Indonesia - Sumbawa to Komodo from
Sumbawa region

MOYO ISLAND

Angel and Panjang reef reef

Moyo Island is a small island located on the north coast of Sumbawa. There are several interesting dive sites available. ANGEL REEF is a wall dive with beautiful sponges and fascinating marine life. Frogfish are frequently observed. Even the very shy zebra dwergkeizersvis (Paracentropyge multifasciatus) and Lamarck's lyre tail angelfish (Genicanthus Lamarck) are always found near the coral wall. In the shallows there are huge numbers of small reef fish are present. Panjang Reef is another dive site and a frogfish paradise. The enormous amounts of sponges (Xestospongia exigua) makes this an ideal environment for them.

Village located near Angel Reef (Moyo Island)

Satonda ISLAND - City bat

Satonda is located on the northwest coast of Sumbawa. The island is of volcanic origin and there is a spectacular crater lake to admire. Every evening at sunset, one is witnessing an exodus of fruit bats to look for food on the nearby Sumbawa. The island is part of a national nature reserve. The coral reef lying on the beach is breathtakingly beautiful and has something to offer for every underwater photographer and videographer. During my dives I saw, among other spookmurene (Rhinomuraena quaesita), seagrass ghost pipefish (Solenostomus cyanopterus), black white vlaggegrondel (Stonogobiops xanthorhinica), juvenile red batfish (Platax pinnatus) different beautiful nudibranchs and a cleaning station manning with three different kinds of shrimp. In the shallow part (4m) I found the pajama cardinal perch (Sphaeramia nematoptera).

This dive site is definitely one of my favorites. The diving conditions are usually excellent whatsoever enable beautiful pictures to shoot great video and filming.

Sunset Island Satonda

Dive Site "Bat City" Satonda island

SANGEANG VOLCANO

Sangeang is a volcanic island forming part of the "Lesser Sunda Islands" in Indonesia. It is located northeast of Sumbawa in the Flores Sea. The island is about 13 km wide and consists of the Api volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the region.

Diving around Sangeang is otherworldly. We found in almost every dive frogfish. Many slugs but the pygmy seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti) is on display. In some places, in the shallow areas, hot springs are easy to identify them ever escaping gas bubbles. The whole area is a feather stars (lily of the sea) and paradise with their beautiful colors they express their mark on the dive sites. Sometimes, however, currents here can be quite powerful and also a powerful swell can sometimes be present. They must dive sites around Sangeang at the right time and in good conditions in order to dive into the possibility to have all this beauty on film capture.

Sunset Sangeang

Sangeang island "Api volcano in the clouds"

The dive sites around Sangeang

Bubble Reef (Northeast Sangeang) (up to 30m depth)

This place derives its name from the many fountains that bubble rising from the sandy bottom. The volcanic activity is clearly visible under water.

At the start of the dive you are in a sandy area and as you descend a few large boulders home to several species of Anthias. Remarkable is the presence of many black coral (Anthipates) who are not as one would expect some black look. It is only the skeleton of this coral that has a black color. The polyps of this coral looks mostly bright yellow or white colored out. On this dive site they are beautiful coral branches sway in the currents. They give it a special character to the dive site with black volcanic sand surface.

Deep Purple (to 25m depth)

Located on the northeast side of Sangeang.

The dive site is a sandy slope that we find some small coral formations that have developed on small rock structures.

In the sand, we see a lot of eels and strong currents which they regularly dive site is subject creates a beautiful spectacle when these materials are thin, long tube over their home to extend beyond food floating in the water to absorb. There are also beautiful symbiotic gobies can be found living with pistol shrimp.

Around the corals we find great aggregations of rifbaarsjes.

Ponoh Merah (Red Tree) (depths up to 30m +)

Two withered trees along the beach side are the landmark of this dive site is situated on the NWzijde of Sangeang. At the start of the dive, we are at a steep sandy slope with large boulders that beautiful whip corals and black corals can be found. This dive site is also deep and 30m + are pretty large rock formations.

Here we find groups of surgeonfish and banner fish and different species of butterfly fish and angelfish. At one point I found a group consisting of an angelfish together keizervis (Pomacanthus imperator), 2 zesband angelfish (Pomacanthus sexstriatus) and a koranvis (Pomacanthus semicirculatus).

Again, the flow suddenly turn and dive into a real drift dive transform.

Kompung Bontoh (Southwest Sangeang) (depth up to 15m)

Near a small village on the almost uninhabited volcanic island, we find this shallow dive site that is ideal for a night dive. There is a very intense vegetation is present mainly consisting of many different types hydroides. In some places, the hydroides overgrown with small slugs. The dive guide was also taking a few crabs beautiful Galatea, a beautiful bedford Polyclad flatworm and many toothed spider crabs camouflaged themselves in very different ways.

