Our trip to Timor Leste coincides with the southern migration of the blue whales, and the goal is to explore the pristine waters of region, and also get in some days of whale-watching, including snorkelling with these gentle giants. And we are choosing to use an operator who ensures ethical practices are followed when it comes to snorkelling with whales.
ATAURO, TIMOR LESTE
Trip 1: October 11-18, 2026
Trip 2: October 18-25, 2026
The heart of the Ring of Fire, and close enough to Raja Ampat to get similar biodiversity without the mushrooming tourism and… WHALES!
The Banda Sea is the heart of the Ring of Fire – this gives rise to deep oceans surrounded by seamounts. But of more interest for this specific trip is the fact that it is part of the annual migration of blue whales, as they travel from colder Antarctic waters to the warmer waters of the Banda Sea to calve, and then back again.
Overview
After centuries of Portuguese rule and then being a part of Indonesia, Timor Leste achieved its independence in 2002. A primarily Christian nation, it has Portuguese and Tetum as its official languages, but English and Bahasa are widely spoken. And interesting, Timor Leste doesn’t have its own currency but uses the US dollar as its official tender.
For this trip, we will be flying into the capital city of Dili, and then taking a private ferry transfer over to the island of Atauro, where we will be based for the duration of the trip.
It is worth noting that tourism in Timor Leste is still in its infancy. And being a relatively remote and undeveloped location, costs are quite high. In other words, it isn’t necessarily the best value when it comes to things like accommodation – you are paying a lot more for relatively basic options, compared to more developed destinations in Asia.
But of course, it has one thing that makes it unique, which is why we are going there: whales. But fair warning – if you are looking for luxury, this is not going to be it.
Itinerary
The trip itinerary is as follows:
TRIP 1:
- Oct 11: Land in Dili in the morning and take private transfer to Atauro in the evening
- Oct 12: 3 dives
- Oct 13: whale watching full day + optional night dive
- Oct 14: 3 dives
- Oct 15: 3 dives
- Oct 16: whale watching full day
- Oct 17: 3 dives
- Oct 18: transfer to Dili and then fly out
TRIP 2:
- Oct 18: Land in Dili in the morning and take private transfer to Atauro in the evening
- Oct 19: 3 dives
- Oct 20: whale watching full day + optional night dive
- Oct 21: 3 dives
- Oct 22: 3 dives
- Oct 23: whale watching full day
- Oct 24: 3 dives
- Oct 25: transfer to Dili and then fly out
Do note that the actual whale watching days arent set in stone – we can move them around, depending on prevailing conditions and local advice.
Diving Info
Atauro is located besides the deep Ombai Strait, where the cold upwellings bring nutrients and give rise to some amazing bio-diversity: apparently, Atauro holds the record for the highest reef-fish bio-diversity ever recorded at a single site!
Divers can expect everything from pristine hard corals, to massive spenders, to schooling fish, to reef sharks and regular pelagic encounters. And Timor Leste is also famous for rare macro life – rhinopias, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue-ring octopus, pygymy seahorses and more. So whether you are a macro enthusiast or a wide angle shooter, there is something here for everyone.
Add in community-base marine protection around Atauro, excellent visibility and you have the recipe for some exceptional diving! So yes, while whale watching is going to be a highlight of the trip, it is a bona-fide top notch diving destination.
Add in community-base marine protection around Atauro, excellent visibility and you have the recipe for some exceptional diving! So yes, while whale watching is going to be a highlight of the trip, it is a bona-fide top notch diving destination.
For this trip, we recommend divers have an Advanced Open Water or Deep certification. There is no mandated minimum number of divers – however, divers should have good buoyancy control and the ability to descend/ascend on their own without a visual reference: in other words, be able to execute a dive with minimal assistance.
Accommodation & Meals
To set expectations (and remind you of what we said earlier re Timor Leste and value for money), accommodation is basic, but clean and beachside. The rooms are fan-cooled and come with linen, mosquito nets, towels and private showers – however, toilet facilities are shared.
So we do recommend that people coming on this trip be comfortable with basic accommodation.
Our original plan for the trip was in line with our practice of having only breakfast including, leaving us the flexibility to explore local eateries for dinner. However, given the paucity of good dining options in Atauro, we are shifting to an all-meals included option.
Transfers, Visa and Insurance
Visas: Timor-Leste offers visa on arrival for Indians – you will need a return air ticket and proof of accommodation (which we will provide). The cost for this is $30.
As always, we recommend double-checking visa information, as rules may have changed.
Flights: The best way to fly to Dili is via Bali – there is a direct, 2 hour flight that connects the two. The latest we can transfer from Dili to Atauro is 1630, so please plan to arrive by 1430 at the latest, in order to make the ferry. There is a Citilink flight from Bali to Dili that lands at 12:20, and returns at 13:20 – this is the flight we recommend people take to arrive/depart.
Insurance: Dive insurance is strongly recommended. You can buy using the following links:
DiveAssure all plans: https://app.diveassure.com/da2/en/registration/main/process/0/int/0/17014
DAN Annual plan: https://apps.dan.org/join-dan/?do=dw&rc=3209485
DAN Short-tern plan: contact us
Pricing
Price: $2425 per person sharing
Contact us for single occupancy options
PAYMENT DETAILS
A deposit of $650 is needed to confirm the booking, with the balance payable by June 30, 2026
The payments are non-refundable , but as always, if we find someone to take your spot, we will transfer the deposit over.
INCLUSIONS:
- 7n stay with all meals included
- 12 dives + night dive
- One day of diving to each side of the island – north, east, south, west
- 2 full-day whale trips
- Private transfers to/from Dili
- Gear rental
EXCLUSIONS:
- Airfare
- Drinks
- Personal expenses
- Tips
- Surcharge for doing additional whale trips or distant sites
Other Useful Info
- If anyone is interested adding a few days of macro diving off Dili before trip 1, or after trip 2, let us know.
- All payments are non-refundable once made. However, if we can get someone to take your place for you, we will carry over your deposit to them and have them reimburse you. And of course, you are always welcome to get someone to take your spot if need be.
- A deposit of $650 is needed to confirm the booking, with the balance payable by June 30, 2026
- We can replace one of the diving days with a whale watching day, if people are interested. This will have a surcharge of $110-170, depending on which diving day is replaced.
- To keep things fair to all the divers, we reserve the right to ask divers who do not meet the skills requirement outlined in the group to either sit out a dive, or take additional training or go to a different dive site. To be clear, a Bangalore Scuba pro is on the trip and will help divers who need assistance and provide buoyancy trips/additional supervision, of course. But we also don’t want one diver to monopolise the attention of a guide or limit the choice of dive sites that we can go dive. So this is mostly in extreme cases, but we want to have this out there in the interest of full disclosure.
- Please discuss any special needs or requirements with us in advance, prior to booking. Atauro is a very remote location.
- As always, we have a Whatsapp group for participants to join to discuss/plan the trip
- Dive insurance is mandatory – links are also provided in the section above. Please contact us for a link to short-term DAN insurance, if you want.
