Dorothea Oldani
Alor lies to the east of Flores & north of Timor Island. Divers who venture this far will be rewarded with exceptional diving away from the crowds.
The area is characterised by two main forms of diving - current swept dives with a high chance to find pelagics; and world-class muck diving.
There are actually a few islands that are dived in the area, not just Alor. The islands of Pantar, Pura, Kumba, Ternate & Buaya make up the Alor group of islands.
Highlights
Best diving spots
Kal’s Dream is one of the area’s more famous dive sites. The currents make this only suitable for experienced divers, but they also bring an excellent chance to see large pelagics. Numerous species of shark can be seen here, huge Groupers make their presence felt, oversize Tuna patrol the blue while large Napoleon’s can also be spotted. On the reef itself, clouds of colourful Anthias dart in and out of the reefs, caught between feeding in the current and finding shelter.
Sharks Galore is a drift-dive, with a good chance to spot Grey Reef Sharks. The drift usually ends in Clown Valley, where every spare inch is carpeted in Anenome’s. The Cathedral and the Arch are beautiful sites with impressive underwater rock formations.
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Muck-diving is the latest craze in Alor and the area has a selection of weird critters to rival anywhere in the archipelago. Mimic Octopus and the less-well-known Wunderpus are seen here. Numerous Frogfish compete for the best spot and many Ghost Pipefish can be found, including the Halimeda Ghost Pipefish. Among the other residents, Stargazers peer out from the sand, Nudibranch’s abound and many rare shrimps make their home here.
Whales are also occasionally known to frequent this area.
When to dive
Alor is best visited between April and December, which promise excellent conditions for scuba diving. January to March can bring rough seas & wet weather.
Getting there
Alor has a small airport with regular to & from Kupang in West Timor. Kupang is well connected, with flights to & from Jakarta, Surabaya & Bali.
Activities
Alor is a charming island, with friendly, welcoming locals. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the tranquil pace of life. The island is quite undeveloped, so there are not a great deal of tourist facilities.
Resort and liveaboard options
Alor is most commonly dived from resort, with a small number of excellent dive resorts and operations. It occasionally features on a liveaboard itinerary for certain vessels.
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