Komodo · Indonesia · Reef
Batu Tiga
Big-fish habitat in a current that usually runs strong
Area photo: Siharaditia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Batu Tiga sits in the central part of Komodo National Park and is dived for big fish rather than small ones: napoleon wrasse, grouper, giant trevally and barracuda all hold here. There is usually a strong current, which is what feeds the site and what makes it an advanced dive, and the bottom reaches 35 m.
Where it is and how deep
8.5950° S, 119.5802° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The current is the first thing you deal with. Entries are quick and the descent is committed, because the flow here usually runs strong and the site is rated advanced for that reason alone. Once you are down, the dive is about finding shelter on the reef and letting the fish come past rather than swimming the site end to end, and the bottom drops to 35 m.
The reward for holding position is the size of what turns up. Napoleon wrasse and grouper work the structure, giant trevally and barracuda hunt out in the flow, and the site is described as excellent habitat for exactly that mix of big fish. Ascents are made out into the blue with an SMB up, the way most current dives in this part of the park finish.
Marine life and season
- Napoleon wrasse
- Groupers
- Trevally & jacks
- Barracuda
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Komodo: Liveaboards run all year: April is often rated the best month, July to September is the big-fish peak, and the rainy months bring the best visibility and the mantas.
Know before you go
- The current usually runs strong and can push down as well as along: a negative entry, a firm grip on the plan and an SMB for the blue-water pickup are all standard here.
Questions divers ask
What certification do I need for Batu Tiga?+
It is an advanced-level site because the current is usually strong, so Advanced Open Water and previous drift-diving experience are the realistic minimum. The bottom reaches 35 m, deeper than a recreational limit allows without planning.
Sources
- Batu Tiga - Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Komodo
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Plateaus and steep walls around a rocky central island
Mandarin fish and ghost pipefish on a sheltered Rinca muck slope
Wall
A coral-covered wall rated friendly to newer divers
Reef
Reef mantas on a 12-metre drift inside the national park
Reef
Sloped coral, rubble and weed in the central park
Pinnacle
Giant trevally patrolling three coral-covered pinnacles off Padar
Wall
Swim-throughs in a swell-washed rock wall south of Padar
Reef
A flat southern slope of patchy reef, weed and rock
Similar dives elsewhere
Fish fill the water before your BCD is finished deflating
Current-swept corner with a pinnacle at 21 m for watching pelagics
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