Jaco Island & Nino Konis Santana National Park: The Gap (Canal de Jaco) Dive Site – East Timor

Site Overview

The Gap (Canal de Jaco) is a expert-level drift and reef dive site located in the Jaco Island & Nino Konis Santana National Park region of East Timor, offering an extraordinary combination of marine biodiversity and underwater scenery in one of the Coral Triangle most pristine diving areas. The site reaches a maximum depth of 40 meters with the most productive diving occurring in the upper sections where the reef structures and formations provide shelter and feeding grounds for a remarkable diversity of marine species. The underwater topography features dramatic formations including walls, pinnacles, coral gardens, and sandy channels that create a mosaic of distinct ecological zones supporting rich marine communities. Marine life encounters commonly include Pygmy Seahorse, Grey Reef Shark, Mimic Octopus, Hammerhead Shark, Ghost Pipefish along with numerous endemic and resident species that inhabit the diverse substrate types found throughout the site. Water temperatures remain warm year-round between 25 and 29 degrees Celsius, with visibility typically between 15 and 35 meters depending on conditions and season. The Jaco Island & Nino Konis Santana National Park region is recognized as one of East Timor finest diving destinations, offering the combination of world-class marine life, pristine reefs, and reliable year-round diving conditions with very few other divers. The site accessible from Tutuala provides an outstanding diving experience for certified divers seeking memorable underwater encounters in one of Southeast Asia most untouched marine environments.