Tatawa Kecil - Komodo
Mele 2, or West Side Story, is one of our favourites in Port Vila because it just feels *healthy*. We’ve dived it plenty, and it rarely disappoints. Drop in, and you’ll notice the staghorn coral right away, spreading out in thick, branching fields that seem to go on forever. It’s a bright, busy scene, with deep-body silver biddies flickering in the gaps and dark-fin chromis darting around the branches. We’ve found the best of it sits around 15 to 20 metres. That’s where you’ll spot those banded sea kraits snaking through the coral heads, or if you’re lucky, a big-eye trevally cruising by. The visibility averages around 18 metres, which gives you enough clarity to appreciate the sheer scale of the coral. It’s a calm, easy dive, good for anyone looking to just relax and soak in a vibrant reef without any fuss.
- Location
- Komodo, Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- -8.529600, 119.626800
- Type
- reef
Marine Protected Area: Komodo
Best Time to Dive in Komodo
The warmest water temperatures in Komodo occur in November, averaging 30.3°C. The coolest conditions are in August at 27.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.2°C
- February: 28.9°C
- March: 29.4°C
- April: 29.7°C
- May: 29.4°C
- June: 28.9°C
- July: 28.1°C
- August: 27.9°C
- September: 28.2°C
- October: 29.2°C
- November: 30.3°C
- December: 30.2°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Komodo
- 3 Sisters
- Amelia (reef)
- ARDADELDALI - 0m (wreck)
- Bahuluang Wall (reef)
- Batu Bolong
- Batu Bolong Dive Site
- Batu Bolong Komodo (reef)
- Batu Bolong Komodo (reef)
- Batu Tiga (drift)
- Batu Tiga (reef)
- Batu Tiga Dive Site
- Bhayangkara (reef)
- Bhayangkara
- Bidadari (reef)
- Bidadari (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Tatawa Kecil
Marine Life in Komodo
Home to 220 recorded species including 95 reef fish, 92 hard corals, 13 seagrass & algae, 5 sharks & rays, 4 sea cucumbers, 3 clams & mussels.
Notable Species
- Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) - Clams & Mussels
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) - Sea Cucumbers
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) - Reef Fish
- chocolate chip sea star (Protoreaster nodosus) - Starfish
- Pinkfish (Holothuria edulis) - Sea Cucumbers
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Common Mushroom Coral (Fungia fungites) - Hard Corals
- Bowl coral (Halomitra pileus) - Hard Corals
- Blue-lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Fluted clam (Tridacna squamosa) - Clams & Mussels
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- Feather Coral (Polyphyllia talpina) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Si (Syringodium isoetifolium) - Seagrass & Algae
Recommended Packing List for Tatawa Kecil
Based on average water temperature of 29.1°C, currents 5 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories