Silo 1 · Expedition formats
Multi-day boat trips through the Pantar Strait, boarding at Kalabahi Bay in the September–October window. We arrange cabins on licensed third-party vessels — we curate and confirm the trip, we do not own the boats.
Boat or shore
A boat parks you on top of the sites. Land-based works too — a Pantar resort reaches 40-plus sites within 30 to 45 minutes and sleeps 16 divers. But a boat lets you chase current windows, reposition overnight and fit three to four dives a day into channels the shore boats reach less often.
The trade-off is experience. Alor is not a beginner playground. The Pantar Strait carries strong surface currents that demand a rapid descent, quick equalising and regrouping around 5 metres. Typical dives run 15 to 25 metres, and one documented scalloped-hammerhead site drops to roughly 32 metres in very strong current.
Itineraries
Operators sail the September–October dry-season window from Kalabahi Bay, diving sites such as Pasir Merah — volcanic red-sand slopes with active gas vents north of Pura Island.
| Expedition | Nights | Dives | Departure window | Cabin basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alor–Pantar Explorer | 10 | 27–30 | Sep–Oct | Shared twin |
| Alor–Pantar Signature | 12 | 34–40 | Sep–Oct | Twin |
| Alor Pelagic Extended | 14 | 42–48 | Sep–Oct | Deluxe |
Dive numbers are targets, not guarantees. All dives are no-decompression, and currents, weather and the WWF carrying-capacity cap on each site can trim the count on any day. October and November bring the strongest currents; September is the best month for mola mola.
On board
Alor liveaboards carry a small group — commonly 12 to 16 divers — which keeps briefings tight and surface intervals uncrowded. Layout varies by vessel, so cabins are matched to your party when we confirm availability.
Solo travellers who want their own cabin pay a single supplement rather than sharing.
Quoted per cabin
No citable public price table exists for Alor liveaboard packages. Every cabin is quoted once we have your dates, party size and vessel.
Quotes exclude flights to Alor, the marine park fee and permit, dive insurance, nitrox, equipment rental, crew gratuities and private-cabin surcharges. We confirm exactly what each vessel includes before you commit.
Six steps
We match you to a licensed vessel; the operator handles the reservation and payment.
Start here
We curate and confirm the trip. The licensed vessel takes the reservation and the payment.
Non-negotiable
Alor's waters are a marine protected area: every diver attends an MPA officer briefing, pays a marine park fee and holds a permit before any in-water activity. Guides need MPA certification on top of agency certs, and diver numbers per site are capped by carrying capacity.
Water is around 25°C in the shoulder months and 31–32°C from May to September, with thermoclines pushing some sites to 20°C or lower. Visibility usually runs 25 to 30 metres and can reach about 40 metres in the June-to-October dry season.
Straight answers
Alor–Pantar liveaboards sail the September–October window, boarding at Kalabahi Bay. October and November bring the most prevalent currents for pelagic action, and September is the best month for mola mola. The rainy season, roughly November to March, brings an unsettled surface and lower visibility, so dry-season departures are the standard choice.
Expect roughly 27 to 30 dives on a 10-night trip and up to 42 to 48 across 14 nights, at three to four dives a day. All dives are no-decompression. Counts are targets, not promises — currents, weather and WWF carrying-capacity caps on each site can reduce them on any given day.
Yes. DAN or equivalent dive-accident insurance is mandatory. The nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Bali, and evacuation or chamber costs are not covered by standard medical insurance. Operators will not let you dive without proof of cover, so arrange it before you travel.
Minimum certification is PADI Open Water for fun diving, but Alor is genuinely for experienced divers. Operators recommend 50 to 100 logged dives, since the Pantar Strait's strong currents require rapid descents and regrouping around 5 metres. If you are still building experience, ask us about the land-based option first.
Possibly, but never predictably. Alor's protected pelagics — thresher sharks, marine mammals and schooling fish — are wild, and blue-whale and hammerhead encounters are genuine chances, not scheduled events. One documented scalloped-hammerhead site sits near 32 metres in very strong current. We will not fabricate sightings or peak dates.
Silo 1 · Expedition formats
Next step
Tell us your dates and dive history. We match a seat on a licensed Alor liveaboard, confirm the cabin, and walk you through the permit and insurance steps.
