We just completed another lovely trip with a wonderful group of people to Komodo. Our journey took us from the town of Labuan Bajo on Flores, all the way back to Bali. A journey of about 850km. The highlight, as always, was swimming with whale sharks. Here is our trip report, whale sharks, dragons and culture In Komodo.
Our next Komodo trip departs from Bali in June 2027.
The full June 2026 Komodo trip report to read online
Whale Shark swims in Saleh Bay, Sumbawa
The experience with sharks is like nothing anyone can imagine before they do it. I’m a huge advocate for sustainable nature-based travel and have yet to be convinced that this activity is anything less than benign. It supplies the local people with a source of income. The food they give the sharks is discard that would be added to the bay anyway. Plus, sharks are adaptable enough to exploit this niche, provided for by another animal (humans) in their ecosystemHow ecosystems function An ecosystem is a community of lifeforms that interact in such an optimal way that how ecosystems function best, is when all components (including humans and other animals) can persist and live alongside each other for the longest time possible. Ecosystems are fuelled by the energy created by plants (primary producers) that convert the Sun's heat energy More.
Unlike the adrenaline-fuelled swims in Ningaloo, which can result in a few seconds in open ocean, this is far gentler. We usually spend 4-5 hours floating in the free ocean while as many as four whale sharks swim around us.
The experience in Saleh Bay is changing, for sure. There are a lot of local boats now. Influencers complain it’s unethical but to be honest, the sharks are largely unaffected. It’s the tourism experience that may be damaged but the local people will manage this better over time.
Meanwhile, we work with our local contacts to engineer a way to do this with only our group. This is what makes Pindito so special. The relationship our cruise director has with the local people means we get to do this on our terms.
Snorkelling and diving in Komodo National park and beyond
The weather was very kind. Apart from some fresh winds at the beginning, it was calm sailing throughout.
We had the best conditions for visibility underwater and were able to explore some places I have never been, such as the north tip of Komodo. The sunset snorkel there was particularly memorable. Our guides were up to their usual standard of finding weird and wonderful critters. Some of the highlights for the snorkelers included numerous turtles, reef sharks, blue ribbon eels … even a robust ghost pipefish (a relative of the seahorses).
The divers (of which there were only four) were given the usual VIP treatment, being able to swim famous sites in a very small group and wonderfully supervised by our dive masters.
Snorkelling and Diving Sangeang Volcano
What a privilege it is to snorkel and dive on the edge of a 2,000m high volcano. The island of Sangeang is ominous and beautiful. In the water it’s next-level, with a range of weird creatures like Chamberlain’s nembrotha (a type of sea slug) and ribbon eels.
The cultural importance and conservation of Komodo Dragons
Seeing Komodo Dragons is always special but this year, we were honoured to meet and greet the rangers and learn about their history and the intimate cultural connection they have to these animals (and probably why they are so well protected until today).
Watersports!
We do carry some water skiing equipment on board and we broke this out one day as several guests were competent skiers. Others used the standup paddleboards and some took a swim, between snorkelling and diving.
Whale and Dolphin Watching between Komodo and Bali
Throughout the trip we saw many fascinating creatures, some common and others rarely seen, such as the Cuvier’s Beaked WhaleIn complete darkness at over 2,000m deep, a Cuvier's Beaked Whale digs in soft sediment using high-frequency echolocation to find its crab prey. Slime eels assemble for scraps around a plume of fine sediment and gas bubbles emerge from the seafloor between rocks rich in manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt. We know less about these landscapes than the moon. The More we encountered on the way to Saleh Bay. Every day something new appeared and Pindito’s guides as always excelled themselves in spotting things that the novices among us would simply swim past without noticing.
Waterfalls and Local Culture on Moyo Island
The final days were no less full of activities. Visiting the lovely village at Moyo Island and meeting the local people is a great way to support their interests in showcasing their traditional dances. They also arranged to transport us to the nearby waterfall, which simply must be one of the most beautiful in the world.
