Across the Komodo National Park corridor, cold upwelling each Austral winter draws Mola mola to seamounts and drift sites between Padar, Rinca, and the park's northern channels on liveaboard circuits from Labuan Bajo. Divers watch ocean sunfish hover at cleaning stations in blue water while current pushes mantas and reef sharks through the same thermocline layer, with July and August delivering the densest mola traffic before warming seas scatter fish back toward the deep.
Across the Komodo National Park corridor, cold upwelling each Austral winter draws Mola mola to seamounts and drift sites between Padar, Rinca, and the park's northern channels on liveaboard circuits from Labuan Bajo. Divers watch ocean sunfish hover at cleaning stations in blue water while current pushes mantas and reef sharks through the same thermocline layer, with July and August delivering the densest mola traffic before warming seas scatter fish back toward the deep.
Up to 90% sighting chance in Komodo National Park. Best months: July, August, September.
Cold upwelling from May through September brings ocean sunfish to Komodo's northern and central sites, with July and August offering the highest encounter rates on liveaboard itineraries.
Liveaboards cover the widest range of mola sites across the park, but select day boats from Labuan Bajo reach productive northern sites on strong upwelling days during peak weeks.
Most mola encounters occur between 25 and 35 metres along thermoclines on drift profiles. Advanced Open Water and comfort in moderate to strong current are standard requirements.
Manta rays, eagle rays, reef sharks, and dense schools of trevally often share upwelling sites with ocean sunfish during the same dive profiles.
Three-day liveaboard packages from Labuan Bajo typically run 12,000,000 to 18,000,000 IDR per person (2026 prices). Longer seven-day expeditions cost roughly 28,000,000 to 42,000,000 IDR including park fees.
