Blue Marlin Dive Komodo — Hotel in Flores

Tomorrow will be a sad day because it's my last opportunity to go out on the dive boat with Blue Marlin Komodo. I arrived in Labuan Bajo, Flores, seven weeks ago with around 70 dives and a mission - to become a PADI Divemaster. I leave with over 130 dives and a qualification I'm extremely proud of, and I couldn't have chosen a better place to do it.

Considering I'd spent three months in the Philippines trying (and failing) to locate a spot that had the right mix of great diving and a good local atmosphere, it was a huge gamble to book my course without having ever set foot in Komodo - but I knew I'd made the right decision as soon as I arrived.

The staff at BMK are fun, friendly, professional, entertaining, sociable, organised...basically, exactly what you look for in dive centre employees. I felt safe and comfortable on my dives - even when practising the skills I find most challenging, like mask removal. My instructors Doug and Vero knew exactly when to be serious, when to entertain, and when to dish out a little bit of sympathy and understanding, and I'm extremely grateful to them for this.

The centre itself is the best in town. It has a huge restaurant/bar where many people like to hang out in the evenings, and there's a swimming pool to practise skills in. The boats are some of the fastest in Labuan Bajo (especially the speedboat Toby), and the liveaboard Ikan Biru is amazing. Not only do they serve the best breakfast I've experienced anywhere in Asia (I've been here 10 months), but the facilities are very nice. People sleep above deck (with a canvas cover overhead), which is actually cooler and much less claustrophobic than any boat cabin I've stayed in. They separate the mattresses with huge cushions so you have a degree of privacy, but it also encourages everyone on board to get to know each other as they sip a can of beer and look out for shooting stars.

The diving in Komodo is astounding. Once you've been here, you'll struggle to find anywhere better. It doesn't matter if you like big things like mantas, sharks and turtles, or small stuff like flamboyant cuttlefish, frogfish, and pygmy seahorses. Komodo has it all. While I was here there were even sightings of a mimic octopus, some blue-ringed octopuses, a stargazer, and a tiger shark that was following a dead whale through the channel! They've seen blue whales and whale sharks in these waters too, and dolphins can sometimes be spotted while you're diving. Basically, keep your eyes open and expect the unexpected!

I haven't met many divers who aren't also passionate about the wildlife on land, and no trip to Komodo is complete without a trek on Rinca or Komodo to see the Komodo dragons. This is a truly amazing experience, and you can tag it onto a day with the BMK dive boat. I saw two dragons tearing a deer carcase apart, and we had another three come charging around the corner just before our guide distracted their attention and lured them away. It was quite an adventure!

Another top reason to consider Komodo is its currents. They're a great way to learn about tidal effects on dive conditions, and they can be a lot of fun if you're drift diving or riding a 'shotgun'. If you're into adventure diving, this is definitely the place for you, but that's not to say you won't find suitable sites if you prefer a calmer experience. Many of the best spots in Komodo are sheltered. Just make sure you know what you're getting yourself in for when you book!

Labuan Bajo is a small town with character, and it attracts people with a sense of adventure who care for the environment. As a solo traveller, couple or group of friends, you'll find yourself easily accepted into the expat crowd and you're pretty much guaranteed a wonderful experience, both...

Terrible Experience – Strongly Do Not Recommend

We had an absolute nightmare of an experience with Blue Marlin Dive Komodo, and I hope anyone considering this center takes a moment to read this. It’s important to know what you’re getting into.

For context, my friends and I booked with Blue Marlin Dive Komodo at ADEX Singapore in April 2024. We were a group of eight: six of us planned to take our AOWD (Advanced Open Water Diver) certifications, while two were already certified and simply wanted to join for fun dives. During the booking, we explicitly communicated our desire to dive together as a group. The General Manager, Chris, assured us that this would be possible.

Unfortunately, when we arrived in Komodo, things took a turn for the worse. Chris told us the two fun divers wouldn’t be allowed to join the rest of the group, completely contradicting what was agreed upon at ADEX. When we tried to come to a compromise, he was dismissive and acted like it didn’t matter, casually suggesting we could cancel if we wanted since they had dives booked year-round. It was clear he wasn’t interested in finding a solution, almost as if he didn’t care whether we stayed or left. This was especially frustrating because we had just arrived, and all the other dive centers were closed.

