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Dive Safari Asia: Alor and Komodo Trip Report
What an awesome trip this was! We all met in Bali at the airport hotel for dinner and a couple of beers and then had an early night to try and get ahead of jetlag. The following morning we met for a delicious breakfast buffet and then were off to domestic departures to catch our flights to Alor via Kupang.
On arrival in Alor we were greeted by the resort drivers and set off on an hour long drive on a mostly unpaved road through the gorgeous countryside to reach Alami Alor. Tucked away on a remote corner of Alor, the resort is absolutely fabulous. We were greeted by friendly staff, welcome drinks and a delicious Indonesian inspired family style lunch. The rest of the afternoon was spent unpacking and relaxing on the sun-loungers and hammocks on each of the six chalet’s private verandas.
After a delicious Indonesian dinner and freshly baked cake we were off to bed in preparation for a full day of diving the following day. After a hearty breakfast we set off on the two fiberglass speedboats to the first dive site which was only 30 mins away, which is typical in this area. From the get-go the diving had us all enthralled, with exceptionally healthy reefs and an abundance of fish and critters, the clear water and absence of current was ideal. Day one, we saw seven individual rhinopias, frogfish and sea snakes on spectacularly colourful reefs!
The diving was exciting and varied, with sites ranging from deep walls, to sloping fringing reefs, to sandy muck sites. The currents can be strong and unpredictable but the staff are very experienced and able to judge conditions well before each dive, changing dive sites when necessary. The house reef at Alami Alor is a treat and is available to be dived at any time. Here there are resident mandarin fish which come out around sunset, as well as frogfish, pipefish, octopus and more.
Between many of the dives we came across pods of melon-head dolphins and lots of mola-mola sunning themselves on the surface. Some guests chose to snorkel with these strange ocean giants.
On the days following new moon we ventured to a particular sea mound about 45 minutes from the resort in search of hammerhead sharks. We were lucky enough to see a school of over 40 individuals which swam in circles around us for some time, at about 25m. Then we drifted along spotting dozens of black tip reef sharks, schooling barracuda and also a squadron of eight eagle rays. What a dive!
After a very happy and exciting week of diving, in which we were lucky enough to see not only the schooling hammerheads, but harlequin shrimp, mimic octopus, too many frogfish, sea horses, pipefish and nudis to count, to name a few, it was time for an early morning departure and a day’s travelling to reach Komodo Resort. Lauren from Alami baked almond muffins for the road, even though we had eaten her freshly baked cakes twice daily since arrival!
Upon arrival we were greeted with cold face clothes and welcome drinks and after a quick shower we met for a delicious Italian a la carte dinner and drinks at the bar.
The following morning we started diving. The diving in the area is characterised by good visibility, healthy reefs, sometimes-strong currents and lots of fish. And boy did it deliver. On the first day we went to a dive site where we were lucky enough to spend most of the dive surrounded by inquisitive manta rays circling us. And the diving didn’t disappoint going forward either. The sites are motly fringing reefs, pinnacles, sandy slopes and small walls. Some of the highlights of the week included the manta rays, pygmy sea horses, ghost pipefish and frogfish.
With two morning dives about 1-1.5 hours from the resort, back for Indonesian a la carte lunch, and an afternoon dive at a nearby site, with some night dives too, we were able to enjoy a variety of marine life sightings. On our last day, after two morning dives, we travelled to Rinca island to see the Komodo dragons in the wild. We had many sightings and a beautiful walk around the island, a spectacular way to off-gas.
Unfortunately, as happens, all good things come to an end and after 13 days together we returned to Bali and parted ways with smiles and promises to keep in touch and go diving together again soon.
Bernita is a Tour Leader for UK-based tour operator Dive Safari Asia. To find out more, visit www.divesafariasia.com.
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
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SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
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More information available on www.scubapro.com.
Jake Davies boards Ghazala Explorer for an unforgettable Red Sea diving experience…
Overnight, the wind picked up, making the planned morning dive a bit bumpy on the Zodiacs to the drop point on Thomas Reef. There, we would dive along the reef before descending through the canyon and then passing under the arch before ascending the wall with a gentle drift. The site provided great encounters with more pelagic species, including shoals of large barracuda, tuna, and bigeye trevally.
Once back on the boat, it was time to get everything tied down again as we would head back south. This time, with the wind behind us, heading to Ras Mohammed to dive Jackfish Alley for another great gentle drift wall dive before then heading up the coast towards the Gulf of Suez to moor up at the wreck of the Thistlegorm. This being the highlight wreck dive of the trip and for many onboard, including myself, it was the first time diving this iconic wreck. I had heard so much about the wreck from friends, and globally, this is a must on any diver’s list. Fortunately for us, there was only one other boat at the site, which was a rarity. A great briefing was delivered by Ahmed, who provided a detailed background about the wreck’s history along with all the required safety information as the currents and visibility at the site can be variable.
Kitting up, there was a lot of excitement on deck before entering the water and heading down the shoreline. Descending to the wreck, there was a light northerly current which reduced the visibility, making it feel more like the conditions that can be found off the Welsh coast. At 10m from the bottom, the outline of the wreck appeared as we reached the area of the wreck which had been bombed, as our mooring line was attached to part of the propeller shaft. Arriving on deck, instantly everywhere you looked there were many of the supplies which the ship was carrying, including Bren Carrier tanks and projectiles that instantly stood out.
We headed around the exterior, taking a look at the large propeller and guns mounted on deck before entering the wreck on the port side to take a look in the holds. It was incredible to see all the trucks, Norton 16H, and BSA motorcycles still perfectly stacked within, providing a real snapshot in time.
Overall, we had four dives on the Thistlegorm, where for all of the dives we were the only group in the water, and at times, there were just three of us on the whole wreck, which made it even more special, especially knowing that most days the wreck has hundreds of divers. Along with the history of the wreck, there was plenty of marine life on the wreck and around, from big green turtles to batfish, along with shoals of mackerel being hunted by trevally. Some unforgettable dives.
The final leg of the trip saw us cross back over the Suez Canal to the Gobal Islands where we planned to stay the night and do three dives at the Dolphin House for the potential of sharing the dive with dolphins. The site, which included a channel that was teeming with reef fish, especially large numbers of goatfish that swam in large shoals along the edge of the reef. These were nice relaxing dives to end the week. Unfortunately, the dolphins didn’t show up, which was okay as like all marine life they are difficult to predict and you can’t guarantee what’s going to be seen. With the last dive complete, we headed back to port for the final night where it was time to clean all the kit and pack before the departure flight the next day.
The whole week from start to finish on Ghazala Explorer was amazing; the boat had all the facilities you need for a comfortable week aboard. The crew were always there to help throughout the day and the chefs providing top quality food which was required after every dive. The itinerary providing some of the best diving with a nice mixture of wreck and reef dives. I would recommend the trip to anyone, whether it’s your first Red Sea liveaboard in the Red Sea or you’re revisiting. Hopefully, it’s not too long before I head back to explore more of the Red Sea onboard Ghazala Explorer.
To find out more about the Northern Red Sea reef and wrecks itineraries aboard Ghazala Explorer, or to book, contact Scuba Travel now:
Email: dive@scubatravel.com
Tel: +44 (0)1483 411590
Photos: Jake Davies / Avalon.Red
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