Published on August 21, 2014
Image courtesy of the Indonesia Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy
The amazing wildlife beneath the Komodo Islands’ adjacent sea deserves almost as much attention as the dragons that brought this Indonesian island group to the world’s attention.
20 metres beneath the surface, divers can descend to an alternate dimension where gravity does not exist and alien lifeforms proliferate. Colorful corals provide a picturesque home for a massive variety of undersea life – pygmy seahorses, dolphins, turtles, manta rays, and all sorts of marine invertebrates. The variegated undersea environment ranges from Batu Bolong’s sheer cliff walls to Tatawa Besar’s gentle, coral-covered slope.
Underwater photographers with itchy trigger fingers get their fix; expert divers get the challenge they deserve. Almost everybody wins. Except for newbie divers, who should tread lightly – these are treacherous waters. Invisible downward currents can drive unsuspecting divers to their untimely ends, and not all the wildlife can be counted as friends.
The Komodo National Park’s marine reserve covers over 132,000 hectares of the sea surrounding the Komodo, Rinca, Padar and other adjacent islands. Once you’ve gotten your fill of Komodo’s waters, you can explore the Park’s attractions above the sea, from the wild dragons to the amazing pink beaches fringing the islands.
Elsewhere on the Web: Read Indonesia Travel’s official page on Diving Around Komodo Island. The page provides more information on diving providers and transportation to the park.
