° 50.974’S 117° 12.460’E |
Wall, Overhangs, Exploration |
| 5 | 8-Jun-25 | Whaleshark Bagans | Saleh Bay | 8° 30.434’S 118° 5.894’E |
Whaleshark Snorkeling and Diving |
| 6 | 8-Jun-25 | Takat Lanco | Saleh Bay | 8° 22.209’S 117° 49.663’E |
Muck, Exploration |
| 7 | 9-Jun-25 | Tanjung Brenti | Mojo | 8° 8.896’S 117° 44.113’E |
Coral Reef, Steep Slope |
| 8 | 9-Jun-25 | Tanjung Brenti / Muck | Mojo | 8° 8.896’S 117° 44.113’E |
Sandy Bottom, Steep Slope |
| 9 | 9-Jun-25 | Sangeang Volcano | Sangeang Volcano | 8° 7.143’S 117° 44.864’E |
Sandy, Rubble |
| 9-Jun-25 | Sangeang Volcano Island Lake | Sangeang Volcano | 8° 7.143’S 117° 44.864’E |
Hike | |
| 10 | 10-Jun-25 | Black Magic | Sangeang | 8° 8.308’S 119° 5.769’E |
Black Sand, Coral Reef |
| 11 | 10-Jun-25 | Bubble Reef | Sangeang | 8° 08.811’S 119° 06.378’E |
Boulder Slope, Black Sand |
| 12 | 10-Jun-25 | Tekno Reef | Sangeang | 8° 08.171’S 119° 02.069’E |
Muck, Coral Bommies |
| 13 | 10-Jun-25 | Bontho Reef | Sangeang | 8° 12.651’S 118° 59.993’E |
Muck Dive, Night |
| 14 | 11-Jun-25 | The Cauldron | Gili Lawa Laut | 8° 27.605’S 119° 33.709’E |
Channel/Drift Dive |
| 15 | 11-Jun-25 | Golden Passage | Gili Lawa Darat | 8° 28.539’S 119° 33.038’E |
Channel/Drift Dive |
| 16 | 11-Jun-25 | Crystal Rock | Gili Lawa Laut | 8° 26.353’S 119° 33.975’E |
Seamount |
| 11-Jun-25 | Gili Lawa Darat Hike | Gili Lawa Darat | 8° 28.603’S 119° 33.531’E |
Landexcursion | |
| 17 | 12-Jun-25 | Castle Rock | Gili Lawa Laut | 8° 25.778’S 119° 33.924’E |
Seamount |
| 18 | 12-Jun-25 | Batu Bolong | Central Komodo | 8° 32.183’S 119° 36.895’E |
Wall/Slope |
| 19 | 12-Jun-25 | Mauan | Central komodo | 8° 33.354’S 119° 37.867’E |
Coral, rubble & sandy slope |
| 20 | 12-Jun-25 | Wainilu | Rinca | 8° 37.735’S 119° 42.546’E |
Sand slope, Rubble, Muck, Night |
| 21 | 13-Jun-25 | Cannibal Rock | Nusa Kode | 8° 47.373’S 119° 40.197’E |
Seamount |
| 22 | 13-Jun-25 | Cannibal Rock | Nusa Kode | 8° 47.373’S 119° 40.197’E |
Seamount |
| 23 | 13-Jun-25 | Manta Alley | Langkoi | 8° 44.124’S 119° 24.677’E |
Slope & channel |
| 24 | 14-Jun-25 | Tatawa Besar | North Komodo | 8° 30.651’S 119° 38.685’E |
Slope/Drift Dive |
| 25 | 14-Jun-25 | Tatawa Kecil | Central Komodo | 8° 31.833’S 119° 37.669’E |
Slope/Wall |
| 26 | 14-Jun-25 | Sebayur | North Komodo | 8° 30.526’S 119° 42.660’E |
Reef slope |
| 27 | 14-Jun-25 | Sebayur | North Komodo | 8° 30.526’S 119° 42.660’E |
Reef slope |
| 28 | 15-Jun-25 | Karang Makassar | Central Komodo | 8° 32.956’S 119° 35.736’E |
Reef, Rubbles & Boulders |
| 29 | 15-Jun-25 | Mauan | Central komodo | 8° 33.354’S 119° 37.867’E |
Coral, rubble & sandy slope |
| 15-Jun-25 | Rinca Komodo Walk | Rinca | 8° 39.239’S 119° 43.037’E |
Landexcursion |
