Komodo and Rinca Islands offer a great diversity of diving options. There are colourful hard and soft coral reefs, home to thousands of reef fish that can be enjoyed by all levels of diver. There are also high adrenaline dive sites with extremely strong currents where sharks, manta rays and other pelagics can be seen.
Sumbawa and the surrounding islands of Sangeang, Sumba, Madang, Moyo and Satonda has some excellent diving and often form part of a Komodo liveaboard itinerary for boats departing from Bali. Marine life is prolific and underwater visibility is excellent. Above water the volcanic scenery is impressive including a sacred lake and a huge colony of fruit bats at Satonta that take flight at dusk. Sumbawa can be dived all year round.
Bali is a tropical island paradise that is far more than just a dive destination. It's one of Asia's most popular tourist resort areas with beautiful scenery and beaches. The south Bali beaches of Kuta and Sanur are also very popular with surfers. From a diving point of view Bali has much to offer, from world class muck diving at Secret Bay to diving with pelagics such as manta rays and mola mola (oceanic sunfish) at Nusa Penida. Bali also has an excellent wreck dive, the USAT Liberty, that can be reached from shore at Tulamben.
The large island of Flores, to the east of Komodo, often gets overlooked by divers. Some Komodo liveaboard trips start at Maumere but head straight to Komodo without diving Flores dive sites. That's a shame because Flores has a great deal to offer underwater. The 1992 tsunami caused a lot of damage to local reefs but the regeneration of the reefs has been speedy. Many dive sites are back to their former glory however dynamite fishing is still a problem in places.
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