Gili BANTA

Gili Banta is located 10 km northwest of Komodo. A famous dive site here is GPS point. It's a place for big fish such as sharks and manta rays can be observed but most of the diving conditions are very difficult because of strong currents terrible. When entering the water must be immediately go into hiding and seek shelter behind some rocks in the shallow end. Even then it is a difficult task and the numerous people cling to the rocks for a way into the deeper end. It's a wonderful place to dive, but as a photographer or videographer certainly not the easiest.

Sometimes the flow is sometimes less and then the huge amounts rifbaarsjes above the rig frolicking a feast for the eyes. With hundreds of thousands are available up and down in the rising water in large groups.

Near the island in the bay, there are also beautiful reef slope there. During most of our dives we saw the coral kathaai (Atelomycterus marmoratus), which was always hanging around, especially during night dives. This is the place for the little rose-colored crab (Lauriea Siagiani) shooting which can be found in the large cup sponge (Xestospongia testudinaria).

Stairway to Heaven is located near the rocks right in front of this picture Gili Banta Bay

Gili Banta Bay

The dive sites around Gili Banta

Stairway to heaven (Gili Banta) (depth up to 30m)

Here we find a reef turns into a real wall dive.

Beautiful sea fans and soft corals are found there. On my visit, however, was all that beauty overshadowed by the fact that the dive site very recently visited by anglers who fished with dynamite. Numerous dead fish were lying scattered on the reef slope and against the wall. There were a lot of dead vlaggebaarsjes separated by a letter vijlvis (Aluteres scriptus), climbers and some nice coral butterfly and angelfish.

Starwars (Gili Banta) (depth up to 25m)

A very large dive site stretches north to the outside of Gili Banta.

The corals are scarce and the area is completely overgrown with nettles hydroides.

Besides some small colonies vlaggebaarzen, only mask unicorn fish (Naso flamingi) and some wrasses had very little to do.

Small World (Gili Banta) (to 10m)

The only sandy area in the bay of Gili Banta had been selected for the night dive.

On this sand pretty soon gymnodoris a slug. A little further, however, we found the severed head of a large shark. Again the evidence in these waters many rules are not respected.

The further course of the dive was a bit spiced up with a small hengelaarvisje, an octopus, four different types of moraine, 3 Scholl little rock along the square and a few fish and a crocodile katvisje on the sand.

Gili Lawah Laut - Komodo

Located on the northwest side of Komodo we Gili Lawah Laut back.

The water around this island is crystal clear and a pair of beautiful dive sites to visit there.

Mermaid I, Gili Lawah Laut Bay

View of Komodo from Gili Lawah Laut

Dive sites around Gili Lawah Laut

Castle Rock (Gili Lawah laut) (deep)

Top dive spot for large marine life. This underwater mountain rises to about 4m below the surface. A strong current is usually present and this of course invites the great hunters of the sea here to stay. Whitetip reef sharks are always on patrol and with great stekelmakrelen they hunt the big schools of fusiliers who are a combined force. Several gray reef sharks patrol in deeper water. Here we see regular schools of bigeye and stekelmakrelen diklipvissen.De solitary napoleonlipvis we also frequently disappointing.

Turtles also dwell in these nutrient-rich environment.

Near the top of the dive schools rifbaarsjes fluttering around.

The underwater action focuses mostly on the dive site along the side where the flow arrives.

Crystal bommies (deep)

Castle rock and crystal bommies are two dive sites are located close to each other. They differ among themselves in the fact that the top of castle rock almost to the water surface reaches but never breaks. Crystal bommies is a dive site that easy to find at low tide, since the spur of the Waterberg under protrudes above the surface. For the action and the large marine life is a better castle rock dive. On crystal bommies can also find pygmy seahorses. Both hippocampus and hippocampus denise bargibanti are observed. The most beautiful parts of this dive site are in relatively shallow water where thousands rifbaarsjes the water fill.

Lighthouse reef (up to 30m)

Also located on Gili Lawah Laut is a relaxing dip in which one drifting along a reef slope bumphead parrotfish (Bolobometopon muricatum), giant sweetlips (Plectorhinchus obscurus) and several species of angelfish can observe. This dive site offers the opportunity for any whitetip reef sharks and manta rays can be observed. Sometimes there are panther grouper (Cromileptes altivelis) to see. The shallow area is completely overgrown with hydroïdes (Aglaophenia cupressina) who provide shelter to small rifvisjes.

