Alor

The Alor archipelago lies at the eastern end of the Lesser Sunda chain, between Flores and Timor. Most diving happens in the Pantar Strait between Alor and Pantar, where the islets of Kepa, Pura, Ternate and Buaya sit in the path of the Indonesian Throughflow, the water mass pushing from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. The result is fierce, moon-driven currents, cold upwellings in the south (with sunfish and thresher sharks rising to clean), coral walls and pinnacles, carpets of anemones around Pura and first-class muck diving in Kalabahi Bay and Beang Abang. The strait was declared a district marine park in 2001 and most of the archipelago became part of a national marine protected area in 2010.

Facts

Best season: Mid-March – mid-December; most resorts close in the Dec–Mar rainy season. Driest months May–October
Water temperature: Usually 24–30 °C (≈27 °C in the north); the south is colder (21–25 °C) and upwelling thermoclines can drop to 20 °C, occasionally 16 °C – bring a 5 mm suit
Visibility: About 15 m around the wet season, up to 40 m in the dry season (June–October); muck sites are murkier
Getting there: Fly from Bali or Jakarta to Kupang (KOE), then on to Alor's Mali Airport (ARD, near Kalabahi) – often with an overnight stop in Kupang. A ferry Kupang–Kalabahi takes ~6–8 h a few times a week. Schedules change often; check current flights and ferries
Permit / fees: Alor marine park fee, collected by the dive operator: listed as IDR 400,000 per day or IDR 1,500,000 per year for foreigners (check current rates)
Currents: Often strong and changeable, driven by tides and moon phase; up- and down-currents ('washing machine') occur. Calmest around half moon. Operators recommend 50–100 logged dives

Season

Best months: Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Acceptable: Mar, Dec
Water temperature: 25–29 °C

Alor's dive season runs April to November; strong currents bring nutrients that feed the reefs. Few sources were available; wet-season months are not well documented.

Dive sites (24)

Alor South-West

Andy's Bus Stop – intermediate
The Cathedral – 30 m, advanced
Wolang Cavern – advanced

Ternate & Buaya

Babylon – 30 m, intermediate
Cave Point – 20–35 m, intermediate
Coral Cliffs – intermediate
The Arch – 30 m, intermediate
The Edge – intermediate

Pantar East

Bakalang Pier – beginner
Great Wall of Pantar – intermediate

South Pantar

Beang Abang – intermediate

Pura

Clown Valley – intermediate
Coconut Grove – intermediate
Current Alley – advanced
Hari Lalong – intermediate
Malal – intermediate
Mike's Delight – 25 m, advanced
School's Out – 30 m, intermediate
Sharks Galore – intermediate
Smart's Lament – intermediate
The Boardroom – intermediate

Kepa & Alor Kecil

Kal's Dream – advanced

Kalabahi Bay

Mucky Mosque – intermediate
Pink Forest – intermediate

Operators (8)

La P'tite Kepa – resort, Kepa Island, off Alor Kecil
Alor Divers (eco beach resort) – resort, Jawa Toda, Desa Batu, east Pantar
Alami Alor Dive Resort – resort, Desa Wolwal, Kalabahi Bay, Alor
Alor Tanapi Dive Resort – resort, Alor Besar, Alor Barat Laut (~20 km from Kalabahi)
Dive Alor Dive (Donovan Whitford) – dive centre, Kalabahi (dives); office listed in Kupang
Emperor Divers – Emperor Raja Laut – liveaboard, Kalabahi (embark)
Mermaid Liveaboards – Mermaid I – liveaboard, Maumere, Flores (embark)
Dive Damai (Damai I & II) – liveaboard, Kupang, Kalabahi or Maumere (embark)

Routes (8)

Site positions are approximate unless marked otherwise and are for orientation only — never for navigation. Always dive with a local guide; conditions change with tide and season.