Sebayur Reef
A sloping reef in the 5-25m range with mild current—our standard Day 1 check dive to confirm trim, weighting, and air consumption.
Trip Packages
Komodo Liveaboard 6D5N Itinerary — 6 Days, 5 Nights Diving & Island Voyage
Quick Answer: The 6D5N itinerary is a 6-day, 5-night sailing linking North Komodo (Castle Rock, Crystal Rock), Central Komodo (Batu Bolong, Manta Point), and South Komodo (Manta Alley, Cannibal Rock, Torpedo Alley) in one unrushed loop. Add Komodo dragon trekking, Padar Island’s sunrise viewpoint, and Pink Beach, and you’re looking at roughly 10-11 dive sites and 3 land excursions—more unrushed than a 3D2N or 4D3N trip. Price starts from USD 5,300 per night.
Your 6-Day Bridge Between North and South Komodo
Komodo Island Liveaboard curates stay-aboard phinisi expeditions (1-11 nights) across Komodo National Park from Labuan Bajo. The 6D5N route sits mid-ladder on our liveaboard duration lineup—long enough to sail North and South Komodo without the transit fatigue a rushed 5D4N can carry, shorter than a full 7D6N expedition.
In practice: five nights aboard, four to five dive days, and two land mornings—one for the Komodo dragon trek, one for Padar’s viewpoint hike. Where a 3D2N or 4D3N trip typically stays in North and Central Komodo, 6D5N has the days to push into South Komodo’s cooler, greener water too.
Dive-site counts scale with nights aboard: 4-5 on 3D2N, 6-7 on 4D3N, 8-9 on 5D4N, 10-11 here on 6D5N, and 12+ on the 7D6N—the extra night over 5D4N is what buys a proper South Komodo day instead of a single detour dive.
Day by day
Your 6-Day Komodo Itinerary
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Day 1
Embarkation & Sebayur Check Dive
Boarding in Labuan Bajo starts with cabin briefing and an easy check dive at Sebayur (5-25m, mild current) so guides can assess trim and air consumption before Castle Rock’s stronger currents.
At dusk we motor to Kalong Island to watch thousands of fruit bats lift off the mangroves—one of the trip’s most photographed non-diving moments.
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Day 2
North Komodo — Castle Rock, Crystal Rock & Gili Lawa
Castle Rock and Crystal Rock are offshore pinnacles at 20-30m with 4-6 knot currents—grey reef sharks, schooling trevally, and the occasional Napoleon wrasse, best suited to Advanced Open Water divers with real drift experience.
Between dives we land at Gili Lawa for the evening trek up to its 360-degree viewpoint.
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Day 3
Central Komodo — Batu Bolong, Manta Point & Komodo Dragons
Batu Bolong’s pyramid reef (10-35m) is packed with anthias, sweetlips, and bumphead parrotfish, followed by Karang Makassar—better known as Manta Point—a shallow 10-20m drift where double-digit manta sightings aren’t unusual.
The afternoon is a ranger-led dragon trek at Loh Liang on Komodo Island—independent walking isn’t permitted anywhere in the park.
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Day 4
Transit South — Padar Sunrise & Manta Alley
We anchor overnight near Padar Island for the steep 30-45 minute sunrise hike to its three-bay viewpoint, timed for the park’s most photographed light.
By late morning we sail south to Manta Alley, where the water cools and greens—mostly 10-20m and manageable for Open Water divers with a guide.
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Day 5
South Komodo — Cannibal Rock, Torpedo Alley Night Dive & Rinca
Cannibal Rock at Nusa Kode is a 5-25m muck-diving classic—nudibranchs, frogfish, sea apples—followed by a night dive at Torpedo Alley for electric rays and stargazers that only appear after dark.
Late afternoon lands at Rinca Island for a second, denser dragon-trekking opportunity.
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Day 6
Pink Beach & Disembarkation
A light snorkel or easy dive at Pink Beach, colored by fragments of red coral, followed by beach time and a midday sail back into Labuan Bajo.
No hard diving is scheduled this day—guests fly home relaxed rather than pushing a no-fly interval to the wire.
Dive Sites You’ll Visit
Castle Rock
An offshore pinnacle at 20-30m with 4-6 knot currents—grey reef sharks, trevally tornadoes, and Napoleon wrasse for Advanced divers with drift experience.
Crystal Rock
The same big-current, big-pelagic profile as its neighbor Castle Rock, close by, with even clearer water.
