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Komodo · boat

The Cauldron

Editorial plate — compiled from published sources, not yet confirmed by a verified diver. Dived here? Verify this plate.

Gili Lawa Darat & Gili Lawa Laut, Komodo National Park

8.45190°S, 119.65420°E

A drift between Gili Lawa Darat and Laut that drops into a sandy bowl, then fires divers through a narrow gap called the Shotgun.

Depth
—

Typical 16 m

Vis
15–25 m

27–29 °C

Current
strong
Health
Unscored

Awaiting verified ratings

Geo (surface approx.)
8.45190°S, 119.65420°E

Coordinates from a cited source.

Entry / access
boat

The dive starts on a quiet reef slope, crosses a rubble patch good for macro, then drops into a sandy basin roughly 30 m deep where snappers and sweetlips gather. The current then picks up and pushes divers out through a narrow rocky channel, ending over a hard coral garden where mantas sometimes visit a cleaning station. Operators time it for the falling tide. Komodo park fees apply.

Difficulty
advanced

Advanced Open Water with drift-diving experience

Best season
Apr–Nov; mantas most frequent May–Aug; dived on a falling tide
Last reviewed
20 Oct 2026 by editorial

Hazards

  • high · Accelerating current through the channel
  • medium · Unpredictable currents may force a change of plan

Marine life

Typical: manta ray, whitetip reef shark, giant trevally, bumphead parrotfish, giant sweetlips, eagle ray, garden eels, pygmy seahorse

Durable site rating

Multi-axis score

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Condition reports

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Living record

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Questions people search

Is The Cauldron suitable for beginners?

advanced — Advanced Open Water with drift-diving experience

Sources

Where sources disagree

Max depth 25 m (Dragon Dive) vs about 30 m (Dive Concepts). Dragon Dive says reef hooks are banned in most parks, while other Komodo operators routinely use them at nearby sites.

Listed by: Dragon Dive Komodo

Related sites

Other advanced plates in Komodo.

Durable multi-axis scores sit on the rating plate. File a timestamped condition report, CoralWatch colour, or debris card on today's report. Public averages stay verified-only. Book at an Andaman dive centre.