TIMOR-LESTE
AN UNDISCOVERED UNDERWATER PARADISE
Situated on the Ombai and Wetar Strait, Timor-Leste is one of the six countries making up the Coral Triangle, a global centre of marine biodiversity. Due to the topography, depths and currents affecting its surrounding waters, Timor is a unique destination – with Ataúro Island being home to coral gardens that will certainly amaze any person who lays eyes on them. The popular and frequented dive areas are generally divided by three locations: Ataúro, Mainland Timor, and Jaco. Our scuba dive center runs out of two main locations: Dili, and Beloi, which serves as strategic launch points to access all top diving areas.
ATAURO ISLAND
The World’s Most Biodiverse Reefs
Situated 25 km north of Dili, Atauro Island can be reached in just under two hours by speedboat. The unique waters around the island - depths, currents and topography – have produced a divers’ paradise.
Coral reefs here are dense, strong and healthy, feeding off nutrient rich waters upwelling from the deep channels off shore. In 2016 a team from Conservation International recorded a higher fish biodiversity here than anywhere else in the world – more than 4500 species!
Divers can expect to venture onto pristine coral reefs, deep walls and pinnacles, as well as enjoy exhilarating drift dives.
MAINLAND TIMOR
Weird & Wonderful Critters
Reefs run close to the shore along much of Timor-Leste’s northern coast, and
immediately in front of the capital Dili, making access easy for divers.
Around Dili, a 15-minute car ride will get you to fantastic muck dive sites like Dili Rock and Tasi Tolu. Further along the coast to the east and west, locations such as K41, Lone Tree,
Bubble Beach and Cable Tie offer beautiful fringing reefs just a couple hours away by car along the beautiful countryside scenery.
Sites range between sheltered and gentle sloping reefs to wonderful sandy muck
dives. Marine life is varied with everything from varied nudibranchs, seahorses,
and frogfish to colourful reef fish, mackerels and even the occasional Dugong for the
lucky ones!
JACO ISLAND
Sacred Underwater Paradise
Sitting right at the very eastern end of the country is Com coastline and Jaco Island. Jaco is a culturally sacred, uninhabited island - a tropical paradise with transparent blue waters rich and thriving with marine life due to its protected status.
Albeit slightly harder to get to, the reefs around the island and nearby Com coastlines offer amazing underwater encounters for divers and snorkelers alike. After making the long journey over, upon arrival all visitors are sure to be awarded by the island’s beauty.