LEMBEH - NORTH SULAWESI

North Sulawesi offers unparalleled marine biodiversity, with a wide range of dive experience options. But for divers interested in searching out encounters with bizarre and beautiful critters, Lembeh Strait, located near the port town of Bitung, hosts the best muck diving on the planet. And besides the sand, divers can take the plunge on pinnacles, walls and slopes of extravagant hard and soft coral gardens as well as a number of wrecks, some dating from WWII. Diversity is the operative word here.

LEMBEH RESORT

Lembeh Resort offers comfortable and spacious accommodations for visitors in an idyllic location overlooking Lembeh Strait while the diving operations are run by Murex, who are the pioneers of Bunaken, Bangka and liveaboard diving in North Sulawesi, servicing divers out of Manado for over 15 years.

Spacious verandas overlooking the strait, perfect for viewing glorious North Sulawesi sunsets fully air-conditioned bedrooms with attached Balinese-style (open-air) bathrooms, mini bar & personal safe.

Swimming pool, restaurant & bar, library/video viewing room with satellite TV, gift shop, massage service, internet access & laundry service.

DIVING IN LEMBEH

The Lembeh Strait has already been established as the mecca of what is known as muck or critter diving. Professional photographers and film crews are regular visitors to the strait, shooting award-winning images of the extraordinary inhabitants that mesmerize divers dive after dive. Pygmy seahorses, mimic octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, mandarinfish, hairy frogfish, ghost pipefish, rhinopias, pegasus seamoths, banggai cardinalfish, stargazers, bobbit worms, harlequin shrimp, candy crabs, bobtail squid, devilfish, snake eels, etc. The list seems endless, with every dive an opportunity to discover a species new to science. The array of nudibranchs and crustaceans is astounding. The number of cephalopod species on display amazing. The assortment of eels and venomous fish species limitless. "Going macro" will open an entire new world to divers who follow the maxim "go slow and look down". Different months offer a variety of highlights, so repeat guests can always look forward to something new and exciting on subsequent visits.

To round out the superlative adventure there are even 5 wrecks to dive, 2 of which were sunk during WWII action.

Diving Lembeh Strait can be accomplished year-round owing to the sheltering influence of Lembeh Island. No matter what inclement weather system may be passing, or how strong the currents may be, there will be numerous sites with calm conditions suitable for easy for diving. The water temperature varies, but is usually 26-29 degrees Celcius. This is a usually a bit cooler than Bunaken, so a 5 mm full wetsuit is recommended. Visibility also varies, between sites as well as time of the year. It fluctuates between 5-30 meters, lower at the muck sites compared to the more open northern sites, but usually rests in the 12-15 meter range at most of the more popular central sites.

LEMBEH DIVE CENTRE

The Lembeh Resort dive team have extensive experience diving in the strait and their infectious enthusiasm will result in the best possible dives day after day. Their focus on personal attention means that they will do their utmost to ensure that the guests fulfil their dreams and see most if not all the critters on their wish lists. Unlimited diving is offered to resort guests, with the majority of the 40+ sites within the strait only minutes away by boat. So guests can rest assured that they can accomplish as much diving as they desire.

The spacious camera room and equipment washing/drying facilities are only steps from the boat. Special consideration will be given to photographers, whose delicate equipment often seems the centre of their universe. Our boat crews will treat camera gear with the respect it deserves. NITROX will be available to qualified Lembeh Resort divers - For those who have yet to experience the benefits of NITROX, 2-day ANDI courses will be available to guests to initiate them to the world of NITROX. As well, a full range of PADI courses will be available, from Introductory to Divemaster, for those who wish to increase their diving knowledge and skills.

GEO-DIVE OPINION

An excellent choice in terms of service, professionalism and friendliness of the staff. Not really suitable for divers looking for classic reef dives and for large fish; visibility is often reduced here. Sand on the beaches is volcanic and therefore black, so watch out on hot days or you could get your feet burnt!

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