Crystal Rock

Crystal Rock is a submerged pinnacle in the Gili Lawalaut group north of Komodo, within the strait waters of Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara. The site rises from a reef bottom to a maximum depth of around 30 metres and is rated an advanced dive, largely due to strong currents and downcurrents that sweep across the pinnacle. Visibility is generally good, and divers typically drop onto the rock and hook in or drift along its flanks to watch what the current brings past. Schooling barracuda, fusiliers, sweetlips, surgeonfish, and trevally are common here, along with tuna, batfish, eagle rays, manta rays, humphead wrasse, and nudibranchs on the reef itself. Divers have also reported reef sharks, hammerheads, whale sharks, bull sharks, bumphead parrotfish, octopus, frogfish, and mackerel around the site, and some have noted tidal swings, upwellings, and swirling currents in the channel adding to the challenge. Because of the current and the need to manage depth and position around the pinnacle, it is best suited to divers with some experience rather than beginners.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Reef sharkReef sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• Jack / amberjackJack / amberjackReported here · unconfirmed
• Whitetip Reef SharkTriaenodon obesusReported here · unconfirmed
• Bignose UnicornfishNaso vlamingiiReported here · unconfirmed
• Giant TrevallyCaranx ignobilisReported here · unconfirmed
• Giant MorayGymnothorax javanicusReported here · unconfirmed
• Schooling BannerfishHeniochus diphreutesReported here · unconfirmed
• Midnight SnapperMacolor macularisReported here · unconfirmed
• Moorish IdolZanclus cornutusReported here · unconfirmed
• Yellow BoxfishOstracion cubicumReported here · unconfirmed
• Clark's AnemonefishAmphiprion clarkiiReported here · unconfirmed
• Sixband AngelfishPomacanthus sexstriatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Bumphead parrotfishBumphead parrotfishReported here · unconfirmed
• FrogfishFrogfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Eagle rayEagle rayConfirmed present · 4 independent sources
• BatfishBatfishConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• SweetlipsSweetlipsConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• Bull SharkCarcharhinus leucasReported here · unconfirmed
• TunaTunaConfirmed present · 6 independent sources
• SurgeonfishSurgeonfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• OctopusOctopusReported here · unconfirmed
• BarracudaBarracudaConfirmed present · 7 independent sources
• Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseConfirmed present · 5 independent sources
• NudibranchNudibranchConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• Manta rayManta rayConfirmed present · 4 independent sources
• BannerfishBannerfishReported here · unconfirmed
• MackerelMackerelReported here · unconfirmed
• Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed
• Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• TrevallyTrevallyConfirmed present · 8 independent sources
• FusilierFusilierConfirmed present · 5 independent sources
• DamselfishDamselfishReported here · unconfirmed