How to read Komodo National Park’s marine forecast before a dive

For diving and other small-boat activities in Komodo National Park, the key operational question is not only whether the sea looks calm, but what the official forecast says about wind, significant waves and currents. BMKG forecasts for the park separately report these conditions, and its maritime guidance says significant wave height is used for shipping safety and maritime planning.

What does the Komodo marine forecast measure?

BMKG’s forecast for the waters of Komodo National Park reports wind direction and speed, gusts, wave height and current direction and speed. On 15 September 2026, it listed easterly winds of 12 knots, gusts of 19 knots, 1.7-metre waves classified as moderate, and a south-westward current of 1.6 knots, according to BMKG, 2026.

These are separate indicators: a wave forecast describes surface conditions, while the current forecast describes water movement. A calm-looking surface therefore does not by itself describe the current at a dive site.

Why are significant waves important for dive planning?

BMKG defines significant wave height as the average height of the highest one-third of waves during an observation period. Its Ocean Forecast System says the measure is important for maritime safety and planning, and that high waves can endanger small vessels and affect the stability of larger ships, according to BMKG, 2026.

The figure is therefore a planning indicator rather than a promise that every wave will have the same height. BMKG’s shipping bulletin also states that maximum waves may reach up to twice the significant height and that gusts can be 40 percent stronger than the stated average, according to BMKG, 2026.

How different can conditions be between Labuan Bajo and the park?

Conditions at the port and in the national-park waters can differ. BMKG’s Labuan Bajo waters forecast on 21 September 2026 reported north-easterly winds of 11 knots, gusts of 17 knots, 0.8-metre low waves and a south-westward current of 0.86 knots, according to BMKG, 2026.

For the same date, a separate BMKG forecast for Labuan Bajo port reported 0.1-metre calm waves and a southward current of 0.75 knots, according to BMKG, 2026. The different readings show why a port forecast should not be treated as a substitute for a forecast covering the intended marine area.

What does the reef and dive-site picture show?

A KKP-published study describes Komodo National Park as having 385 coral species and 40 dive sites, alongside 23 mangrove species, according to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, 2020. A separate KKP research article reported that coral-cover percentages in the park’s coral waters had remained below 50% in the areas discussed, according to the ministry’s journal, 2020.

Those figures describe biodiversity and a reported reef condition; they do not replace the day’s forecast. For a marine decision, the relevant official information is the forecast for the actual area, including wind, waves and currents.

Sources

• BMKG
• Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries journal