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komodo marine park

The Komodo National Marine Park, officially declared a World Heritage Site in 1991, encompasses 132,000 hectares of marine waters making it one of the largest protected zones on the planet.

The interface between the Pacific and Indian oceans, the number and variety of islands in the area, combined with current, wave action and wind exposure result in an incredible variety of coastal and marine habitats.

why we go there

The Komodo National Park is one of the worlds most diverse and interesting marine and wildlife parks with a total land area of 75,000 hectares. The Komodo National Park is home to a rare diversity of animals, including a population of the world's largest lizard, the famous Komodo Dragons (Varanus komodoensis).

Under the water, experts have come to accept that this world heritage site, the Komodo National Park offers such an inexhaustible array of marine life that they now believe it one of the centres of global marine bio-diversity.

cruise itineraries

The Komodo Island and National Marine Park liveaboard cruises are available as a seven or eleven night expedition departing from the port of Benoa in Bali to Bima (on the island of Sumbawa), or in the opposite direction from Bima to Bali.

The Komodo cruises are also available as a seven or eleven night expedition starting and finishing at the port of Bima (on the island of Sumbawa).

scheduled cruises to Komodo

19-07: August 19 – 30, 2007
20-07: August 31 – September 6, 2007
21-07: September 08 – 15, 2007
22-07: September 16 – 24, 2007

komodo marine park

Komodo National Marine Park is a unique marine sanctuary created by strong currents and upwellings that transport nutrient-rich waters throughout the park supporting a cornucopia of bio diversity.

The Komodo National Marine Park is the Southern-most boundary of Wallacea (the transitional area for the flora and fauna of Asia and Australia) and offers truly legendary diving.

The Komodo region has everything from majestic mantas, schooling jacks, barracudas and tuna to pigmy seahorses, nudibranchs, ghostpipe fish, and crustaceans galore. Scuba divers often encounter a new species while diving in the Komodo National Park.

Mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and pristine coral reefs are among the most important habitats at the Komodo National Park. Komodo offers world class scuba diving in a staggering variety of sites with walls, coral gardens, pinnacles, drop offs as well as quiet bays and inlets for macro photographers seeking rarely seen critters.

The The Nature Conservancy has recorded an estimated 1000 fish species, 260 reef building coral species and 70 sponge species in the Komodo National Park with a particularly high number of Tubipora musica (organ pipe coral) accounting for the famous pink sand beaches around the park. Turtles and marine mammals frequent Komodo's waters with occasional whale sightings as well.

komodo island & the komodo dragons

Our cruises incorporate a half - day walking tour, led by an experienced Park Ranger, into the forests of Komodo Island to see the Komodo Dragons in their natural habitat. Visit forests where wildlife abounds; flying lizards, Sunda Deer, Wild buffalo, boar, horses and exotic birds.

The infamous Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), is a land-dwelling, carnivore and the planet's largest lizard. The Komodo dragon is also an excellent swimmer. From prehistoric times, the Komodo Dragon roamed these lands undiscovered until 1912.

With twenty enormous griffin-like talons and layers of serrated backward-slanting teeth, the Komodo Dragon is a voracious cannibal. Fast on its feet, reaching speeds of up to 15 mph, their mouths carry a virulent bacteria which eventually immobilizes the Komodo Dragon's prey once bitten.

The Komodo Dragon can reach up to 3 meters in length and weigh over 200 kilograms. The ferocious appearance and flicking yellow tounge is thought to be the source of many early mariner's tales of fire-breathing dragons prowling the islands of the Indonesian archipelago.

Whether your first trip to Komodo, a seasoned traveler to the region or an avid photographer Kararu's guides will lead you to secret places and reveal the minute details known only to those intimately familiar with a destination.

how do I get there?

Kararu recommends that all guests arrive and overnight in Bali one day prior to cruise departure day whether your cruise beings in Bali or requires a short, domestic flight to Bima, Sumbawa to begin your trip.

Kararu will arrange all domestic flight ticketing and transportion between Bali and Bima depending which harbor your trip will begin or end in.

The flight time from Bali to Bima is approximately 40 minutes. The flight is direct.

Please contact kararu to obtain the most recent flight information and recommended routes.

All luggage and check-in procedures will be handled by a member of Kararu Dive Voyages. Each passenger is allowed 50 kg of luggage, excess baggage is charged at $1.50 US per kilo per route (subject to change without notice).

Port Clearance fees are applicable.

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