The best time for a Komodo liveaboard

January and February. The heart of the wet season, with more rain and changing seas. These are the quietest months: many boats on this site do not sail sharing trips in January and February, and those that sail change their routes with the weather.

March. The end of the wet season. Many boats start their sharing departures again, the hills are green and the park is quiet.

April to June. The dry season begins. The landscapes are still green, the seas are generally calm and there are fewer travellers than in mid-year, which makes these months a good Komodo liveaboard best time for many guests.

July and August. The busiest months, with dry weather and the most departures. The best cabins and the most popular boats go first, so book early.

September to November. Dry and sunny, with golden brown hills and clear evenings, and fewer travellers than in July and August.

December. The wet season returns and fewer boats sail, but the year-end holidays bring many travellers, so check the departure list of each boat early.

The dry season, from April to November, brings the calmest seas on most days, which matters on the open crossings between the islands and on the routes between Lombok and Labuan Bajo. If you are prone to seasickness, choose these months for your Komodo liveaboard, take something before the longer crossings and spend them on deck in the fresh air.

Even in the dry season the current between the islands can be strong, and the crew plans the snorkelling stops around it. The captain can always change the route for safety or weather.

You can snorkel in Komodo in every month, and the itineraries of every boat on this site include snorkelling stops such as Manta Point and Pink Beach. In the dry season the calmer sea makes the stops easier, especially for beginners. Water in the south of the park can be cooler in the middle of the dry season, so a thin rash guard or a long-sleeved top is useful.

Visibility changes from day to day with the tides and the current, so the guide picks the best spot on the day. The snorkelling equipment is included on most boats.

The Komodo dragons live on Komodo and Rinca all year, so every month is a good month to see them. The walks are led by park rangers, and the paths can be hot in the middle of the day, so bring water, a hat and closed shoes.

In the dry season the vegetation is lower and the paths are dry, which makes the walk easier. In the wet season the islands are green and the trails are quieter. On a Komodo liveaboard the boat anchors near the islands at night, so the walks and the climbs can start early, when it is cooler.

Most sharing trips last 3 days and 2 nights, and in the dry season a short Komodo liveaboard covers the highlights: Padar, Pink Beach and Manta Point are on the itinerary of every boat on this site. In the wet season a longer trip gives the crew more room to move a stop to another day when the weather changes.

If you can only travel in July or August, a short trip is often easier to fit in, because more boats sail and there are more departure dates to choose from.

Manta Point is on the itinerary of every Komodo liveaboard on this site, and manta rays are seen there and at nearby sites in many months, when they come to feed in the current. Sightings depend on the season, the tide and the current, so no boat can promise them in any month.

A longer trip spends more time in the park, which gives you more chances to see them.

For green hills, come between March and June, after the rain. For the golden brown landscape that many photos of Padar show, come between September and November. Sunrise or sunset on Padar and the evening at Kalong Island, when thousands of flying foxes leave the mangroves, are the classic moments of a Komodo liveaboard.

Clear evenings in the dry season are also the best time for the stars, which are bright over the park, far from the lights of town. On sharing trips, photo and drone documentation is included on most boats.

The busiest weeks are in July and August and around the December holidays, when the most boats sail and Padar and Pink Beach are at their fullest. For a quieter Komodo liveaboard, choose the months around the peak: April to June, or September to November.

Early starts help in every month. Many itineraries begin the day with a wake-up call before sunrise, so you reach the viewpoints and beaches before the busiest hours.

For a family, the calm seas of the dry season make the crossings and the snorkelling easier for children. The school holidays in July and August are the busiest weeks, so book early, or choose April to June or September to November for more space on board and on the beaches.

Many cabins take a third guest on an extra bed, which suits a family with one child, and a private charter lets you set the pace of the day. Children under 2 do not pay the park fee.

For a couple, the quieter months of the dry season, April to June and September to November, combine good weather with more space at the viewpoints and on the beaches. A master cabin, on a few boats with its own balcony, makes a Komodo liveaboard feel more private, and a private charter gives you the whole boat.

