Timor-Leste is a small, little-visited country with some of the richest reefs in the Coral Triangle: in 2016 Conservation International recorded an average of 253 reef fish species per site around Atauro Island, the highest average ever documented. Many reefs start right off the beach, so much of the diving is from the shore, within easy reach of Dili.
This post accompanies the first episode of Timor-Leste from Below, a 10-part web series made by the wildlife film company Scubazoo and released in 2018.
Watch: episode 1
Why so few divers know it
Timor-Leste restored its independence in 2002 after a long occupation, and tourism is still small. Fewer visitors means quiet dive sites and reefs that see little diving pressure. It also means simpler infrastructure than in established dive destinations: there is no recompression chamber in the country, so dive conservatively and carry insurance that covers evacuation. See our dive site guide for safety notes.
Anemone gardens near Dili
The episode opens on a shallow reef beside the coast road outside Dili, which the film calls “Anemone City”: a seabed carpeted with anemones, each home to clownfish. The partnership is a classic symbiosis. The anemone’s stinging tentacles protect the clownfish from predators, and the clownfish help keep their host clean and may chase off fish that feed on anemones.
Shore dives like this are typical of the Dili area. Local dive centres run guided shore and boat dives along the coast east and west of the city; see dive operators in Timor-Leste.
Record reef-fish diversity at Atauro
Timor-Leste sits within the Coral Triangle, the region with the highest marine biodiversity on Earth. The headline numbers come from Atauro Island, about 25 km north of Dili. During a one-week Conservation International survey in 2016, scientists counted an average of 253 reef fish species per site across 10 sites, above the previous record of 216 from Raja Ampat in Indonesia. One site had 315 species, and the survey recorded 642 species in total.
Atauro is reached by ferry, private boat or light aircraft from Dili; see our Atauro Island guide and the Dili to Atauro ferry guide.
Planning a dive trip
- Season: diving is possible year-round. Water temperatures stay around 27–29°C.
- Where to base yourself: Dili for shore dives and day trips; Atauro for the richest reefs.
- Whales: from October to December, whales migrate through the Ombai-Wetar Strait between Dili and Atauro, and divers on boat trips sometimes see them. See dolphins and whales.
- Dive sites in detail: our dive site guide.