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Last updated on July 22, 2023
Located at the border of the Komodo National Park, Komodo Resort is considered one of the best gateways to the archipelago. Its house reef encompasses sand flats, seagrass beds, coral outcrops and a stunning reef drop-off. This reef holds thousands of unique species of marine life, including sea turtles, eagle rays, anemonefish, angelfish and lots of other lovely creatures.
The Komodo Resort is located on Sebayur Island in the middle of the Komodo Archipelago. The resort is accessed via a 30 to 45-minute journey by ferry or a dive boat that is operated by the resort.
These vessels runs from Labuan Bajo port, which is 15 minutes from the Komodo International Airport on the Island of East Nusa Tenggara. The area can also be visited by using a dive/snorkeling boat operating from another resort or from Labuan Bajo port.
Several entry points exist along the resort frontage. Three of these (points 2, 3 and 4 on the map above) are from shore and can only be accessed at mid-tide or above, due to the risk of damaging the reef in shallower waters. The easiest access point on all states of tide is the jetty (point 1 on the map) but pay attention to your exit point, as the tidal currents can be strong at times.
The resort has a house reef with a beach frontage of approximately 500 yards. The reef extends both further south and north of the beach. The reef faces west in the north, gradually facing southwest, at its southernmost point.
Seagrass beds are extensive in the shallow waters, particularly to the north and south of the resort frontage. These seagrass beds merge into mixed seagrass, coral outcrop and coral debris areas. Interspersed between these beds are shallow water sands with sporadic coral outcrops. The latter are more extensive near the jetty.
To the north of the area large patches of Blue Coral (Heliopora sp.) are located. These patches separate the mixed seagrass and coral debris, inshore, from the offshore Acropora reef. The Acropora coral creates the top of the reef before it drops off to depths greater than 10 yards.
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The reef top is attractive to significant shoals of fish, particularly multiple Chromis species and the ubiquitous Sergeant Major. It also hosts numerous colorful species, including Clownfish and Butterflyfish, as well as more unusual species such as the Orange-dotted Tuskfish
Another area of interest is around the jetty, which attracts many shoals of larger fish including Blackspot Snapper and Golden Spadefish. Be aware that boats frequently use this jetty, so pay attention to the instructions given by the staff on duty.
The other habitat of interest on the house reef is the small patch of Mangrove. These trees create an ideal environment for juvenile species of many sorts, and you might spot the interesting little Pyjama Cardinal fish hiding in the Mangrove roots.
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The Komodo Resort and Dive Club has 22 rooms, all on the beachfront. It also has a restaurant and a separate bar.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
