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It’s A Small World

📍 Komodo, Indonesia

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) - recorded at It's A Small World

It’s A Small World is a dive site in Komodo, Indonesia. Currents typically run at 1.2 km/h and reach 2.3 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 28°C in August to 30°C in November. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.4 m. Species recorded in the area include Lined Bristletooth, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Painted Frogfish, Lattice Butterflyfish and Pacific Trumpetfish.

Dive Conditions

💨
Current
1.2 km/h (2.3)
🌡️
Water Temp
28–30 °C

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Typical Current 1.2 km/h (up to 2.3)
Water Temperature 28–30 °C
Tidal Range 1.4 m (typical daily)
GPS -8.3931°, 119.3179°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024. Tidal range is the median daily range of modelled sea level from Open-Meteo Marine, hourly values 2024. Species observations from iNaturalist, checked against the World Register of Marine Species.

Conditions at It’s A Small World through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in November at about 30 °C and coolest in August at about 28 °C, a spread of 2.3 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at It’s A Small World (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
29.4 29.4 29.6 29.6 29.6 29.0 28.4 28.0 28.3 29.1 30.3 30.0

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 1.2 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 2.3 km/h, which is when entries are normally timed to slack water at the turn of the tide.

The tide moves the water level by a median 1.4 m over a day, and by up to 1.8 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

In the open sea off It’s A Small World, the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 0.8 % of days between 2015 and 2024. The roughest month was January (5 % of days), the calmest April (0 %).

Share of days with waves above 1.5 m, open sea near It’s A Small World (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
511000000002

How It’s A Small World compares

These comparisons use only the measured values above, set against the 376 dive sites published on findadive.com. A percentage shows the share of other sites with a lower (or higher) value, so it reads the same way wherever the site is.

It’s A Small World compared with all listed sites and with Komodo
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Komodo
Mean water temperature29.2 °Ccooler than 65 % of the other 375 sites28.8 °C (68 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.0 °Ccooler than 64 % of the other 375 sites27.9 °C (68 sites)
Typical current1.2 km/hstronger than 54 % of the other 375 sites1.2 km/h (68 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours2.3 km/hweaker than 50 % of the other 375 sites2.7 km/h (68 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.4 msmaller than 57 % of the other 375 sites1.5 m (68 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at -8.3931°, 119.3179°. Wave statistics from ERA5-Ocean via Open-Meteo Marine (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2015–2024), daily maximum wave height on a 0.5° grid; land shelter tested against Natural Earth coastlines.

Marine life recorded at this site

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist within about 12 km of these coordinates.

Lined Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus striatus)
Lined Bristletooth Ctenochaetus striatus A brown surgeonfish with numerous fine blue lines along its body and a yellow tail, grazing algae with comb-like teeth.to 26 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reef flats, lagoons and seaward reefsLook for it singly or in small groups, often moving slowly over coral or rubble while picking at the surface. (c) Zara, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Hawksbill Sea Turtle Eretmochelys imbricata A sea turtle with a distinctive pointed beak and overlapping scutes on its carapace, often seen grazing on sponges.to 1 m · 0-30 m · day and nightcoral reefs and rocky areasObserve from a distance; it may surface to breathe and then return to feed on the reef. (c) Zara, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Painted Frogfish (Antennarius pictus)
Painted Frogfish Antennarius pictus (c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Lattice Butterflyfish (Chaetodon rafflesii)
Lattice Butterflyfish Chaetodon rafflesii A small butterflyfish with a yellow body crossed by a lattice of dark lines, a black bar through the eye, and a black spot on the dorsal fin.to 15 cm · 1-15 m · by daycoral-rich areas of lagoons and reefsOften seen in pairs, picking at coral polyps. Look for them near branching corals like Acropora. (c) Zara, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Pacific Trumpetfish (Aulostomus chinensis)
Pacific Trumpetfish Aulostomus chinensis A slender, elongated fish that often hovers vertically among branching corals or swims slowly, sometimes shadowing larger fish.to 80 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral reefs and seagrass bedsLook for its motionless vertical posture near coral heads, or watch for it swimming close behind large parrotfish or groupers. (c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Whitecheek Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans)
Whitecheek Surgeonfish Acanthurus nigricans A dark brown surgeonfish with a distinctive white patch below the eye and a yellow band at the base of the pectoral fin.to 21 cm · 1-67 m · by daycoral-rich areas of clear lagoon and seaward reefsOften seen singly or in small groups grazing on algae; look for the bright white cheek patch. (c) Zara, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Yellow Boxfish (Ostracion cubicum)
Yellow Boxfish Ostracion cubicum A small, angular boxfish with a bright yellow body and scattered black spots, often seen hovering near the reef.to 45 cm · 1-50 m · by daycoral and rocky reefs, lagoonsWatch for its distinctive, slow, fluttering swimming motion, often near overhangs or coral heads. (c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Desirable Flabellina (Coryphellina exoptata)
Desirable Flabellina Coryphellina exoptata (c) Kai Squires, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation