Komodo · Indonesia · Pinnacle · Reef
Three Sisters
Giant trevally patrolling three coral-covered pinnacles off Padar
Area photo: Siharaditia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Three Sisters is a group of three large submerged pinnacles off the southeastern coast of Padar Island, where Komodo's northern sites give way to the cooler southern region. The rocks stand close together on a sandy bottom, and divers come for the schooling trevally and jacks around them and the rays that pass through the deeper water.
Also known as Tiga Dara.
Where it is and how deep
8.6883° S, 119.5741° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The three pinnacles rise from sand at 30 metres to within 3-5 metres of the surface, a few fin strokes apart. Schools of giant trevally, jacks and blue surgeonfish circle the rocks, and white-tip reef sharks rest on the sandy patches between them. The coral-covered rock faces hide nudibranchs and frogfish for divers who slow down.
Eagle rays, great barracuda and occasional schools of mobula rays pass through the deeper water off the pinnacles. Further west a fourth pinnacle starts in about 20 m and drops to 40 m, with large sea fans on its flanks.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Reef fish swarms
- Reef sharks
- Eagle rays
- Barracuda
- Mobula rays
- Nudibranchs
- Frogfish
| 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 site is prone to current, though it can usually be dived when divers are willing to swim against it.
Dive videos
Strong current at Three Sisters - Komodo · BlueSeaEsta on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is Three Sisters in Komodo a deep dive?+
The main pinnacles run from 3-5 metres at their tops to sand at 30 metres, so the dive can stay shallow; only the fourth pinnacle to the west reaches 40 m.
Sources
- Komodo dive sites — Dive The World
- Komodo National Park dive sites — komodonationalpark.org
- Komodo dive sites — Pinta Liveaboard
- Dive sites Komodo — Dive Komodo
- Three Sisters Komodo — ScubaGo
More dive sites in Komodo
A holed rock at the surface, a coral-covered pinnacle below
Reef
Big-fish habitat in a current that usually runs strong
Soft coral and macro on a rock in the cold south of the park
A submerged pinnacle where the sharks hold in the current
Coral garden
The sheltered coral garden at the end of the Cauldron ride
A calm northern bay for skills practice near Crystal Rock
Soft-coral mound with sharks holding in the flow
Reef
A sloping northern passage dived on generally strong current
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Pinnacle
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