In the sand there is always the chance of finding some spookmurenes.

At the end of this dive site attracts the flow is generally strongly

and it is there that sometimes mantas are seen. It is, however, careful to avoid the flow caught.

Gili Lawah Laut bay (to 20m)

This is the bay where the boats usually overnight. It is a quiet bays where easy dives can be made. It is not spectacular but for an introductory dive or novice divers a pleasant stay.

It is shallow and there are numerous rifvisjes seen. We saw some humphead parrotfish swimming around.

Komodo National Park

Several stunning dive sites can be seen in the Komodo National Park. Pink Beach is one of them and is usually the place for the first dip in the cool sea south of Komodo. The marine life is very rich and diverse due to the plankton-rich cold currents.

Komodo National Park entrance

The Komodo dragon

Some dive sites in Komodo park

Tatawua besar (to 25m)

A pretty extensive reef surrounds the island and the rifstructuur is very varied with many different hard and soft corals. Striking is the large amount of massive sponges on display. This dive is usually a drift dive. Remarkable was the large number of sea turtles during our dive we encountered here.

Pulau Tengah (deep)

This small island is surrounded by a steep reef slope that descends to greater depths. The coral is in excellent condition and many schools of anthias and fusiliers are making their appearance. There are many species of smaller rifvisjes to observe. Also, butterfly fish and angelfish are omnipresent. The zesgestreepte keizervis is a permanent resident.

Batu Bolong (30 +)

Known as one of the biggest and best dive sites of Komodo. The rock surface is a small island on the northeastern tip of an ark of stacked fossilized sediment blocks. This dive site that is very frequently subject to strong currents can be quite surprising and large marine life is also regularly seen here.

Whitetip reef sharks circle the reef make it out and resting on the sandy bottom at more than 30m. The corals are in perfect condition and one thousand rifvisjes frolic around. Hordes of riflemen move it to different stations poet.

A very nice dive site but must be judged with caution for novice and experienced divers or sometimes a little too adventurous can be.

Rinca Island, Komodo Cannibal rock south-east is located in "Horseshoe Bay" (Horseshoe Bay) to the south of Rinca island about 1 km north of the coast of Nusa Kode. This rock can be recognized by the breaking of the waves in the shallow end. If the weather conditions are good, and there is practically no waves, one must sometimes look around to find the shallow top of cannibal Rock found. Since there are no buoys indicate that the dive site. Be prepared in all cases to the fantastic diversity of marine life to contemplate that immediately showcases once you dive journey. It is a world top dive site and it is not without reason by the magazine Asian Diver 'placed in the top 10 diving spots in the world. Everywhere there zeeappels (Pseudocolchirus Violaceus) to see their bodies are decorated in a beautiful red and gold pearl texture and bright yellow or cream-colored tentacles that are used to filter plankton from the water. But the rugged sea cucumber (Penctata lutea) is abundant. During my attendance there were several giant frogfish and nudibranchs countless many of which are found in books. One of the absolute highlights of my visit was the discovery of the "mushroom coral pipefish (Siokunichthys nigrolineatus). Torpedo Alley is not far away and it's a super 'muck' dive very similar to the dive sites in Lembeh Strait on Sulawesie. During one dive I did here doripid crabs, more than 15 torpedo rays, various nudibranchs, lots of fire urchins (Asthenosoma varium) (on the sea urchin sometimes zebra crab coleman shrimp), silver-colored darmvis (Encheleophis homei) swimming in open water, etc.

I also went a little further exploration along the shallow coastline and found several dive sites including spookmurenen, slugs and even a pygmy "zeenaaldpaardje 'between some algae. The wall diving near Nusa Kode is also amazing. Here I saw my first white and dark brown urchin crab (Zebrida adamsii). In the beautiful sea fans are beaked coral climbers (Oxycirrhites typus) found. I was also possible to take beautiful shots of the striped zuigvis (Diademichtys lineatus). On the other side of the bay, near Rinca island, I saw my first black velvet angelfish (Chaetodontoplus melanosoma) at a dive site called "The Yellow Wall of Texas". The famous underwater photographers Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock also reported earlier observations of pygmy seahorses, scorpionfish Merlet, blue ringed octopus, etc. on Cannibal Rock. Without doubt, this area is a haven for many underwater filmmaker and photographer. I am sure that one can spend weeks there and it always something more to discover the underwater world in unprecedented horseshoe bay at Rinca island.

"Torpedo Alley" great muck dive site

In the vicinity of Cannibal Rock - Rinca Island