Adelaar Itinerary
Komodo Extended and Whale Sharks (DPS - LBJ) 7N8 days / 7 nights
About Adelaar
- World-class service from a team with over two decades of experience
- An intimate luxury liveaboard with just eight guests on board
- Exciting watersports and inland excursions perfect for non-divers and children
- Dive Indonesia’s top sites in Komodo, Alor and Flores
The beautiful Adelaar liveaboard boasts over a century of rich history, having sailed worldwide before earning her place among Indonesia’s elite liveaboards. With the luxury and comfort of a five star hotel, guests can enjoy every opulence, and with just eight guests on board, Adelaar offers all of this in a truly intimate atmosphere. From the superb dive deck, guests can swim with manta rays in Komodo or dive pristine reefs in Alor. Add in excursions and exhilarating water activities, and guests are assured a world-class liveaboard adventure.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 8 days / 7 nights
Number of dives 21
Experience Open Water - Minimum 60 dives
Insurance Required
Highlights
- One-way itinerary diving from Bali to Komodo National Park
- Marvel at the macro critters of Padar
- Meet the mantas of Komodo National Park
- Ranger-guided hike to find komodo dragons on Komodo Island
- Dive into the iconic, active, volcanic island of Sangeang
- Land visit to a waterfall in a small village on Moyo Island
- Night dives included
Day 1 Bali
As dawn breaks over Bali, your expedition begins at Serangan Harbor. Following a private transfer from the airport or your hotel, you are welcomed aboard Adelaar.
Our crew greets you with a refreshing drink and an elegant presentation of tropical fruits at peak ripeness—a first taste of the journey ahead. While formalities are completed, your luggage is discreetly delivered to your cabin, and the crew introduces themselves.
A comprehensive safety and diving briefing follows — thorough, unhurried, and essential. Precision and preparation define the experience onboard.
As Adelaar sets sail, Bali gradually fades into the horizon. Mount Agung, sacred in Balinese cosmology, stands watch over our departure. With favorable seas, pods of dolphins may accompany us as we head eastward through the night.
Day 2 Moyo and Satonda Islands (4 dives)
Three daytime dives introduce you to Indonesia’s vibrant tropical reefs. Expansive coral gardens shelter colorful reef fish, including clownfish nestled in their anemones. Reef sharks, turtles, and rays are frequent visitors, while attentive eyes may discover moray eels, sea snakes, nudibranchs, frogfish, and leaf fish among the reef structures.
As twilight settles, we prepare for the first night dive — Sumbawa’s coastline revealing its exceptional macro life in a different light.
For Snorkelers & Non-Divers - Approximately one nautical mile offshore lies a remarkable coral sandbank. At low tide, it emerges as a delicate, natural platform composed of countless coral fragments — a striking testament to the surrounding marine richness. Even at high tide, warm, shallow waters invite exploration. Along its edge, a thriving reef provides excellent snorkeling.
On Moyo Island, a short scenic walk — or a bicycle ride borrowed from local villagers — leads to a secluded waterfall hidden within lush forest. Those feeling adventurous may swing into the freshwater pool below in classic Tarzan style.
Later in the day, we step ashore on Satonda Island to visit its extraordinary inland saltwater lake, formed by ancient volcanic activity — a rare geological phenomenon.
Day 3 Teluk Saleh (3 dives)
Deep within Sumbawa lies Teluk Saleh, a vast bay that shelters one of the ocean’s most humbling encounters: the whale shark.
Drawn to local fishing platforms, these gentle giants gather with surprising regularity. We dedicate the morning to two extended sessions of diving and/or snorkeling.
There is no need for depth — from the surface or just below, observe their immense silhouettes moving with quiet grace as they filter plankton-rich waters.
Strict conservation guidelines are respected at all times: no contact, measured approach, minimal disturbance. Yet whale sharks are often curious, and unexpected proximity can create unforgettable eye-level moments.
