Cheng Ho Itinerary

Komodo (LBJ) 5N

Day 1: Labuhan Bajo / Sabolan – 1-2x dives

Arrive at the newly built Labuan Bajo airport in Flores. Our representative will be waiting outside the arrival hall and ready to escort you to the ship for immediate boarding. Safety Briefing, Safety DVD, Crew Introduction, Necessary Dive Paperwork, Cabin allocation and ship orientation will take place before departing the Harbour. During the journey to our first dive site, Sabolan for a check dive, take this opportunity to familiarise yourselves with the vessel and make yourself comfortable.

Day 2: Horseshoe Bay – 4x dives

Diving around Cannibal Rock, Banana Island, Yellow Wall and Torpedo Alley. Unbelievable amounts of rare nudibranchs fight for space on the rock with the thousands of multi-colored feather stars and unusual sea apples that hide juvenile painted frogfish and ghost pipefish. Adult frogfish swim around the rock that hosts such surprises as Coleman shrimp, zebra crabs, Rhinopias, hawksbill turtles, blue ringed octopus and torpedo rays.

Day 3: Manta Alley / Lohok Sera Bay / Komodo Island – 4x dives

First 2 dives of the day will be for mantas, we will start our dive at The Stadium to the west of the rocks. In the lee area in this small bay, where the maximum depth is 30 metres, there are almost always mantas cleaning here or travelling through to the other side of the islets. Second dive we will start in “The Channel”

We then move to Lohok Sera bay to enjoy the small wreck here, many nudi’s and other macro life can be found here. Our fourth dive will be a dusk dive to go in search of the elusive mandarin fish. This spot is well known to have some large specimens.

Day 4: Castle Rock / Gili Lawa Laut / Crystal Rock – 4x dives

We will dive the famous Castle Rock, well known for curious batfish, trevally, mackerels and white tip reef sharks. Down at 30 metres you can see grey reef sharks. There is also excellent soft coral coverage. Close by there is another dive site, Crystal Rock, known for schools of surgeon fish and snappers and the occasional manta. Dive 3 will be at Shotgun, this is really a unique dive. Between the 2 islands of Gili Lawa Laut and Gili Lawa Darat is a small channel and wall. The current here attracts giant trevallies, mantas, turtles and barracudas. Night dive on Gili Lawa Laut reef, known for huge Spanish dancers and other nighttime critters

Day 5: Batu Bolong / Tatawa Kecil / Rinca – 2x dives

Before we land to see the Komodo dragons on Rinca Island, we will visit one of the finest pinnacles you will ever see, Batu Bolong. The reef is covered in colourful corals, invertebrate life and thousands of anthias and other brilliant reef fish. Along the steep walls in deeper water many large fish including sharks, Napoleon wrasse, giant trevally, dogtooth tuna. Large schools of rainbow runners and fusiliers can be observed on almost every occasion. Tatawa Kecil offers a drift dive along some of the largest fields of branching corals in Komodo. Batfish, eagle rays, and turtles are some of the highlights. The afternoon will be spent trekking with park rangers as guides looking for Komodo Dragons on Rinca island. Be sure to bring a hat, sunscreen and your camera.

Day 6: Labuhan Bajo – No dives

The ship will arrive in Labuan Bajo early in the morning. You will be served breakfast and afterwards prepare for disembarkation. You will be transferred to the airport. Trip ends.

Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.