As a backpacker I have to choose where and when I’m going to spend my money, because even though there are so many amazing things to do, I can’t afford to do everything! It’s always been a dream of mine to dive Komodo, so when I finally got the chance to head to Indonesia, it was going to be one of the first places I was to visit.
I arrived on a Monday afternoon, and walked around the town of Labuan Bajo, with a mission to find some cheap diving in Komodo. I had to choose whether to stay in town, and do some day trips, or if I could afford to sleep on a boat, in which case I wanted to find the best liveaboard.
There are a lot of dive centres in Labuan Bajo and so many different offers for day trips in Komodo or liveaboards, and I didn’t know where to start. Fortunately, after getting overheated going into some of these, I came across Mikumba Diving. I was hot and bothered, and walking in was like a breath of fresh air – they have air-conditioning! And they have popcorn! These guys were so friendly, I signed up there and then – I did all the paperwork, got fitted for equipment, and then paid for my day out – now all that was left to do was to find somewhere to eat, and get a good night’s sleep, ready to go diving tomorrow.
I woke up early, excited for the day ahead – it was an early start, we were meeting at 7, but luckily they made breakfast on the boat, which was scrambled eggs, toast and delicious fresh fruit – one of the best things about being in Asia is the amazing food! After breakfast we had a safety briefing, followed by a dive site briefing, and then we were getting ready to finally dive Komodo!
It was AMAZING! Komodo diving was everything I had hoped and more – the fish life is abundant, the coral is pristine, and the currents are so much fun! I’m an experienced diver, but still felt a little apprehensive about the famous currents, but the briefings the dive team gave us made everyone on the boat feel comfortable and safe. The dive to see the mantas was one of the best dives I’ve ever done – it’s not a pretty dive, there’s a lot of rubble and damage there, but you drift along from bommie to bommie while the guides are keeping an eye out for these special creatures. And if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see one – or maybe ten!
At the end of a fantastic day, we sat on the boat, with a cold beer, watching the sun go down, and I felt quite happy in the fact that I had found the best dive shop in Komodo.