Silo 4 · Skills & services
A dedicated, MPA-certified current specialist for just you or you plus one buddy — a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio rather than a full package. Booked as a day rate through licensed Alor operators.
Undivided attention
The Pantar Strait is not casual diving. Surface currents can run hard enough that teams descend fast, equalise quickly and regroup around 5 metres before the reef takes hold. Most fun dives sit between 15 and 25 metres, and solo diving is not permitted — so a private guide is either 1:1 or 1:2, never a crowd.
A dedicated guide watches only you. On the gorgonian walls that made Alor's reputation, that means reading the current line, positioning you for wide-angle photography, and calling the turn before you hit the 60-minute bottom-time limit or reach 50 bar.
On the macro sites of Kalabahi Bay, it means someone whose full attention is spotting Pegasus sea moths, mimic octopus, seahorses and frogfish instead of managing eight other divers. One documented scalloped-hammerhead site drops to roughly 32 metres in very strong current — exactly where a 1:1 guide earns the rate.
We do not own boats or employ the guides ourselves. We match you with licensed Alor operators and handle the coordination so a dedicated guide is waiting when you arrive in Kalabahi Bay.
Five ratios
Ratio and duration decide the shape. The day rate covers the dedicated guide only.
| Option | Ratio | Duration | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-day private guide | 1 diver : 1 guide | 2–3 dives, ~6 hrs | Wall and pelagic diving, photographers |
| Full-day shared guide | 2 divers : 1 guide | 2–3 dives | Buddy pairs sharing a specialist |
| Half-day / single site | 1 diver : 1 guide | 1 dive | Check-out or focused macro session |
| Muck-macro specialist | 1 diver : 1 guide | 2 dives | Critter hunting in Kalabahi Bay, camera coaching |
| Multi-day expedition (5+ days) | 1 diver : 1 guide | Per day | Week-long April–November trips |
In and out
The guide rate buys the guide. Everything the boat provides is arranged separately through the licensed operator.
Quoted per day
No citable public rate cards for Alor guiding exist. Confirm your exact quote with the concierge before travelling.
The day rate covers the dedicated guide only. Boat, tanks, gear, the marine park fee and permit, DAN insurance, meals and transfers are quoted separately by the licensed operator.
Five steps
We coordinate; the licensed operator runs the diving.
Start here
Hiring a guide off the beach is not an option inside the Alor MPA. Booking a licensed private guide through a vetted operator keeps you compliant.
Inside the marine park
Alor's waters are managed as a marine protected area, so hiring any guide off the beach is not an option.
Protected species include coral reefs, turtles, marine mammals and thresher sharks. Fishing and spearfishing are off-limits to visitors.
Straight answers
Yes, but Alor still requires at least PADI Open Water, and operators recommend 50 to 100 logged dives before the strong Pantar Strait currents feel comfortable. A private 1:1 guide helps newer divers manage rapid descents and the 5-metre regroup, though the ~32-metre hammerhead site stays reserved for experienced, fit divers only.
A standard divemaster leads a group; a private guide is booked only for you or your buddy pair, holding a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio. Inside the Alor MPA both must carry special guide certification on top of agency credentials, but the private option gives undivided attention on current-swept walls and macro sites.
Yes. DAN or equivalent dive-accident cover is mandatory regardless of guide ratio, because the nearest hyperbaric chamber sits in Bali and evacuation plus chamber costs are not covered by standard medical insurance. A private guide reduces risk but never replaces insurance, and operators check your policy before any dive.
Possibly, conditions permitting. The documented scalloped-hammerhead site drops to around 32 metres with very strong current and demands good fitness and experience. A private guide can plan and time the dive for the April–November window, but sightings stay possible, never guaranteed, and your logged-dive count matters.
The guide day rate covers only the dedicated guide and in-water expertise. Boat charter, tanks, weights, gear rental, the mandatory marine park fee, MPA permit and officer briefing, DAN insurance, meals and transfers are arranged separately through the licensed Alor operator.
Silo 4 · Skills & services
Next step
Send your dates and dive experience and we return an honest, dated quote. We never sell guaranteed sightings, only a specialist matched to conditions.
