Siaba Kecil

Labuan Bajo · East Nusa Tenggara · Indonesia

Siaba Kecil earns the nickname Turtle City for a reason that becomes obvious within seconds of entering the water. This small island between Rinca and Flores in the Komodo archipelago hosts one of the densest populations of resting green sea turtles in Indonesia, and the shallow coral reef surrounding it provides a gentle, current-free environment that contrasts sharply with the adrenaline-fueled drift dives Komodo is famous for. I dropped in over a sandy patch at 8 metres and immediately counted four green turtles resting on the reef flat, their shells encrusted with algae and barnacles, their eyes half-closed in that unmistakable look of reptilian contentment. Swimming slowly along the reef edge, I encountered turtle after turtle. Some were wedged under table corals, others grazed on algae growing over dead coral patches, and a few hovered mid-water as if suspended by invisible strings. By the end of a leisurely 55-minute dive at a maximum depth of 15 metres, I had counted seventeen individual green sea turtles and two hawksbills. The reef itself deserves attention beyond its famous residents. Hard coral coverage is excellent, with staghorn, plate, and brain corals forming a dense mosaic from the shallows down to 18 metres. Blue-spotted stingrays shuffled across sandy clearings between coral bommies. Reef octopuses changed color against the substrate as I passed. A field of garden eels on the deeper sandy slope retracted in unison like a living lawn being mowed as my bubbles approached. Siaba Kecil requires no special skills, no current-diving experience, and no particular bravery. What it requires is patience and a willingness to slow down. The turtles are not going anywhere, and neither should you. This is the Komodo dive site where you park yourself on the sand at 10 metres, control your breathing, and let the turtles come to you. For snorkelers, the experience is equally magical, with turtles visible from the surface in water barely deeper than a swimming pool. It is a mandatory stop on any Komodo itinerary.