Jaco Island

Jaco Island sits off the easternmost tip of Timor-Leste, separated from the mainland village of Tutuala by a narrow strait where the Wetar Strait meets the Timor Sea. The island itself is uninhabited and protected as part of the Nino Konis Santana National Park. Diving here is rated beginner level, with visibility reported as great. Divers have described encounters with hammerhead sharks, manta rays, and tuna, and some have noted a dense shark population around the site. Its remote location also means emergency response can be delayed, worth keeping in mind given the distance from the mainland.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Olive Ridley Sea TurtleLepidochelys olivaceaReported here · unconfirmed
• Bicolor ChromisPycnochromis margaritiferReported here · unconfirmed
• Orangestripe TriggerfishBalistapus undulatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Neon DamselfishPomacentrus coelestisReported here · unconfirmed
• Goldbelly DamselPomacentrus auriventrisReported here · unconfirmed
• Blue-headed WrasseThalassoma amblycephalumReported here · unconfirmed
• Ternate ChromisChromis ternatensisReported here · unconfirmed
• Bluestreak Cleaner WrasseLabroides dimidiatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkReported here · unconfirmed
• Manta rayManta rayReported here · unconfirmed
• TunaTunaReported here · unconfirmed