Yes. Open Water runs over three days on board and certifies you to 18 metres; Advanced Open Water adds two days and five adventure dives. The catch is not the timetable, it is Komodo itself — a newly certified diver is qualified for sheltered sites such as Siaba and Pink Beach, not for Castle Rock.
What can actually be taught on board
Four programmes run on a Pinta course charter, and they map onto the standard recreational ladder rather than onto anything bespoke.
| 课程 | Duration | What it certifies you to do |
|---|---|---|
| Discover Scuba | Part of one day | A supervised introductory dive. Not a certification. |
| Open Water | 3 days | Independent recreational diving to 18 metres with a buddy. |
| Advanced Open Water | 2 days, 5 adventure dives | Extends to 30 metres and formally introduces deep and drift diving. |
| 重新激活 | Part of one day | A refresher for certified divers who have been out of the water. |
Instruction follows the same standards as a resort course — the confined-water skills simply happen off a dive platform in a sheltered bay rather than in a swimming pool. That is a genuine advantage: your first breaths underwater are taken over reef rather than tiles, and the transition to open water is smaller.
What a course charter costs in 2027
Pinta’s course charters are priced as whole-boat rates in rupiah, which is unusual and worth understanding before you compare against a per-person resort course.
| Charter | 1–4 guests | 5–8 guests | 9–12 guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4D3N | IDR 140,000,000 | IDR 150,000,000 | IDR 160,000,000 |
| 5D4N | IDR 190,000,000 | IDR 200,000,000 | IDR 210,000,000 |
| 6D5N | IDR 240,000,000 | IDR 250,000,000 | IDR 260,000,000 |
Whole-boat pricing means the per-person figure falls steeply with group size, and it means the format suits a family or a group of friends learning together far better than it suits a solo student. Park tickets and locally collected charges sit outside these rates. The government tariff set by Peraturan Pemerintah No. 36/2024 is IDR 250,000 per foreign visitor per visit, flat, with trekking, wildlife observation and snorkelling included. Indonesian nationals pay IDR 50,000 on weekdays and IDR 75,000 at weekends and public holidays.
The real catch: what a new certification lets you dive here
This is where honesty matters more than salesmanship. Komodo is a current-driven park. Pinta’s working minimum for fun diving is Open Water or Advanced with around 30 logged dives, and full access to the current-heavy sites realistically wants Advanced plus about 50 dives. A diver who certifies on Tuesday does not meet that bar on Thursday, and no reputable dive team will pretend otherwise.
What a freshly certified diver can dive in Komodo is still excellent, and it is not a consolation prize.
- Siaba Besar — 5 to 18 metres, sheltered bay, light to moderate current. Turtles, macro, and the site most check dives happen on.
- Pink Beach — 5 to 20 metres, light to moderate current, shallow coral garden with anthias and turtles.
- Karang Makassar, the manta site — 8 to 18 metres, a gentle to moderate drift rated for all levels from around ten logged dives. Yes, that means a new diver can meet mantas.
- Sebayur — 5 to 30 metres, soft coral garden, easy at the sheltered end.
Should you certify in Komodo or arrive certified?
Arrive certified if you can, and arrive with logged dives if you possibly can. The reason is arithmetic rather than snobbery: a three-day course spends three of your charter days on skills at sheltered sites, and it still leaves you outside the certification band for Batu Bolong, Castle Rock and Shotgun. A diver who arrives with Advanced and 50 dives spends the same charter diving the sites that made Komodo famous.
Certify here if the group is learning together, if the trip is as much about the boat and the islands as about the logbook, or if you want to combine one certified diver with one beginner without splitting the holiday. In that case book the course charter deliberately, and expect the dive plan to be built around the students.
What to do before you board
- Complete the theory and knowledge development online before you fly. It converts classroom hours into water hours.
- Bring a medical statement, and if you have any of the conditions flagged on it, bring the doctor’s sign-off. Sorting this out from a boat is not possible.
- Bring your own mask. A leaking rental mask has ended more courses than current ever has.
- Ask whether student insurance is included in the course fee or whether you need your own.
Frequently asked questions
Can you learn to dive on a Komodo liveaboard?
Yes. Open Water runs over three days on board and certifies you to 18 metres, and Advanced Open Water adds two days and five adventure dives. Discover Scuba and Reactivate refreshers also run on board.
How much is a Komodo dive course charter in 2027?
Pinta’s course charters are whole-boat rates: IDR 140,000,000 to 160,000,000 for 4 days / 3 nights depending on group size, rising to IDR 240,000,000 to 260,000,000 for 6 days / 5 nights. Park fees are extra.
Can a newly certified diver dive Batu Bolong or Castle Rock?
No. Those sites need Advanced certification and experience — realistically around 30 logged dives as a minimum and 50 for full access. A new Open Water diver dives sheltered sites such as Siaba Besar, Pink Beach and Sebayur.
Can a beginner see manta rays in Komodo?
Yes. Karang Makassar sits at 8 to 18 metres with a gentle to moderate drift and is rated for all levels from around ten logged dives, so it is within reach of a newly certified diver.
Should I do my theory before the trip?
Yes. Completing the knowledge development online before you board converts classroom hours into water hours and is the single biggest thing you can do to get more diving out of a course charter.
Keep reading
- Komodo certification requirements — what level and how many logged dives you need
- Liveaboard versus land-based diving — dive count and cost compared
- When the mantas are actually there — the December-to-March window and the year-round site
Booking and questions
Pinta is operated and sold by Komodo Luxury, the Labuan Bajo charter operator running trips in Komodo National Park since 2015. Reservations, dive-team questions and date holds: WhatsApp +62 811 3823 875 or [email protected].
