Regions / Asia / Indonesia / SAVU South Alor

SAVU South Alor

Nitrox $

WIFI Available

SAVU South Alor is an off-grid resort dedicated to preserving the natural environment both on land and in the sea. The resort is fully solar-powered, has a large organic farm, and is heavily involved in the development of local marine conservation programs. SAVU rests in southwestern Alor Island in Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia; this is about 1,000 kilometers east of Bali. The resort is located inside the Pantar Strait Marine Protected Area and within viewing distance of the Savu Sea National Marine Park which is home to 21 cetacean species including the rare blue whale, sperm whale, and multiple dolphin species. Within the Coral Triangle, SAVU’s scuba diving and snorkeling sites are some of the most diverse in the world with colorful and healthy untouched reefs, exhilarating big fish sites, stunning macro subjects, and black sand coves for muck lovers. Guests arrive at the resort via Jakarta (JKT), Surabaya (SUB), or Denpasar (DPS) before taking a domestic flight to Alor Island. The resort recommends taking the Lion Air/Wings flight before arriving at Mali Airport, Alor (ARD) at 13:15. Once arriving in Alor, guests are picked up at the airport through a car and boat transfer that is arranged by the resort. The transfer takes about 45 minutes in total.

SAVU South Alor WEATHER

Alor is located in the semi-arid southeastern region of Indonesia. Average air temperatures range from a minimum of 22 °C / 72 °F at night to a maximum of 32 °C / 90 °F mid-day. Weather during the resort open season is dry and sunny with low chances of rain in shoulder season and almost zero chance of rain in mid-season. Rainfall and small sea storms and squalls are usually limited to the area’s short rainy season which falls from December – March. As the resort is in a remote location and guests often travel quite far to reach us, the resort is not open during the rainy season months so that guests only enjoy the best that Alor and the Savu Sea have to offer with only the most favorable weather and sea conditions. SAVU South Alor is open to guests from late March to early December each year during the dry season.

The resort offers seven spacious private rooms for guests, and each room includes a semi-open-air bathroom with hot water, a private garden, air-conditioning, wardrobe, safe, and complimentary mini-bar. There are two styles of rooms: the Beach Cottages and the Cliff Villas. The Beach Cottages have a sliding glass door that leads into the bedroom with a queen-sized bed and a convertible daybed. Outside of the Beach Cottage, there is a shaded relaxation area near the beachfront. The Cliff Villa is larger and includes a large deck and private plunge pool. The common area is located at the natural center point of the resort and is a casual meeting area for guests. A large main building constructed of local teakwood and thatch roof contains the lounge, bar, and dining room. In front of this main building, terraced wooden decking provides outdoor relaxation and sun-bathing areas at the 18 m / 60 ft infinity-edge swimming pool.

Breakfast and lunch are served a la carte at the waterfront in the beach barbeque restaurant so that guests can dine at their leisure. Dinner is served in the main dining room at a set time and all guests dine together at a communal dining table. A beach BBQ evening is scheduled each week in place of the regular dinner service. A separate reception is located adjacent to the main building so that guests have easy access to ask questions or book activities or massage treatments.

The resort’s Gear Shack is located on the base of a cliff and is connected to a dive departure dock. The shack is home to individual storage for snorkel and dive gear as well as rinse stations. The staff is in charge of rinsing, drying, and storing BCDs and regulators on behalf of guests. This is done at the Dive Centre, located on the southern end, and tanks are refilled here as well. The dive operation offers nitrox but does not support technical diving or rebreathers.

The resort offers full-service scuba diving that is planned daily by the team dependent on the best tidal conditions and guest personal interests. Scuba divers can experience beautiful reefs and big fish diving, coral reef macro diving, volcanic cave, and swim-through formations, plus black sand muck diving. The resort boats visit south Alor Island, Pura Island, Treweng Island, and Pantar Island including Beang Bay. Scuba packages can be pre-booked with the accommodation package or can be booked upon arrival at the resort. Two guided boat dives per day are standard. This is either 1 boat trip for two dives or 2 separate boat trips for 1 dive each. Nitrox is available for certified divers. Additional guided day or night boat dives are subject to conditions and guest interest. Custom itineraries and packages including 3 dives per day can be pre-booked in group bookings only or can be paid at the end of the guest’s stay. Guests can also choose to snorkel through shallow coral reefs or go on whale and dolphin watching boat trips.

