Komodo Snorkelling Tour: Manta Rays, Turtles & Dragons

“Time froze for a brief few seconds before the manta ray gently drifted into the depths again. This breathtaking moment will forever be etched into my memory. Then to observe two manta rays gracefully glide and dance around each other was utterly mesmerising and brought me to tears of joy – and I don’t cry easily. ” Helena 

Discover the ultimate Komodo snorkelling tour in the heart of Indonesia’s spectacular Komodo National Park. This eco-conscious adventure takes you to pristine waters and remote islands, where you can swim alongside graceful manta rays, glide past sea turtles, and witness the legendary Komodo dragons on land. Designed for wildlife enthusiasts, snorkellers, and photographers alike, this tour offers a rare chance to experience some of the world’s most unique marine and terrestrial wildlife responsibly. Komodo national park in Flores, Indonesia, protects a large area of ocean and islands which we’ll explore together on a very special liveaboard boat. Opportunities for wildlife abound and we’ll snorkel on lovely reefs every day. There’s an area here called Manta point which will give us the chance to snorkel with these graceful animals. Manta rays have the largest brain of any fish relative to body size and are extremely inquisitive animals. There’s a short video below of us snorkelling with them from our last trip to give you an idea of how close you’ll see them. We’ll stop off to explore various islands including permits to visit both Rinca and Komodo where we’ll encounter the legendary Komodo dragons. And then when we’re finished at sea we have a few days on land to visit some beautiful places including the enchanting Unesco world heritage site of Wae Rebo village, spider web paddy fields and the place where the Flores Hobbit was recently discovered. 

Our Komodo snorkelling tour is crafted with sustainability and wildlife protection at its core. By travelling in small groups and following responsible tourism guidelines, you can enjoy the park without harming its delicate ecosystems.

Highlights include:

• Snorkelling with manta rays and turtles in crystal-clear waters.
• Exploring Komodo National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Wildlife photography opportunities from every angle, above and below the water.
• Eco-friendly travel with minimal environmental footprint.
• Expert guides who are knowledgeable about local ecology, culture, and conservation.

This combination of adventure, wildlife encounters, and eco-conscious travel makes our Komodo snorkelling tour a truly unique experience.

We’ve just finished our Komodo 2025 trip and there’s a few photos and video clips of this Komodo adventure here. 

NEW – The general consensus was this years Komodo trip was one of the best of people’s lives. Such a beautiful boat with mind blowing wildlife encounters both snorkelling and on land.

I’ve just confirmed the dates for another trip from 3rd Nov to 12th Nov 2026 contact me here for availability 

£2400 per person based on sharing double/twin air conditioned cabins on our boat.

Day 1 –  Arrive Labuan Bajo. Evening dinner together where we’ll start to get excited about  what lies ahead. Stay hotel Labuan Bajo

• Liveaboard boat and all accommodation on land
• All snorkelling gear as needed
• Experienced local guides
• Meals as specified in the itinerary
• National park entrance fees and conservation contributions
• All transport and meals on land part of the tour and entrance fees to caves.

Q: Do I need to be an experienced snorkeller?
A: No prior experience is required. Our guides provide safety briefings and you can enjoy shallow reefs or follow guided snorkelling sessions suited to your level.

Q: Is the tour suitable for photographers?
A: Absolutely! This eco-adventure is designed with photographers in mind. Both underwater and landscape photography opportunities abound.

Q: Will I see Komodo dragons?
A: Yes — trekking on Komodo and Rinca Islands provides multiple chances to observe dragons safely in the wild.

Q: How do you ensure eco-friendly travel?
A: We limit group sizes, follow responsible snorkelling and trekking guidelines, and contribute to local conservation initiatives.

Q: What should I bring?
A: Reef-safe sunscreen, snorkelling gear (optional — we can provide it all on our boat), Go pro is perfect camera for in the water, light clothing, sturdy walking shoes, and a reusable water bottle.

“I’m so grateful that I overcame my introvert nature when meeting new people some years ago and met Ian on one of his  1-1 photographic workshops.  I’ve since joined him on several of his holiday trips to see wildlife. The latest one to the Komodo National Park to fulfil one of my lifetime dreams to swim with manta rays. I was one of the few in our group to meet a majestic manta ray on our first snorkel. Suddenly, out of the deep blue darkness. Head on. Its enormous, magnificent shape stopped dead right in front of me, hanging in the ocean, its white cephalic fins prominent. The time froze for a brief few seconds before the manta ray gently drifted into the depths again. This breathtaking moment will forever be etched into my memory. The first time I encountered a magnificent manta ray. Then it went quiet for a few days. But I had no doubt in my heart that we would find them again. And we did. The most magical encounter in their natural cleaning station. To observe two manta rays gracefully glide and dance around each other was utterly mesmerising and brought me to tears of joy (and I don’t cry easily). We had plenty of opportunities to snorkel beautiful coral reefs with delightful sightings of turtles, sting rays, reef sharks, lots of colourful fish and an exceptional sighting of a large eagle ray. We were also lucky to explore the amazing islands on land. We met incredible Komodo dragons, saw lots of bird life, witnessed stunning sunsets, waited for amazing flying foxes to emerge from mangroves at dusk, hiked up to an extraordinary, ingenious village surrounded by lush forest, experienced welcome ceremonies hosted by ever so friendly locals… the list goes on and on. All in a company of a small bunch of such lovely, fun and kind people, on a beautiful boat with an amazing crew. Ian has an incredible talent to attract like-minded individuals and make them a team within a short few days. It was such a mind-blowing, magical trip, the one we’d love to repeat. Ian delivers time and time again. Thank you. ” Helena & Kev

“One of the most magical and amazing experiences, I will not forget. Thank you Ian for organising such a once in a lifetime experience, seeing the turtles and manta rays is something I cherish forever. And what a wonderful bunch of people to get to do it with. Thank you” Heather

” It was the most magical and diverse trip that I am ever going to experience in my lifetime. Impossible to pick a favourite as each one was a unique experience, from life on the boat and the Manta Rays to the Komodo Dragons and the long climb to Wae Rebo to Ruteng and the Hobbits cave at Laing Bue and the spiderweb rice fields.The most memorable part though will be the friendship and banter from a group of people that had not met before and bonded in such a short time. Thank you Ian and fellow travellers.” Roy

New research shows that Komodo national park has some of the largest amounts of manta rays anywhere on planet earth. The incredible conservation NGO Marine Megafauna have been studying the manta rays here for some time and their recent report about manta numbers can be read here.