Diving in Alor

General Information

The small island of Alor in Indonesia is situated east of Flores and is part of the volcanic belt which stretches from Sumatra, Java and Bali to the east of the Indonesian archipelago. Visitors arrive from Denpasar (Bali) via Kupang, the capital of West Timor.

From here Graeme and Donovan Whitford organize dive trips to the world class dive sites of Alor. We have visited Alor four times after we had read several enthusiastic articles about the big fish of Alor in different dive magazines. However nowadays we much more concentrate on the critter side of Alor which is as fascinating as the big fish side. The Whitfords have been diving the strait between Pantar and Alor since 1992 and have discovered many first class dive sites. In the meantime there is a new dive resort, Alor Divers, on the island of Pantar which also offers diving in comfortable bungalows on the beach.

Dive spot-names like "The Bullet" and "Sharks Gallore" give some hints what diving in Alor is like: Big fish and currents, which are sometimes so strong that you have to pay attention not to loose your mask and regulator. But do not worry: Donovan and also the other divemasters know the dive spots well and know how to adjust the diving to the abilities of his group.

As the direction and intensity of the currents is changing quite often, you may have had a relaxing dive in the morning and find the same spot in the afternoon resembling a washing machine. The strait between Pantar and Alor is acting like a gigantic jet propelling waters from the Flores Sea in the north to the Savu Sea in the south. You will only find similar conditions around Komodo, the famous island of the Komodo dragons. The Whitfords can also organize dive trips to Komodo.

During four visits in Alor in 1996, 1997, 2005 and 2006 we dove most of the 30 or more divesites in the area and were impressed by the outstanding biodiversity under water. There is a great number of different coral species and no evidence of damage caused by dynamite fishing. The strong currents attract the big fish of course. We regulary saw big Whitetips and huge Grey Reef Sharks, tunas, groupers and there are also Sunfish, Manta rays and Whalesharks to be seen if you are lucky. Also snorkeling with pilot whales that often hunt in the waters between Pantar and Alor is possible. Visibility was also excellent (sometimes 30m +).

Land based

We had booked a 7-day-dive-package and were very satisfied with the professional way everything was handled by Graeme and Donovan. They cared for everything. From the time of our arrival in Kupang, the connecting flight to Alor and the daily dive cruises with a chartered local boat to the flight back everything was managed very competently indeed. This is not normal in a country where usually nothing works as planned.

The hotel on Alor is the best money can buy in town and meals were always very good and tasty. A diving day begins at 7 am with breakfast in the hotel. After breakfast the guests are transported to Kalabahi harbor where the dive boat is waiting. On the one-hour-trip through Kalabahi Bay which is about 15 km long the divers can prepare for their first dive or take a nap. The second dive is usually at noon. The third dive is in the afternoon or alternatively a night dive which can be recommended.

In the meantime there are two new resorts on Alor. On Alor Kecil, a small island near the entrance of Kalabahi Bay, there is a new, simple resort. La p´tite Kepa attracts many backpackers and is quite cheap.

A new, very comfortable resort, Alor Divers, has been opened on Pantar island in summer 2006. We visited our old friends Neya & Gilles there in August 2006 and decided instantly that the new resort is the best on Alor. You can stay comfortably in one of the six new and spacious bungalows on the beach. All bungalows have hot & cold showers, western style toilets and big verandas. The dive shop is well organized and professionally maintained. A big restaurant with lounge and small library invites guests to relax in the shade.

The 140 HP-powered dive boat reaches all dive sites in Pantar Strait in 5 to 30 minutes. All other dive shops in Alor have to pass the 15 km long Kalabahi Bay before they reach the dive spots.

Another dive base, Alor Dive, is situated in Kalabahi. However you will have to stay in a hotel in Kalabahi. This is nice for a night, however we found the bungalows on the beach of Alor Divers much more attractive.

Live aboards

Alor has become a popular destination for live aboards. There are a lot of offers on the internet for Komodo - Alor or Maumere - Alor trips.
You should however make sure the skipper and diveguide know the dive spots. There are tales from divers who made the trip on board of ships whose captains only had some GPS-data. The correct dive spots were not found and the divers returned dissatisfied. There is for example a description of the famous dive spot "Kal´s Dream" on the internet, however after reading this report I came to the conclusion that the dive might have taken place in the Alor region but definitely not at the right dive spot!

On the right ship and with a good dive guide diving in Alor is something not to be missed. We did the tripin 2005 on board of Temukira together with Graham Abbott from Diving4Images. Here are some highlights from our logbook:

Temukira-Logbook August 2005

Unfortunately most divers do not see anything from the fascinating interior of the island. There was still headhunting at the beginning of the 20th century and today the Alorese still live traditionally in high, airy thatched huts on the hill slopes. I really recommend saving some days to discover this fascinating island.

I recommend a visit of the traditional village of Takpala. The people there are glad to show you around and they also can arrange a great dancing ceremony which is worth the money you have to pay for it.

In Kalabahi do not forget to visit the orphanage of Gisela Borowka in Jalan Banteng No. 17. She allways likes to welcome guests and show them around. At the moment teher are around 50 children living in the orphanage and Gisela finances it with the pension she gets from Germany and donations from Europe.

There is no cheap diving in Alor because everything must be flown in and spare parts are not easy to get. However for all those who want to visit Flores and its eastern islands, Alor is a destination not to be missed.

Diving 4 Images

Alor Divers