Siaba Besar is a very calm, shallow bay with bright white sand and clear waters. There is some spectacularly big lettuce coral growth here amongst which several turtles have made their home.
Turtle on the corals, Siaba Besar, Komodo, August 2024 © chris@divehappy.com
Siaba Besar is a gloriously pretty dive, especially if it’s good weather and the dive site is drenched in sunshine. The sun reflects off the white sand and coral, while the turtles are not really bothered by divers and will let you approach quite close if you move slowly and calmly towards them. There’s so many turtles that have made Siaba Besar home the dive site is nicknamed “Turtle City”.
Sweetlips getting its mouth cleaned, Siaba Besar, Komodo, August 2024 © chris@divehappy.com
It’s also a great spot for snorkellers, as the site is shallow enough to get a great panoramic view of the stacks and stacks of lettuce coral that covers this site. Snorkellers can also have face to face encounters with turtles when they periodically come up to the surface to breathe.
Turtle amongst the lettuce corals, Siaba Besar, Komodo, August 2024 © chris@divehappy.com
Given its calm conditions, Siaba Besar is a very popular site for liveaboards to do check out dives and for day boats to bring brand new divers to experience open water diving. The dive site is only around four to six metres deep.
Fish over the corals, Siaba Besar, Komodo, August 2024 © chris@divehappy.com
While it’s pretty busy underwater with other divers, the corals and the turtles are well worth seeing. Siaba Besar is so named as it’s located at Palau Siaba Besar.
Turtle on the move, Siaba Besar, Komodo, August 2024 © chris@divehappy.com
Komodo Dive Sites
- Manta Alley
- Cannibal Rock
- Yellow Wall
- Siaba Besar (Turtle City)
- Sebayur Kecil
- Saleh Bay Whale Sharks
Komodo Dive Site Locations
2025 Komodo Last Minute Liveaboard Deals
- Seahorse - 21 Jul 2025 - from €4,280.00 - Bali - Sumbawa - West Flores (Denpasar - Labuan Bajo) - (20% OFF)
