Golden Passage, also called the Gili Lawa Darat channel, is the gap between the northeast tip of Komodo Island and Gili Lawa Darat. The rising tide pushes the drift. A route often used starts in the shallow eastern bay, then runs west, across a saddle that rises to about 10 m. Working depth is about 5–25 m. The map lists it to about 30 m.
The bottom is gravel, coral garden, and boulders. Whitetip and blacktip reef sharks cruise the slopes, with turtles, sweetlips, trevally, and barracuda. Eagle rays and mantas sometimes pass, especially on an incoming tide. The southern edge is the hazard: the current can pull down and out of the channel. Do not swim across without a boat waiting. Entry is by boat, often with a fast descent. This is for divers who are already calm in current.
- Map coordinate
- −8.47959, 119.55288
- Dive type
- Drift
- Entry
- Boat
- Depth
- About 5–25 m
- Water
- Salt water
Marine life
Whitetip reef shark
They cruise the channel slopes.
Blacktip reef shark
They cruise the channel slopes.
Turtle
Along the drift.
Trevally
Along the drift.
Sweetlips
Along the drift.
Barracuda
Often in the open water.
Eagle ray
Sometimes, not on every dive.
Manta ray
Sometimes, not on every dive.
An animal on this list is not guaranteed on every dive.