Silo 2 · Dive styles & sites
Multi-day expeditions built around current-swept walls and world-class macro. Guided dives and transfers included; the marine park fee and permit stay a separate line item.
Route logic
The route logic matters more than the site list. Pantar Strait carries strong surface currents, so the standard drill on every wall dive is a fast negative descent, quick equalising, and regrouping as a team around 5 metres before the guide leads the drift.
A representative week opens with a check dive in Kalabahi Bay, then alternates black-sand macro against strait walls, adds Pasir Merah's red-sand slopes near Pura Island, keeps one weather-permitting deep hammerhead attempt, and closes with a single morning dive that respects flight timing.
Conditions set the ceiling. Water sits near 25°C in March–April and October–November, rising to 31–32°C from May to September. Visibility is normally 25–30 m, reaching about 40 m in the June–October dry window and dropping to 15 m or less during plankton blooms.
One documented scalloped-hammerhead site drops to about 32 m in very strong current and demands genuine fitness; we only schedule it in the right conditions.
Three tiers
Three named tiers built around strait-specific diving, not a generic island holiday.
| Package | Length | Focus | Diving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pantar Wall Sprint | 5D / 4N land-based | Current walls + one muck day | 10–12 guided dives |
| Strait Traverse | 7D / 6N land-based | Walls, macro, wide-angle mix | Repeat visits to the best drift sites |
| Alor Sea Pelagic Window | 8D / 7N liveaboard-style | Sep–Oct pelagic push | Kalabahi Bay boarding, Pasir Merah |
Blue whales and hammerheads are framed as possible, not predictable; September is the strongest month for spotting mola mola.
In and out
We keep the split explicit so there are no surprises at check-in.
Our usual base is a longstanding Pantar resort: 16 divers in traditional-style bungalows, small low-emission boats, its own underground water reserve, and 40-plus sites within 30 to 45 minutes.
Quoted per trip
No citable public price table exists for Alor dive packages or the marine park fee. Every tier is quoted once we have your dates and dive history.
All dives are no-decompression, with bottom time capped at 60 minutes or when a diver reaches 50 bar. Solo diving is not allowed.
Five steps
Bali Premium Trip handles the reservation directly.
Start here
We come back with an operator match, an itinerary and a quote you can review before committing.
Non-negotiable
Before any diving you attend a mandatory briefing by MPA officers, pay a marine park fee, and hold a permit. Guides carry special MPA certification on top of their agency cert.
Fishing and spearfishing are prohibited for visitors. Protected species here include coral reefs, turtles, marine mammals, thresher sharks, mangroves, seagrasses and pelagic fish.
Straight answers
Operators ask for a minimum of PADI Open Water for fun diving, and most recommend 50 to 100 logged dives before Alor–Pantar because of the strong currents and rapid descents. Alor is genuinely for experienced divers. Your MPA guide also holds special certification to lead inside the protected area on top of standard agency credentials.
No. The marine park fee, the MPA permit, and the mandatory officer briefing charge are all paid separately on top of the package, because they are set by the protected-area authority rather than the operator. Package quotes cover diving, transfers, accommodation and coordination; the regulatory fees are confirmed before you travel.
September is the strongest month for spotting mola mola, and October–November brings the most prevalent currents that pelagics favour. Our Alor Sea Pelagic Window runs in the September–October liveaboard season. We frame blue whales and hammerheads honestly as possible, never guaranteed, so book that window for the best odds, not a promise.
Yes, DAN or equivalent dive-accident insurance is mandatory. The nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Bali, and evacuation or chamber treatment is not covered by standard medical insurance, so proof of dive-specific cover is required before your first dive. We help you arrange it during pre-trip admin if you do not already hold a valid policy.
You fly into Kalabahi, Alor, usually routing through Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara. Airport transfers at Kalabahi are included in every package, so once you land we handle the ground move to your base. Flights to Alor themselves are booked separately; we can advise on realistic connections when we confirm your dates.
Silo 2 · Dive styles & sites
Next step
Send your dates and dive history and we come back with an operator match, an itinerary and a quote you can review before committing.
