Alor is a charming, undeveloped part of Indonesia at the very east of the group of islands commonly known as Nusa Tengara.
There are a few local dive centres on the island of Alor that make day trips to local dive sites. Some are also happy to arrange mini Safari trips, lasting 2 or 3 nights to dive sites a little further afield.
Alor has a small airport with 5 flights a week to & from Kupang, in West Timor. Kupang is well connected, with flights to & from Jakarta, Surabaya & Bali.
There are a few modest & comfortable hotels on the island, mainly in Kalabahli, the islands capital. Dive operators will often be affilliated with a local resort and offer diving packages that include accommodation.
Alor is a charming island, with friendly, welcoming locals. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the tranquil pace of life. The island is quite undeveloped, so there are not a great deal of tourist facilities.
Maumere is on the north coast of Flores in Indonesia's Nusa Tengarra region. It is the island's largest town, with some great local diving as well as Liveaboard trips further afield.
There are 3 dive centres in resorts spread out along the coast near Maumere, making daily trips to the nearby islands & dive sites. Liveaboards sometimes visit the area's dive sites too, and Liveaboard tripss also leave from Maumere heading to Alor & other locations further to the east.
Maumere has an airport which connects to Bali and a few other spots in Indonesia. From here it is not far to most of the resorts or to Maumere town centre. Maumere is connected by bus routes to Ende and a few other points on the island. Indonesia's ageing ferry network also ply's routes to other islands - this is a very slow way to travel though.
Most accommodation is along the coast near Maumere and the few dives shops here tend to be in resorts. The accommodation tends to be comfortable mid-range cottages & bungalows.
On land, Maumere is surrounded by beautiful scenery. One of major attractions is Mount Kelimutu, a volcano that has 3 lakes, all of which are a different colour. There are also fascinating villages and peoples dotted around the countryside and an interesting market in Maumere town. There is little in the way of nightlife and the main reasons to visit Maumere is to dive & explore the surrounding area.
Dive Spots
Kal’s Dream is one of the area’s more famous dive sites. The currents make this only suitable for experienced divers, but they also bring an excellent chance to see large pelagics. Numerous species of shark can be seen here, huge Groupers make their presence felt, oversize Tuna patrol the blue while large Napoleon’s can also be spotted. On the reef itself, clouds of colourful Anthias dart in and out of the reefs, caught between feeding in the current and finding shelter.
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