In 2016, a team of marine biologists from Conservation International completed a comprehensive survey of reef fish diversity across dozens of sites throughout the Indo-Pacific. Their conclusion was remarkable: the reefs surrounding Atauro Island, a small volcanic island 36km north of Timor-Leste’s capital Dili, had the highest average fish diversity of any location they had ever surveyed worldwide.
One site — the reef directly in front of the Atauro Dive Resort — recorded 315 different fish species in a single survey. Nothing else came close.
Why Atauro?
Atauro sits in a geographically privileged position. The island rises steeply from deep water, creating sharp drop-offs and walls that plunge into the Ombai Strait. The strait itself is one of the most productive bodies of water in Southeast Asia, fed by the Indonesian throughflow that carries nutrient-rich water from the Pacific into the Indian Ocean. This constant movement of water delivers food and larvae to the reefs, sustaining extraordinary levels of productivity.
The island has also remained largely free of the coastal development and industrial fishing pressure that have degraded reefs elsewhere in the region. Fishing restrictions around some dive sites have helped preserve fish stocks, and the community-based approach to marine area management is slowly expanding.
Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, yet they shelter approximately 25% of all marine fish species. In terms of biodiversity per square metre, a healthy reef rivals a tropical rainforest — and the reefs of Atauro are among the healthiest on Earth.
What Divers Will Find
The reef at Atauro presents an almost overwhelming catalogue of marine life. Hard corals form the architectural backbone — staghorn, brain, table, and massive boulder corals in every combination — while soft corals, sea fans, and whip corals add layers of colour and texture. The fish life above is correspondingly dense: surgeonfish, parrotfish, and wrasse in large numbers; hawksbill turtles cruising the walls; schools of fusiliers catching the current; and, for macro photographers, a bewildering assortment of blennies, gobies, and nudibranchs tucked into every crevice.
Visibility is typically excellent — often exceeding 20 metres — and the water temperature stays between 26 and 29 degrees Celsius year-round.
Getting There
Atauro is accessible by public ferry from Dili’s Pertamina Jetty, with services running several times a week. The crossing takes approximately two hours. A faster speedboat service is also available. Most visitors stay at one of the island’s small eco-lodges, several of which have attached dive centres.
For divers willing to make the journey, Atauro Island is not a detour from Timor-Leste’s highlights. It is the highlight — one of the genuinely unmissable dive destinations in the world.
Watch the Full Series
Atauro Island’s reefs were explored in Timor-Leste from Below, a documentary series produced by Scubazoo.