Aquatica Dive Resort

We did a total of 17 dives (shore, boat, and night) plus additional whale and dolphin dives with Aquatica. Marco and Juve, our main dive guides, were excellent at spotting marine wildlife like nudibranchs, dugongs, giant lobsters, octopuses, and schools of barracuda. As a less experienced diver, I always felt safe with Marco, who also helped me capture great underwater photos. Desmond, who also runs Aquatica, was fantastic at getting us close to pilot whales and spinner dolphins. He was friendly and attentive—when he noticed my sunburn, he brought me a gel ice pack to cool off. We were a little sad not being able to catch any blue whales or sperm whales this time, but we’ll definitely be looking for opportunities to come back for them!

This is the 3rd time I'm having a whale swim with Desmond and Aquatica team. No one can't beat Des' excellence in spotting the whales. After 3rd time going to Timor Leste, we always highly recommend to have a trip with Aquatica for a whale swim, dugong dive, and macro critters spotting. It's a pygmy seahorse to pygmy blue whale experience in an ocean

We came for 3 days in early November 2025. We saw blue whales from the surface each day (incredible!), but it was on our last that we had the opportunity to swim with them. Desmond went above and beyond to make this happen. He appeared to understand the behaviour of the animals better than other operators out on the water, and got us in position while minimizing disturbance to these amazing creatures. You’re making the right choice with Aquatica Dive. It’s pretty much a one man operation, so it’s easier to get ahold of Des / Aquatica Dive before the start of whale season. Once it begins, he’s out on the water all day. It’s Dili, so be prepared for very modest accommodation, bring more cash in USD than you think you need, and buy a physical sim on arrival if you want reliable network. Plan early for your trip, cross your fingers for whales, and it should all pan out!

Desmond and his team are top notch and super accommodating. Truly there is no other company to do whale watching with in Dili, Timor Leste than the godfather of whale watching himself. A once in a lifetime experience made possible by the hard work of Desmond and the Aquatica team. 10/10 this is the only company to work with in Timor Leste.

Incredibly well run, professional dive shop from booking to stay, if you visit Timor, you should dive with them. Booking: Desmond was responsive, friendly and super helpful, providing a fountain of information in an area where information is very scarce. Without him, I wouldn’t have figured out how to get to Dili. I had contacted other dive companies as well and received tepid, standard, responses. Diving: Nothing but the most glowing reviews here. Desmond and Juvi were so attentive as well as knowledgeable about the area. They showed us so many things under the water - sharks, turtles, groupers, triggerfish, nudibranches, just way too many things to name. They took care of everything for us, and worked hard to make sure we had a great time. Stay: The hotel & restaurant we’re also excellent. Food was addictive, we meant to go out and try other places, and just kept coming back (try the calamari and the kway teow). The rooms were very comfy, well furnished with strong air conditioning. And Desmond & his team went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time in Dili. Thanks for an amazing time, and we hope to be back soon!