Diving Atauro Island… Locateed just off the coast, to the north of Timor Leste’s capital Dili, the island of Atauro sits rather majestically in the Ombai Strait that separates the islands of Alor and Wetar. Which puts it right in the path of the mighty Indonesian Throughflow, rich with nutrients from the deep basins of the Banda Sea to the north.
Atauro offers deep blue waters, superb walls and interesting scenic reefs. Plus the chance of underwater encounters with large pelagics and mammals as they migrate through the Ombai Strait. It’s truly a special place!
Diving Atauro Island – Overview
Sparsely populated, with a very dry climate and just 25km long from north to south. The island is home to about 10,000 people.
Vila and Beloi in the east are the main villages, with the rest of the population living in about 20 small hamlets.
Most of Atauro’s residents are subsistence farmers and fishers. Getting by growing annual crops of corn and beans, supplemented with fish, fruit and seasonal vegetables.
The only real sources of cash income being the small but growing tourism industry and the sale of fish, chickens or goats, and vegetables on market days.
Religion…
Unlike the rest of Timor Leste, which is 98% Catholic, Atauro is predominantly Protestant and it is said that the animism that strongly underpins Christianity in the country is particularly prominent on Atauro island.
Timor Leste’s colonial rulers, the Portuguese, used Atauro as a prison island from the late 16th century. And criminals from other parts of their empire, were imprisoned there.
Ironically, when civil war broke out in Timore Leste in August 1975. The Portuguese Governor and his administration fled for safety over to Atauro.
In what became an ignominious end to 450 years of Portuguese colonial rule when they were later slipped away to Darwin on-board two Portuguese Navy frigates.
After they invaded in December 1975 the Indonesians also used Atauro as a prison island, with an estimated 3000 East Timorese and their families held there between 1981 and 1986.
Diving Atauro Island – The East and West Coasts
Atauro Island has some excellent diving on both the east and west coasts. With many of the sites on the west featuring magnificent walls dropping down in to the deep waters of the Ombai Strait. While on the east coast there are two sites that really stand out. One is at the village of Beloi, located roughly half-down the east coast and the other is further south at the small village of Vila.
West Coast Dive Sites – Adara
There are at least five significant dive sites on the west of the island. Of those five sites Adara, around the center of the west coast, probably has the most variety.
The site consists of a very pleasant bay with a sandy slope, nice sponge gardens, patches of healthy hard corals and an assortment of colorful reef fish.
To both the north and the south are the sheer walls that define Atauro west coast diving. There is much to see on the walls themselves, while remembering to keep looking out in to the blue for the larger creatures of the sea!
The bay is obviously a great place to start and end the dive. And whether to head north or south is a tough choice as both are equally good. Basically, you need at least two dives at Adara Bay to get a feel for what the site has to offer!
West Coast Dive Sites – Kitali Bay
Kitali Bay, to the south of Adara Bay, is a similar configuration. With a nice sheltered bay that leads out to a really vibrant wall with some superb overhangs and vibrant marine life.
The bay itself warrants some time exploring as there are several really good bommies, plus some excellent patches of beautiful hard corals.
West Coast Dive Sites – Vatuo
Finally… Vatuo near the northern tip of Atauro Island deserves a special mention, mainly because of the beautiful hard corals and sponges on the slope down to its excellent wall.
Because of it’s position, Vatuo is right where the Indonesian Throughflow first touches Atauro Island, as it leaves the deep trenches and basins of the Banda Sea and surges south. So it’s a great place to look for those migrating mammals and pelagics out in the blue!
But if they don’t show while you are underwater at Vatuo the excellent slope and superb wall will keep you fully occupied…
East Coast Dive Sites – Beloi
Beloi is located in a large sheltered bay that features shallow fringing reefs to the north and south of the village. Plus a small barrier reef and a wide slope that leads down to the big drop-off in to the depths.
There are numerous names for the different parts of the bay… including Beloi Inner, Beloi Outer, Beloi Deep, Beloi Red Buoy and Beloi Green Buoy…
Naming aside, there is a wide variety of things to see around the reefs and the slope. So it pays to take your time to explore the many cracks, crevices and other hiding places.
The reefs are of mainly hard coral and are in good condition with abundant fish life.
When Conservation International conducted their Rapid Marine Biological Assessment of Timor Leste in 2012, they reported a very respectable 294 species of reef fish at Beloi.
Atauro East Coast Diving – Vila
Vila has a fringing reef system along with a small barrier reef, a slope and a drop-off similar to Beloi. It is a pleasant dive that is well worth exploring, but Vila plays second-fiddle to Beloi…
Back To: The Complete Guide to Diving Timor Leste