Alor: Shark Close Dive Site – Alor Archipelago

Site Overview

Alor: Shark Close is a remarkable and thrilling dive site located in the Alor-Pantar strait, situated where the powerful convergence of the Flores Sea and Banda Sea creates nutrient-rich upwellings that sustain extraordinary marine biodiversity throughout the entire year. The site is renowned for its reliable grey reef shark encounters, with groups of 5 to 15 sharks circling the pinnacle in the current. During the peak season from June to October, scalloped hammerhead sharks may be spotted in the deeper blue at 25 to 28 meters. The site is accessed from Kalabahi by boat, typically 35 to 50 minutes depending on the specific location and sea conditions. The coral coverage is exceptional, with dense hard and soft corals covering every available surface from the shallows to the deeper sections. Resident marine species include turtles, Napoleon wrasse, and a variety of reef sharks, while visiting pelagics such as eagle rays, barracuda, and giant trevally add excitement to every dive. The Alor archipelago remains one of Indonesia's most remote and least-dived destinations, with underwater conditions that rival the more famous Raja Ampat and Komodo regions. The best diving conditions are from April through November during the dry season, when visibility reaches 25 to 30 meters and the seas are calmest.