What Do You Actually See at Siaba Besar and Turtle City?

The stop nobody puts on the poster

Padar gets the photograph, Pink Beach gets the name and Manta Point gets the anticipation. Siaba Besar gets the turtles, and it is the stop guests most often say afterwards was their favourite — because it is the one where nothing is difficult.

Siaba Besar is a sheltered bay roughly 1 to 1.5 hours from Labuan Bajo, which is why almost every 3D2N itinerary places it on the final morning. The reef runs from about 5 metres down a slope to a sandy bottom near 20 metres. Current is light to moderate inside the bay. There is enough seagrass to hold green turtles as residents rather than visitors, and that is the whole reason the stop exists on the route.

Conditions, in numbers

Depth, current and skill-level data are compiled from Komodo dive-operator site guides; temperature and visibility are seasonal norms for the north and central park, not guarantees for a given day.

Why turtles are actually there

This is worth understanding because it tells you when to look. Green turtles are herbivorous as adults and feed on seagrass. Siaba Besar has a sheltered, shallow, sunlit bottom — the conditions seagrass needs. The turtles are not passing through on a current; they are resident feeders, which is why sightings hold up across seasons in a way that manta sightings do not.

The practical consequence: go slowly. The commonest mistake at Siaba is swimming hard across the bay looking for a turtle when there is one three metres below you, motionless in the grass, doing exactly what you would do after lunch. Float, breathe, and scan the bottom rather than the middle water.

How Siaba fits the route

On the standard 3D2N, Siaba is the third-morning stop: the boat leaves the Manta Point and Taka Makassar area in the afternoon of day two, anchors overnight in the shelter of the bay, and snorkels there after breakfast before running to Kanawa and back to the harbour by early afternoon. The complete leg-by-leg schedule with sailing hours is on the route map and sailing hours page.

On a 4D3N the pattern changes: Siaba often becomes a check-dive or a night-dive site rather than a single snorkel stop, because the extra day removes the pressure to keep moving. That version is on the 4D3N south Komodo route page.

The honest caveats

Siaba is not a spectacular reef. The coral is ordinary by Komodo standards — if you have just come from Batu Bolong or Tatawa, the drop in structure and fish density is noticeable. Anchor damage is visible in parts of the bay, as it is at most sheltered anchorages in the park, because shelter is exactly what draws boats.

And no operator can promise a turtle. What we can say is that this is the highest-probability turtle stop on the standard route, that the shallow depth means you will see it clearly if it is there, and that guests who miss out at Siaba often find one at Kanawa the same afternoon.

Practical notes for the morning

Wear the rash guard rather than relying on sunscreen — you will be face-down in a shallow bay under a high sun for forty minutes, and reef-safe behaviour matters at a site this shallow. Keep at least three metres from any turtle and never swim above one that is heading up; they surface to breathe and a swimmer overhead makes that harder. Fins off in the shallows near the seagrass.

Snorkelling equipment and life vests are included in the fare, along with all meals and the guide — the full inclusion list is set out in our full inclusions and exclusions list. Cabin rates and the vessel specification are on the Naturalia specifications and rates page.

Frequently asked questions

What can you see at Siaba Besar on a Komodo cruise?

Green turtles, in shallow water, reliably. Siaba Besar is a sheltered bay with a 5–18 metre reef sloping to a sandy bottom around 20 metres, light to moderate current, and enough seagrass to keep turtles feeding rather than passing through. It is the stop most guests photograph a turtle at.

Is Turtle City the same place as Siaba Besar?

Effectively yes. “Turtle City” is the operator name for the shallow reef section of Siaba Besar where turtle density is highest. It is not a separate island or a separate anchorage, and you will see both names used for the same snorkel stop.

Do you need to be a strong swimmer to snorkel at Siaba?

No. Siaba Besar is the most beginner-friendly stop on the standard route: sheltered bay, light to moderate current, reef starting at about 5 metres. It is where dive boats run check-dives for the same reason. Life vests are provided and the tender stays in the water.

Are turtles guaranteed at Siaba Besar?

No, and nobody can guarantee wild animals. What can be said honestly is that Siaba is the highest-probability turtle stop on the standard route because of the seagrass and the shelter, and that guests who see none there usually see them later at Kanawa or Pink Beach.

What time of day is best for Siaba Besar?

Mid-morning to early afternoon, when the sun is high enough to light the shallows. Cruises usually schedule it on the final morning because it is close to Labuan Bajo — roughly 1 to 1.5 hours — and works as the last stop before turning for the harbour.

Can you dive at Siaba Besar?

Yes. It is an all-levels site, 5–18 metres on the slope with sand at about 20, light to moderate current in the sheltered bay. It is commonly used as a check dive at the start of a dive itinerary and occasionally as a night dive.

Booking & enquiries

Naturalia Cruise is operated and marketed by Komodo Luxury (part of Juara Holding Group, working out of Labuan Bajo since 2015). Cabin availability, charter dates and written quotations go through the Komodo Luxury reservations desk: WhatsApp +62 811 3823 875 or [email protected]. Payment terms are published and unchanged: 50% deposit to hold the date, balance due 30 days before departure, full payment if you book inside 30 days, deposit non-refundable on cancellation.

Rates and tariffs on this page were last reviewed on 1 August 2026 and are quoted for the 2027 season. Vessel figures are the operator’s published specifications; national park tariffs are from PP No. 36 Tahun 2024. Always confirm the current rate in writing before transferring a deposit.