Narrative text and photographs courtesy of SAVU South Alor Resort, Nick Everett, and Benjamin Kahn.

Dive Conditions

Conditions can make or break your trip. Temperature, visibility and the current vary greatly across this expansive country. Be sure to check the conditions of each destination you’re planning to dive before you leave. Diving is excellent year-round, but the best time is from May to September. Monsoon season is from December to June. Visibility may not be as good during the monsoon, however, certain locations like the Komodo Islands are a diver’s dream during this time due to an influx of mantas.

Most of Indonesia can be dived year-round with March to October being the most popular time of year to dive. This period of time marks the dry season in most parts of the country, with the exception of some dive areas like Ambon and southern Raja Ampat where most rainfall occurs in May/June to October/September due to the southern monsoon. It's best to visit these areas in the months of November to April for optimal dive conditions.

Generally speaking, Indonesia's climate is almost entirely tropical, with May to September as the dry season, and October to April the rainy season, and with heavier rainfall from December through February. However, the opposite might be true for certain dive areas in Indonesia like Raja Ampat and Ambon, and the best time of year to visit Indonesia really depends on where you intend to stay in the country.

The water temperatures remain quite consistent through the country, hovering at 26°-29°C (82°- 85°F) year-round. Typically, you won't need anything more than a 3-5mm wetsuit, or even a skinsuit. However, the diving conditions and difficulty in Indonesia hugely vary, depending on where and when you dive in the country.

Ambon Bay, Maluku – world class muck diving. Critters that can be seen here include rhinopias, frogfish, ghost pipefish, lots of juvenile fish, stonefish, mandarin fish, nudibranchs, harlequin and coleman shrimps, wonderpus, mimic and flamboyant cuttlefish, and even the much-sought-after psychedelic frogfish.

Alor, East Nusa Tenggara – the hidden gem. This off-the-beaten-path dive destination offers a mix of both world-class wide-angle and macro sites. Pristine coral reefs, steep walls, sloping muck sites--the diving in Alor is really diverse and would please the most discerning diver and underwater photographer.

Banda Sea, Maluku – sea snakes and hammerheads. Most of the diving around the Banda Sea involves excellent wall dives, and great macro sites, but the biggest draw is probably the resident sea snakes at Manuk and Gunung Api islands.

Bali – wrecks and mola molas. Unique critters, fascinating wrecks, beautiful walls, colorful corals, excellent muck dives, huge schools of fish, pelagics--Bali has it all. Technical diving and freediving are also possible in Bali with a good number of reputable dive operations.

Derawan Islands, Borneo – manta rays and whalesharks. Derawan is a remote group of islands in East Kalimantan (East Borneo), and is home to one of the three jellyfish lakes known to men, with the other two located in Palau and Misool Island in Raja Ampat.

Komodo, East Nusa Tenggara – drift dives and world class reefs. Komodo National Park is a group of volcanic islands with over 5,700 giant lizards known as Komodo dragons. This UNESCO World Heritage Site also hosts a world-class scuba diving scene. Imagine drift dives with colorful corals in various formations teeming with marine life, big and small. Divers can see big schools of fish pretty much year-round, as well as eagle and manta rays.

Lembeh, North Sulawesi – muck diving capital. Known as the world's capital for muck diving, Lembeh Strait in North Sulawesi offers second-to-none macro biodiversity. The number species that you can cross off your list within a week of diving Lembeh is staggering.

Manado and Bunaken, North Sulawesi – wall dives and reefs. Manado Bay offers a mix of great muck and reef sites, treating divers to unique critters like mimic octopus and flamboyant cuttlefish, as well as various seahorses, squid, nudibranchs, and frogfish.

Raja Ampat, West Papua – the holy grail of Indonesia. Alongside Kaimana Regency and Triton Bay in the south, and Cenderawasih Bay in the east, Raja Ampat archipelago makes up a massive area, collectively known as the Bird’s Head Seascape. Divers can visit the Raja Ampat area many times in their lifes and discover something new each time.

Wakatobi, South East Sulawesi – beautiful coral reefs. Wakatobi's reefs are extremely healthy and offer unique large coral formations, various sea fans, and sponges which are overflowing with marine life. The underwater topography is no less unique, featuring various walls, ridges, and overhangs. While it's not the place for large pelagics, eagle rays and reef sharks can typically be seen.