Mari Itinerary
Best of Komodo, Flores & Whale Sharks (SWQ-MOF)12 days / 11 nights
About Mari
- Spacious vessel accommodating non-divers and families
- Flexible cabin configurations with doubles, twins and bunks
- Up to four dives a day in Indonesia’s top destinations
- Enjoy al fresco dining set to panoramic views of the scenery
Crafted by master boat-builders from Sulawesi, Mari liveaboard offers safe, comfortable, and exciting dive safari voyages throughout the Indonesian Archipelago – including remote regions like Raja Ampat, Cenderawasih Bay, Banda Sea and Triton Bay. With low guest numbers, modest yet contemporary communal areas, and a range of itineraries and destinations, Mari’s remarkable liveaboard adventures represent incredible value for money.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 12 days / 11 nights
Number of dives 33
Experience Open Water - Minimum 60 dives
Insurance Required
Highlights
- One-way trip linking Sumbawa Besar and Maumere
- Meet Komodo’s mantas at current-swept cleaning stations
- Dive into the iconic volcanic island of Sangeang
- Trek in search of the world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon
- Meet the whale sharks of Sumbawa
Day 1: Badas, Sumbawa Besar
Guests are welcomed aboard late morning at Badas Harbour, the gateway to Sumbawa Besar. Following a safety briefing and cabin orientation, MARI departs toward Sumbawa's northern reefs. Check Dive—A shallow, controlled dive to verify equipment and buoyancy before the expedition begins in earnest.
Days 2: Moyo Island (2 morning dives + waterfall visit + 1 afternoon dive)
Angel Reef - Healthy coral slopes with turtles and reef sharks.
Tanjung Pasir - Coral bommies and macro life. Between dives, guests visit Mata Jitu Waterfall, accessible by tender and short jungle walk.
Tanjung Pasir - Coral bommies and macro life. Between dives, guests visit Mata Jitu Waterfall, accessible by tender and short jungle walk.
Stone Wall - A vertical coral wall on the eastern face of Moyo dropping to over 60 m (197 ft), draped in soft corals and sea fans with reliable reef shark sightings. Dived as a slow drift along the wall before overnight navigation toward Teluk Saleh.
Day 3: Teluk Saleh (2 whale shark sessions)
Early morning arrival in Teluk Saleh. Working closely with local fishermen, we search for the resident whale sharks that gather beneath traditional bagan platforms. Encounters alternate between snorkeling and diving depending on positioning and depth. A defining highlight of the expedition.
Afternoon navigation toward Satonda Island.
Day 4: Satonda Island (2-day dives + 1-night dive + crater lake)
A dormant volcanic island with a hypersaline crater lake at its centre and a flying fox colony that lifts from the forest canopy at dusk in a single wave -- one of the quieter dramatic moments on any Indonesian liveaboard crossing.
West Wall - Dense soft-coral wall with chromis clouds, reef fish schools and occasional reef mantas on the southern face.
South Reef - Hard coral gardens at a reliable manta cleaning station.
Topside: short hike to the crater rim overlooking the hypersaline lake.
Night Dive - Satonda's reef transforms after dark. Clown frogfish, arrow crabs, and banded boxers shrimp populate the bottom in conditions ideal for macro photographers.
Day 5: Sangeang Volcano (3-day dives)
An active volcano dominates the skyline.
Bubble Reef - Volcanic vents release shimmering streams of bubbles across black sand slopes. Nudibranchs, frogfish, and mimic octopus.
Hot Rocks - Soft corals and anthias contrasting against dark substrate.
Bonto - Rare macro life including rhinopias and blue-ring octopus.
Day 6: Banta Island (3 dives)
Remote and wind-swept, Banta lies between Sangeang and Komodo and benefits from strong tidal exchange without always requiring extreme exposure. Its reefs are healthy, vibrant, and often visited by pelagics when conditions align.
GPS Point - A gently sloping reef transitioning into deeper contour. Grey reef sharks patrol the outer edge, turtles cruise over hard coral terraces, and large schools of fusiliers and snappers gather mid-water.
Star Wars - Named for its dramatic topography, this site features ridges, gullies and bommies rising from depth. Current lines attract giant trevallies and occasional eagle rays.
Tondok Rasa (East Banta Reef) - A more protected coral slope. Dense anthias clouds hover over branching coral formations, while sweetlips and reef fish schools move across the reef face.
Day 7: Central Komodo (2 to 3 dives + Komodo dragon trek + beach visit)
An introduction to Komodo National Park, with two of its most iconic above-water experiences.
Morning: Komodo Dragon Trek - ranger-guided walk across dry savannah terrain in search of Varanus komodoensis, the world's largest lizard.
Pink Beach (Pantai Merah) - Hard coral slopes with reef sharks and anthias clouds. Opportunity for beach visit between dives.
Makassar Reef (Manta Point) - Sandy feeding lanes where mantas glide above divers on incoming tides.
Siaba Kecil (Mandarin Point) - Calm reef; structured dusk dive for mandarin fish courtship behavior.
Day 8: North Komodo (4 dives)
High-voltage diving.
Castle Rock - Grey reef sharks, tuna, giant trevallies and barracuda schools in numbers thick enough to block the light.
Crystal Rock - Submerged pinnacle rising from depth with exceptional visibility. Grey reef sharks, napoleon wrasse and dense fish schools congregate around the structure.
The Cauldron (Shotgun) - Exhilarating channel drift; occasional manta sightings.
Gili Lawa Laut - Current-fed pinnacle with strong fish density; reef sharks and schooling pelagics in the blue.
Day 9: Central Komodo (2 to 3 dives + Padar Island hike)
Returning through Central Komodo.
Batu Bolong - Coral-covered pinnacle rising from deep water. Anthias clouds, napoleon wrasse, grey reef sharks and giant trevallies dominate the slopes.
Tatawa Besar - Elegant drift dive over pristine coral gardens.
Tatawa Kecil - Vibrant reef with colorful soft corals and schooling fish; ideal for extended bottom time.
Padar Island hike at sunrise or sunset, at the Cruise Director's discretion. One of Indonesia's most photographed panoramas -- three crescent bays in different shades of sand, ringed by dry volcanic ridgelines. A short, steep climb that earns its reward.
Day 10: Tatawa Islands (3 dives)
The reefs surrounding Tatawa are continuously fed by nutrient-rich currents, resulting in intense coral coloration and thriving marine life. These final dives within Komodo National Park offer elegant drift profiles across slopes covered in soft corals and teeming with fish - a fitting farewell to the national park before the voyage turns east toward Flores.
Day 11: Palue (2 morning dives)
North of Flores lies the volcanic island of Palue. Steep underwater walls draped in gorgonians and soft corals create dramatic vertical landscapes. With patience and keen observation, pygmy seahorses and rare nudibranch species may reveal themselves.
Equipment is rinsed and stowed following the second dive, respecting recommended no-fly intervals. Overnight navigation toward Maumere.
Day 12: Maumere
Disembarkation after breakfast in Maumere.
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.
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
12:00pm
Badas, Sumbawa Besar
Sultan Muhammad Kaharuddin III Airport: SWQ
Return
12:00pm
Maumere
Maumere Airport: MOF
Choose your trip
12 days / 11 nights
•
33 dives
31
Aug
2027
Best of Komodo, Flores & Whale Sharks (SWQ-MOF)
from $4,274 /guest
31Aug 27
Best of Komodo, Flores & Whale Sharks (SWQ-MOF)
from $4,274 /guest
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/mari/itn-2611110230411-best-of-komodo-flores-whale-sharks-swq-mof-