We attempted to negotiate, explaining that this arrangement was not what we had agreed upon, but Chris was inflexible. He claimed to have no recollection of our conversation at ADEX and stated that there was no written confirmation to support our claim. He argued that the instructors could not manage the additional two fun divers, which was absurd since a separate instructor had been assigned to them. When we pointed this out, Chris countered with a thinly veiled threat: if we insisted on diving together, he would not guarantee the six of us would pass the AOWD course. He then told us that if we decided to cancel, the fun divers would get their deposit back, but the rest of us would forfeit ours.

Faced with this, we chose to forgo diving with Blue Marlin entirely. When we informed them of our decision, Chris escalated the situation further, demanding that we pay 30 million IDR for the boat rental, cover the full cost of the AOWD course, and forfeit our deposits. He even called the police when we questioned the legality of his demands.

The most astonishing part? We had never signed a contract, and the terms and conditions we were provided made no mention of having to pay for the full amount under these circumstances. Fortunately, we had an email exchange that clearly stated our requirement to dive as a group, which had been acknowledged by Blue Marlin. When we presented this, Chris had no choice but to refund all of us, though not without further resistance from the booking manager, Su-ling, who tried to argue that her acknowledgment was invalid.

To make matters worse, after reaching out to other dive centers, we later learned that Blue Marlin had spread false claims about us asking for discounts, which was completely untrue.

In summary, our experience with Blue Marlin Dive Komodo was deeply frustrating, stressful, and unprofessional. They completely disregarded our agreed-upon arrangements and showed no willingness to compromise or address the situation fairly. I would strongly advise anyone considering this dive center to think twice.

DIVE HERE AT...

Summary: bad(highly recommend reading all of it if you can) I recently went diving with Blue Marlin, and I regret to say that my experience was far from satisfactory. Despite the higher cost—about 500,000 more than other dive centers—I did not find the value to justify the price. Here is a detailed account of my experience:

Pros: The primary benefit of the additional cost appears to be the use of a speedboat. Unlike most dive centers, Blue Marlin's speedboat allows you to return 2-3 hours earlier and arrive at dive sites ahead of the crowds. However, the boat itself is not luxurious, so do not expect any added comfort or amenities.

Cons: Hidden Costs: We were offered a "5% discount," but it did not include the Komodo Park Pass, which other dive centers typically cover.

Food Quality: The promised "nice breakfast" and "nice lunch" were disappointing. Breakfast consisted of two types of very dry and flavorless pastries, and lunch was subpar. I am not a picky eater, but the food quality was poor by any standard.

Video Recording Service: I paid 600,000 for their recording service, hoping to document my diving experience. However, I ended up with only 13 short clips totaling about 5 minutes of footage across three dive sites. This was extremely disappointing and felt like a major rip-off, especially considering that renting a GoPro costs only 250,000 at other shops.

Instructor Experience: Our dive instructor, Pau, unfortunately made the experience quite disappointing. I have always had enthusiastic and engaging instructors who are passionate about their work and eager to share their knowledge and excitement with divers. However, Pau was the opposite. From the start, he seemed disinterested and unmotivated. His lack of enthusiasm was evident in his minimal interaction with us; he barely spoke to the group and did not create a welcoming or friendly atmosphere.

In the water, a good instructor typically points out interesting marine life and features of the dive site, enhancing the experience and ensuring safety. Pau, however, simply swam ahead without any engagement or effort to highlight the underwater wonders around us. On several occasions, my dive buddy and I discovered interesting marine life and tried to gather the group's attention, but Pau continued swimming, completely unaware that we had stopped to observe something special.

His inattentiveness and apparent disinterest not only diminished the quality of the dive but also impacted the overall safety and enjoyment of the experience. It felt more like we were on our own rather than being guided by a professional instructor. The lack of communication and interaction from Pau made the dives feel rushed and impersonal, which is the opposite of what one would expect from a premium dive center.

This poor level of guidance and the instructor's indifferent attitude significantly marred what should have been an exceptional diving experience in one of the world's best diving locations. I believe that a passionate and engaged instructor is crucial for a memorable dive, and unfortunately, Pau's approach fell far short of expectations.

Overall, this was one of my worst diving experiences, despite being in one of the world's best diving locations. I chose the wrong company and would not recommend Blue Marlin to anyone looking for a memorable and enjoyable...