Alor
-8.2151003, 124.5457993
The Alor Archipelago lies north of Timor at the eastern end of the Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusa Tengara Timur) in Indonesia. It comprises 20 islands. The inhabitants (ca 170’000) mainly practice subsistence agriculture. They speak more than 15 indigenous languages, most of them classified as Papuan. Alor is quite remote but better flight connections make it a bit easier to reach these days.
The Diving
Alor is located along the Indonesian throughflow (ITF). The ITF is a large and important ocean current that pushes a massive amount of water from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Some call it the largest movement of water on the planet. Carried along by the huge volume of warm water are larvae and nutrients supporting Indonesia’s amazing underwater biodiversity. Alor’s reefs are gorgeous and pristine and full of marine life.
The ITF also creates strong currents and cold upwellings. When diving in Alor be prepared for ripping currents. I witnessed the ocean “boiling” on the surface as a result of strong currents. Water temperatures can drop dramatically at certain dive sites when colder water from the depths of the sea are pushed to the surface.
The Pantar strait, where the diving is done, is also known for passing whales – even Blue Whales.