In the afternoon, we explore the northern reaches of the bay for a third dive, focusing on benthic life, with the possibility of pelagic passersby.
Day 4 Sangeang Volcano (3 dives)
Sangeang Island rises dramatically from the sea — an active volcanic complex crowned by twin peaks reaching 1,949 and 1,795 meters.
Below the surface, volcanic sands create a striking underwater palette. Black slopes are adorned with vividly colored soft corals, and macro life thrives in this mineral-rich environment. Schools of reef fish animate the blue water beyond.
Certain sites reveal the rare “champagne dive” phenomenon — warm volcanic gases escaping through the seabed, forming streams of shimmering bubbles. Hovering above them, you can feel the subtle warmth rising from beneath.
For Snorkelers & Non-Divers - these volcanic vents often occur in shallow areas, sometimes visible even while snorkeling.
Conditions permitting, we land on Sangeang’s shores. A short walk leads to a small village perched on the volcano’s edge, where skilled boat builders continue a proud maritime tradition in one of Indonesia’s most dramatic settings.
By evening, Adelaar quietly repositions toward Komodo.
Day 5 North Komodo (4 dives)
We wake near Gili Lawa Darat and Gili Lawa Laut — icons of northern Komodo.
Here lie some of the park’s most celebrated dive sites: Castle Rock, Crystal Rock, Shotgun, and Golden Passage. Current-swept channels pulse with life. Submerged pinnacles attract reef sharks, giant trevallies, eagle rays, and dense schooling fish. The topography is bold, the marine life dynamic, the energy unmistakable. Protected bays between the Gili Lawa islands provide exceptional night diving opportunities.
For Snorkelers:
Extensive reefs, thriving coral formations, and white-sand beaches define the day. In calm seas, paddleboarding above pristine coral gardens offers a uniquely serene perspective.
Day 6 Komodo Island (3 dives)
We begin ashore on Komodo Island at first light. Guided by park rangers, we explore the savannah landscape in search of the iconic Komodo dragon — formidable, ancient, and entirely captivating. After breakfast, we return to the water.
We begin ashore on Komodo Island at first light. Guided by park rangers, we explore the savannah landscape in search of the iconic Komodo dragon — formidable, ancient, and entirely captivating. After breakfast, we return to the water.
Central Komodo is shaped by powerful tidal exchanges. Site selection is deliberate and conditions-driven. From turtle-rich reefs to exhilarating drift dives and charismatic seamounts alive with action, diversity defines the day.
One morning dive, one afternoon dive, and a final night immersion complete the experience.
If conditions favor the south, we may explore Pink Beach’s coral slopes or the remote Teluk Loh Serah, known for rare and unusual marine life.
Day 7 South Komodo and Padar Island (2 dives)
Open to the Indian Ocean, southern Komodo benefits from nutrient-rich upwellings that attract manta rays in remarkable numbers.
At Manta Alley, a renowned cleaning station, we dedicate time to observing these graceful giants as they circle and glide with effortless precision.
Following our final dive near southern Padar Island, we go ashore for a late-afternoon ascent to its celebrated viewpoint. The panorama — sculpted bays, crescent beaches, dramatic ridgelines — is so emblematic it appears on Indonesia’s 50,000 rupiah note.
Two beaches await exploration (one tide-dependent), and on the main island, deer roam freely across the landscape.
As evening approaches, Adelaar cruises toward Labuan Bajo. Near Kalong Island, thousands of flying foxes rise at sunset, crossing the sky in silent procession — a powerful conclusion to the voyage.
Day 8 Labuan Bajo
We arrive in Labuan Bajo in the morning by 7:00 AM. Disembark after breakfast for your onward journey.
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.
Transfer details
Departure
08:30am
Serangan, Bali
Denpasar Airport: DPS
Return
10:00am
Labuan Bajo
Labuan Bajo Airport: LBJ
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/adelaar/itn-2306220244371-komodo-extended-and-whale-sharks-dps-lbj-7n