By Salah Teman · 5 August 2026
Karang Makassar, known to most divers simply as Manta Point, is a long shallow channel of coral rubble between Komodo and Tatawa. It is not a dramatic wall or pinnacle. It is a manta highway, and it is the reason many guests book Komodo in the first place.
Why the mantas are here
The channel functions as both a cleaning station and a feeding lane. Reef mantas arrive to have parasites removed by cleaner wrasse and to feed in the plankton the current carries through. Encounters are common year-round, with seasonal variation in numbers.
How the dive works
This is a gentle-to-moderate drift over shallow rubble. Divers settle low, stay still and wait rather than swimming toward the animals. Chasing a manta ends the encounter; holding position often brings them within a metre or two overhead.
Experience level
Suitable for most certified divers, and one of the few marquee Komodo sites that is not current-dependent in the way the northern pinnacles are. Snorkellers frequently see mantas here too.
Conditions
Water temperature in central and north Komodo runs 26–30°C, generally warm and calm. A 3mm long wetsuit is the most versatile choice; bring a 5mm or a neoprene hoodie if you feel the cold. The Komodo season is June to September, departing from Labuan Bajo. Open Water divers are limited to a maximum depth of 18m by law and insurance.
Diving it with Teman
The KLM Teman carries 12 guests in 5 ensuite cabins with a crew of 10, which keeps groups small on sites where spacing matters. This site features on our Komodo itineraries from 4 days upward.
More Komodo dive sites
See all itineraries and dates on our Komodo liveaboard page.
Salah writes for Teman Liveaboard, the owner-operator of the KLM Teman. The Teman is a 36-metre Indonesian phinisi, handbuilt in Sulawesi and launched in 2017, carrying 12 guests in 5 ensuite cabins with a permanent crew of 10 and a Cruise Director. The team behind her has more than 20 years sailing the Indonesian archipelago. The boat works Komodo National Park from June to September out of Labuan Bajo, Raja Ampat from November to April out of Sorong, and runs Banda Sea and Ring of Fire crossings between the two seasons. The dive site guides on this blog are written from the operator's own logs and itineraries, with conditions, seasons and equipment guidance checked against the dive team who work these sites every week. Where a detail depends on the day — depth on a given tide, or where a current will take you — we say so rather than guess, because that is a briefing the Cruise Director gives on the boat, not something a web page can promise.
Ready to Start Planning?
Have More Questions?
Our team is ready to help you craft the perfect, safe, and unforgettable trip. Contact us today!
About the author
Salah Teman — Salah writes for Teman Liveaboard, the owner-operator of the KLM Teman. The Teman is a 36-metre Indonesian phinisi, handbuilt in Sulawesi and launched in 2017, carrying 12 guests in 5 ensuite cabins with a permanent crew of 10 and a Cruise Director. The team behind her has more than 20 years sailing the Indonesian archipelago. The boat works Komodo National Park from June to September out of Labuan Bajo, Raja Ampat from November to April out of Sorong, and runs Banda Sea and Ring of Fire crossings between the two seasons. The dive site guides on this blog are written from the operator's own logs and itineraries, with conditions, seasons and equipment guidance checked against the dive team who work these sites every week. Where a detail depends on the day — depth on a given tide, or where a current will take you — we say so rather than guess, because that is a briefing the Cruise Director gives on the boat, not something a web page can promise.
