An impressive hard coral garden on a black sand slope, Tanjung Batu Besar is great for reef noodling and critter hunting alike.
Lionfish and soft corals, Tanjung Batu Besar, Komodo, August 2024 © chris@divehappy.com
A gentle slope running from three metres down to around 15 metres provides the black sand base on which Tanjung Batu Besar’s coral garden grows.
Big barrel sponge, feathers and angelfish, Tanjung Batu Besar, Komodo, August 2024 © chris@divehappy.com
The hard corals here are encrusted on top of one another, with decades of undisturbed growth producing huge table corals and big barrel sponges. There are feather stars everywhere and it’s very fishy too.
Anthias around the barrel sponge, Tanjung Batu Besar, Komodo, August 2024 © chris@divehappy.com
Lots of anthias cluster around the corals while lion fish, angel fish and sweetlips dart around. We had some great viz and sunshine during our afternoon dive, so the colours of the reef still really stood out.
This site is between Bima and Sangeang Volcano, so it’s not in the Komodo park proper, but it’s a likely dive spot if your liveaboard begins in Bima.
Komodo Dive Sites
- Manta Alley
- Cannibal Rock
- Yellow Wall
- Batu Bolong
- Pengah Kecil
- Siaba Besar (Turtle City)
- Sebayur Kecil
- Tanjung Batu Besar
- Saleh Bay Whale Sharks
- Komodo Dive Sites Overview
Komodo Liveaboard Trip Reports
- Komodo Liveaboard trip report August 2022 - MSY Damai 2
- Komodo Liveaboard trip report November 2009 - MSY Damai 1
- Komodo Liveaboard trip report September 2008 - Indo Siren
- Komodo Liveaboard trip report December 2006 - Komodo Dancer
Komodo Diving Podcasts
Komodo Dive Site Locations
2025 Komodo Last Minute Liveaboard Deals
- Damai II - 10 May 2025 - from €3,981.00 - Alor/Komodo (Kupang - Labuan Bajo) - 20% OFF individual bookings! Group bookings: Pay 3, get 30% OFF! etc.
- Seahorse - 21 Jul 2025 - from €4,280.00 - Bali - Sumbawa - West Flores (Denpasar - Labuan Bajo) - (20% OFF)