The dry season is also the time for clear skies and sunsets, and for evenings on deck under the stars, far from the lights of town.

Diving in Komodo is possible all year, and the dives are planned around the tides and the currents rather than the month. Water in the south of the park can be cooler in the middle of the dry season, so divers often bring a thicker wetsuit for those sites.

Diving charters are on request: tell us your dates, your group and your certification, and we match your dive group with a boat. See the diving charter page.

On a private charter you choose the dates, so you can pick the month that suits you. A few boats charge more for a charter in high season, for example from June to August, and show the months with the rates, so the same Komodo liveaboard can cost less a few weeks earlier or later.

For the busiest months, send your request well ahead, because the most popular boats are booked first. The charter request form on each boat page shows the price for your dates straight away, and the boat page shows the months it sails.

The trips between Lombok and Labuan Bajo cross open water along the north coast of Sumbawa, so the dry season from April to November is the best time for them. On this route the stops outside the park include Kenawa Island and Saleh Bay, where the boats look for whale sharks early in the morning, and on some boats Satonda and Moyo Island. Whale sharks are never guaranteed.

See the Lombok to Komodo liveaboard page for the boats and departures on this route.

In the dry season, pack for sun: a hat, sunglasses, reef-safe sunscreen and light clothes with long sleeves for the hottest hours. Evenings on deck can be breezy, so bring a light jacket.

In the wet season, add a rain jacket and a dry bag for your phone and camera. In every season, bring closed shoes for the treks, a swimsuit and a rash guard, and any medicine you need, including something for seasickness if you are prone to it. Most boats provide the snorkelling equipment, and you can bring your own mask if you prefer.

For July, August and the December holidays, book a Komodo liveaboard as early as you can, because the best cabins and the most popular boats go first. For the other months there is usually more choice, and the live availability on each boat page shows how many cabins are left on every departure.

For a sharing trip booked less than 60 days ahead, you pay the full amount at once; earlier bookings pay a 50% deposit within 72 hours and the balance 60 days before the trip. Read how to book a Komodo liveaboard.

Flights to Labuan Bajo and hotels in town fill up in the same weeks as the boats: July and August, the December holidays and the Indonesian public holidays. If you travel in those weeks, book your flights and your first night in Labuan Bajo as soon as your Komodo liveaboard is confirmed.

Plan to arrive the day before the trip or early on the first day, and check the pick-up time in the itinerary on the boat page.

Each boat page shows the months the boat sails, taken from its schedule, and the price calendar shows every departure with the lowest price per person and the cabins still free. If the boat you like has no departure in your month, compare other boats on the sharing trips page.

For a private charter you choose your own dates, and the charter request form shows the price for them straight away.

Weather in Komodo can change in any season, and the captain can change the route for safety on any day of the trip. If the boat cannot sail at all because of bad weather, an emergency or government rules, you can reschedule your trip or take a 70% refund.

Travel insurance is not included in the trip price, so choose a policy that covers your Komodo liveaboard before you travel.

What is the Komodo liveaboard best time overall? The dry season from April to November, with May, June, September and October as a good balance between weather and crowds.

Is the wet season worth it? It can be, for a quieter and greener park, but expect rain, changing seas and fewer departures.

Which months are the busiest? July and August, followed by the December holidays.

When do most boats sail? On this site most boats publish sharing departures from March to December.

Can bad weather cancel a Komodo liveaboard? The captain can change the route for safety. If a boat cannot sail because of bad weather, you can reschedule or take a 70% refund.

Is June a good month? Yes. June is in the dry season, with calm seas on most days and fewer travellers than in July and August. On a few boats the charter price is higher from June.

Is October a good month? Yes. October is dry and sunny, with golden brown hills and fewer travellers than in the peak months.

Do I need to plan around the tides? No. The crew plans the stops around the tides and the current for you.