Snorkeling in the Komodo is one of the most popular activities to do beside the famous walking-with-dragons. The crystal clear, bright turquoise water of Komodo looks as if begging any snorkelers to take a plunge right there and right now. However, there are certain things you need to notice if you want to submerge into Komodo’s precious underwater wonderland.
Swim outside the Komodo Snorkeling designated area
The Komodo is by no means an easy water. It’s incredibly rich underwater life is famously contributed by the strong streams of currents from the two ocean; the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Many dive sites in Komodo are reserved for the advanced, experienced divers who can handle the challenges. Snorkel sites, in comparison, are a bit limited to the dive sites. It’s very important to know the boundaries when you are snorkeling in Komodo. You don’t want to get caught in currents you can’t handle and being swept away to the bottom of the ocean.
Coming too close to the coral reefs
Have you seen the clear waters of Komodo with corals peeking just underneath the surface? It’s beautiful, sure. But that’s the area you should be very careful. The mere swirls of water from your fins could damage the delicate soft corals. Snorkeling close to the hard corals is dangerous too. They are sharps and could give you bad scratch if you are not careful.
Trying to touch Manta Ray or other creatures on Komodo snorkeling
Have you ever seen people touching the Manta Ray in Komodo? Yup, that’s the ultimate thing you shouldn’t do while snorkeling in Komodo. No matter how you get awed by them. Manta Ray in Komodo is the absolutely the star of underwater world. They are abundant where, in other half of the world, are rare. These giants are also extremely gentle and quite friendly towards human, which some irresponsible snorkelers interpret it as a permission to touch them. Touching the skin of Manta Ray is harmful as it could remove the protective layer of mucus that protect them from infection. And that applies for any other marine creatures, really. Including the dolphins, turtles, corals, seahorses, and all kinds of fishes.
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Not wearing a long sleeve wetsuit
Komodo screams everything about exotic tropical destination—sparkling blue waters, unspoiled beaches, and clear sky. It’s natural if you associate the Komodo with bikinis, beach wears, and anything of sort. You might think to take a plunge to the bright, turquoise waters only on your swimwear. Not only that the water is so tempting, but it also relates with popular Komodo-holiday shots in social media. The truth is, you wouldn’t want to spend the more than 10 minutes on Komodo waters, under the scorching sun with only bikinis or shorts. You would want to wear long sleeve wetsuit for snorkeling in Komodo. Yes, even under the tropical weather. The sun is hot and the sunburn after snorkeling could be painful. Rash guards and leggings also provide good alternatives for lighter protection if you don’t want to deal with heavy wetsuits.