Batu Bolong
A small pyramid pinnacle from 10-35m, often called Komodo’s most photogenic reef for its anthias, sweetlips, and schooling bumphead parrotfish.
Manta Point (Karang Makassar)
A shallow 10-20m rubble drift where double-digit manta sightings aren’t unusual, accessible to confident Open Water divers with a guide.
Manta Alley
Cooler, greener southern water; mostly 10-20m with long bottom time among the cleaning-station mantas.
Cannibal Rock
Nusa Kode’s muck-diving and macro classic—nudibranchs, frogfish, and sea apples across a 5-25m plateau.
Torpedo Alley
A volcanic sand-slope night-dive site for electric rays, stargazers, and crustaceans that only show themselves after dark.
Islands & Land Excursions
Kalong Island
Home to a fruit-bat colony whose dusk flight over the mangroves is one of Komodo’s most photographed non-diving moments.
Gili Lawa
Two peaks with a short evening trek to a 360-degree viewpoint—a good leg-stretch between North Komodo dive days.
Komodo Island
Ranger-led dragon trekking at Loh Liang, at roughly a 1:5 ranger-to-visitor ratio—independent walking isn’t permitted anywhere in the park.
Padar Island
A steep 30-45 minute sunrise hike to the iconic three-bay viewpoint, timed for the park’s most photographed light.
Rinca Island
A second dragon trek with a denser, easier-to-spot population than Komodo’s—the more reliable stop for photography.
Pink Beach
Red coral fragments color the sand; a light snorkel or easy dive here closes the trip before disembarkation.
What’s Included, What’s Not & Best Time to Book
What’s Included
- 5 nights cabin accommodation aboard a Komodo Luxury network vessel
- All meals, snacks, and soft drinks/coffee/tea onboard
- Dive guide, tank, weights, and boat transport to every dive site
- National park entrance and ranger-guide fees for the Komodo/Rinca dragon treks
- Padar Island hike, Pink Beach visit, and Kalong Island sunset stop
- Airport pick-up/drop-off in Labuan Bajo
Not Included
- Flights to and from Labuan Bajo (Komodo Airport, LBJ)
- Full dive gear rental (BCD, regulator, wetsuit) if you don’t travel with your own
- Nitrox surcharge, if requested
- Alcoholic beverages and crew gratuities
- Travel/dive insurance (recommended for any liveaboard, and required by most operators)
Best Time to Book
- North/Central sites (Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, Batu Bolong, Manta Point) run best April-October, with 25-30m visibility
- South sites (Manta Alley, Cannibal Rock, Torpedo Alley) peak October-December, when cooler nutrient-rich water pushes in
- A September-to-November booking gives the best realistic overlap between both regions on one sailing
Who This Package Is Perfect For
Built for certified divers (Advanced Open Water or above, ideally with logged drift-dive experience) who want to genuinely compare North Komodo’s big-current, big-pelagic diving against South Komodo’s macro-and-critter diving, rather than picking one.
It also suits travelers who want two separate dragon-trekking opportunities—Komodo and Rinca—since the islands differ enough in terrain and dragon density that wildlife photographers usually want both.
Tighter on time? Our 5D4N itinerary covers North and Central Komodo plus a lighter South Komodo detour. Want an even less rushed pace with a built-in rest day? Step up to the 7D6N itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 6D5N Komodo Liveaboard
Most sailings log 10-11 dive sites across four to five dive days, spanning North Komodo (Castle Rock, Crystal Rock), Central Komodo (Batu Bolong, Manta Point), and South Komodo (Manta Alley, Cannibal Rock, Torpedo Alley). The exact count depends on weather and how the current is running that week.
Yes—it’s the shortest of our durations that comfortably covers both regions unrushed. A 5D4N trip can detour south for a single site, but 6D5N gives you a full South Komodo day (Cannibal Rock, a Torpedo Alley night dive, plus a second dragon trek at Rinca).
5D4N covers North and Central Komodo plus a light South Komodo detour. 6D5N adds a full extra night specifically for a proper South Komodo day, plus a second land excursion at Rinca. 7D6N covers the same regions as 6D5N with an extra day built in as buffer or rest time.
The September-to-November shoulder window gives the best realistic overlap: North/Central Komodo is still in its April-October prime, and South Komodo is entering its October-December best season.
It’s strongly recommended, since North Komodo sites like Castle Rock and Crystal Rock regularly run 4-6 knot currents. South Komodo sites such as Manta Alley are shallower and more forgiving for Open Water divers with a guide, but committing to the full loop is easiest with Advanced certification already logged.
