Alor: Pura Island Dive Site – Alor Archipelago

Site Overview

Pura Island is a volcanic island located in the strait between Alor and Pantar, approximately 45 minutes by boat from Kalabahi, offering exceptional wall diving and vibrant coral reefs in one of Indonesia's most remote dive destinations. The island sits at the confluence of the Flores Sea and the Banda Sea, where nutrient-rich upwellings create outstanding marine biodiversity. The dive site features vertical walls dropping from 3 meters to beyond 30 meters, coral slopes, and isolated pinnacles rising from the channel floor. The shallower sections at 3 to 10 meters feature dense coral gardens with abundant reef fish, including schools of bannerfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, and surgeonfish. The wall sections at 10 to 20 meters are covered in sea fans, barrel sponges, and soft corals, with grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and eagle rays patrolling the blue. Hawksbill and green turtles are resident throughout the reef system. Napoleon wrasse and bumphead parrotfish cruise along the wall face. The deeper sections at 20 to 30 meters feature sandy ledges where garden eels colonize the substrate, and overhangs shelter resting whitetip reef sharks. The pinnacles at 15 to 25 meters are encrusted with colorful corals and attract schools of fusiliers, anthias, and sweetlips. Pura Island is best dived from April through November when the dry season provides calmer seas and better visibility. The island's traditional fishing villages add cultural interest during the surface interval. The underwater photography opportunities are exceptional, with both wide-angle and macro subjects in abundance throughout the dive.